Altoona City Council have recently passed an anti-blight ordinance that sets annual fees for vacant properties as an incentive for owners to sell, raze or renovate.

The ordiance will help rid neighborhoods of "garbage" abandoned properties, some boarded and "secure," which are beyond the reach of current code enforcement, he said.

The ordinance's provisions won't trouble residents on extended vacations or those who maintain their properties to normal standards with utilities functioning, officials said.

The ordinance requires owners to register vacant properties after 45 days and begin paying annual fees after a year, starting at $500, escalating to $5,000 after 10 years.

Council member Matt Garber, one of two dissenters, proposed revisions at the start of the discussion, and the council debated whether to table the ordinance.

Garber recommended designations of "at-risk" and "abandoned," with guidelines for when properties enter those categories and provisions for waiting periods, reinspections and notifications.

The ordinance fails to distinguish between small residential and large commercial properties, forces code officers to exercise too much judgment and may be hard to enforce, said council member Bruce Kelley, the other dissenter.

It's not the answer to everything, but it will help give residents of neighborhoods with abandoned buildings hope, Hippo said.

Council needs to trust that code officers will make the right judgments in borderline cases, he said.

The move to table was really a move to kill, Hippo said, referring to delays that ultimately trashed a solid waste proposal last year by giving time for opponents to organize and exercise their influence.

Council should be willing to revise the ordinance if necessary, he said.

To view the online article, please click here.