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Depew board opens public hearings on three derelict properties; mayor says demolition likely next meeting
Summary
Village of Depew trustees opened public hearings May 12 on demolitions at 72 S. Bellevue Ave., 1603 Keefer Ave. and 290 S. Warsaw St.; mayor and building official said owners have not complied with repeated notices and the village will hire contractors if no one appears to contest the orders.
The Village of Depew Board of Trustees opened public hearings May 12 on demolition orders for three properties the village says are unsafe: 72 South Bellevue Avenue, 1603 Keefer Avenue and 290 South Warsaw Street.
Mayor Kevin J. Peterson said the building department and his office drafted the demolition notices and served them on the property owners after “multiple notices from the building department to remedy conditions.” He said the properties “have been falling down for over a year now” and that the hearings were scheduled because owners did not respond. “This is what we do when the people who own the property don't respond, and it creates a hazard to those around them,” Peterson said.
The mayor asked whether anyone was present to represent the properties; no owners appeared. The board closed the three hearings at about 7:16–7:20 p.m. and the mayor said a resolution to approve the demolitions will be presented at the next board meeting if no one comes forward.
Don (Code Enforcement), the village’s code enforcement officer, described the local process for demolitions and how the village recovers costs. He confirmed the village initially pays for demolition and can add the cost to the owner’s tax bill, which is then submitted to Erie County. If the property goes to a tax sale, any proceeds would proportionately return to the village to cover the demolition costs. When asked about timing, Don said contractors are typically selected by public bid and that demolitions usually occur “within 30 to 60 days” after a contractor is chosen and permits are in place.
The board then voted to close the hearings. Mayor Peterson said the building department will hire demolition contractors if the board adopts the forthcoming resolution.
The hearings opened and closed without public testimony in favor of the property owners. The board’s next formal step is a resolution to authorize demolition; Peterson indicated that would be on a future agenda for formal approval and that the village will advertise for bids to perform the work once the resolution is adopted.
Ending: The board closed the hearings with no speakers representing the three addresses. Trustees indicated the village will proceed with formal resolution and bid advertising to remove the hazards if the owners do not appear before the next meeting.
