(Aug. 31, 2017) Snow Hill is inching closer to rooting out dozens of vacated and neglected structures as it begins instituting a building registration ordinance approved in 2016.
During its work session on Tuesday the council debated the path forward after mailing the first round of violation notices to four vacated residences on Aug. 3.
Last July the council approved the Vacant and Blighted Building Registration ordinance in an effort to enhance Snow Hill neighborhoods through improved aesthetics and increased property values.
Town Manager Kelly Pruitt said more than 50 vacated properties have been identified and are being evaluated by Code Enforcement Officer Jon Hill.
“This is all about getting rid of properties that diminish the town and the property values of houses they sit beside,” Pruitt said. “It affects the whole neighborhood.”
The ordinance amended the town code by adding a chapter instituting annual registration and maintenance inspections to review the security of vacant properties.
Properties not registered within 30 days of notification will be fined $100, which if unpaid within 90 days will become a lien which would be collected, much like real estate taxes.
“If the homeowner doesn’t pay the bill we would receive the property and we would own it,” she said. “Then it’s a matter of what are we going to do with them.”
During Tuesday’s work session, the first four properties targeted were reviewed. These include: 206 Purnell Street, 300 Purnell Street, 228 East Martin Street and 412 Covington Street.
Pruitt explained that in the eventuality those property owners are unresponsive or unreachable Hill wanted to confirm the councils preferred course of action.
“For the town to take ownership and demolish the cost is $5,000-$7,000 per property,” she said. “I just want to know that you are comfortable with us ultimately demolishing these properties at our cost and taking ownership of them.”
The Martin Street property is owned by Snow Hill-based JFD Rentals and managed by Theresa Featham. In light of the violation Featham has scheduled a meeting with town officials next week to discuss, in total, three properties owned by her employer.
The remaining owners issued notices have thus far failed to contact the town, with Pruitt noting two of the properties have previous tax liens from Worcester County.
Mayor Charlie Dorman, while admitting there are few guarantees with real estate transactions, had minimal reservations with moving forward to eventually demolish properties not complying with housing violation notices.
“If we can sell it we don’t know,” he said. “The markets out there if lots are cleared.”
Further discussion ensued with councilmembers Alison Cook and LaToya Purnell expressing support for the end goal, but also concerns over recouping costs.
“We have to do something,” Cook said.
Appreciating the fiscal concerns, Dorman suggested taking a closer look.
“Why don’t we hold off until everybody gets a chance to look at them,” he said. “We can all agree they need to come down.”
The council agreed to revisit the topic at an upcoming meeting after researching the properties further.
There is no fee for property owners to register within 30 days of receiving notification from town officials regarding structures deemed to be abandoned.
The registration form has to include: the property address, name and contact information for all associated owners, a property plan and an assigned local agent if owners reside more than 50 miles outside of Snow Hill.
Jon Hill, who took the reins as code enforcement officer in Snow Hill this January, said, in an earlier interview, he is starting to address the issue.
“We’ve got to work to improve property values by either improving or demolishing these structures,” he said. “We have a lot of absentee landlords where properties just sit and it’s impossible in some cases to get in touch with the owners.”
During its work session on Tuesday the council debated the path forward after mailing the first round of violation notices to four vacated residences on Aug. 3.
Last July the council approved the Vacant and Blighted Building Registration ordinance in an effort to enhance Snow Hill neighborhoods through improved aesthetics and increased property values.
Town Manager Kelly Pruitt said more than 50 vacated properties have been identified and are being evaluated by Code Enforcement Officer Jon Hill.
“This is all about getting rid of properties that diminish the town and the property values of houses they sit beside,” Pruitt said. “It affects the whole neighborhood.”
The ordinance amended the town code by adding a chapter instituting annual registration and maintenance inspections to review the security of vacant properties.
Properties not registered within 30 days of notification will be fined $100, which if unpaid within 90 days will become a lien which would be collected, much like real estate taxes.
“If the homeowner doesn’t pay the bill we would receive the property and we would own it,” she said. “Then it’s a matter of what are we going to do with them.”
During Tuesday’s work session, the first four properties targeted were reviewed. These include: 206 Purnell Street, 300 Purnell Street, 228 East Martin Street and 412 Covington Street.
Pruitt explained that in the eventuality those property owners are unresponsive or unreachable Hill wanted to confirm the councils preferred course of action.
“For the town to take ownership and demolish the cost is $5,000-$7,000 per property,” she said. “I just want to know that you are comfortable with us ultimately demolishing these properties at our cost and taking ownership of them.”
The Martin Street property is owned by Snow Hill-based JFD Rentals and managed by Theresa Featham. In light of the violation Featham has scheduled a meeting with town officials next week to discuss, in total, three properties owned by her employer.
The remaining owners issued notices have thus far failed to contact the town, with Pruitt noting two of the properties have previous tax liens from Worcester County.
Mayor Charlie Dorman, while admitting there are few guarantees with real estate transactions, had minimal reservations with moving forward to eventually demolish properties not complying with housing violation notices.
“If we can sell it we don’t know,” he said. “The markets out there if lots are cleared.”
Further discussion ensued with councilmembers Alison Cook and LaToya Purnell expressing support for the end goal, but also concerns over recouping costs.
“We have to do something,” Cook said.
Appreciating the fiscal concerns, Dorman suggested taking a closer look.
“Why don’t we hold off until everybody gets a chance to look at them,” he said. “We can all agree they need to come down.”
The council agreed to revisit the topic at an upcoming meeting after researching the properties further.
There is no fee for property owners to register within 30 days of receiving notification from town officials regarding structures deemed to be abandoned.
The registration form has to include: the property address, name and contact information for all associated owners, a property plan and an assigned local agent if owners reside more than 50 miles outside of Snow Hill.
Jon Hill, who took the reins as code enforcement officer in Snow Hill this January, said, in an earlier interview, he is starting to address the issue.
“We’ve got to work to improve property values by either improving or demolishing these structures,” he said. “We have a lot of absentee landlords where properties just sit and it’s impossible in some cases to get in touch with the owners.”