= Nuisance abatement =

The process by which the City declares a property a nuisance and, if the owner does not act, abates it and recovers the cost. The [[CityManager]] set the steps out for the [[CityCommission]] at [[CityCommission2025-06-17]], reporting back on the Rocky Mountain Building, and cited them to Municipal Code section 8.49:

* '''Initial determination''' — City staff identify the property as a nuisance and obtain a title report
* '''First notice''' — a letter to the owner detailing the violation and requiring action within 10 days, completed within 30 days, served by certified mail
* '''Second notice and public hearing''' — if the owner fails to comply, a second notice issues setting a public hearing; the notice must include a breakdown of costs
* '''Commission hearing''' — the Commission may adopt a resolution declaring the nuisance and ordering abatement; if the owner fails to act, the City may abate
* '''Cost recovery''' — after abatement the City holds a hearing to finalise expenses; if unpaid within 5 days the cost becomes a lien and may be collected as such
* '''Completion''' — once abated, a certificate is filed with the Clerk and Recorder confirming the nuisance has been resolved

= Cases in the record =

* '''321 1st Avenue SW''' — Resolution 10581 declaring the nuisance and ordering abatement, adopted 5-0 at [[CityCommission2025-07-01]]; Resolution 10624 certifying the abatement and statement of expense complete, adopted 5-0 at [[CityCommission2026-07-21]]. A full cycle, start to finish, in a year
* '''816 3rd Avenue South''' — Resolution 10611, adopted 5-0 at [[CityCommission2026-01-20]]. The property later appears in a [[CommunityDevelopmentBlockGrant]] agreement with NeighborWorks Great Falls for purchase and demolition
* '''1915 6th Avenue North''' — Resolution 10616, adopted 5-0 at [[CityCommission2026-04-21]]

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Minutes, June 17, 2025: https://greatfallsmt.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06172025-248
Code enforcement: https://greatfallsmt.gov/1008/Code-Enforcement

[[CityAttorney]] · [[Categories]]