TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Olivera, Assistant City Manager
Dr. Gerald Newton, AICP, Development Services Director
David Steinmetz, Development Services Assistant Director
FROM: Dereke D. Planter Jr., Code Enforcement Supervisor
DATE: October 28, 2024
RE:
Title
Uninhabitable Structures: Demolition Recommendations
112 Webb Street District 2
1909 North Pearl Street District 2
166 Summer Hill Road District 4
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
2,4
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Safe & Secure Community; Goal 4: Desirable Place To Live, Work & Recreate
Executive Summary:
Staff requests that Council approve demolition ordinances for three residential buildings that has been determined to be dangerous.
Background:
112 Webb Street- PIN 0437-67-1751
The City Inspector is obligated to address conditions that violate the Dwellings and Buildings Minimum Standards Code of Fayetteville, NC. This vacant residential property was inspected and condemned as dangerous on September 22, 2023. The structure requires extensive repairs, including Porch railings and columns, windowpanes, frames and sashes, roofing material, flashing, trim and fascia, roof rafters and sheathing.
A notice of the hearing was published in the Fayetteville Observer on December 10, 2023. The hearing on the property’s condition was held on December 27, 2023, the owner did attend. Following the hearing, an order to repair or demolish the structure within 60 days was issued and sent to the owner on December 28, 2023. The notice included contact details for the City of Fayetteville Economic & Community Development Department and information on programs available to assist with repairs and/or demolition expenses.
As of now, there has been no confirmation of enrollment in the Blight Removal Program, no repairs have been made, and the structure remains undemolished. In the past 24 months, there have been 18 emergency calls to the property. Additionally, there are eight code violation cases on record, with $392.59 in City assessments and $341.03 in outstanding taxes. This residential property has a demolition score of 74 points on the matrix.
1909 North Pearl Street- PIN 0428-72-1165
The City Inspector is obligated to address conditions that violate the Dwellings and Buildings Minimum Standards Code of Fayetteville, NC. This vacant residential property was inspected and condemned as dangerous on August 2, 2023. The structure requires extensive repairs, including to the exterior steps, porch framing and flooring, walls, doors and door frames, window screens and screen doors, windowpanes, frames and sashes, roofing material, trim and fascia, roof rafters and sheathing, foundation wall and piers.
The hearing on the property’s condition was held on November 9, 2023, the owner did attend. Following the hearing, an order to repair or demolish the structure within 90 days was issued and sent to the owner on November 13, 2023. The notice included contact details for the City of Fayetteville Economic & Community Development Department and information on programs available to assist with repairs and/or demolition expenses.
As of now, there has been no confirmation of enrollment in the Blight Removal Program, no repairs have been made, and the structure remains undemolished. In the past 24 months, there has been one emergency call to the property. Additionally, there are four code violation cases on record, with $613.35 in City assessments and no outstanding taxes. This residential property has a demolition score of 57 points on the matrix.
166 Summer Hill Road- PIN 0408-09-4969
The City Inspector is obligated to address conditions that violate the Dwellings and Buildings Minimum Standards Code of Fayetteville, NC. This vacant residential property was inspected and condemned as dangerous on August 4, 2023. The structure requires extensive repairs, exterior steps, ceiling and ceiling joists, walls, doors and door frames, roofing material, flashing, trim and fascia, roof rafters and sheathing
A notice of the hearing was published in the Fayetteville Observer on October 29, 2023. The hearing on the property’s condition was held on November 16, 2023, but the owner (deceased) did not attend, the ex-spouse did attend. Following the hearing, an order to repair or demolish the structure within 60 days was issued and sent to the owner on November 20, 2023. The notice included contact details for the City of Fayetteville Economic & Community Development Department and information on programs available to assist with repairs and/or demolition expenses.
As of now, there has been no confirmation of enrollment in the Blight Removal Program, no repairs have been made, and the structure remains undemolished. In the past 24 months, there have been two emergency calls to the property. Additionally, there are five code violation cases on record, with $681.53 in City assessments and $4,092.05 in outstanding taxes. This residential property has a demolition score of 89 points on the matrix.
Issues/Analysis:
The subject properties are substandard and significantly contribute to neighborhood blight and nuisance. This undermines the City’s Strategic Operating Plan Goal 1, which aims to enhance community well-being and maintain high standards for our neighborhoods.
Budget Impact:
The demolition costs for these structures will be established through a competitive bidding process conducted after the adoption of the demolition ordinance. Please note that additional, yet-to-be-determined expenses for asbestos testing and abatement may also be required.
Options:
Adopt the ordinance and demolish the structures.
Abstain from any action and allow the structures to remain.
Defer any actions for a later date.
Recommended Action:
Staff strongly recommends that the Council adopt the ordinances authorizing the demolition of these structures. We will continue to engage with property owners up until the demolition is scheduled to begin, working to either bring the structures into compliance, secure voluntary demolition, or facilitate violation abatement with the help of a Community Development grant.
Should we achieve voluntary compliance, we will present a demolition rescission ordinance to the Council to remove the initial demolition order from the property deed. Prompt Council approval of the demolition ordinances is crucial, as it enhances our leverage with property owners and is the only means to stay or suspend demolition proceedings after an order has been adopted.
Attachments:
Aerial maps, violation photos, proposed ordinances, Scoring Matrix and PowerPoint presentation