?CITY OF DEQUINCY
ORDINANCE NO. 958
The City Council of the City of DeQuincy, State of Louisiana, met in regular session on the 9th day of October 2023 and adopted the following Ordinance as an amendment to Chapter 5 Article II of the Code of Ordinances.
WHEREAS, the City of DeQuincy desires to update and modernize its Code of Ordinances regarding the regulation of Buildings.
THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council that Article II of Chapter 5 Buildings is hereby amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE II. – DANGEROUS STRUCTURES
Sec. 5-29. – Condemnation, demolition, removal
The commission council is hereby authorized and empowered to condemn and cause to be demolished or removed any building or structure within the corporate limits of the town when it is unsafe, unsanitary, unfit for human habitation, or which constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment, are considered unsafe buildings. All such unsafe buildings are hereby declared illegal and shall be abated by repair and rehabilitation or by demolition.
Sec. 5-36-Blighted and abandoned properties prohibited.
(a) Blighted and abandoned properties are hereby declared to be public nuisances, and the maintenance or permitted maintenance of blighted and/or abandoned property by a property owner within the city limits is prohibited.
(b) “Blighted property” means any commercial or residential premises, including lots, which are vacant, uninhabitable, and hazardous and because of their physical condition, are considered hazardous to persons or property.
(c) “Abandoned property” means any property that is vacant or not lawfully occupied. The terms “vacant” or “not lawfully occupied” shall include but shall not be limited to any premises that are not lawfully occupied by its owner, lessee, or other invitee or if occupied, without required utilities, and which have been left unsecured or inadequately secured from unauthorized entry to the extent that the premises could be entered and utilized by vagrants or other uninvited persons as a place of harborage or any premises which by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, state of despair, or other such status is otherwise detrimental to or endangers the public safety, health, or welfare.
(d) All structures that utilize boarding of doors, windows, and other access points to prevent unauthorized entry and to secure the property shall meet or exceed the following requirements:
(1) All windows and doors shall be boarded in an approved manner to prevent entry by unauthorized persons and shall be painted to correspond to the color of the existing structure.
(2) Boarding sheet material shall be a minimum of ?-inch thick wood structural panels complying with the International Building Code.
(3) Boarding framing material shall be a minimum nominal two-inch by four-inch solid-sawn lumber complying with the International Building Code.
(4) Boarding fasteners shall be minimum ?-inch diameter carriage bolts of such a length as required to penetrate the assembly and as required to adequately attach the washers and nuts. Washers and nuts shall comply with the International Building Code.
(5) The boarding sheet material shall be cut to fit the door or window opening neatly or shall be cut to provide an equal overlap at the perimeter of the door or window.
(6) Door walls. The door opening shall be framed with a minimum two-inch by four-inch framing material secured at the entire perimeter and vertical members at not more than 24 inches on center. Blocking shall also be secured at not more than 48 inches on center vertically. Boarding sheet material shall be secured with screws and nails alternating every six inches on the center.
(7) One door may be available for authorized entry but shall be secured and locked in a manner that prevents unauthorized entry at all times.
(8) No residential structure boarded shall remain in that state for a period longer than a total of 24 months all-inclusive. No commercial structure boarded shall remain in that state for a period longer than a total of 12 months all-inclusive. If the property is secured in this manner for greater than the applicable time period, then the property shall be deemed blighted.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the City Council that should any section, clause, or provision of this ordinance be declared invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the same shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole, or any part thereof, other than the part or parts declared to be invalid. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with any of the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed and replaced.
All other sections, paragraphs, subsections, subparagraphs, clauses, phrases, and words of Chapter 5, ARTICLE II SEC 5-29 and SEC 5-36, not specifically amended by this ordinance, are to remain the same.
Said Ordinance having been introduced on the 11th day of September 2023, a notice of Public Hearing having been published on the 4th day of October 2023, said Public Hearing having been held on the 9th day of October 2023 with the title having been read and Ordinance considered, on motion by Jim Smith___, seconded by Margaret Brown__ to adopt the Ordinance. A record vote was taken, and the following result was had:
YEAS: 5
NAYS: 0
ABSENT: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
This Ordinance was declared duly adopted on this 9th day of October 2023.
Chairman of the Council
/s/Eddy Dahlquist
I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance has been presented to the mayor on this 9th day of October 2023, at 5:30 o’clock p.m.
/s/Sherri Breaux,
Secretary of the Council
and City Clerk
I have reviewed the above and foregoing Ordinance on this 9th day of October 2023 and do hereby Approve/Veto same.
/s/Riley Smith,
Mayor
I hereby certify that I have received from the mayor at 5:30 o’clock p.m., on this 9th day of October 2023, the foregoing Ordinance which has been Approved by the Mayor. /s/Sherri Breaux,
Secretary of the Council
and City ClerkI certify that the above and foregoing constitutes a true and correct copy of an Ordinance duly adopted at a meeting of the City Council of the City of DeQuincy held on October 9th,2023, at which a quorum was present and voted in favor of said Ordinance.
/s/Sherri Breaux,
Secretary of the Council
and City Clerk
Run: December 06,2023 (D6)
