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Depew board authorizes formal demolition process for 47 Main Street; staff outline legal notice, hearing steps
Summary
Trustees approved initiating the statutory demolition process for 47 Main Street, citing structural failure and public‑safety concerns; staff described the multi‑step process including filing notice, serving owners, holding a public hearing at least five days after service, and potential assessment of demolition costs to the property.
The Depew Village Board on Aug. 11 authorized staff to begin the formal statutory process to remove an unsafe building at 47 Main Street after a code enforcement investigation found the structure to be dilapidated and hazardous.
Code enforcement and legal staff explained the stepwise process required by Village Law: staff will prepare and file a demolition notice with the county, attempt to serve the owner(s), and schedule a public hearing no less than five days after service. At the hearing the owner may present evidence that the building is not unsafe; after the hearing the board may order demolition if legal criteria are satisfied. If the village completes demolition, the costs will be charged to the property and assessed accordingly, the resolution states.
Residents and neighbors asked about specific timelines and past extensions. Alyssa Orlova, who identified herself from 165 Warsaw (Alyssa provided unit/residence information in the record), asked for concrete dates; staff replied that the resolution is the first formal step and that publication of a hearing advertisement and proper service must occur before a hearing date can be confirmed. Staff cautioned that finding and serving the owner can delay scheduling; they said they would not guarantee the hearing date until legal service is completed.
Why it matters: the board’s action moves the matter from informal code enforcement negotiations into the formal legal procedures that allow the village to repair or remove a structure deemed unsafe when informal remedies have not solved the problem. For neighbors, a formal process can accelerate remediation but involves statutory notices, opportunities to be heard and potential administrative delays.
Context and next steps: staff said contractors and an engineer have been consulted and that portions of the rear addition were described as not salvageable. The administrator will draft the demolition notice and attempt to serve it; if service is successful the board will hold the required public hearing and then decide whether to proceed with demolition and cost assessment.
