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Homeowners raise safety concerns over long-vacant house at 280 Thornberry
Summary
Neighbors told Powell City Council a house at 280 Thornberry has been vacant, deteriorating and attracting parked, unlicensed vehicles; city staff said an administrative investigation will follow and staff will meet with law enforcement, legal, planning and zoning to identify options.
Dan Eddingfield, a resident of the Chase neighborhood, told the Powell City Council on April 15 that a long-vacant house at 280 Thornberry is deteriorating and drawing unwanted activity.
Eddingfield said the house has been vacant “for quite some time,” that cars without license plates have been parked at the property and that “there was a murder in that home” less than 18 months ago. “We're concerned about crime and theft once that house is known, generally, that it's empty,” he said.
The matter was raised during the meeting’s citizen participation portion; Eddingfield provided his address and asked for city input on legal or administrative options. The council did not take immediate formal action.
Andy Merritt, city manager, said the next step is an administrative investigation that will include law enforcement, the city’s legal team, planning, development and zoning staff. “At that point, we could come back to council collectively or individually through a report and provide kind of an outcome as to where we're at,” Merritt said, adding staff would meet with the homeowners association and could contact Eddingfield as soon as the following day.
Merritt said staff will look for any “administrative layer within the codified ordinances that would allow us to assist,” and also provide guidance to the homeowners association on any private steps they can take. He apologized that staff could not provide a definitive remedy that night and said he would follow up after the internal review.
The council did not vote on the matter during the April 15 meeting.
The council’s public comment rules require speakers to state their name and address, and Eddingfield complied. The city manager’s office said it would contact the homeowner association to schedule an investigation meeting involving relevant departments.
