Atoka council upholds code-enforcement finding to remove structure at 1247 Choctaw Avenue

The Atoka City Council approved findings from an administrative code-enforcement hearing that declared the structure at 1247 Choctaw Avenue dilapidated and ordered its removal. The council acted after staff said the property owner failed to appear at the administrative hearing and that enforcement staff had attempted contact at multiple addresses.

The decision matters because it authorizes removal of the structure after the administrative process; staff said the owner still has a 30-day opportunity to follow up with code enforcement and request reconsideration under the local enforcement process. Council members voted to adopt the code-enforcement officer’s recommendations.

Code-enforcement staff told the council they began outreach in July 2024 and that notices and a hearing were mailed and served; an individual who attended the council meeting was not the recorded property owner and a language barrier complicated an attempted phone appearance. Staff displayed photographs and described the property as meeting the criteria for a dilapidated structure. A council member noted the property appeared structurally unsound in the photos but said the full condition could be worse in person.

Council discussion emphasized that approving the administrative finding does not end the process: staff reiterated the 30-day opportunity for the owner to work with code enforcement if they come forward and that the council would revisit the matter only after that process if required. The council then voted to approve the code-enforcement recommendation to condemn the property and remove the structure.

The action also included reminders that typical enforcement steps — notice, administrative hearing, and opportunity to contest — had been followed. The name of the property owner was recorded in the files as Jasmine Solis, according to remarks in the meeting.

Council members who participated in the roll call approved the measure; the motion carried. No criminal penalties were announced at the meeting, and staff said any follow-up would be handled through code enforcement and the administrative process.