70-80 Declare moratorium on condo conversions

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ORDINANCE NO. 70-80 BY: Graham, McBride, Salmon, Wendling, Brown, Chinnock, Gallagher AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE declaring a moratorium on condominium conversions. WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the City of Lakewood to establish standards for the development of new and conversion condominiums in order to protect the purchasers of condominium units and the residents of'apartment buildings designed for a conversion and to generally encourage the main- tenance and improvement of the quality of housing, and WHEREAS, many of said apartment buildings recently have been converted to condominiums and further condominium conversions are expected, and WHEREAS, conversion of existing apartment buildings to condominiums causes financial and relocation hardships for existing tenants and reduces the supply of rental housing in the City, and WHEREAS, such conversions will for the most part be irreversible once completed, and WHEREAS, the citizens of the City of Lakewood rely on the protection of the Municipal Code of Lakewood for zoning, building, hous~ng and consumer protection ordinances, and WHEREAS, the regulation of the sale and operation of condominiums will be desirable for the protection and welfare of the citizens of the City of Lakewood, and WHEREAS, further conversion of apartment buildings t~ condominiums may adversely influence said studies and the effects of.such conversion during the study period will be largely irreversible, and WHEREAS, such conversions will not offer the protection of possible new amendments; now, therefore, ~ BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, STATE OF OHIO: Section 1. Pursuan~ to the home rule powers of the City of Lakewood, a moratorium be and is hereby imposed on all conversions in existing buildings within the City of Lakewood to condominium ownership. The Building Commissioner is directed to accept no filings nor take any action as set forth and described in Section.1327.04 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood. This moratorium is to ~emain in effect until the City Council of Lakewood enacts an amendment or amendments to regulate the conversion of rental apartments to condominium ownership, and the amendment or amendments take effect, but in no event more than thirty (30) days following the effectiv~ date of this ordi'nance. Section 2. The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to any existing building for which no declaration has been filed and for which a one hundred twenty (120) day notice pursuant to Section 5311.25 (G) of the Ohio Revised Code was not conveyed and reviewed by tenants prior to the adoption of this ordinance. Any party claiming that a building is not subject to the provisions of this ordinance shall submit proof to the Mayor of theCity of Lakewood that a declaration has been filed and for which a hundred twenty (120) day notice pursuan~ to Section 5311.25 (G) Of the Ohio Revised Code was conveyed to and reviewed by tenants prior to the adoption of this ordinance.