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Cottage Grove orders owner to remove hazardous building at 8274 Hemingway Ave. S.; council authorizes demolition process if owner doesn't act
Summary
Council approved a resolution ordering the owner to correct or remove a hazardous, dilapidated house at 8274 Hemingway Ave. S.; owner unresponsive since 2022 and city may seek default judgment and assess demolition costs to the property.
The Cottage Grove City Council on Sept. 3 adopted a resolution ordering the owner of 8274 Hemingway Avenue South to correct or remove a hazardous building after city inspections found severe structural collapse, black mold and exposed wiring.
City Attorney staff and municipal attorney team member Matt Ziebarth explained the process under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 463. Ziebarth said staff began inspections in 2019, the property was posted as unsuitable for human occupancy following a city inspection on April 17, 2024, and the owner, identified in city records as Jeffrey S. Brown, became nonresponsive around 2022.
Ziebarth described interior and exterior conditions shown in staff photographs: collapsed ceilings and roof sections, widespread black mold, a collapsed garage roof with exposed wiring, and interior exposure to the elements. Staff also turned off water at the curb after a suspected pipe burst; Ziebarth said there is currently no water to the house, making it unsuitable for occupancy.
Under the council’s adopted resolution (Resolution 2025-134), the owner has 20 days to respond to the city and 30 days from the order (Oct. 3, 2025) to remove or remediate the hazardous building. Ziebarth told the council that if the owner does not respond, staff would seek a default judgment in district court, undertake demolition via a contractor, and then record the demolition costs as a special assessment under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429. He said the city’s title search found no mortgage or lien holder on the property; if taxes go unpaid after assessment the property could eventually become tax-forfeit and the county would offer it to the city first.
Council members who had worked on the case and neighbors in attendance said staff had attempted to work with the owner for years. Councilmember Olson moved approval of the resolution; the motion passed by voice vote. Council directed staff to proceed with statutory steps; staff noted litigation is possible if the owner responds and contests the order, which would extend the timeline.
The council’s action starts the statutory clock for owner response and preserves the city’s ability to remove the structure and recover costs through assessment if necessary.
