DNS Administration Tax Assessment Charges 

Building Nuisance

• Board-up: This charge is for costs incurred by the City in boarding up vacant buildings. The request for board-up is made by the DNS inspector and the work is done by DPW carpenters. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Cleanup: This charge is for the clean-up of debris remaining after a fire. The request is made by the Condemnation section and the cleanup is done by an outside contractor. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Essential Servs-1year: This charge is for work of an emergency nature, relating to plumbing, heating or electrical, which is done under the authority of the Essential Services ordinance. The inspector orders the work to be done within a short period of time, i.e. 24 hours, and if the owner does not comply, the department hires an outside contractor to do the work. The contractor's charge is then assessed on the taxroll. (There may also be a DNS administrative charge added.) Invoice is sent, if unpaid, the fee is assessed.
• Essential Servs-6 year: Same as above, except that in these cases the owner has opted to have the cost spread out over 6 years. Each year 1/6 of the total cost plus accrued interest is assessed.
• Landscape - This charge is for the seeding of lots to prevent erosion. The request is made by the DNS inspector and the work is done by DPW-Forestry division. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.

Special Privlege 
Special privileges are various types of structures that exist in the public right-of-way. Examples are concrete planters on the sidewalk in front of building, canopies extending over the sidewalk, underground cables and tunnels, etc. For the "privilege" of having this structure, the owner pays an annual fee to the City. This fee is invoiced. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed. There is no annual inspection of special privileges.

Covered Opening 
Covered Openings are openings that exist in the City sidewalk and are covered by some kind of grate or door. These openings are inspected annually for structural soundness by the Commercial Code Enforcement inspectors. These inspections are done any time between January and October, to coincide with annual fire inspections. The fee for this inspection is invoiced in January for inspections done the previous year.  If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.

Raze Condemned Building 
This charge is for costs incurred by the City in razing buildings. This is done when the inspector orders the building to be razed and the owner does not comply. The department bids out the work to a demolition contractor. Preliminary costs, such as title search, service of order and publication, as well as the actual demolition and seeding costs, are assessed.

DNS Miscellaneous

• Billboard: This charge is for annual inspection of billboards. The fee for this inspection is invoiced in November for inspections done that year. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.
• Boiler Insp: This charge is for inspections of boilers done every 3 years. Invoices are sent out monthly for inspections done the previous month. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.
• Boiler Posting: This charge is assessed by the boiler inspection section against properties where the owner has not complied with a request by the inspector to get inside to do the periodic inspection. The posting fee is $50.00 per month until the owner complies. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Code Compliance: This charge is for "City-Initiated" actions because the owner did not apply for a Certificate of Code Compliance. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Elevator:- This charge is for annual inspections of elevators. Invoices are sent out monthly for inspections done the previous month. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.
• Graffiti Abatement: This charge is for costs incurred by the City for removal of graffiti. A DNS inspector orders the owner to remove the graffiti and if they do not comply a contractor is hired to do this work. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Projecting Sign: This charge is for annual inspections of signs that project into the public right-of-way. These inspections are done by the Commercial Code Enf. Inspectors, any time between January and October, to coincide with annual fire inspections. The fee for this inspection is invoiced in November for inspections done that year. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.
• Registering Enforcement: This charge is assessed against properties for which the owner has failed to comply with an order to register their property with the department. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Sprinkler: This charge is for annual inspections of sprinkler systems. Invoices are sent out monthly for inspections done the previous month. If the invoice is unpaid, the fee is assessed.

Health Abatement 

• Rat Control: This charge is for costs incurred by the City for abatement of rodent nuisances. The work is done by Vector inspectors. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Vector-Litter Nuisance: This charge is for the clean-up of litter and debris. The cleanup is done by an outside contractor. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.
• Vector-Nuisance Vehicle: This charge is for the cost of towing nuisance vehicles. The owner of the property and of the vehicle are ordered to remove the car and if they do not comply, the City has it towed. An invoice is sent out. If it is unpaid by 10/1, the fee is assessed.

Bldg Reinspection 
Reinspection fees are charged when the inspector makes more than the allowed number of "free" re-inspections for an order. Re-inspection fees are $150 for the first failed re-inspection and $300 for all subsequent failed re-inspections. Letters are sent to the owner notifying them of each charge.

Fire Inspection 
Fire inspections are done annually for all buildings other than 1 or 2 family. The Residential section does the inspections for all residential buildings, Commercial for all commercial buildings. The fees are determined by a formula based on the assessed value of the property. Assessed directly-no invoice sent.