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Mooresville staff seek ordinance to vacate, demolish deteriorated house at 220 East McNeely Avenue
Summary
Town staff presented a proposed ordinance directing the occupant of 220 East McNeely Avenue to vacate and authorizing demolition or removal under the Town of Mooresville minimum housing code after prolonged deterioration and failed compliance attempts; staff said owners and heirs were often unreachable and notices were posted to the property.
Tommy Rowland, director of Building Permitting and Inspections, asked the board to authorize continued enforcement under the Town of Mooresville minimum housing code for a deteriorated property at 220 East McNeely Avenue, saying staff will bring an ordinance for consideration at the next meeting.
Rowland said the house has taken on substantial water damage and structural deterioration. He told the board the town issued notices and held a hearing; a title search identified more than 20 parties to notify, some of whom asked staff to stop sending documents. Rowland said the town posted notices on the house beginning in January and that the occupant has removed posted notices and continued to receive deliveries at the address.
Rowland said the water service to the house was cut off in 2015, back taxes are owed, heirs do not all live locally and “the majority of the heirs that we contacted didn’t even know the house existed.” He described the person living in the house as not paying rent and said staff would pursue a summary ejectment through the court system if the occupant did not leave voluntarily to allow enforcement action on the structure.
Board members expressed concern about both neighborhood safety and the occupant’s welfare. Commissioner West said the property could be dangerous for the resident and neighbors, and asked whether staff had attempted to connect the occupant with local social-service partners. Rowland said notices were sent to the house addressed to the occupant, attempts to knock on the door produced no response, and staff had asked the occupant to contact the office but received no reply.
Staff did not present a final demolition order at the meeting; Rowland asked the board to authorize the ordinance to proceed through the town’s enforcement and court process so the town can remove the structure if required.
The board did not take a recorded vote on the ordinance at the pre-agenda meeting. No formal timetable for demolition was set; Rowland said staff had allowed more than 90 days for compliance after the May notices and that no corrective action had occurred.
