Owner given 6 months to improve property
CLOVERDALE -- The fate of a home at 203 S. Lafayette St., Cloverdale, was made Thursday night during a special meeting of the Cloverdale Board of Zoning Appeals after the board reached an agreement with the property owner.
Back in January, the house was inspected and deemed unsafe and uninhabitable. The inspector's report contended, "The floors are uneven indicating some structural damage."
Other issues with the house included a gas water heater with a red tag and an old exterior wall exposed through current shingles. The house was once rented by the owner, but has sat empty for some time.
The inspection of the house was conducted after former tenants filed a complaint.
Jeff Everman -- doing business as J.A.Enterprises -- owns the Lafayette Street property. He said the former tenants approached him about renting the house, and a lease was signed stating all maintenance would be done by and at the expense of the renters.
Everman was present at the special meeting to argue for a dismissal of the demolition order. He wanted to know the board's criteria for taking such action against his property. He felt the structure was sound, although there were "minor issues" listed on the inspector's report.
He explained the red tag on the water heater was 10 years old and had been corrected. The premises had been secured with locked doors and windows.
Everman said he planned to repair the house in the future, but was reluctant to give a timeline to the board.
"I have $40,000 invested in the house," he said. "I'm not letting $40,000 go down the toilet. If the foundation is damaged, no, it is not in my best interest to repair it."
Board members said they did not want to force people to tear down homes, but did want assurance something would be done.
In the end, the board decided to give Everman six months to have the house brought to compliance with building codes, which are primarily state law. He was also given two weeks to have the windows, doors and main structure boarded up for safety concerns.
"This is reasonable," Everman said after the board approved the motion.
After six months, the house will be inspected to ensure all codes have been met.