The Gautier City Council voted to proceed with abatement at 7419 Shirley Drive on July 15 after residents said the property and nearby vacant structures have brought trespassing, trash and safety concerns to their neighborhood.
Councilman George moved to approve abatement of 7419 Shirley Drive with a 60‑day deadline to bring the property into code compliance and with a lien option for abatement costs; Councilwoman Jamieson seconded. The motion passed after public comment from neighbors describing repeated problems with dilapidated homes, transient occupants and a history of unaddressed complaints.
The nut graf: Multiple residents from the Riverview/Shirley Drive area told the council of long‑standing safety and property‑value impacts from vacant and damaged structures. Commenters asked the city to be consistent in enforcement after they said permits had been issued for some nearby lots, generating tensions and calls for transparent follow‑up by staff.
Public speakers described the conditions in the area. Harold Charlton, who identified himself as a family member of the owner of one property, said he had begun to hire a contractor to demolish a house and had just learned about the abatement action: "My name is Harold Charlton... My father owns the property. I found out about the property... I'm trying to hire a contractor to come tear the house down," he told the council. Other residents said they regularly see homeless people on the lots and reported theft and fires at some vacant houses. John Hyatt said the situation is "ruining our neighborhood" and urged prompt action: "We're tired of it. We want something done and we want it done now." Several speakers provided photos to the council.
Council and staff discussion broadened into adjacent properties in the same neighborhood. Council members asked whether permits pulled the previous day affected the abatement agenda; planning staff said permits had been issued for some nearby properties and that where progress is being made, building permits may be extended. The city attorney reminded the council that abatement requires statutory notice and publishing; staff said they try to resolve violations before placing items on the abatement agenda because newspaper notice costs taxpayer dollars.
For an adjacent property, 7417 Bluff Point Road, staff reported the lot had been cleaned before the meeting and that the city attorney advised the council it could not act when the code violations had been abated by the owner. The council asked staff to follow up, photograph posted abatement notices, and report back to a council member who had found a sign placed on a different structure than the one on the agenda.
Ending: The council approved the abatement motion for 7419 Shirley Drive; staff were asked to inventory related parcels in the neighborhood, verify which addresses have permits, document remaining violations, and return with follow‑up information to council members.