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Hearing on garage at 403 West Garfield continued six months while heirs sort estate
Summary
Because ownership of 403 West Garfield is unsettled after the owner's death, the hearing officer continued the case for six months rather than order immediate demolition of a deteriorating garage; the family members present were instructed to work with the city and an estate attorney.
The OTA hearing on a deteriorating garage at 403 West Garfield was continued for six months after the people present said the title remained in the deceased owner's name and heirs had not yet completed estate work.
City code officer Bruce Engelmeier described a garage with a roof caving in and missing soffit and said the city had posted notices in July, November and May with no response. A family member who said she is the deceased owner's child told the hearing she had not been aware of the notices because she does not live at the property and that she was seeking an estate attorney to sort title and heirs.
Because the owner died intestate and ownership among heirs is unresolved, the hearing officer said he would continue the matter for six months to allow the family to pursue probate and to keep the building department informed. The officer said a continuance with a six‑month check‑in would prevent the issue from "slipping through the cracks" while giving the family time to secure legal counsel and to confirm legal responsibility for the property.
City staff asked the family to stay in contact with the building department and to report progress; the record shows the garage demolition was not ordered at this hearing because the jurisdictional owner remains unclear.
