Maintenance Requirements
Preservation Books
Building Codes and Historic Buildings |
Routine maintenance work such as repairing a broken fence or replacing individual tiles on a slate roof is generally excluded from commission review. Many ordinances, however, require that designated property be kept structurally sound and may empower a commission to make repairs and seek reimbursement in instances where a property is essentially being demolished by neglect.
An increasing number of communities have also adopted provisions in their preservation ordinances to prevent a practice often described as "demolition by neglect." Such provisions enable a city or town, following notice and hearing, to make essential repairs to prevent situations whereby a building or structure must be demolished to remove a public safety hazard. Expenses are often recouped by imposing a lien on the property.
