Janesville, WI, votes to create vacant property registration program, amends code for Chronic Nuisance Premises

Janesville, WI: City Council approved creation of an ordinance to require vacant property registration and fee structure for registration.

 

The fee structure had not been set yet, nor the date at which the new ordinance would take effect; though the Council had discussed using other cities in Wisconsin (such as Milwaukee's vacant property registration program) as a basis for determining how to best put the program in motion to allow the ordinance to be self-sustaining via the fees collected under the rules of the registration ordinance.

 

The ordinance allows for some exemptions, such as for “snowbirds” (property is used as a vacation home or on a seasonal basis) and if active renovations are occurring.

 

In addition to the new registration ordinance, the Council approved an amendment to Chronic Nuisance Premises, wherein arrests relating to action at the property for crime also count as violations against the property.

 

When a property accrues four violations in a 12-month period, the property owner must meet with the City to make plans to remedy the issues of the home; property owners will receive notification upon receiving their second violation, as a caution to help the process of handling current issues and preventing further violations.

 

 

 

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