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City works to clear buildings |
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Friday, 19 September 2008 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — A program to rid the city of dilapidated buildings is swinging into full gear.
Safety-Service Director Tom Hitchcock said the program — aimed at cleaning up the city — picked up again following complaints from residents regarding stray and nuisance animals using the dwellings as habitats. As part of the program, the city either tears down the structures in question or owners make the necessary repairs.
“The ordinance has been on our books and we have sporadically enforced it,” Hitchcock said. “We have received a lot of complaints regarding stray animals using them for breeding and decided to clean them up.”
Citing safety concerns, Hitchcock said he recently sent out 37 letters to property owners regarding their structures. The letters spanned a handful of neighborhoods in order to keep the efforts concentrated on one area.
“We decided to make a sweep to repair or remove the unsafe structures,” Hitchcock said. “We’ll try to get to all of them in one area first that way we aren’t singling anyone out.”
Once a property owner receives a letter, they have 60 days to take the necessary steps to clean up the structure. If the 60 day window expires, Hitchcock said city crews get involved and take action.
“We will then tell them they have 14 days to get anything they want out of the structure otherwise it will be demolished,” Hitchcock said. “That gives us time to get estimates.”
Of the 37 letters sent out, 10 buildings have been demolished — two by the city. If a structure is torn down by city crews, the cost is assessed to the property owner’s taxes.
“We had 12 repaired by the owners,” Hitchcock said. “We really appreciate the cooperation of the property owners.”
Left unattended, the structure pose several safety risks. Hitchcock said the dwellings can cause property damage as well as allow nuisance animals a place to live.
“They can catch on fire or fall down during a storm,” Hitchcock said. “I think it makes the residents feel better that these buildings are coming down.”
Hitchcock said there are dozens of more letters yet to be sent out regarding dilapidated properties around the city.
“We’ve only hit a small portion of town,” Hitchcock said. “By our estimates, we have another 60 to 80 buildings we have to send letters on.” |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 22 September 2008 )
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