The hearing authority affirmed a demolition order for the fire-damaged property at 41729 South Walnut Street and continued the case to March 12 to allow the sheriff's sale process to play out.

Christy Brown, representing the mortgage holder, told the authority the property had been secured and boarded and said the mortgage holder had "complied now with the vacate premises portion of the code as well as board and secure the premises." She said a sheriff’s sale was scheduled for Feb. 11 and asked the authority to avoid imposing fines while the sale process proceeds.

The authority noted the order remains in place and affirmed demolition as the remedy based on the exterior condition and fire damage, but it granted a continuance to March 12 so a new owner could emerge through the sale process. Members asked Brown to notify the city if a new owner is identified ahead of that date.

The authority recorded that no civil penalties had been assessed at the hearing and reminded the mortgage representative that the owner, not the mortgagee, is the party of primary responsibility under the unsafe-building statute. The authority instructed staff to confirm the condition of the property at the next hearing and to notify any successor owner.