(Oct. 27, 2016) The most recent evidence of the effectiveness of the vacant building ordinance the Town of Snow Hill passed in July, can be seen in the identification of at least 63 structures, some of which have been registered or are awaiting response from their owners, according to Town Manager Kelly Pruitt.
Letters were sent to the property owners in mid-July, Pruitt said, giving the recipients 30 days to register or provide the town with a plan for the property.
“We were happy to have 37 people respond and were able to identify 15 properties as occupied or under construction, such as the downtown storefronts,” Pruitt said. “There were 26 properties where we did not receive a response.”
The process is underway to contact those remaining owners and give them final notice to comply with the new rule.
“Considering that this is a newly adopted ordinance, we have been trying to be patient with the process but will now take a stronger approach with enforcement,” she said. “Unfortunately, if they do not respond to the second notice, we will have to proceed with assessing fines.”
Properties determined by the town to be vacant or blighted can be cited and fined $100 after 30 days. Appeals may be filed within 30 days of the initial report to the Housing Review Board. The code requires the appeal hearing to take place within 10 days from the application for appeal.
Whether properties are vacant and secured, vacant and unsecured or vacant and boarded, registration is required under the ordinance.
“Part of the process is meeting with property owners after they submit their plan of action. We have met with two owners so far and are requesting meetings with two more for next week,” Pruitt said.  
Whether buildings can be deemed vacant is left up to the discretion of the town’s code officer, and there are several provisions in the code defining how that determination is made.
Under the guidelines, a property must be habitually vacant for more than 90 days, attract an inordinate amount of calls for service as measured by the police department, a fire hazard, have unfinished construction or demolition or creates a reasonable interference with reasonable and lawful use of surrounding properties.
According the rule, the properties of residents on extended vacations or those with alternate living arrangements — wintering in Florida for example — would be exempt. However, a verified emergency contact number for the property owner or responsible party must be on file with the town and the property must be maintained while the owners are away.
The town produces and maintains the registrations documents, which are available at Town Hall.