Balaton’s nuisance committee, armed with a sizable list — and photos — of blighted property in town, met with the Balaton City Council on Monday in a special meeting in hopes of taking a big step in cleaning up the town.
David Kaup, Mary Timmerman and Lou Anderson read off more than two dozen properties they deem violate the City’s nuisance ordnance.
From that list, 18-20 properties were chosen by the council to receive letters from the City detailing what needs to be fixed, cleaned up or removed.
The violations included unlicensed vehicles and campers, unlawful parking/ storage, old tires, piles of branches and overgrown weeds.
The letters will detail infractions and will also include information for property owners as to how they can reach out to the City if they need assistance in cleaning up their respective properties.
“We realize it’s a lot of letters to send, but I think if we could just send them all out, put them on notice — maybe some of these properties are going to step up,” Anderson said. “It’s sad to drive around town and really look at some of these properties.”
After property owners receive their letter defining what needs to be addressed, they will have 30 days to be in compliance with the City’s nuisance ordinance.
“The action the City can take is strictly limited to Chapter 8 (of the City ordinance) and how it defines what private nuisances are,” City Attorney Matthew Gross said. “Most of those are conditions that create a hazardous safety issue. You do not have a building code or a building maintenance code, so without that, the physical conditions of the structures are hard to regulate, absent if they are substandard or hazardous.”
After the initial 30 days are up and properties have not responded, the council can pass a resolution, ordering abatement again.
“If they don’t comply within the time period of the first notice,” Gross said, “you’ll place each of those properties on the (council meeting) agenda, and you’ll send a notice saying on this date, ‘we’re going to discuss your property, you’re invited to come (to the meeting).’” “If the first order isn’t abided by in 30 days, the council can seek an order from the court, allowing the City to go on the properties to do the work,” Gross said.
In that case, “you’re looking at two months at the quickest to be able to file a court date, so you’re looking at three to four months, roughly,” Gross said.
The most pressing property issue facing the City is the house at 121 Lake Ave. North, which was destroyed in a large fire on May 9. The structure, the nuisance committee says, is more than another eyesore, it presents a definite safety hazard in town.
“That property is a real concern,” said Anderson. “I see kids come out of that… there’s got to be something the City should be able to do.”
If there is no consent or communication from the property owner after the initial letter is received, the City can acquire an administrative search warrant to enter what’s left of the house and assess it.
“You would need to hire someone to examine it to let you know what’s in there and what it’s going to cost to raze,” said Gross.
The City can skip that step if the property owner is willing to let the City itself in the house.
