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Pataskala staff weigh court cleanup costs for long-running code case at 100 Conner Avenue
Summary
City staff told the development committee that pursuing a statutory junkyard declaration and court-ordered cleanup for the longtime code enforcement case at 100 Conner Avenue would cost an estimated $44,000–$48,000; staff recommended exploring other options first.
City staff told the Pataskala City development committee on Wednesday that using a statutory junkyard declaration and court process to remediate a long-running nuisance at 100 Conner Avenue would be costly and might not prevent future reaccumulation.
Staff described a two-stage approach under Section 7-23-99 (as cited in the meeting): first, the administrator would declare the property a junkyard and the city would pursue a conviction in mayor’s court and, if necessary, in Licking County Common Pleas court; second, if the court grants authority, the city would clean up the site and place a lien for cleanup costs on the property.
Staff estimated legal costs for the first stage at roughly $15,000–$25,000. An estimate for physical remediation was approximately $21,000, plus the cost of an on-site officer estimated at $2,600. Staff gave a total two-stage estimate of roughly $44,000–$48,000 to complete the full process and recover costs as a lien if the court rules in the city’s favor.
Committee members raised practical concerns: the case has cycled through mayor’s court repeatedly over four to five years and earlier enforcement efforts produced limited long-term compliance. Staff said a successful court outcome would not guarantee the property remains free of debris and that cleanup money placed as a lien may not be recovered quickly.
Members discussed alternatives before committing funds for the court process. Options staff agreed to pursue included seeking assistance from the county health department (to establish public-health violations such as rodent or hazardous-material risks), pursuing towing of unlicensed vehicles already on the site, helping the property owner secure screening or fence permits, and exploring city programs that could help remediate dilapidated properties without immediate large legal outlays. Staff noted the property owner has made some cleanup progress and has applied for a second fence permit.
Decision and next steps: The committee opted not to proceed immediately with the Section 7-23-99 court path. Staff will research alternative enforcement and assistance avenues (health department involvement, towing, property-improvement programs) and report back. No council funds were approved at the meeting.
Why it matters: The case illustrates the limits of short-term code enforcement in lengthy nuisance matters and the costs the city may incur to obtain court-ordered cleanup. Committee members emphasized balancing enforcement with options to help a property owner comply and reduce visual blight that neighbors have complained about.
