Dateline: June 5, 2008

City orders house to be demolished in 30 days

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

A dilapidated house on Sixth Street must be moved or torn down following last Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Clarendon Board of Aldermen.

City officials held a public hearing on the house at 719 W. Sixth after neighbors filed a complaint under the dangerous structure ordinance. The house is a haven for wild animals and is not structurally sound, they said.

“I’m sick and tired of it, and I think the neighbors are ready to do whatever it takes legally to get rid of it,” said Grett Betts, whose house is just west of the property in question.

Heather King, whose property adjoins the house to the east, agreed with Betts and said kids are getting into the old house.

“There are kids that go in there all the time,” King said.

The property owner has been notified of ordinance violations in the past, but city officials say that each time just enough is done to bring the house into compliance and then it is let go again.

Aldermen approved a motion 3-0 to declare the property a dangerous structure and notify the owner that it must be moved or torn down in 30 days. Aldermen Kyle Davis and Ann Huey abstained because of conflicts of interest.

City officials said if the owner does not comply with the order, the city will demolish the structure itself and attach a lien to the property.

In other city business, the oath of office was administered to newly re-elected Alderman Tommy Hill, and the board elected Alderman Chris Ford as Mayor Pro-tem.

A bid on tax delinquent property was approved as submitted by the Donley Appraisal District.

A new animal control ordinance and a teen curfew ordinance were approved on their first readings. Both issues must be approved a second time next week.