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Engineers say Stockton building unsafe; owners given 30 days to submit repair or demolition plan
Summary
Engineers reported the Stockton building is unsafe; the borough installed a perimeter fence and sent owners a certified letter requiring an action plan within 30 days to either submit structural-repair plans or apply for demolition permits. Council members urged accountability and raised the possibility of borough-funded demolition billed to owners.
Bill Pagel, representing engineering firm Barry Isett, told the council the borough received two engineering reports that "deemed the building unsafe." He said a certified letter sent May 13 requires the owners to submit an action plan within 30 days to either seek permits and plans for structural repairs or to apply for demolition.
Pagel described recent on-site steps: a perimeter fence was installed May 9 and the borough performed a site visit and written verification of the engineers' findings. "Both reports deemed the building unsafe," he said, and council members later discussed the building's deteriorated condition and the difficulty of resolving title and easement issues tied to rooftop cell towers.
Councilors expressed their preference that the owners proceed with repairs but acknowledged demolition was possible if no plan is submitted. One council member asked who would pay for demolition; Pagel responded that the borough could perform work and bill the owners, but he said the financing and billing details were not yet finalized.
The council framed the action as an enforcement timeline: owners have 30 days from May 13 to submit either repair plans with permit applications or a demolition permit application. If the owners do not act, the borough indicated it may pursue remedies available under code enforcement practice, which could include conducting the work and invoicing property owners.
The council did not adopt an immediate demolition order at the meeting; it instead reiterated expectations and asked staff to continue outreach to the owners and to track the owners' response to the 30-day notice.
Next steps: staff will monitor whether the owners submit the required action plan within the 30-day window and will report back to council on any permit applications or further enforcement measures.
