Abatement Appeals Board upholds order for 428 Grove Street, grants three months for permits

The Abatement Appeals Board on Jan. 16 upheld an order of abatement for an unpermitted horizontal addition at 428 Grove Street and held enforcement in abeyance for three months to allow the property owner time to secure required permits. The board voted unanimously to assess the department's costs and instructed that if permits are not obtained the abatement order will be recorded against the property.

Maurice Hernandez, chief building inspector for code enforcement, told the board the case began in July 2017 after an inspection flagged construction of a permanent roof and enclosed area over an existing deck. Hernandez said Inspector Carl Weir visited the site on July 17 and that the department’s files include an application (Permit 201710231944), a final warning and referral to court enforcement; a director’s hearing was scheduled in February 2018. "This case has…