Louisburg, KS Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Case trigger
- 5-resident petition or officer's own motion
- Publication requirement
- Weekly for 2 weeks, 30 days before hearing
- Payment deadline after cost notice
- 30 days (§8-811(b))
- Emergency power
- Immediate action without notice, §8-812
- Appeal window
- 30 days to district court, §8-813
- Unpaid cost recovery
- Special assessment on county tax rolls
Summary
Chapter 8, Article 8 lets the City of Louisburg's Governing Body order the repair, closing, demolition, or removal of any structure that is dilapidated, fire-hazardous, structurally defective, or otherwise blighting the neighborhood. The process runs from inspection and a five-resident petition through published notice, a formal hearing, and, if the owner does nothing, city-performed demolition billed back to the property.
The Governing Body has found that there exist within the corporate limits of the City structures which are unfit for human use or habitation because of dilapidation, defects increasing the hazards of fire or accidents, structural defects or other conditions which render such structures unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise inimical to the general welfare of the City, or conditions which provide a general blight upon the neighborhood or surrounding properties. It is hereby deemed necessary by the Governing Body to require or cause the repair, closing or demolition, or removal of such structures as provided in this article. ... The city shall give notice to the owner of the structure, by restricted mail, of the cost of removing the structure and making the premises safe and secure. The notice shall also state that payment of the cost is due and payable within 30 days following receipt of the notice.
Full Breakdown
Section 8-801 states the Governing Body's finding that unfit structures within the corporate limits harm health, safety, and welfare and blight neighboring property, and declares it necessary to require repair, closing, demolition, or removal. Section 8-803 authorizes the Public Officer, defined in section 8-802(b) as the City Administrator or an authorized representative, to inspect any structure that appears unsafe or unfit and report findings to the Governing Body. Section 8-804 lets either a petition of at least five residents or the Public Officer's own motion start a case.
Section 8-805 has the Governing Body fix a hearing date by resolution once it receives that report. Section 8-806 requires publication of the resolution once weekly for two consecutive weeks, with at least 30 days between the last publication and the hearing, plus certified mail to the owner, agent, lienholders, and occupants. Section 8-807, citing K.S.A. 12-1753, lets the Governing Body, after the hearing, order repair or removal within a stated reasonable time; if the owner does not comply, the city may repair or raze the structure under sections 8-808 and 8-809.
Section 8-810 requires the owner to fill excavations and make the site safe after removal, or the Public Officer will. Section 8-812 allows the Governing Body to bypass notice entirely and order immediate action, such as barricading or demolition, when a structure is an immediate hazard. Section 8-813 preserves a 30-day window to petition the district court for an injunction against the order.
Violations & Fines
When an owner fails to comply with a repair or demolition order, section 8-809 lets the Public Officer carry out the work at the owner's expense. Section 8-811 requires the city to bill the owner by restricted mail, with payment due within 30 days; unpaid balances may be recovered from salvage sale proceeds under 8-811(c), and any shortfall, per K.S.A. 12-1755, becomes a special assessment certified to the county and collected on the property's tax rolls alongside other city taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can start a dangerous-building case against a property owner in Louisburg?
How much notice does a Louisburg property owner get before a demolition hearing?
What happens if I don't pay after Louisburg tears down my structure?
Can Louisburg demolish a building without a hearing first?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisburg
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