Burns Harbor council authorizes building official to serve two $5,000 civil penalties for 1182 Salt Creek property

Burns Harbor — The Town Council on a November meeting directed the building commissioner to send two additional civil-penalty notices, each up to $5,000, to the owner of 1182 Salt Creek Road after finding the property had not complied with previous orders.

The council’s discussion centered on authority in state code. The building official cited Indiana Code 36-7-9-7(e), saying a hearing authority may impose one or more additional civil penalties not to exceed $5,000 per penalty when a property owner has not accomplished required work or the premises negatively affect surrounding property values or quality of life. "An additional civil penalty may be imposed if the hearing authority finds significant work on the premises to comply with the affirmed order has not been accomplished," the official said during the meeting.

Council members debated whether to impose both penalties at once or stagger them, and how to deliver notice. After options were discussed — including certified mail and specifying a calendar deadline rather than a 30-day-from-receipt window — Speaker 7 moved to authorize the building commissioner to send two fines under the two code subsections; the motion was seconded. Council asked staff to specify the deadline in the notice and to return in January with next steps for collections if the owner does not comply.

Council members emphasized the goal of getting the property cleaned up rather than generating revenue. Staff confirmed a prior $5,000 penalty had already been assessed, meaning two additional penalties would raise potential civil penalties to $15,000 total if ultimately levied and unpaid. The council also discussed certified-mail procedures and the inclusion of specific dates in the notice so the 30-day compliance window would be clear.

The meeting transcript records the council’s direction to proceed and to coordinate precise deadlines and certified-mail logistics, but it does not record a formal roll-call vote on that specific authorization within the provided segments. The council instructed the building commissioner to proceed with sending the notices and to coordinate with the clerk and town attorney on collection options and timing.

Next steps: staff will prepare the certified notices with a specified deadline, send them to the property owner, and report back at a future meeting on receipt, compliance, or further collection actions.