Chapter 150 Vacant Property

Exactly as extracted, unformatted — for checking against the original. The readable version is easier to read.

Chapter 150 Vacant Property Ch 150 Art I General Provisions Ch 150 Art II Definitions Ch 150 Art III Administration Ch 150 Art IV Applicability; Determination; Waivers Ch 150 Art V Registration Ch 150 Art VI Owner Responsibilities Ch 150 Art VII Enforcement Ch 150 Art VIII Appeals Ch 150 Art I General Provisions 150-1 Title 150-2 Purpose 150-3 More Restrictive Provisions To Apply 150-4 Effect On Other Laws 150-5 Severability 150-1 Title This chapter shall be known as the "Centreville Vacant Property Code". HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-2 Purpose The purpose of this chapter is to protect residential and nonresidential areas of the Town from blighting influences and other harmful conditions associated with vacant and abandoned properties by establishing requirements for registration, local contact information, monitoring, and enforcement. This chapter is intended to supplement, and not replace, other applicable provisions of the Town Code, including but not limited to Chapter 28, Building Construction; Chapter 31, Buildings, Dangerous; and other applicable fire, zoning, nuisance, and public safety regulations. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-3 More Restrictive Provisions To Apply Where the provisions of this chapter conflict with another applicable provision of the Town Code or other law, the more restrictive provision or higher standard shall govern. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-4 Effect On Other Laws Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to supersede or limit the Town's authority under any other applicable provision of the Town Code or under state or federal law. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-5 Severability If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, such holding shall not affect the remaining provisions of this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art II Definitions 150-6 Definitions 150-6 Definitions DAYS. Consecutive calendar days. EVIDENCE OF VACANCY. Any condition that, alone or in combination with other conditions, would lead a reasonable person to believe that a property is not lawfully occupied or actively used. Such conditions may include without limitation, overgrown or dead vegetation, accumulation of mail or circulars, utility disconnection, accumulation of trash, junk, or debris, boarded openings, absence of furnishings or personal effects consistent with occupancy, or similar observable conditions. LOCAL AGENT. A natural person or business entity designated by the owner to accept notices and to arrange for inspection, security, and maintenance of property subject to this chapter, and whose mailing address is within Queen Anne’s County or a county contiguous to Queen Anne’s County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. OWNER. Any person or legal entity holding legal or equitable title to property, as shown in the land records, tax records, or other official records. The term may also include any receiver or other person or entity lawfully exercising control over the property. PROPERTY. Any unimproved or improved real property, or portion thereof, including any building, structure, or improvement located thereon. VACANT. A building, structure, or property that is not lawfully occupied or actively used. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art III Administration 150-7 Administration And Enforcement 150-8 Official Responsible For Enforcement 150-9 Notice Of Determination 150-10 Public Records 150-11 Forms And Procedures 150-12 Record Retention 150-7 Administration And Enforcement The Department of Planning and Zoning shall administer and enforce this chapter and maintain records under this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-8 Official Responsible For Enforcement The Zoning Administrator, or designee, shall be the official responsible for administration and enforcement of this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-9 Notice Of Determination If the Zoning Administrator determines that a property is subject to this chapter, the owner shall be notified in writing of that determination, the basis for the determination, the requirement to register the property, and the right to appeal pursuant to Article VIII. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-10 Public Records Registration records maintained under this chapter shall be public records to the extent required by applicable law. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-11 Forms And Procedures The Department of Planning and Zoning may prescribe forms and procedures for registration, renewal, waivers, exemptions, and related submissions under this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-12 Record Retention Records maintained pursuant to this chapter shall be retained in accordance with the Town’s records retention policies and applicable law. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art IV Applicability; Determination; Waivers 150-13 Property Subject To This Chapter 150-14 Relationship To Other Codes 150-15 Factors Relevant To Determination 150-16 Waivers And Temporary Exemptions 150-17 Conditions; Expiration; Revocation 150-13 Property Subject To This Chapter A property shall be subject to this chapter when the property is vacant and one or more of the following conditions exists: The property is unsecured, boarded, or otherwise open to unauthorized entry; Construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or similar work was commenced under a permit that has expired or been revoked, and work has been discontinued for at least six (6) months, resulting in an incomplete structure or one unsuitable for lawful occupancy or use; A building or structure on the property has been substantially damaged by fire, flood, or other casualty, and the condition has remained uncorrected for at least 180 days without substantial progress toward repair, demolition, or lawful occupancy or use; The property shows evidence of chronic neglect, including but not limited to accumulation of trash or debris, overgrown vegetation, repeated trespass or nuisance activity, or similar observable conditions indicating abandonment; or The property otherwise exhibits evidence of vacancy and abandonment sufficient to support a determination by the Zoning Administrator that the property is subject to this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-14 Relationship To Other Codes A determination that a property is subject to this chapter shall not preclude enforcement under any other applicable provision of the Town Code. Property subject to this chapter shall comply with all other applicable provisions of the Town Code, including Chapter 28, Building Construction, which adopts and amends the International Property Maintenance Code. Where a building or structure also constitutes a dangerous building under Chapter 31, Buildings, Dangerous, enforcement relating to repair, vacating, demolition, abatement, and related proceedings shall be governed by Chapter 31. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-15 Factors Relevant To Determination In determining whether a vacant property is subject to this chapter, the Zoning Administrator may consider any relevant facts, including evidence of vacancy, the condition of structures and exterior areas, whether openings are secured, whether utilities have been discontinued, and whether there is evidence of chronic neglect or failure to maintain the property. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-16 Waivers And Temporary Exemptions The Zoning Administrator may grant a temporary waiver from, or exemption to, registration under this chapter, in whole or in part, upon written application by the owner and upon a finding that the property is adequately secured and maintained and that one or more of the following applies: The property is actively marketed for sale or lease through a bona fide listing agreement; A foreclosure, receivership, probate, bankruptcy, or similar proceeding affecting the property is pending; The owner has submitted a written plan and schedule, acceptable to the Zoning Administrator, for lawful rehabilitation and lawful occupancy or use of the property and the owner diligently implements the plan; The owner has submitted a written demolition plan and schedule, acceptable to the Zoning Administrator, including removal of debris and site stabilization; Multifamily residential properties where some of the units are occupied; The property is a vacant lot which is contiguous to a lot with an occupied building and both lots are under common ownership; or Other circumstances exist demonstrating good cause for a temporary waiver or exemption consistent with the purpose of this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-17 Conditions; Expiration; Revocation Any waiver or exemption granted under § 150-16 may be conditioned, time-limited, and revoked upon failure to maintain the property or comply with the approved plan or conditions of approval. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art V Registration 150-18 Registration Required 150-19 Time For Registration 150-20 Registration Contents 150-21 Annual Renewal 150-22 Change In Information 150-23 Termination Of Registration 150-24 Registration Fees 150-18 Registration Required Except as otherwise provided by an approved waiver or exemption under this chapter, the owner of any property subject to this chapter shall register the property with the Department of Planning and Zoning. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-19 Time For Registration Registration shall be filed within 30 days after written notice from the Town that the property has been determined to be subject to this chapter. In the event of any transfer of ownership of a registered property, the new owner shall file a registration or updated registration within 30 days after the transfer. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-20 Registration Contents The registration shall be made on a form provided by the Town and shall include, at a minimum: The street address and tax account identification of the property; The name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number of all owners of the property; If the owner’s mailing address is outside Queen Anne’s County or a county contiguous to Queen Anne’s County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number of a local agent responsible for the security and maintenance of the property; The approximate date on which the property became vacant, if known, and an explanation of the reason for the vacancy; and Such other information as the Town may reasonably require to administer this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-21 Annual Renewal Registration shall be renewed annually for so long as the property remains subject to this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-22 Change In Information Any change in the information contained in the registration shall be reported in writing within 30 days after the change. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-23 Termination Of Registration The obligation to renew registration shall cease upon written confirmation by the Town that the property may lawfully be occupied or actively used, or has been lawfully demolished, and the site stabilized. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-24 Registration Fees Each initial registration and annual renewal shall be accompanied by the fee established by the Town’s adopted fee schedule, as amended from time to time. A registration shall not be deemed complete until the required fee has been paid. Fees paid pursuant to this chapter shall not be refundable by reason of later compliance, transfer, demolition, or approval of a waiver or exemption, unless expressly authorized by the Town Council. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art VI Owner Responsibilities 150-25 General Responsibilities 150-26 Access For Inspection 150-27 Posted Contact Information 150-25 General Responsibilities The owner of property subject to this chapter shall: Maintain current registration information;' Respond in a timely manner to reasonable Town requests regarding the property; Comply with any conditions of an approved waiver, exemption, or other approved submission under this chapter; Maintain and secure the property in compliance with Chapter 28, Building Construction, including the International Property Maintenance Code as adopted and amended by the Town, Chapter 24 Brush, Grass, and Weeds, and other applicable Town Code provisions; and Where applicable, comply with Chapter 31, Buildings, Dangerous. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-26 Access For Inspection Where entry onto private property or into a structure is reasonably necessary to enforce this chapter, such entry shall be in accordance with applicable law. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-27 Posted Contact Information The Zoning Administrator may require a weather-resistant placard, in a form approved by the Town, to be posted on the property identifying the owner or local agent responsible for the property. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 Ch 150 Art VII Enforcement 150-28 Violations 150-29 Municipal Infraction 150-30 Other Remedies 150-28 Violations It shall be unlawful for any owner or other responsible person to: Fail to register a property required to be registered under this chapter; Fail to renew a registration required by this chapter; Provide false or misleading information in a registration or related submission; Fail to update registration information as required by this chapter; Fail to comply with any condition of an approved waiver, exemption, or other approved submission under this chapter; or Fail to comply with any other requirement of this chapter. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-29 Municipal Infraction A violation of this chapter shall constitute a Class B municipal infraction and shall be subject to the penalties provided in § 1-14 of the Town Code and the Town’s adopted schedule of municipal infraction fines, as amended from time to time. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-30 Other Remedies The remedies provided in this chapter are cumulative and not exclusive. The Town may also pursue any other remedy authorized by law or by other provisions of the Town Code, including enforcement under Chapter 24 Brush, Grass, and Weeds, Chapter 28, Building Construction, Chapter 31, Buildings, Dangerous, nuisance abatement procedures, and any action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Ch 150 Art VIII Appeals 150-31 Appeals 150-32 Effect Of Appeal 150-33 Effect On Chapter 31 And Other Appeal Procedures 150-31 Appeals Any person aggrieved by a determination of the Zoning Administrator under this chapter, including a determination that a property is subject to this chapter or a decision regarding a waiver or exemption, may appeal such determination to the Board of Zoning Appeals by filing a written notice of appeal with the Board of Zoning Appeals within 15 days after receipt of the written notice of determination. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-32 Effect Of Appeal The filing of an appeal shall not automatically stay any requirement necessary to protect public health or safety. Following a hearing, the Board of Zoning Appeals may affirm, modify, or reverse the determination appealed from. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026 150-33 Effect On Chapter 31 And Other Appeal Procedures This article shall not alter the procedures applicable to dangerous building proceedings under Chapter 31 or to any separate appeal procedures applicable under other adopted codes. HISTORY Adopted by Ord. 02-2026 on 5/21/2026