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15.16.040 – Damaged buildings within fire limits - Requirements for removal or rebuilding

  1. Any building or structure within the fire limits of the city as herein prescribed by ordinance which has or may be damaged by fire, decay, or other cause to the extent of fifty percent of its value, shall be torn down and removed, or rebuilt with nonflammable walls.
  2. Upon written notice by the building inspector, city sanitarian, fire chief, or any other city officer, filed with the city sanitarian, the sanitarian shall notify the mayor of the receipt of such notice.  The mayor shall then appoint three persons to determine whether or not such building or structure has been damaged to the extent of fifty percent of its value.  A copy of the notice filed by the city officer, together with a notice of the appointment of this board of three persons to determine the damage, shall be served upon the owner of the premises by personal service or by registered mail to his last known address.  Such notice may be in substantially the following form: "To________________________________ "You are hereby notified that _________________________ has determined that the building owned by you at ________________, located within the fire limits of the City of St. Charles has been damaged by fire, decay, or otherwise to the extent of fifty percent (50%) of its value; and that a board of three (3) members has been appointed to verify this finding, which board will hold its first meeting in the city hall on the _____ day of ______________ at the hour of ____ o'clock, at which time it will determine whether this finding is correct. "If this finding is verified by the board, you must tear down and remove the said building, or rebuild it with non-flammable walls."
  3. If this finding is verified by the board of three members and it determines that the building in question has been damaged to the extent of fifty percent of its value, it shall be the duty of the owner to tear down and remove the said building within twenty days after the finding of such board, or to remodel it to comply with the requirements of new buildings in the fire limits, and it is unlawful to occupy or permit occupancy of such building after such finding until it is so remodeled.
(Prior code: § 13.304)