Board orders fines, cleanups and short extensions for multiple properties in enforcement review

The Lewis Court Board of Public Works and Safety reviewed weekly code-enforcement activity and voted on cleanup orders, fines and two-week extensions for multiple properties at its Feb. 26 meeting.

Code enforcement officer Randy reported 37 new notices sent during the previous week, 48 properties cleared from earlier lists and 27 cases still pending. He said code staff had produced 13 notices to appear and had three more vehicles tagged for violations.

The board considered multiple properties with trash, mattresses, construction debris and other violations. Actions included:

- 1305 North Street: staff reported the property was cleaned today but previously had multiple repeat trash violations and unpaid fines. The board declined a property-cleanup order and instead voted to place a $500 fine for multiple violations to prompt owner response.

- 1807 George Street: the property is listed as uninhabitable by the health department and had trash and shed issues; the board approved a property-cleanup order.

- 2201 Jefferson Street: owner Matthew Shelton told the board the property was cleaned before the meeting; the board closed the item with no cleanup order required.

- 1715 East Market Street, 1821 Swede Street and other addresses: the board approved cleanup orders or set short compliance deadlines. For 1821 Swede Street, the owner requested 30 days to obtain a dumpster for renovation debris; the board offered a two-week extension and said staff would assist with guidance on dumpster providers and larger trash receptacles.

- 922 Eighteenth Street and several properties with accumulated equipment or scrap: the board noted some progress at several sites, granted extensions in multiple cases and said it would re-inspect in two weeks. The board emphasized that renovations require ongoing cleaning and that permits do not excuse leaving building materials and trash in yards.

Where owners appeared at the meeting (for example, Greg Stark and his son Josh at 922 Eighteenth and Matthew Shelton at 2201 Jefferson), staff and board members discussed timelines and resources to help bring properties into compliance. The board frequently suggested owners contact Randy or the city office for assistance before matters escalate to fines or citations.

The board used a mix of immediate cleanup orders, fines for repeat violations (typically the tier-2 $500 amount noted in the city’s enforcement scale) and short tabling/extensions to encourage compliance.