Vacant Building Registery

The City Commission adopted Ordinance 2026.05/449 on May 11, 2026, which became effective on May 29, 2026, and amended the Code of Ordinances.  This amendment requires all buildings/structures vacant or under-utilized more than 90 days to register with the City of Buchanan.

The intent of the program is to reactive buildings/structures that have been vacant or under-utilized for more than 90 days.  Vacant or underutilized buildings/structures can represent lost opportunities for housing, commercial and industrial business activity and uses along with investment into the community.  The goal is to reduce opportunities for vandalism, improve property maintenance and decrease nuisances.  Activating properties will improve community pride, tax base and overall economic and social vibrancy in the City.

While there is one application available for completion, there are three options for registering a property with a building/structure vacant for more than 90 days.

1.   Registration with Activation Plan – applicant provides detailed information on steps to make the building/structure occupied with a permitted use.

2.   Registration with No Activation Plan – applicant simply registers property with no intent to activate the building/structure with a permitted use.

3.   Registration with Hardship Exception – applicant meets one of the established hardship exceptions and provides documentation.

Once a certificate is issued it is valid for one year and must be renewed annually if the property continues to be vacant or under-utilized.

The Code Enforcement Officer is responsible for administering the program and receives applications for review and processing.  Once accepted, the required inspection will be scheduled before any certificate can be issued for the one-year time frame.

The code enforcement officer can be contacted at 269.695.3844 ext 12 or by emailing comdev@cityofbuchanan.com

Fees are due at time of application submittal

The fee schedule below was adopted by the City Commission in May 2026 and pertains to properties that do not receive a hardship exception or submit an activation plan that gets approved.  Fees are reviewed and sometimes modified annually.

Year in Program      Commercial/Industrial Properties            Residential Properties

Year 1                                         $1,500                                        $500

Year 2                                         $2,500                                        $1,500

Year 3                                         $3,000                                        $2,000

Year 4                                        $4,000                                        $2,500

Year 5 or more                          $5,000                                        $3,000