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Commission discontinues two long-pending demolition resolutions; staff to meet with mobile-home-park owners and return in July
Summary
The commission discontinued two previously filed demolition resolutions for downtown properties and deferred three trailer-park demolition items to the July 1 meeting while staff meets with park owners; staff said trailer removals could cost about $3,500 per unit.
HARRINGTON — The City Commission on June 3 voted to discontinue two long-pending demolition/resolution actions tied to downtown properties and agreed to postpone consideration of three additional demolition items tied to a nearby mobile-home park until the July 1 meeting.
Background and action taken: staff and the city attorney reviewed a property-resolution record from about two years earlier and advised the commission that, absent periodic continuances recorded in the minutes, the city might need to restart the process. Commissioners voted to discontinue the resolutions labeled in the record (one listed as 867 in meeting materials, which staff said should have been 967; another identified as resolution 968) because the continuance and hearing schedule had lapsed. A motion to discontinue each matter passed by recorded roll call.
Trailer park status and next steps: staff reported that park owners said most recent resources had been spent on litigation with a former park member and that owners are targeting removal of six trailers (including three non-permitted units the city previously identified). Staff said external demolition options had quotes of about $3,500 per trailer and that owners requested creative, more economical solutions; staff and owners agreed to meet next week to discuss options. The commission agreed to table the three trailer-park items and related demolition resolutions to the July 1 commission meeting to allow staff and owners to present an action plan.
Staff cautioned that trailer removal presents logistical challenges: many units lack titles or have unclear ownership, disposal costs vary and the city could recover demolition costs by assessment but would need to follow required procedures. Legal counsel said demolition resolutions that had advanced to the stage of allowing mobilization could still be enforced later, though waiting long periods without periodic check-ins creates practical concerns. Commissioners asked staff to pursue a meeting with the park owners and return with a proposed path forward at the July meeting.
