Beaumont panel approves demolition certificate for Liberty Avenue house; OKs two property alteration requests

The Beaumont Historic Landmark Commission voted to approve a certificate of demolition for the house at 2229 Liberty Avenue and approved two certificates of appropriateness for separate property alterations during the commission's regular meeting.

City building official Boyd Meyer told the commission the structure at 2229 Liberty was first tagged as substandard after a September 27, 2021 inspection that revealed a collapsing foundation, a roof in need of full replacement and rotted eaves. The property, listed in a 1989 survey of Beaumont and built circa 1915, has continued to deteriorate, Meyer said, and no new ownership has been recorded since an adjacent owner expressed interest in repairing the structure at a prior hearing. Planning and building-code staff recommended approval of the demolition certificate. The commission approved the request; the demolition will next need city council approval before work can proceed.

Staff told commissioners that 27 adjacent property owners were notified of the demolition request; staff recorded no written opposition and one written expression of support from an adjacent property owner who said the vacant structure had attracted homeless persons and posed a health and safety hazard. Staff also said taxes on the property had not been paid and had increased. City staff said the city does not itself collect property taxes…