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Hopkinsville board finds 131 Locust Grove Road unsafe, orders demolition
Summary
The Hopkinsville Code Ordinance Enforcement Board found the home at 131 Locust Grove Road unsafe following testimony about tornado and water damage and voted to fine the owner and have the city remove the house and garage.
Rodney Davis, chairman of the Hopkinsville City Code Ordinance Enforcement Board, voted March 25 that the property at 131 Locust Grove Road is an unsafe structure and ordered the city to proceed with demolition of the house and its detached garage.
Mark DeArmond, code enforcement officer with the Hopkinsville Fire Department, told the board the home was struck by the May 20, 2023, tornado and that a large tree destroyed the accessory garage and damaged the back of the house. DeArmond said water and electrical service have been off since the tornado, interior ceilings and walls had collapsed in places, and photographs showed what he described as possible black mold on ceilings and walls.
"This house was struck by the 05/20/2023 tornado," DeArmond said, and he described interior water damage and debris that made the structure hazardous. He told the board the property met the agency's checklist for an unsafe structure during an inspection and that the house presented a health risk because of mold and evidence someone had been inside the building.
DeArmond reported taxes on the property were delinquent, listing $10,613 in unpaid taxes dating back to 2018. He said a notice of violation and citation were issued after reinspection and that the city's certified mail to the owner was returned signed.
No representative for Bison Bison Investment LLC was present; DeArmond said his contact was Emily Rittenberry Bison, who lives in Toronto and had told him she and a sibling would pursue loans or insurance claims before deciding whether to repair. DeArmond said he had received no further documents showing an active insurance or loan approval.
After closing the hearing to deliberation, the board voted that the city had met its burden of proof that a violation existed. The board then voted to assess a $350 fine plus a $200 administrative fee and ordered the city to proceed with demolition of both the house and the detached garage.
The board advised that, under Hopkinsville code, the board may order the property owner to remedy an unsafe structure within a specified period or the city may act; appeals of final board orders are available to the Christian District Court within 30 days of the board's final order. The board closed the hearing and moved on to its next agenda item.
