DOWNEY — At its meeting Tuesday, the city council directed city staff to move forward on expanding the city’s existing vacant property registration program to include more properties.

The existing ordinance requires registration and maintenance of vacant and abandoned properties but is limited to those that are bank-owned or foreclosed. Property owners are required to pay a one-time registration fee of $117 and an annual monitoring fee of $1,298.

The city council is expanding the program to include properties that show “evidence of abandonment” even when not associated with foreclosure. Those conditions could include:

• - Lack of building upkeep

• - Overgrown or dead vegetation

• - Accumulation of newspapers, circulars, flyers, or other mail

• - Past due utility notices and / or disconnected utilities

• - Accumulation of trash, junk, and other debris

• - Lack of use of property per the allowable uses

• - Association with trespassing reports, break-ins, or fires, and

• - Other conditions per staff observation and monitoring.

Property owners would need to register their vacant properties, annually update information, and pay a registration/monitoring fee. The registration process includes providing details such as ownership and property management, plans for future development of the property, maintenance and security plan, and contact information.

It will be six to 12 weeks before the new ordinance will be ready for final approval.