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Neighbors press council after postponement of demolition vote for charred 271 Elm Street
Summary
Council postponed the demolition order for a fire-damaged house at 271 Elm Street; neighbors said the structure remains unstable, full of trash and a safety hazard and urged the council to require cleanup or secure the site before the next meeting.
The Bangor City Council postponed to its next regular meeting a May 12 order to declare the structure at 271 Elm Street a dangerous building and authorize its demolition. Councilors said they had met with the property owner and were still missing information required to proceed.
Neighbors who addressed the council during the reopened public comment period urged faster action. Sheldon Lamb, who identified himself as a 277 Elm Street resident next to the site, said the charred structure has stood for nearly two years without cleanup or securing and now attracts wildlife and trash. "It's charred, unstable, and open to the elements filled with trash," Lamb said, adding that his young children play nearby and the site is a hazard. Another neighbor, Wayne Anton of 268 Elm Street, described ongoing debris in the yard and said the condition had not improved.
Councilors acknowledged receipt of neighbors' concerns. A councilor suggested scheduling the matter for an update through the business, economic and development committee; another requested staff to speak privately with the two neighbors who had additional information. The record shows the demolition order was postponed so staff could gather missing engineering and owner information and provide a status update at the next meeting.
Ending: The council delayed the demolition vote to allow more information from staff and the property owner. Neighbors pressed for at minimum interim measures — site cleanup and securing — while the council gathers the requested materials.
