Record #: SO2011-50   
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
Intro date: 1/13/2011 Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Buildings
Final action: 2/9/2011
Title: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 13-12 by adding new Section 147 to expand penalty provisions for hazardous vacant buildings
Sponsors: Balcer, James
Topic: MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 13 - Building & Construction - Ch. 12 Enforcement of Building, Electrical & Fire Regulations
Attachments: 1. O2011-50.pdf, 2. SO2011-50.pdf
SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Chapter 13-12 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by adding a new Section 13-12-147 and by deleting the language struck through, as follows:
13-12-140 Vacant or open buildings - Watchman required - Violation - Penalty.
Any person or persons owning, maintaining, operating, collecting rents for, or having any legal or equitable interest in any vacant and open building, or any uncompleted abandoned building, or any vacant boarded-up building or any otherwise enclosed vacant building must have a watchman on duty upon the premises on which any one of such aforementioned buildings is situated everyday continuously between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., unless the building has been secured by methods approved by the commissioner of buildings.
Said watchman required under the provisions of this ordinance shall remain on duty daily during the required hours until such building is either occupied or razed.
Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100.00 nor more than $300.00 for the first offense and not less than $300.00 nor more than $500.00 for the second and each subsequent offense. Any third or subsequent offense may be punishable as a misdemeanor by incarceration in the county jail for a term not to exceed six months under procedures set forth in Section 1 -2-1.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/1 -2-1.1) as amended, or by both fine and imprisonment. Any person who violates this section after having been notified in writing that a watchman has not been on duty on any premises as required by this section shall, if the building remains or subsequently becomes open and a forcible felony is then committed on those premises after such notice is given, be sentenced to a mandatory term of imprisonment of not less than 30 days. A separate and distinct offense shall be regarded as committed each day ...

Click here for full text