Dangerous Buildings, Board of Review

BOARD OF REVIEW - DANGEROUS BUILDINGS MINUTES WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28, 2013 5:30 p.m. Committee members present: Gary Schnip, Alderwoman Sofee Noblick, Joe East, Richard Caron, Building Official Jim Troeger, James Quarto, and Andrew Zeeman 1. Call to Order: Gary Schnip called the meeting to order at 5:42 p.m. 2. Determination of a Quorum: It was determined that a quorum is present. 3. Acceptance of Minutes. Upon motion by Jim Quarto, seconded by Richard Caron, the Board voted unanimously, with James Quarto abstaining, to approve the July 24, 2013 minutes. 4. Communications: None. 5. Blight updates/concerns: a. 556 East Main Street – Jim Troeger spoke with the owner, Mr. Chen. He cut down the overgrowth from the sidewalk. He also said he will paint the fence. Between this property and Cotter Avenue is now overgrown and hard to pass. Jim Troeger is going to have Public Works clean it out. Gary Schnip asked if the owner (Stan Lucas) will be fined for the cleanup. Jim Troeger is not sure. Andrew Zeeman agrees, since it is his trees growing over public property. Jim Troeger states that Ed called Cooper to get it done. Mr. Chen stated he will start working on this when he finishes with a property he has in New London. Andrew Zeeman asks if he gave a time frame for completion of New London. Jim Troeger states he didn’t give that information. b. 34-36 Mckinley – Jim Troeger states is has been mowed recently by the City. Watch List: c. 24 Harland Place – Jim Troeger spoke with Ed. Ed says it gets cut every few weeks. d. 77 Chestnut Street – Sofee Noblick states that they are trying to get a demolition bond which would include this and 53 Washington Street. It is municipally slow going. e. Mt. Pleasant Street – Jim Troeger states the owner has cleaned up the sidewalk. He said it will be done by October. f. 496 N. Main Street – Jim Troeger called Cooper to clean it up. It has not been done yet. g. Baltic Street – The tarp is still there. Jim Troeger will continue to watch it. h. 17 West Town Street – Jim Troeger states the owner has been there working on doubling up the rafters. Joe East asks if he has more than just a roof permit. Jim Troeger states no but if he’s just doing repairs no permit is needed. i. Broadway Barn – Jim Troeger has sent a repair or demo letter. The owner wants more time. She is trying to find someone who wants the materials. Board of Review – Dangerous Buildings 08/28/2013 Minutes Page 2 j. 274 Prospect Street – Tarp – The tarp is still there. Sofee Noblick states the sidewalk has been cleaned. k. Baltic Street (believed to be 107-109) – Jim Troeger states the owner is getting demo prices. She plans to take it down. The owner has been maintaining the property. l. Otrobando – Jim Troeger states the owner got a demo permit. The right wing is coming down this weekend. Jim Troeger states he is giving the owner an unsafe building letter to shorten the wait time for the permit. Andrew Zeeman asks what the plan is for the rest of the structure. Jim Troeger states the owner plans to demo it all eventually. 6. Public Comments: None. 7. Other: a. RFP for 105 Chestnut – Sofee Noblick states the owner has been sent a 30 day non- compliance letter. The owner verbally said to send him the paperwork he doesn’t want anything to do with it. Now he’s not signing off in it and not fixing his contract defaults. b. RFP for 9 - 9 ½ Fountain – Sofee Noblick states that the RFP should hit the next Council agenda (it would include 9, 9 ½, and 5). Part of the RFP is the requirement that the buyer combine them. c. Jim Troeger brings up 14 or 16 Fountain Street. Behind the corner it is so overgrown. There are windows out, the roof leaks, the garage is falling down. There are 2 elderly gentlemen living there. The building was hit by a car and he went in to check the structure and electrical. The home was cluttered and piled high in every room. There were paths to get around. Jim Troeger is concerned for the 2 gentlemen living there. Social Services were referred. d. Rich Caron brings up 191 Broad Street. It is vacant, there are broken windows, the roof is problematic. e. Gary Schnip brings up 19 Treadway. Jim Troeger states that Ed went there. It is bank owned. Ed sent a letter. f. Joe East brings up Ed Belli on School Street. Jim Troeger states he sent a letter. The owner was going to get a letter to us. Gary Schnip states he spoke with the owner. It seems he wants the City to take it. g. Rich Caron brings up the corner of Spaulding and McKinley. The property and sidewalk are terribly overgrown. h. Gary Schnip brings up 126 Broad Street. The garage on the backside of Treadway. Jim Troeger states Ed sent a letter to them. Jim Troeger referred him to talk to Barry at Public Works. i. Jim Quarto asks how the guy on Wightman is going. Gary Schnip states the owner is roofing it. Jim Troeger states it is almost water tight. Board of Review – Dangerous Buildings 07/24/2013 Minutes Page 3 j. Sofee Noblick brings up 500 Main Street. It is a 2 family. John Day owns it. It is not on the market but it is for sale for $33,900. Bank of America owns it now. k. Sofee Noblick brings up the sidewalk in front of 88 Fifth Street. The sidewalk is covered with overgrown trees. l. Sofee Noblick brings up a little further down Fifth Street. The address is 160 Prospect Street. It is a corner lot. It also has an overgrowth over the sidewalk. m. Sofee Noblick states the City is currently looking for a Real Estate Agent who also does property management. There are 2 properties on School Street that are occupied and the City wants to sell them. The management side has to do with the tenants and their safety. n. Sofee Noblick brings up the Blight Ordinance. It was discussed at the Public Works committee meeting. There was no great progress but there was a little movement. If we can get priority liens we won’t be dropped off without being paid. Joe East asks if the income from blight liens is being tracked. Sofee Noblick states she doesn’t think so but they can be calculated. Joe East brings up 117 Broad Street. They paid upwards of $15 thousand in blight liens. There was another one that paid over $40 thousand. It is a good source of income that can be used to continue dealing with the blight clean-up, it can be a self-sustaining fund. Sofee Noblick states that Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll wants these liens to remain Judgment Liens. He believes that banks won’t lend money in towns that have these stronger liens. 8. Next meeting – the next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, September 25, 2013. 9. Adjournment: Upon motion of Jim Quarto, seconded by Richard Caron, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 6:34 p.m. Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Averna