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Town staff reports 18 enforcement cases in 30 days; council presses for quicker action on dangerous properties
Summary
Staff reported 18 potential code-enforcement cases in the prior 30 days (13 complaint-driven) with 13 notices issued and two citations; council members urged faster action on vacant and dilapidated properties and discussed timelines, potential volunteer assistance for securing structures, and statutory limits on process.
Town staff provided a detailed update on municipal code enforcement and minimum-housing activity. Shannon Tuck said staff investigated 18 potential violations over the past 30 days across noise, junked vehicles, zoning, sanitation and minimum housing; 15 were confirmed as violations, 13 notices issued and two cases progressed to citations.
Examples included an occupied camper/RV at the front of a narrow right of way, several unpermitted structures and derelict vacant houses with broken windows and structural openings. Tuck described the typical process—investigate, attempt contact, issue certified notices if necessary, and escalate to hearings and citations if property owners do not remedy violations. She said many noise complaints were handled initially via police reports and warnings and that staff seeks voluntary compliance where possible.
Council members asked about timelines for escalation, the requirement (in some cases) that five residents petition for minimum-housing action, and options to assist owners who lack funds to secure vacant structures (volunteer boards, referrals to repair programs). Legal counsel and staff explained statutory timelines for hearings and that in some cases condemnation or building-code processes (handled by Buncombe County) may be used in conjunction with town minimum-housing actions.
Staff concluded that code enforcement is an ongoing process and that while many complaints result in compliance after notice, some older cases may require renewed action or a restart of the process to secure long-standing problems.
