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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 18 Public Hearing to Adopt the Annual Code Enforcement Abatement Assessment Resolution to Certify the FY 2025 Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Tax Roll City of Ocoee ▪ 1 N. Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761 Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org STAFF REPORT Meeting Date: August 6, 2024 Item #: 18 Contact Name: Doug Gaines Department Director: Doug Gaines Contact Number: Ext. 1503 City Manager: Robert Frank Subject: Public Hearing to Adopt the Annual Code Enforcement Abatement Assessment Resolution to Certify the FY 2025 Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Tax Roll. (Acting Support Services Director Gaines) Background Summary: Section 115-1 of the City Code of Ordinances established the geographic limits of the City of Ocoee as a special assessment district in which the City Commission is authorized to levy a non-ad valorem assessment against properties the City of Ocoee has abated a nuisance, but has not been reimbursed for the cost of such abatement. Resolution 2017-003 requires the City Commission to adopt a resolution certifying the non-ad valorem assessment tax roll following a public hearing prior to September 15th of each year. There are presently six (6) properties that will be assessed to recover the cost of abatements, performed by the city. The owners of each property were notified, by first class mail, of the non-ad valorem assessment and of the scheduled public hearing at which the City Commission would consider this issue. The form and content of these notifications conformed to the requirements described in Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes. Issue: Should the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners consider the FY 2025 Non-Ad Valorem Assessment for Code Enforcement Abatements and certify the Code Enforcement Abatement Assessment Tax Roll? Recommendations: Staff recommends that the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners adopt the proposed Resolution to approve the FY 2025 Non-Ad Valorem Assessment for Code Enforcement Abatements and certify the Code Enforcement Abatement Assessment Roll. The Mayor and City Manager should be authorized to execute any documents required to implement the Resolution and levy the non-ad valorem assessment. Attachments: 1. Proposed Resolution 2. Appendix A - Code Enforcement Assessment Roll 3. Appendix B - Certificate to Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll 4. Notice of Public Hearing 5. Advertisement City of Ocoee ▪ 1 N. Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761 Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org Financial Impacts: As of July 03, 2024, the City of Ocoee has unpaid code enforcement abatement costs totaling $3,326.80 that can be placed on the FY 2025 tax bill. This amount includes the cost of abatement, interest accruing at a rate of 18% compounded annually until September 30, 2024, and administrative costs related to lien filings. The recovery of these costs via a non-ad valorem special assessment is to be collected using the uniform method, as prescribed in Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes. Type of Item: Public Hearing RESOLUTION 2024-_____ CITY OF OCOEE CODE ENFORCEMENT NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT RESOLUTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUGUST 06, 2024 RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, CITY COMMISSION RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF UNPAID LIENS FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT ABATEMENT ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF OCOEE; STATING THE PURPOSE OF SUCH EFFORTS; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; ENDORSING THE UNIFORM METHOD OF ASSESSING ABATEMENT COSTS AGAINST ASSESSED PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF OCOEE; APPROVING THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Subsection C-8(Q) of the City of Ocoee Charter (“City Charter”) authorizes the City of Ocoee (“the City”) to require all lands, property, lots, bodies of water, and other premises within the City limits to be kept clean, sanitary, and free from excessive weed growth; and WHEREAS, Subsection C-8(Q) of the City Charter allows the City to make such properties clean, sanitary, and free from excessive weed growth at the expense of the owner; and WHEREAS, the City has the obligation to abate nuisances and violations that are a risk to the public health, safety, and welfare under the provisions of the City Charter and the Chapter 115 of City of Ocoee Code of Ordinances (“City Code”); and WHEREAS, the owners of property involved in an abatement have an obligation under Chapter 115 of the City Code to pay the City for the cost incurred by the City through abatement, plus allowable interest; and WHEREAS, in cases where such costs remain unpaid, the City intends to use all available methods of collecting such assessments as non-ad valorem assessments; and WHEREAS, the City Commission has adopted a clear method for determining and collecting such non-ad valorem assessments consistent with the procedures provided by the Chapter 115 of the City Code and Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes, including collecting such assessments on the uniform tax bill for each Fiscal Year beginning on October 1; and WHEREAS, City Code Chapter 115, as amended on February 21, 2017, establishes the City as a special assessment district relating to abatements; and WHEREAS, as a special assessment district, the City Commission is authorized to levy a non-ad valorem assessment against properties where, in accordance with Chapter 115, a violation occurred, the City took action to abate, and the owner has failed, for whatever reason, to pay the City for the costs incurred in carrying out the abatement; and WHEREAS, the City, county property appraiser, and county tax collector currently have an agreement by which the property appraiser and tax collector collect non-ad valorem assessments on behalf of the City; and WHEREAS, notice of the assessment and public hearing was issued in accordance with Chapter 115 of the City Code and Section 197.3632(4)(b), Florida Statutes; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on August 06, 2024, for comments and objections of all interested persons to be heard and considered, as required by the terms of the Chapter 115 of the City Code; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA: SECTION 1. AUTHORITY. This Resolution is adopted pursuant to the provisions of Ordinance No. 2017-003 (“the Ordinance”); Chapter 115 of the City Code; the Home Rule Charter; Article VIII, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution; Sections 166.041 and 197.3632, Florida Statutes, and other applicable provisions of law. SECTION 2. PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS. (A) This Resolution sets forth and approves the collection of the Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll “(Assessment Roll”), as defined in Section 115-1.F. of the City Code, for Fiscal Year 2025 through the procedure described in Section 115-1.C. of the City Code. (B) Fiscal Year 2025 is defined as the period of time from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. (C) All capitalized words and terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Ordinance No. 2017-003, as amended. Any uncertainty regarding the meaning of a term used herein shall be resolved in favor of the Resolution. Unless the context indicates otherwise, words imparting the singular number include the plural number and vice versa. SECTION 3. APPROVAL OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLL. The Assessment Roll attached as Appendix A is hereby approved and shall be delivered to the Orange County Tax Collector for collection using the tax bill collection method and the manner described in the Ordinance on or before September 15, 2024, together with the correction of any errors or omissions, as provided for in the Ordinance. The Assessment Roll, as delivered to the Tax Collector, shall be accompanied by a Certificate to Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix B. SECTION 4. EFFECT OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION. This Resolution establishes the Code Enforcement Abatement Non-Ad Valorem Assessments to be imposed in the 2025 Fiscal Year, certifies the Assessment Roll for the 2025 Fiscal Year with such adjustments as the City Commission deems just and right, and authorizes the Mayor of the City of Ocoee to execute collection of said Code Enforcement Non-Ad Valorem Assessments through the County Property Appraiser and the County Tax Collector. The adoption of this Resolution shall be the final adjudication of the issues presented (including, but not limited to, the amount due, the method of assessment, and the Assessment Roll), unless proper steps shall be initiated in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure relief within 20 days from the date of this Resolution. SECTION 5. SEVERABILITY. If any clause, section, or other part of this Resolution shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, such unconstitutional or invalid part shall be considered as eliminated and in no way affecting the validity of other provisions of this Resolution. SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED this ________ day of ______________________, 2024. APPROVED: ATTEST: CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Melanie Sibbitt, City Clerk Rusty Johnson, Mayor (SEAL) FOR USE AND RELIANCE ONLY BY THE APPROVED BY THE OCOEE CITY CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA. APPROVED COMMISSION AT A MEETING HELD AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY THIS ____ ON __________________________. DAY OF ___________________, 2024. By: _________________________________ City Attorney APPENDIX A ASSESSMENT ROLL APPENDIX B CERTIFICATE TO NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL Parcel ID Number Street Address Total Amount Owed 182228712200850 85 BUCK KEY CT 327.39$ 182228712200970 97 DEER KEY CT 266.87$ 312128285501260 3500 BIG EAGLE DR 647.62$ 082228881600290 881 KIMBALL DR 351.15$ 182228000000038 455 PALM DR 562.27$ 082228881000900 1204 WILLOW CREEK RD 1,171.50$ Total 3,326.80$ CERTIFICATE TO NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL DR-408A N. 02/91 I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am the Chairman of the Board, or authorized agent of Florida; as such, I have satisfied myself that all property included or includable on the Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll for the aforesaid county is properly assessed so far as I have been able to ascertain; and that all required extensions on the above described roll to show the non-ad valorem assessments attributable to the property listed therein have been made pursuant to law. I further certify that, upon completion of this certificate and the attachment of same to the herein described Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll as part thereof, said Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll will be delivered to the Tax Collector of this county. In witness whereof, I have subscribed this certificate and caused the same to be attached to and made a part of the above described Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll this the day of , . County,, located in year Chairman of the Board or authorized agent Name of local government of County, Florida Mayor Rusty Johnson Commissioners Scott R. Kennedy District 1 Rosemary Wilsen District 2 Richard Firstner District 3 George Oliver III District 4 City Manager Robert D. Frank City of Ocoee ▪ 1 North Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761 Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org _____________ * * * THIS IS NOT A BILL * * * CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO IMPOSE AND PROVIDE FOR COLLECTION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENTS NOTICE DATE: JULY 03, 2024 GRACE JAMIE E 1204 Willow Creek Rd Ocoee, FL 34761-1978 Parcel Tax ID: 082228881000900 Legal: TWIN LAKES MANOR 4/107 LOT 90 Address: 1204 WILLOW CREEK RD * * * NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER * * * Notice is hereby given by the City of Ocoee that a Code Enforcement Non-Ad Valorem Assessment will be levied on the above-described parcel on your next tax bill, in accordance with Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes, and Section 115-1 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ocoee. The purpose of this assessment is to reimburse the City of Ocoee for costs incurred after abating or remedying the above-described parcel from a Code Enforcement violation that, after due notice and time to remedy the violation, the property owner, for whatever reason, failed or refused to remedy and has failed or refused to reimburse the City for the costs incurred during said abatement or remedy. The Code Enforcement Non-Ad Valorem Assessment for the above-described parcel is $ 1171.50. A public hearing will be held at 6:15 pm or soon thereafter on Tuesday, August 06, 2024 in the City Commission Chambers, 1 North Bluford Avenue, Ocoee, Florida 34761 for the purpose of receiving public comment on the proposed assessment. You and other affected property owners have a right to appear at the hearing and to file comments or written objections with the City Commission within 20 days of this Notice. If you decide to appeal any decision made by the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at the hearing, you will need a record of the proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be made. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this processing should call 407-905-3105 at least 48 hours prior to the hearing to make arrangements. Unless proper steps are initiated in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure relief within 20 days from the date of City Commission action at the above hearing (including the method of apportionment, the rate of assessment and the imposition of assessments), such action shall be the final adjudication of the issues presented. A copy of the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance is available online at www.ocoee.org and is available for inspection at the office of the City Clerk, located at 1 North Bluford Avenue, Ocoee, Florida. The ad valorem taxes for the above parcel will be collected on the ad valorem tax bill mailed in November. Failure to pay the assessments will cause a tax certificate to be issued against the property which may result in a loss of title. If there is a mistake on this notice, it will be corrected. Should you have any questions regarding the Code Enforcement Non-Ad Valorem Assessments please contact the Code Enforcement at (407) 905-3106, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO IMPOSE AND PROVIDE FOR COLLECTION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENTS The City of Ocoee, Florida (the “City”) hereby provides notice, in accordance with Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes, and Section 115-1 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ocoee, that a Code Enforcement Non-Ad Valorem Assessment will be levied, on the next tax bill, against any property within the incorporated area of the City, as shown in the adjacent map, that has failed or refused to reimburse the City for costs incurred during abating or remedying a Code Enforcement violation on that property. A public hearing will be held at 6:15 pm, or soon thereafter, on Tuesday, August 06, 2024, in the City Commission Chambers, 1 North Bluford Avenue, Ocoee, Florida 34761 for the purpose of receiving public comment on the proposed assessment. All affected property owners have the right to appear at the public hearing and the right to file written objections to the City Commission within 20 days of this publication’s date. If you decide to appeal any decision made by the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at the hearing, you will need a record of the proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be made. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this processing should call 407-905-3105 at least 48 hours prior to the hearing to make arrangements. Melanie Sibbitt, City Clerk July 11, 2024 24-02158W