HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 1546ORDINANCE NO. 1546
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING AN EMERGENCY MORATORIUM ON THE
1SSUANCE OF RESIDENTIAL RENTAL OCCUPANCY LICENSES, PER CITY
ORDINANCE SECTION SA.401, ON PROPERTIES NOT LICENSED SINCE JANUARY
1, 2006
Whereas, Mn. State Statute 462.355, Adopt, Amend Comps°ehensive Plczn; Interim Urdincrnce,
Subd. 4 authorizes a City to establish interim ordinances to regulate, restrict or prohibit any use
or development in all or part of the City while the City or its planning department is conducting
studies, or has authorized a study to be done, and
Whereas, the City of Columbia Heights is desirous of using this legislation to temporarily
suspend the issuance of new occupancy licenses, per City Ordinance SA.401, on properties not
previously licensed since January 1, 2006 City, and
Whereas, the City of Columbia Heights has seen a marked increase of 156 additional properties
licensed for rental within the past three years; specifically-618 licenses in 2005, 722 licenses in
2006 and 7741icenses in 2007, and
Whereas, neighborhoods are experiencing additional marketing difficulties as shown by the
City's significant foreclosure properties (estimated to be 277 properties at the time of passage of
this Ordinance with an estimated minimum total of 300 properties for years 2007 and 2008), as
illustrated on a map dated May 5, 2008 and held at the Community Development Department as
reference, and
Whereas, the City of Columbia Heights has concerns with increasing rental property demands
and the ability of these rentals to potentially have Long range effects on selected neighborhoods if
not properly controlled. The sharp increase of rental properties may create greater crime and
property code compliance issues, decreasing property market values and destabilizing general
community health, and
Whereas, the City can reasonably expect that the demand for more rental housing licenses will
increase due to the number of city-wide foreclosures, which is estimated to be at a minimum 375
units for the years of 2007 and 2008 collectively, and
Whereas, the City needs time to properly plan, analyze and potentially implement new
ordinances, programs or strategic policies, and
Whereas, the analysis to be undertaken will include:
1) Development of a community health inventory (which will consist of compiling data
of crime, rental rates, reinvestment through building permits, sales, housing values,
code enforcement issues, etc.) in order to determine specific neighborhood issues
2) Determination of the impact of the City's recently adopted anal modified International
Property Maintenance Code
3) Determination of the need for a Residential Inspection before Sale Program
4} Determination of the effects of the foreclosure market on the City's rental and single
family housing environment
5) Completion of the City's statutorily required Comprehensive Plan,
6) Development of a Master Work Plan to deal with identified issues, and
Whereas, the City Council for the City of Columbia Heights has determined that a suspension of
new occupancy licenses is critical to preserve and maintain the health of its neighborhoods,
Now Therefore Be It Resolved, that the City Council of the City of Columbia Heights ordains:
1) For a period of six months from the date of approval of this Ordinance, no occupancy
license, as required by City under city Code SA.401 will be issued for a property that
has not previously been licensed by the City since January 1, 2006
2) This Ordinance shall be effective upon passage.
Offered By: Nawrocki
Second By: Williams
RoII Call: Ayes: Peterson, Williams, Nawrocki, Diehm, Kelzenberg ~
~~
~ '~, t
^'y
1 h a
ayor Gary L. terson
Attest:
---°~_,.
-~
~~'atricia Muscovitz, CMC
City Clerk