Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-4-5

(a) The owner shall register with the code official no later than 30 days after any building in the city becomes a vacant building, as defined in section 7-4-4 .
(b) The registration shall be submitted on forms provided by the code official and shall include the following information supplied by the owner:
(1) A description of the premises;
(2) The names and addresses of the owner or owners;
(3) The names and addresses of all known lienholders and all other parties with an ownership interest in the building;
(4) The period of time the building is expected to remain vacant; and a plan and timetable for returning the building to appropriate occupancy or use and/or for demolition of the building.
(c) For all vacant buildings, the owner shall submit a plan and timetable, which must meet the approval of the code official. The code official shall require completion of the plan within a reasonable period of time, up to 365 days. Any repairs, improvements or alterations to the property must comply with any applicable housing or building codes.
(d) All applicable laws and codes shall be complied with by the owner. The owner shall notify the enforcement officer of any changes in information supplied as part of the vacant building registration within 30 days of the change. If the plan or timetable for the vacant building is revised in any way, the revisions must meet the approval of the code official.
(e) The owner and the subsequent owners shall keep the building secured and safe and the building and ground properly maintained until the rehabilitation or demolition has been completed.
(f) Failure of the owner or any subsequent owner to maintain the building and premises that result in a summary abatement completed by the city shall be grounds for revocation of the approved plan and shall be subject to any applicable penalties provided by law.
(g) The new owner(s) shall register or re-register the vacant building with the enforcement officer within 30 days of any transfer of an ownership interest in a vacant building. The new owner(s) shall comply with the approved plan and timetable submitted by the previous owner until any proposed changes are submitted and meet the approval of the code official.
(h) Vacant building fees:
(1) For a single-family or two-family residential building, the first-year annual fee shall be $100.00; for other residential not exceeding 10,000 square feet, the first-year annual fee shall be $200.00; for multifamily residential or commercial buildings exceeding 10,000 square feet, the first-year annual fee shall be $300.00. For each year that a building remains a vacant building, the annual registration fee shall increase by the amount of the first-year annual fee, but not to exceed $500.00.
The registration fee is intended to at least partially recoup, and shall be reasonably related to the administrative costs for registering and processing the vacant building owner registration form and for the costs of the city in monitoring the vacant building site.
(2) The first annual fee shall be paid no later than 30 days after the building becomes vacant. If the fee is not paid within 30 days of being due, the owner shall be subject to prosecution.
(3) The fee shall be paid in full prior to the issuance of any building permits, with the exception of a demolition permit.
(4) All delinquent fees shall be paid by the owner prior to any transfer of an ownership interest in any vacant building. If the fees are not paid prior to any transfer, the new owner shall pay the annual fee no later than 30 days after the transfer of ownership and subsequent annual fees shall be due on the original anniversary date.
(5) The annual registration fee may be waived or held in abeyance for the current year, for new vacant building registrations or upon the anniversary date of the vacancy, if the owner follows through with a written restoration agreement. The restoration agreement (RA) is a contract between the city and the owner of a vacant property . It provides the owner and the city with clear timeframes, work orders, and cost estimates for the complete rehabilitation of a property. It provides the financial penalties associated with failure to adhere to the specifications included in the document. By signing the agreement, the owner agrees to compete the work and accept all conditions, including the penalties and forfeiture of any required deposits or escrows.