§ 18-8. Boarding certificate; requirements.

(a)

All buildings that must be secured by boarding pursuant to this article shall require a board up permit and subsequent boarding certificate issued by the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale. The board up permit fee shall be charged pursuant to section 9-48 and the boarding certificate fee shall be sixty-five dollars ($65.00).

(b)

No person, firm, association or corporation shall erect, install, place, or maintain boards over the doors, windows, or other openings of any building or structure or otherwise secure such openings by a means other than the conventional method used in the original construction and design of the building or structure without first applying for a board up permit and, within thirty (30) days of application, completing all steps necessary for the issuance of a boarding certificate and thereafter having a valid and current boarding certificate therefore from the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale.

(c)

The sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale shall issue a boarding certificate required by subsection (a) upon the submission of a written board up permit application by the owner of the property, his/her authorized representative or contractor, or a contractor hired by the city, upon payment of the required board up permit and boarding certificate fees, and upon the confirmation through inspection by a city building inspector that the boarding or other method of securing the building or structure has been done in compliance with this article.

(d)

A boarding certificate shall authorize the boarding or other securing of a building or structure for a period of no greater than one (1) year from the date of issuance.

(e)

The boarding certificate may be renewed after the initial one (1) year, for an additional six (6) months subject to the owner or the owner's authorized agent or contractor completing all of the required steps in subsection (c) and the following:

(1)

Submit a detailed plan for correction, repair or rehabilitation of the property which would comply with all violations of state or local building and housing standards and the securing of doors, windows and other openings by the conventional method used in the original construction and design of the building or structure or, alternatively, a detailed plan for demolition of the property or sale of the property to another person or entity with provision in the sale of correction, repair, rehabilitation, or demolition; and

(2)

Submit a timeline for applying for appropriate permits for such work and for completing such work prior to the expiration of the renewal certificate, or alternatively, a timeline for the sale of the property; and

(3)

Confirmation through inspection by a city building inspector that the boarding or other method of securing the building or structure has been done in compliance with this article.

(f)

The renewal boarding certificate may be revoked by the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale if the owner fails to comply with the plan for such work or fails to adhere to the timeline submitted.

(g)

A boarding certificate may not be extended beyond the six-month renewal period nor may a new application for the same property be accepted by the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale within one (1) year of the date of expiration of the prior certificate, except upon demonstration that "good cause" for the renewal exists. "Good cause" shall require a showing by the owner that the certificate renewal is made necessary by conditions or events beyond the owner's control, such as inability to obtain financing for repair or rehabilitation, inability to locate a suitable buyer, unanticipated delays in construction, rehabilitation, or demolition, or unanticipated damage to the property. In addition, where appropriate, "good cause" shall also require a showing by the owner that the owner has exercised reasonable and due diligence in attempting to complete the needed repair, rehabilitation or demolition or is attempting to sell the property. In the event that the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale determines that there exists good cause to renew the certificate and that all other conditions in subsection (e) above are met, the certificate may be renewed by the sustainable development department of the City of Fort Lauderdale for a period of up to, but not more than, an additional six (6) months, subject to all of the same conditions imposed on the original renewal certificate.

( Ord. No. C-09-18, § 2, 7-7-09 ; Ord. No. C-17-28 , §§ 91—95, 9-13-17)