(A) As used in this section:

"Party in interest" means an owner of record of the real property on which the building or structure is located, and includes a holder of a legal or equitable lien of record on the real property or the building or other structure.

"Total cost" means any costs incurred due to the use of employees, materials, or equipment of the township, any costs arising out of contracts for labor, materials, or equipment, and costs of service of notice or publication required under this section.

(B) A board of township trustees, by resolution, may provide for the removal, repair, or securance of buildings or other structures in the township that have been declared insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective by any fire department under contract with the township or by the county building department or other authority responsible under Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code for the enforcement of building regulations or the performance of building inspections in the township, or buildings or other structures that have been declared to be in a condition dangerous to life or health, or unfit for human habitation by the board of health of the general health district of which the township is a part.

At least thirty days before the removal, repair, or securance of any insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective building or other structure, the board of township trustees shall give notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each party in interest of its intention with respect to the removal, repair, or securance of an insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective or unfit building or other structure.

If the address of a party in interest is unknown and cannot reasonably be obtained, it is sufficient to publish the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

(C)

(1) If the board of trustees, in a resolution adopted under this section, pursues action to remove any insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective building or other structure, the notice shall include a statement informing the parties in interest that each party in interest is entitled to a hearing if the party in interest requests a hearing in writing within twenty days after the notice was mailed. The written request for a hearing shall be made to the township fiscal officer.

(2) If a party in interest timely requests a hearing, the board shall set the date, time, and place for the hearing and notify the party in interest by certified mail, return receipt requested. The date set for the hearing shall be within fifteen days, but not earlier than seven days, after the party in interest has requested a hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by both the board and the party in interest. The hearing shall be recorded by stenographic or electronic means.

(3) The board shall make an order deciding the matter not later than thirty days after a hearing, or not later than thirty days after mailing notice to the parties in interest if no party in interest requested a hearing. The order may dismiss the matter or direct the removal, repair, or securance of the building or other structure. At any time, a party in interest may consent to an order.

(4) A party in interest who requested and participated in a hearing, and who is adversely affected by the order of the board, may appeal the order under section 2506.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) At any time, a party in interest may enter into an agreement with the board of township trustees to perform the removal, repair, or securance of the insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective or unfit building or other structure.

(E) If an emergency exists, as determined by the board, notice may be given other than by certified mail and less than thirty days before the removal, repair, or securance.

(F) The total cost of removing, repairing, or securing buildings or other structures that have been declared insecure, unsafe, structurally defective, or unfit for human habitation, or of making emergency corrections of hazardous conditions, when approved by the board, shall be paid out of the township general fund from moneys not otherwise appropriated, except that, if the costs incurred exceed five hundred dollars, the board may borrow moneys from a financial institution to pay for the costs in whole or in part.

The total cost may be collected by either of the following methods:

(1) The board may have the fiscal officer of the township certify the total costs, together with a proper description of the lands to the county auditor who shall place the costs upon the tax duplicate. The costs are a lien upon the lands from and after the date of entry.

(2) The board may commence a civil action to recover the total costs from the owner of record of the real property on which the building or structure is located.

(G) Any board of township trustees may, whenever a policy or policies of insurance are in force providing coverage against the peril of fire on a building or structure and the loss agreed to between the named insured or insureds and the company or companies is more than five thousand dollars and equals or exceeds sixty per cent of the aggregate limits of liability on all fire policies covering the building or structure on the property, accept security payments and follow the procedures of divisions (C) and (D) of section 3929.86 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 413, §1, eff. 9/28/2016.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 03-17-1987; 12-20-2005