Euclid City Council is attempting to address the vacant property problem, after a survey –  conducted by the city last year showed that there is a higher average number of vacant properties compared to the national rate. Of the 467 businesses that were surveyed, 105, or 22%, were believed, by their metrics, to be vacant, according to a previous News-Herald report. The latest ordinance, according to Director of Planning and Development for Euclid, Patrick Grogan-Myers, would make sure that vacant residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, including portions of buildings which are not being used, would all meet the same vacant building requirements. The newly rolled out requirements would require an “agent in charge” for any residential, commercial or industrial buildings. The agent in charge would be required to live in Cuyahoga County and be responsible with notifying the Division of Building and Housing within 90 days after “any building located in an area zoned for, or abutting an area zoned for residential, commercial, or industrial use in the City becomes a vacant building, or not later than thirty (30) days of being notified by the Division of Building and Housing of the requirement to register based on evidence of vacancy, whichever event first occurs,” according to the city’s website. The newly passed ordinance was on its third reading after review from the Business Development, City Planning and Housing Committee, who had no recommendations. The legislation also raised the costs associated with owning a vacant property within Euclid. According to Grogan-Myers in response to a question from council, the fee is not viewed as a penalty, but as costs incurred by the city in having the property vacant. He said that the city has to inspect and monitor the vacant site and now those costs will go up every year the property stays vacant. “As a reminder, the fees must reasonably approximate the cost of the service provided,” Grogan-Myers said to council. “So, these aren’t fines, these are registration fees. And that’s a difference we must make. “In this case, these fees, we believe, reasonably approximate the cost of service both to Building and Housing as well as police and fire. Recognizing that over time, the longer the property sits, the more likely it is to create issues for Building and Housing and police and fire.” According to city documents, residential sites will be charged $200 per year, with commercial buildings and industrial sites being charged $400, with in each instance, the fee doubling for every year it is left vacant. Euclid City Council is set to reconvene on Oct. 7.