Reality Check is a Fresno Bee series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a tip? Email [email protected].
The Tower District is home to some transcendent vacancies — buildings that have been empty so long they’re no longer just eyesores, they’re part of the very landscape. It’s as though they’ve always been, and will forever be, vacant.
It’s these types of spaces the city likely had in mind when it created and passed the Vacant Business Ordinance, a pilot project it’s testing in the Tower District. Adopted in June, the ordinance set fines of up to $10,000 for owners who leave the buildings in disrepair. To be compliant, an owner must be actively seeking a permit to do work, working to sell, or otherwise prove the structure is not abandoned…