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Coppell commission orders demolition deadline for long-neglected Stratford Lane property, warns $100/day penalties
Summary
After years of noncompliance and neighborhood complaints, the Coppell Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously to order demolition or remediation of 631 Stratford Lane within 60 days and to levy $100/day in civil penalties if owners fail to comply; owners said they are pursuing insurance claims and litigation.
The Coppell Building and Standards Commission on Feb. 5 issued an order directing the owners of 631 Stratford Lane to complete demolition or otherwise bring the property into compliance within 60 days of the order’s signing, with a $100 per day civil penalty to begin if the deadline is missed.
Desiree Boman, senior code officer, recapped a history of noncompliance dating to the February 2021 winter storm: pipes burst, interior work was performed without permits and the house has remained vacant and unrepaired. Staff said the commission issued an order on Oct. 2, 2025 that required pest control, a structural engineer report, permit applications and passing inspections; none of those steps were completed and staff placed two liens totaling just over $3,000 after recent abatements.
During the public hearing, homeowner Solomon Ahmed and a spouse said they are pursuing insurance proceeds and litigation: "Insurance has not provided us the funds to repair the house," the spouse stated, and they described hiring an attorney and filing suit on Jan. 23, 2026. Neighbors testified the property is an eyesore that attracts trespassers and wildlife and depresses neighborhood values; neighbor Kim Greenberg said, "Our street has gone down $300,000" in valuation and that vagrants enter the site.
Commission members pressed for a definitive timeline and ways to balance owner hardship with neighborhood safety. City attorneys and staff told the commission they can hold the order while allowing owners to pursue remediation: if owners submit permits or show "reasonable, substantive progress," penalties could be deferred or the order reformed. Counsel also noted that an attorney filing was submitted to staff by the homeowners shortly before the meeting began.
Commissioner discussion centered on using the enforcement toolkit — deadlines, penalties, liens and, if necessary, city abatement with recovery of costs — to drive a resolution. One commissioner moved that the commission "issue an order directing the property owners to demolish the substandard structure at 631 Stratford Lane and that the demolition be completed no later than 60 days from the date that order is signed," adding that the city would proceed with demolition and cost recovery if owners did not comply; the motion passed unanimously.
City staff said next steps include preparing the formal order reflecting the 60‑day deadline and the penalty language, coordinating with building inspections on any permit activity from the owners, and initiating lien and abatement planning if no progress is made.
The commission’s motion does not prevent owners from pursuing repairs or permits after the order is issued; staff and counsel said the order can be reformed if the owners demonstrate substantive progress toward compliance within the 60‑day period.
