8/31/2010
Excerpted from:
Chapter 15
NUISANCES AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
(6) Vacant Dwellings:
6.1 Notification to County. The owner of record or any person or entity with an interest of record (hereafter
collectively “owner”) of or in any residential dwelling that has become vacant shall within 30 days after the dwelling
becomes vacant, or within 30 days after the effective date of this subchapter, whichever is later, file a registration
statement for each such dwelling with the Development Department on forms provided by the Development
Department for such purposes. The registration shall remain valid for one year from the date of registration. The owner
shall be required to annually renew the registration as long as the dwelling remains vacant and shall pay an annual
registration fee of $50 for each registered dwelling; provided, however, that eleemosynary, religious, educational,
benevolent or charitable associations and all governmental agencies shall be exempt from the payment of the annual
registration fee. The owner shall notify the Development Department within 20 days of any change in the registration
information by filing an amended registration statement on a form provided by the Development Department for such
purposes. The registration statement shall be deemed prima facie proof of the statements therein contained in any
administrative enforcement proceeding or court proceeding instituted by the County against the owner of the dwelling.
Registration of a dwelling in accordance with this section shall be deemed to satisfy the registration requirements set
forth in the County ordinances and the notification requirement set forth in the County ordinances. In addition to other
information required by the Director of Development, the registration statement shall include the name, street address
and telephone number of a natural person 21 years of age or older, designated by the owner as the authorized agent
for receiving notices of code violations and for receiving process, in any court proceeding or administrative
enforcement proceeding, on behalf of such owner in connection with the enforcement of this code. This person must
maintain an office in Kane County, Illinois, or must actually reside within Kane County, Illinois. An owner who is a
natural person and who meets the requirement of this division as to location of residence or office may designate
himself or herself as agent. By designating an authorized agent under the provisions of this section the owner is
consenting to receive any and all notices of code violations concerning the registered dwelling and all process in any
court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding brought to enforce code provisions concerning the
registered dwelling by service of the notice or process on the authorized agent. Any owner who fails to register a
vacant dwelling under the provisions of this section shall further be deemed to consent to receive, by posting at the
dwelling, any and all notices of code violations and all process in an administrative proceeding brought to enforce code
provisions concerning the dwelling.
6.2 Responsibilities of owner or manager. The owner of any dwelling that has become vacant, and any person
maintaining, operating or collecting rent for any dwelling that has become vacant shall, within 30 days, do the following:
(1) Enclose and secure the dwelling; (2) Maintain the dwelling in a secure and closed condition until the dwelling is
again occupied or until repair or completion of the dwelling has been undertaken.
6.3 Rules and regulations to be promulgated. The County may issue rules and regulations for the administration of
this section. These rules may designate board-up materials and methods which must be used when securing a
dwelling so that the boarding is reasonably incapable of being removed by trespassers or others acting without the
dwelling owner’s consent.
6.4 Inspection Report Required: Each vacant dwelling registered herein shall be inspected periodically as required
by the County, but not less than annually. The dwelling owner shall, at the owner’s expense, submit an inspection
report to the County. The report shall be prepared by a duly licensed company or individual. The report must include
comments on the condition of the property, the exterior of all structures and the interior of the dwelling.
