Skowhegan, ME Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- Annual Town Meeting, June 13, 2022
- Who declares a building dangerous
- Code Enforcement Officer, in the officer's judgment
- Time to secure after written order
- Seven days
- Town's costs
- Repaid within 30 days of demand, or special tax
- Casualty repair deadline
- 90 days after casualty damage
- Penalty
- $100 to $2,500 per day per violation
- Vacant and abandoned structures
- Must be registered with the Town
Summary
In the Town of Skowhegan, Maine, the Property Maintenance Ordinance lets the Code Enforcement Officer declare a building or property dangerous when it presents a serious threat to life. The owner receives a written notice and seven days to secure it. If the owner fails, the Town secures it and bills the owner, who has 30 days to repay or faces a special tax on the property.
A building or property is deemed to be dangerous if, in the judgment of the Code Enforcement Officer, it presents a serious threat to life from any of the following conditions: a) Structural failure; b) Fire damage, explosion, or toxic gases; ... If the owner fails to secure their building or property within seven (7) days of said order, or when immediate action is required to protect public safety, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the building or property to be secured and shall take any other necessary protective measures including, but not limited to, installing sidewalk and street barricades. All expenses incurred by the town to secure the dangerous premises and to assure the public safety affected thereby, shall be repaid to the Town of Skowhegan by the owner or owners of the dangerous building or property within thirty (30) days after demand for repayment to the town or a special tax may be assessed against the property and collected in the same manner as other municipal taxes are collected.
Full Breakdown
The Property Maintenance Ordinance was adopted at the Annual Town Meeting on June 13, 2022. Section II defines a blighting problem as a structure or property conducive to ill health and detrimental to public health, safety or welfare because it is unsafe or unsanitary, has been abandoned, presents an imminent danger to other people or property, or is uninhabitable. Uninhabitable covers three conditions: a building that is unstable with a risk of collapse, exterior or structural damage that lets in rain, wind, hail or flood, and immediate safety hazards such as debris or downed electrical lines that have not been cleared.
Section VI starts with casualty damage. Within 90 days after casualty damage to grounds or structures, the owner must cause or contract for repair or restoration, demolish any areas not being repaired, and remove the debris. The Code Enforcement Officer can grant an extension under hardship conditions. Section VI.1 then deems a building or property dangerous, in the judgment of the Code Enforcement Officer, when it presents a serious threat to life from structural failure, fire damage, explosion or toxic gases, poisonous contamination or biological infection, or any use or condition from which death or physical injury to occupants or the public could reasonably be expected.
After that finding, a written notice of violation goes to the property owner, and to the violator if different, ordering the property secured against unauthorized entry. The owner has seven days. Where immediate action is needed to protect public safety, the Code Enforcement Officer does not wait: the officer secures the property and takes other protective measures, including sidewalk and street barricades. The owner repays the Town within 30 days after demand, or a special tax is assessed against the property and collected like other municipal taxes. Demolition follows the procedure in Title 17 section 2851 and following, which the ordinance cites. Section VII adds that vacant and abandoned structures must be registered with the Town and kept safe, secure and sanitary so they do not cause a blighting problem.
Violations & Fines
A dangerous property not secured within seven days of the written order is secured by the Town at the owner's expense. Violations left uncorrected go to Section VIII enforcement: all remedies available by law, including a penalty of $100 to $2,500 per day for a specific violation, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney fees, expert witness fees and costs. An owner under a notice of violation cannot sell, transfer, mortgage or lease the property until the notice is complied with or the new party receives a copy and signs a notarized acceptance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides that a building in Skowhegan is dangerous?
How long does an owner have to secure a dangerous building?
Who pays when the Town secures the property?
Do vacant buildings in Skowhegan have to be registered?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Skowhegan
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