Spokane requires owners of vacant lots to maintain them free of weeds over 10 inches, junk, and debris under SMC 10.08.030. Vacant buildings must be secured and registered per the Vacant Building Monitoring Program.
Owners of vacant residential and commercial lots in Spokane have the same maintenance obligations as occupied properties. Vegetation must be kept under 10 inches, trash and debris cleared, and the lot must not harbor vermin or create a fire hazard. Fencing to prevent dumping is recommended but not required. Vacant buildings, however, are subject to Spokane's Vacant Building Monitoring Program under SMC 17F.070. Owners must register vacant structures within 30 days of vacancy, pay an annual monitoring fee starting at $250 and increasing each year the building remains empty, secure all openings with boards meeting the Vacant Building Standard, maintain the exterior, and submit a plan for reoccupation, rehabilitation, or demolition. Fire-damaged or abandoned structures may be declared dangerous under the International Property Maintenance Code and abated by the city.
Weed lien: abatement costs plus $150 administrative fee. Vacant building unregistered: $500 plus escalating monitoring fees.
See how Spokane's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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