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POLICY PROPOSAL
DATE FILE NUMBER SUBJECT Substandard Housing PAGEj_.OF_2_
1/30/76 CP-10
PROPOSAL PROPOSED BY: Mayor CITY MANAG RIVIE
Pro tem Margret Rimmer
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The property at 1500 Lipscomb burned February 13, 1975. Following normal procedures,
the Housing Standards Division worked with the owner until the ownership changed.
When the ownership changed, the procedures to enforce compliance were started over
with the new owner. The new owner was first notified of the violations by letter on
July 23, 1975. A wrecking permit was issued October 3, 1975, and just enough work
has been accomplished to keep the permit valid. This case was cited to the Building
Standards Commission January 27, 1976, and was referred to the City Council for fur-
ther action. Following normal procedure, this case would be heard by the City
Council on February 16, 1976.
The property at 1617 Washington burned June 5, 1975. Following normal enforcement
procedure, the owner was notified June 9, 1975, by letter from the City Manager.
A wrecking permit was issued July 17, 1975, and just barely enough work has been
done to keep the permit active. This case was cited to the Building Standards
Commission January 27, 1976, and was referred to the City Council for further action.
Following normal procedure, this case would be heard by the City Council on
February 16, 1976.
Under the current demolition procedures, the applicant for a demolition permit is
k allowed sixty days in which to start demolition and the permit may be cancelled
only when no work has been done for a 120-day period. The complaints received
make it obvious that our present procedures are inadequate. The City Manager has
directed that the staff prepare a new demolition ordinance for City Council consi-
deration which will correct this problem.
In this interim period, I propose that the City Council declare the burned proper-
ties at 1500 Lipscomb and 1617 Washington nuisances, and that the City Council
recognize that an emergency exists and direct the Housing Standards Division to
solicit bids (by telephone) to demolish these properties from known, reliable
demolition contractors and return these bids to City Council for approval as soon
as possible.
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The normal operating procedure with the Public Works Department advertising for bids
would delay the demolition of these properties by the City's action until late April
or early May and the volume of complaints received on these properties warrants that
the City Council take immediate action to abate these nuisances.
LEGALITY ]
FISCAL NOTE
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
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POLICY PROPOSAL (cont'd) PAoE-LOF
Legality
Present ordinance contains constitutional safeguards relative to taking property
without due process of law.
Fiscal Note
Sufficient demolition funds are available in the Adopted 1975-76 Budget for
this action.
City Managerts Comments
The City staff followed existing procedures to eliminate these conditions. It
is unfortunate that the present procedures sometimes cause a bottleneck in the
removal procedures of substandard structures.
The staff is currently working toward the revision of the Demolition Ordinance to
provide a more timely and enforceable demolition process. The City Council may
expedite this process by declaring that an emergency exists, however. The
Demolition Ordinance revision should be completed by the end of February, 1976.
rgret Rimpidir, Mayor Pro tem
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