Hopkinsville board finds 1820 S. Virginia St. unsafe, orders maximum fine and abatement

Hopkinsville — The Hopkinsville Code Ordinance Enforcement Board voted Aug. 12 to find the three-unit building at 1820 South Virginia Street in violation of local property-maintenance and fire-safety codes, assess the maximum civil penalty allowed and order abatement of the property, after code and fire officials described extensive structural damage, sewage, electrical overloads and unsafe living conditions with children present.

Code enforcement officer Mark DeArmond told the board the case began after a 2023 complaint about raw sewage and continued through follow-up inspections in 2024 and 2025. “Windows broken, roof shingles or tabs of the shingles broken off, trash and debris and vehicles — things around, have been there,” DeArmond said, summarizing his exterior and interior inspections. He said officers obtained a search warrant after Hopkinsville police reported conditions while they were seeking a suspect and that inspectors found damaged ceilings, missing floor sections, plastic sheeting used to block daylight through exterior walls, used syringes, overloaded electrical circuits and evidence of sewage problems dating back to 2023.

“The structure is dangerous and unsafe,” DeArmond told the board, adding that his team rated the property “15 out of 20 or 75%” under the local unsafe-structure checklist used by staff. DeArmond identified Timothy Vandiver as the property owner; Vandiver did not attend the hearing.

Fire Chief Steven Futrell described immediate life-safety concerns around the building’s electrical systems and said the department removed electric meters the day after the inspection “due to the condition of the structure. We were scared that the building was gonna catch fire.”

Board members voted to find a violation and then moved to impose the maximum fine allowed by ordinance and a $200 administrative fee; they also ordered abatement of the entire property, including accessory structures. The board directed staff to secure the site, coordinate utility disconnects with Atmos Energy before any demolition, and pursue demolition or expedited abatement as warranted. The board noted the property had been posted as condemned and that occupants were told to leave when the unsafe-structure citation was posted.

DeArmond told the board that inspectors recorded at least 14 calls for service to the address since the initial complaint history began and that the property’s tax and lien balance on the county records was roughly $1,986 as of the hearing. He also said a local realtor contacted staff indicating a potential buyer had tried to remove items from the property in the hours after the code posting; the fire marshal declined to sign off on a sale pending remediation.

During deliberations board members emphasized life-safety risks, the presence of children in the dwelling at times reported to staff, and the history of prior notices. The board voted to: (1) enter a finding of violation for case CEBPM25-07006, (2) assess the maximum civil penalty allowed by the ordinance and a $200 administrative fee, and (3) order abatement and securement of the property pending utility coordination and potential demolition.

The board record shows the owner received prior notices by certified and regular mail (regular mail returned) and that citations were also posted on the property and published as required. The hearing record notes that the Hopkinsville Fire Department and the police department participated in the inspection and posting.

The board closed the hearing and moved to open-session deliberation before voting. The owner, Timothy Vandiver, was reached by staff immediately after the inspection but was not present for the hearing; the board proceeded in his absence. The board directed staff to pursue abatement, coordinate gas-line termination before demolition, attach lien(s) to the property for abatement costs, and report back to the board if additional steps (including emergency demolition) are needed.

The board’s finding and orders can be appealed to the Christian County District Court within 30 days of the final order, according to the notice read at the start of the hearing.

The board also discussed general enforcement tools for repeat offenders and the possibility of pursuing personal judgments that could attach liens to other properties owned by habitually noncompliant owners. No specific timetable for demolition was set; staff said demolition could move quickly once Atmos completes gas termination and a contractor is scheduled.