By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Common Council closed a loophole in its recently adopted vacant buildings registration ordinance on Oct. 15. The loophole allowed some building owners to avoid having their buildings inspected twice a year by the fire department to make sure they are up to code.
The ordinance had required the registration of any manufacturing, commercial, institutional, residential, or mixed-use buildings that have been vacant for 360 consecutive days and any manufacturing, commercial, and mixed-use buildings that have been partially vacant for 180 days. Once registered, the fire department could schedule inspections. Without the registration, the fire department often found it difficult to gain access to those buildings during normal business hours.
The loophole was that buildings that were listed for sale or rent were exempt from the registration requirement.
Read more about the topic and other issues discussed at the meeting in the Oct. 31 Delavan Enterprise.
