Board of Appeals

HOUSING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING MINUTES April 15, 2015 CITY HALL 10 N. DIVISION STREET COMMISSION CHAMBERS 3RD FLOOR – ROOM 301 BATTLE CREEK MI 49014 Call to Order: 1:04pm Roll Call for Board Members: Anthony Goodman, Stan Chubinski, Robert Whitfield Staff Members Present: Dennis McKinley, Code Compliance Administrator; Marcie Gillette, Neighborhood Services Manager; Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector; Eric Morris, Senior Code Officer; Jason Francisco, Senior Code Officer; Elijah Martin, Senior Code Officer; Lisa Silkworth, Secretary Additions/Deletions to the Agenda: Remove 44 Cleveland and 24 Lamora Approval of Minutes: Mr. Goodman made a motion to approve the minutes from the March 18, 2015, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Approved. Old Business: none Dangerous Buildings Show Cause Hearings: a. 44 Cleveland (House) Issue#EN14-27052 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson REMOVED b. 14 Fonda (House) Issue#EN15-00404 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, not present. Alisha Parker, from Legal Services, to speak on behalf of Barbara Brown. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the building was in deplorable condition and in need of extensive repairs. The cost estimate of repair is $32,000 and the SEV is $19,557. Mr. Wilkinson recommended affirming it as a Dangerous Building. Ms. Parker stated the owner is working with the bank and giving the property back as a foreclosure. Mr. Whitfield made a Housing Board of Appeals April 15, 2015 Page 2 of 5 motion to affirm the property as a Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Goodman. Affirmed. c. 438 Jackson (House) Issue#EN14-27051 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, not present. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the house was heavily damaged by fire and recommended affirming it as a Dangerous Building. Mr. Chubinski made a motion to affirm the property Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Affirmed. d. 24 Lamora Ave (House) Issue#EN15-00415 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson REMOVED e. 162 Manchester (House) Issue#EN15-00085 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, not present. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the property is owned by the County and is in need of repair. Mr. Wilkinson recommended affirming it as a Dangerous Building. Mr. Goodman made a motion to affirm it as a Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Affirmed. f. 166 Manchester (House) Issue#EN15-0086 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, not present. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the property is owned by the County and is in need of repair. Mr. Wilkinson recommended affirming it as a Dangerous Building. Mr. Goodman made a motion to affirm it as a Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Affirmed. g. 83 N McKinley (House) Issue#EN15-00589 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, Samantha Vitti, present. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the house has been damaged by fire and is in need of repair. Mr. Housing Board of Appeals April 15, 2015 Page 3 of 5 Wilkinson recommended affirming it as a Dangerous Building. Mr. Drainey, a neighbor, stated the house has been in need of repair for some time. Mr. Drainey stated that someone is living there in the evening. Mr. Drainey also stated he is tired of looking at the house and it is getting worse as time goes on. Mr. Harden, another neighbor stated he wants the house brought up to code and repairs need to be made. The neighbors are tired of the condition of the house. Mrs. Harden stated this is ongoing forever and there seems to always be a loophole. Mr. Goodman wanted a clarification if someone was in the house after hours, do they get arrested. Mr. Wilkinson explained the hours that the homeowner may be there. Samantha Vitti, arrived after the neighbors voiced their concern and stated she is trying to bring the house into compliance. Ms. Vitti noted she has to remove all the debris from the house before she can see what needs to be repaired. Ms. Vitti also noted she is trying to get insurance on the property. Ms. Vitti will be getting a building permit in the next few days. Mr. Chubinski noted that if the property was affirmed as a Dangerous Building, it did not preclude her from working on the house. Mr. Whitfield made a motion to affirm the property as a Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Goodman. Affirmed. h. 84 Riverview (House) Issue#EN15-00237 Building Inspector: Don Wilkinson Property owner, not present. Don Wilkinson, Building Inspector, stated the house is in disrepair and recommended it be affirmed as a Dangerous Building. Mr. Chubinski made a motion to affirm the property as a Dangerous Building, seconded by Mr. Goodman. Affirmed. New Business: 1. 6 E. Spaulding Issue#EN14-10821 Code Compliance Officer: Eric Morris Property Owner, not present. Eric Morris, Senior Code Officer, stated the exterior violations were discovered during a property survey. Mr. Whitfield made a motion to affirm the order as written due to no property owner present, seconded by Mr. Goodman. Affirmed. Housing Board of Appeals April 15, 2015 Page 4 of 5 2. 152 E Kingman Issue#EN14-23162 Code Compliance Officer: Jason Francisco Property Owner, Ramon Rangel, present. Jason Francisco, Senior Code Officer, stated the violations were discovered during a rental inspection. Mr. Rangel stated he needs more time to make the necessary repairs. Mr. Francisco did request the smoke detectors be taken care of this week. Mr. Rangel stated he would correct the smoke detectors right away. Mr. Francisco made a recommendation to grant 60 days. Mr. Goodman made a motion to grant an extension to June 16, 2015, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Extension granted. 3. 72 Margaret Issue#EN14-24464 Code Compliance Officer: Jason Francisco Property Owner, Laura Preston, present. Jason Francisco, Senior Code Officer, stated the exterior violations were noted during a property survey. Ms. Preston stated she needed more time so her family members could help her. Mr. Goodman made a motion to grant an extension to June 16, 2015, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Extension granted. 4. 11 Highland Ave Issue#EN14-04801 Code Compliance Officer: Elijah Martin Property Owner, Richard Snook, present. Elijah Martin, Senior Code Officer, stated the violations were noted during a property survey. Mr. Snook stated he is hiring a contractor to make the necessary repairs. Mr. Goodman made a motion to grant an extension to June 16, 2015, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Extension granted. 5. 36 Richards Pl Issue#EN15-00326 Code Compliance Officer: Elijah Martin Property Owner, Abigail Kidder, present. Elijah Martin, Senior Code Officer, stated the violations were noted during a property survey. Ms. Kidder stated she needs more time and she has already started scrapping the peeling paint. Ms. Kidder stated she plans on repairing the bad shingles as well. Mr. Chubinski made a motion to grant an extension to June 16, 2015, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Extension granted. Housing Board of Appeals April 15, 2015 Page 5 of 5 6. 47 E Territorial Issue#EN15-00687 Code Compliance Officer: Elijah Martin Property Owner, Ramon Rangel, not present. Elijah Martin, Senior Code Officer, stated the violations were noted during a rental inspection. Mr. Chubinski made a motion to affirm the order as written due to no property owner present, seconded by Mr. Whitfield. Affirmed. Public Comments: none Board and Staff Members Comments: none Adjournment: 1:47pm The City of Battle Creek will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered in the meeting upon reasonable notice to the City of Battle Creek. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the City of Battle Creek by writing or calling the following: Vicki Houser, City Clerk 10 N. Division Street Battle Creek, Michigan 49014 (269) 966-3348/Voice/TDD /lms