Council upholds city manager finding that two downtown properties are dilapidated; owner given 90 days to act

The Claremore City Council voted to uphold a city manager determination that two properties owned by Compass Church Ltd. are dilapidated and detrimental to public safety and welfare, giving the owner a 90‑day period to comply with remediation requirements or face city abatement and assessment of costs as a lien against the properties.

The appeal hearing addressed two adjacent addresses identified in the record as 503 Westborough Rogers and 505 Eastborough Rogers. City staff presented a packet of inspection reports, dated photographs and correspondence documenting building deterioration, unsecured openings, missing bay doors and long‑standing utility disconnection. Fire Marshal Jonathan Cates and building inspector Mr. Chester prepared reports that were included in the city manager’s file.

A city representative explained that the city’s dilapidation ordinance—implemented consistent with state statutes—authorizes the city manager to find privately owned structures dilapidated, to require corrective action within a set period (90 days in this case), and, if the owner fails to act, to have the city abate the nuisance and recover costs as a lien on the property. The staff presentation noted that the record showed electric service had been disconnected for the larger structure since 2018 and for the other structure since 2001, and that the file contains both older photos and more recent date‑stamped photographs used to document the condition.

Property owner Christopher Polk (identified in the hearing as Mr. Polk) told the council he has undertaken demolition and cleanup work. Polk said the smaller structure was already roughly 75% removed and that work on the larger cinder‑block building intensified after notice of the hearing; he asked the council to allow him to finish repairs rather than order city abatement. Polk said some windows and light‑weight coverings have been replaced and described the larger structure’s concrete block walls and wooden trusses as repairable.

Building officials told the council that an engineering or structural report would be required before staff could certify that the larger building met structural and code requirements; the fire marshal said code review depends on intended future use and occupancy type and that electrical, structural, roofing and other systems would need to conform to code.

After questioning from council members, a motion to uphold the city manager’s finding carried on a roll call. The action gives the property owner 90 days from the manager’s finding either to bring the structures to code or to complete demolition; if the work is not completed, the city may arrange abatement, charge the costs as a lien and pursue collection under the city’s procedures.

Council members and staff noted the dilapidation finding reflects long‑standing code issues documented in the file; staff told the council the city had records showing the building had been out of service for electrical service for several years and that past inspections and notices are part of the administrative record. The council did not vote to demolish the structures itself; it upheld the administrative finding and preserved the enforcement options spelled out in the city’s ordinances.