Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Unsafe Property topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clinton County gives owner six months to rehab condemned house, orders immediate rodent control
Summary
After public testimony about mice, a failing septic and structural decay, commissioners approved a six-month extension with a three-month progress check for a condemned manufactured home on property 22031300; fines will begin if progress is insufficient.
Clinton County commissioners on March 18 gave the owner of a condemned manufactured home at parcel 22031300 six months to make the property habitable and required immediate action to control rodents, after multiple residents described leaking roofs, exposed septic components and structural rot.
The notice stems from a long-running unsafe-structure file that county planning staff said began after the property sold in October 2019 and that has an existing condemnation on record. Liz, Area Plan Commission staff, said the file shows a perimeter drain must be completed and a recorded easement to a county tile obtained before the parcel can be legalized and permitted for occupancy. She said a prior lot-size variance had expired.
The property owner's wife, Emily Bonecutter Newton, said the family completed the perimeter drain but cannot obtain the required easement because the adjacent farmer who had been expected to sign the paperwork died and the land is now owned by a different company. “We still want to get the property rehabbed to get the property up for occupation, and we will work toward getting that easement signed off on if we're allowed some more time,” Emily Newton said.
Relatives and neighbors told commissioners the structure suffers widespread neglect. Jessica Stowers, who identified herself as the daughter of the property owner and a former resident, said rodents have overrun the house and that the floor joists and roof are unsafe. “To this point, it's now the house is becoming a hazard… It just needs to be flattened out and move on,” Stowers said.
Commissioners discussed options including condemnation, fines and giving the owner time to complete the private-party easement and subdivision work needed to reestablish a buildable lot. County staff outlined the steps left: a recorded easement to the county tile or a health-department variance for drainage, a lot-size variance again, and a subdivision plat before permits could be issued.
The board voted to grant a total six-month extension, require a progress report in three months, direct the owner to address rodent problems immediately, and begin issuing fines if adequate progress is not shown at the three-month review. The motion carried 3-0.
County staff said if the work is not completed within the timeline, the board may proceed with condemnation and related enforcement actions; staff also noted fines would be added to the tax bill if levied.
The commissioners recorded their action as an effort to balance giving property owners an opportunity to rehabilitate structures against public-safety and neighborhood impacts.
