Dangerous Buildings, Board of Review

BOARD OF REVIEW - DANGEROUS BUILDINGS MINUTES Wednesday, March 30, 2016 5:00 PM Committee members present: Gary Schnip, Alderman H. Tucker Braddock, Jr., James Quarto, Richard Caron, Sr., Sofee Noblick and James Heist Committee members absent: None City of Norwich Staff: Building Official James Troeger, Blight Officer Dan Coley Citizens Present: None 1. Call to Order: Gary Schnip called the meeting to order at 5:16 PM. 2. Determination of a Quorum: It was determined that a quorum was present. 3. Acceptance of Minutes: On a motion by Rich Caron, seconded by Jim Heist, the minutes of February 24, 2016 were unanimously approved as presented. 4. Communications: None 5. Blight updates/concerns: a) 556 East Main Street: Jim T. reported he had sent citations to J. Wang. Mr. Wang appealed and a hearing was held with Attorney Mark Block. Jim T. attended the hearing. The Committee needs to create a list of items which must be done to secure the building and relieve the blight. Once this list is compiled, Jim T. will forward it to Attorney Block and Mr. Wang. Collectively they will set a timeline to keep the building maintained and off the blight list. The Committee discussed making a very specific list including the chimney being taken down, removing the foundation behind it, removing the garage, installing a barricade or fence before the sidewalk, and boarding up the windows on the outside of the building. The Committee agreed that the windows should be carefully painted to look like windows. b) 62 North Main Street: Dan Coley, Blight Officer, reported that work is being done. There was a response to his phone call. Dan will continue to follow-up. He has given the owner a list of repairs that need to be accomplished. The windows are boarded up; Dan will suggest they are painted like windows. c) 49 Boswell Avenue: Dan reported a deceased man is listed as owner. Seaport Investments will seek permits to get the property to the condition to allow occupancy. d) 62 Plain Hill Road: Dan is attempting to determine occupancy. The porch and roof are in very poor condition. Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) indicates that the electricity bill is paid. Steve Toth owns this building. Jim T will ask for a wellness check at the property. e) 49 2nd Street: Dan reported seeing activity at this location. The garage was being cleaned out. Since he sent a letter requesting cleanup of debris, nothing has been done. f) 55 Oakridge Street: Dan has spoken to one of the owners. He is interested in selling it. The owner indicated he is aware that the house has minimal value, but there is ¾ acre of land. Gary Evans, Community Development Supervisor, indicated there may be funding to cover demolition. A lien for the demolition would then be placed the property. NPU indicated the utilities are on. The taxes are paid. g) 48 Reynolds Street Extension: Dan has sent letters to the owner of record. There is a bank involved but they have not responded. He has tried other means of contact,  including property maintenance companies involved with the property. The owner has expressed no interest in the property. 6. Watch List: a) 23 Pearl Street: Dan reported Greg Arpin is working on the issue surrounding this property, which is a property line running through the barn. The owner of the barn doesn’t want a survey. In order to repair it, it must be rebuilt on the same spot. The next step will be to condemn the barn. Gary mentioned it is in a neighborhood and raises safety concerns. b) 98 Washington Street: The committee agreed to ask Gloria Worheide to report again in June. Jim T. will invite her. c) 34 Otrobando Avenue: Jim T. reported not seeing any progress. d) Otrobando Barn: Jim T. reported he referred the property to Tianne Curtis, Zoning Officer. 7. Foreclosure in Progress: a) 15 Park Street: Jim T. noted this is severe blight. b) 61 Lincoln Avenue: Dan reported this is in poor condition. It is occupied and accruing fines. c) 60 6th Street: Sofee reported it has been in foreclosure for close to two years. d) 11 Lake Street: Sofee reported it has been in foreclosure at least a year. Sofee reviewed the foreclosure process within the City. All properties must go through the Public Works Committee. Sofee suggested 13 Baltic Street be added to this list. This property has been in foreclosure for two years. 8. City Owned Properties a) 34 Lake Street: Tucker reported it is going to be sold. Jim T. tried to get an update from Fred Allen but was not successful. b) 45 Lake Street: Jim T said there is a fence around it now, placed there by the Department of Public Works (DPW). c) Reid and Hughes: Discussion ensued regarding sending a letter to the City Manager. Jim T. will draft a letter and email it to committee members by Tuesday, April 5th. The committee agreed on the content of letter. d) 88-90 Boswell Avenue: Public Works has cleaned up the vines. The committee agreed to tour the building in order to make a recommendation to the Public Works Committee. e) 270 West Thames Street: Jim T. reported this is now city owned. Jim Heist reported the interior floors have fallen in. The committee agreed to organize a tour of the building. f) 95 Boswell Ave: The address is incorrect and will be updated for the next meeting. 9. Other: a) East Great Plains Shell: Dan has sent letters to the owner of record, which is Rite Aid. There are new For Rent signs posted at the property, so he will call those numbers tomorrow. b) 85 Town Street: The garage has collapsed. Dan reported sending letters indicating that the garage needs to be removed, and the building needs to be painted. Also there are no railings on the stairs. This house is in a historical district. c) 16 Park Street: This building is getting worse and literally falling down. d) 31-33 Cliff Street: Dan recently condemned this property. The owner is deceased. $20,000 in taxes are owed. Squatters are living in it. It now needs to be boarded up. Jim T. will contact DPW to secure it. Amy Wickless noted that if the house is in probate, it will be complicated. e) 130 Prospect Street: Sofee asked Tucker to follow-up on this property for sale. He will check on it at the Public Works Committee meeting. f) 24 Cooper Street: Sofee brought this property to the Committee’s attention. A shed is buckling out into the street. Dan will follow up. g) Jim T. reported he and Dan will make a presentation to the City Council on the blight process. Jim T. will let the committee members know when it will take place. h) 27-29 2nd Street: Sofee reported this property has holes in the roof and seems abandoned. j) Sofee brought up referrals from the Housing Management Team. She presented a list of properties with the relocation lien on them and statuses. The Committee reviewed the list. k) 68 Thermos Avenue (white house): The committee agreed to tour the building. 10. Public Comments: None 11. Next meeting: The next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at 5 PM. 12. Adjournment: On a motion by Sofee Noblick, seconded by Jim Heist, the Board of Review unanimously adjourned at 7:05 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Melinda Wilson Recording Secretary