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Council sets June 17 hearing on unsafe and dangerous structures after staff report citing roof collapses, board‑ups and emergency responses
Summary
City building official presented a list of vacant or deteriorated properties with collapsed roofs, repeated law‑enforcement responses and delinquent taxes. Council voted to set a public hearing on June 17, 2025 to allow owners and lienholders to show cause why structures should not be condemned or ordered repaired or demolished.
Hutchinson City Council voted May 6 to set a public hearing for June 17, 2025 to consider ordering a set of properties deemed by city building staff to be "unsafe and dangerous." City staff said the listed buildings show signs of severe deterioration, roof or ceiling collapse, repeated break‑ins and emergency responses.
Staff findings Jason Laney, building official, presented staff inspections and the legal process under the Hutchinson City Code. Laney told council that multiple properties have had repeated cases and inspections dating back to 2019 and that many were boarded and have experienced police and fire responses. He cited the city code definition of "substandard buildings" and the procedures for notice and hearing that require publication and mailed notice to owners and lienholders.
Properties cited Staff listed multiple properties by address and summarized conditions and enforcement history. Examples cited in the staff report included: - 806 North Plum: one‑story former grocery store with partial roof collapse; 13 cases and 50 inspections since 02/2019; delinquent property taxes of $8,275; scheduled for county 2025 tax sale. Laney said the building was recently boarded after a break‑in. - 22 West Fifth Avenue: ~19,687 sq. ft. one‑story building with roof collapse; 17 cases and 29 inspections and at least one building fire. - 2100 North Jackson Street: ~9,300 sq. ft. former dormitory with 9 cases and 17 inspections and dozens of police responses. - A cluster of Main Street properties (401, 405, 411 South Main) and several Fourth Avenue addresses were also listed with similar histories of deterioration, board‑ups, and multiple police responses.
Legal process and council action Laney explained that, under Chapter 21 (Unsafe and Dangerous Buildings) the governing body must fix a date and place at which owners, lienholders and occupants may appear and show cause why the structure should not be condemned or ordered repaired or demolished. The resolution setting a hearing date requires publication and mailed notices per statute; staff recommended June 17, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. for the hearing. Council adopted the resolution to fix that hearing date and authorize the mayor to sign; recorded votes were yes from Richardson, Garza, Fast, Meggers and Goss.
What happens next Staff will publish the resolution twice, mail notices to owners and lienholders, and prepare an evidentiary record for the June 17 hearing. At the hearing the council will consider testimony and evidence and could order repairs, condemnation, or demolition if it finds the properties unsafe and dangerous under city code.
Ending Council action sets formal procedural steps toward remediation or demolition where owners do not rehabilitate problem structures; the June 17 hearing will provide property owners, lienholders and occupants a required opportunity to respond.
