TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Olivera - Assistant City Manager
Dr. Gerald Newton, AICP - Development Services Director
FROM: Jennifer C. Baptiste - Development Ombudsman Manager
DATE: September 3, 2024
RE:
Title
Proposed establishment of an objective scoring system for proposed current and future demolition projects by utilizing a City Council Initiated Demolition Score Matrix.
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Strategic Operating Plan FY 2022
Goals 2027
Goal II: Responsive City Government Supporting a Diverse and Viable Economy
• Objective 2.2 - Invest in community places to ensure revitalization and increase quality of life.
Goal III: City Invested in Today and Tomorrow
• Objective 3.3 - Revitalize neighborhoods with effective code enforcement and violations abatement.
Goal IV: Desirable Place to Live, Work, and Recreate.
• Objective 4.4 - Ensure a place for people to live in great neighborhoods.
Goal V: Financially Sound City Providing Exemplary City Services
• Objective 5.1 - Ensure strong financial management with fiduciary accountability and plan for future resource sustainability by aligning resources with City priorities.
Executive Summary:
In order to be good stewards of the demolition funds provided to the department from the City and continue to remove blighted buildings, the Development Services Department is proposing to utilize a Demolition Spreadsheet to determine priority demolition projects.
Background:
The Code Enforcement Department is charged with the heavy task of actively enforcing certain Chapters of the City of Fayetteville’s Municipal Code of Ordinances:
Chapter 10 - Fair Housing;
Chapter 14 - Housing, Dwelling, and Building;
Chapter 27 - Trailers, Manufactured Homes, and manufactured Home Parks; and
Chapter 30 - Unified Development Ordinance.
These sections include the regulation of substandard housing and subsequent demolition of said structures.
Issues/Analysis:
Recently, the American Planning Association spotlighted Genesee County Land Bank Authority’s process for ranking demolition projects. The Land Bank is a public/private organization that receives funding from Genesee County, Michigan, The City of Flint, Michigan, Michigan State, and several private foundations to mitigate blight within the City of Flint and Genesee County. Between September 2022 and February 2024, the Land Bank received approximately $52,000,000.00 in funding.
By having the aspect of being a private entity, the Land Bank has the authority to purchase properties, remove any dilapidated structures or rehabilitating the structure as well as perform any property cleaning if needed. Once improved, the property is either retained by the organization, donated to a nonprofit organization for a tax write off or sold for redevelopment. Funds received through the sale of a property is often reinvested in the organization’s demolition program.
The Land Bank uses a scorecard to determine the feasibility of demolishing each property or the rehabilitation of structures. The scorecard uses several factors such as location, extent of structural damage to the building, etc.
Currently, the City of Fayetteville does not utilize a scorecard system to evaluate demolitions and although the City is not a land bank; there are merits to the City using a scorecard with demolitions. The main importance being that the scoresheet would ensure that demolitions are based on the same established criteria identified below:
1. Structural Damage - Structural damage considers the safety of the structure as well as both the visual and physical perspective of the building by asking specific questions.
a. Does the building have substantial or minor fire damage?
b. Are there obvious structural damage such as missing roofing components? Damaged or missing wall elements?
c. Are there hidden interior utility damage such as electrical or plumbing issues?
2. Time on the Demolition List - Time on the demolish list seeks to give structures that have a history of being identified as blighted in the City additional consideration for demolition.
3. Ordinance - These points are given if a demolition ordinance has been issued by the City Council.
4. Financial Cost - Financial Cost identifies how much of the funds provided by the City Council are being allocated to the demolition of one property. In an effort to stretch the funding provided, more points are given to demolitions that utilize less than 20% of the allocated demolition budget.
5. Crime - Crime looks at how many police calls are registered to the property or how many Code Enforcement Complaints have been received over the last five years.
6. Location - Location considers if the blighted structure is located within a certain distance of a school, park or public facility. If the structure is within a floodplain, other environmental sensitive area, or within a neighborhood revitalization area, then the structure can obtain points as well.
Points are assigned to each criteria and then a multiplying factor is then used. The multiplying factor allows more weight to be given to certain criteria such as structural damage, time on demolition list, and financial cost. These criteria were identified by staff as being most important to the demolition request.
This scoresheet will be done prior to and submitted as part of the Demolition Ordinance request packet to City Council.
Budget Impact:
This measure can help the Development Services Department and the City plan current and future demolition projects by identifying projects that are fiscally responsible.
Options:
1. Receive the report and City Council Initiated Demolition Score Matrix; or
2. Return the report and City Council Initiated Demolition Score Matrix to staff for further information.
Recommended Action:
Receive the report and City Council Initiated Demolition Score Matrix.
Attachments:
City Council Initiated Demolition Score Matrix