Title 16 - BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION ... - King County

16.14.300 Emergency measures - Rapid abatement - purpose. Section 109 of the International
Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the following:
Rapid abatement - purpose (IPMC 109.7). The purpose of establishing procedures for the rapid
abatement of structures damaged by a disaster resulting in a declared emergency, as defined in K.C.C.
16.03.110, is to protect the public health and safety by assuring that structures damaged as a result of a
disaster are abated in a timely manner and to assure that the public right of-way is accessible for emergency
vehicles in the event of a disaster. (Ord. 14914 § 373, 2004: Ord. 14238 § 5, 2001. Formerly K.C.C.
16.21.010).
16.14.310 Emergency measures - Rapid abatement - authority. Section 109 of the International
Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the following:
Rapid abatement - authority (IPMC 109.8). The code official, subject to the express provisions of
this code, shall have the authority to order the rapid abatement of any structure, or a portion thereof, that has
been damaged as a result of a disaster resulting in a declared emergency, which represents an imminent
hazard to public health and safety or poses an imminent threat to the public right-of-way. (Ord. 14914 § 375,
2004: Ord. 14238 § 6, 2001. Formerly K.C.C. 16.21.020).
16.14.320 Emergency measures - Rapid abatement plan - applicability. Section 109 of the
International Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the following:
Rapid abatement plan - applicability (IPMC 109.9). A rapid abatement plan must be prepared for
structures determined by the code official to be an immediately hazardous and dangerous structure, which is
an imminent hazard to public health and safety or an imminent threat to the public right-of-way.
EXCEPTION: Where the owner or owner's agent chooses to proceed with demolition of a building
determined by the code official to be an immediately hazardous and dangerous structure, which is an
imminent hazard to public health and safety or an imminent threat to the public right-of-way, the owner shall
submit an application for an emergency demolition permit in lieu of preparing a rapid abatement plan. If the
owner or owner's agent has submitted an application for an emergency demolition permit in lieu of preparing
a rapid abatement plan, a rapid abatement plan need not be prepared. (Ord. 15802 § 105, 2007: Ord.
14914 § 377, 2004: Ord. 14238 § 7, 2001. Formerly K.C.C. 16.21.030).
16.14.321 Emergency measures - Emergency demolition permit in lieu of preparing a rapid
abatement plan. Section 109. of the International Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the
following:
Emergency measures -- Emergency demolition permit in lieu of preparing a rapid
abatement plan (IMPC 109.9.1) If the owner or owner's agent submits an application for an emergency
demolition permit in lieu of preparing a rapid abatement plan, the owner or owner's agent shall state that
he or she is applying for an emergency demolition permit in lieu of preparing a required rapid abatement
plan and the owner or owner's agent shall provide:
1. The names of all owners of the structure;
2. The address of the structure; and
3. A plan describing the method for demolishing the structure while protecting the public health
and safety and maintaining appropriate access to the public right-of-way. (Ord. 15802 § 106, 2007).
16.14.330 Emergency measures - Rapid abatement - compliance. Section 109 of the
International Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the following:
Rapid abatement - compliance (IPMC 109.10). It shall be unlawful for any person to repair or
demolish and remove any disaster-damaged structure, or a portion thereof, without following the applicable
procedures set forth in this code and obtaining all required permits. It shall be unlawful for any owner, or
owner's agent, to fail or neglect to comply with any valid order of abatement made by the code official
pursuant to this code. (Ord. 14914 § 379, 2004: Ord. 14238 § 8, 2001. Formerly K.C.C. 16.21.040).
16.14.340 Emergency measures - Rapid abatement - assessment of immediacy and
notification. Section 109 of the International Property Maintenance Code is supplemented with the
following:
Rapid abatement - assessment of immediacy and notification (IPMC 109.11).
1. The code official shall be responsible for determining whether a structure, or a portion thereof,
damaged by a disaster, is an immediately hazardous and dangerous structure, as defined in K.C.C.
16.03.180, and represents an imminent hazard to public health and safety or poses an imminent threat to the
public right-of-way.
2. Unless extenuating circumstances exist, a disaster-damaged structure surrounded by securely
fenced yard for a distance equal to one and one-half times the height of the structure will not be considered