Decatur commission declares 803 North Newark Street substandard, gives owner 30 days to repair or face demolition

The Decatur Building Standards Commission unanimously declared the house at 803 North Newark Street a substandard structure and ordered the owner to repair, remove or demolish the property within 30 days, the panel said at its meeting.

The commission opened a public hearing after staff described the property’s condition and cited the City of Decatur Code of Ordinances (section 10-101 and section 10-105) as the legal basis for declaring substandard structures. Staff also said a stop-work order is in place on the property.

Resident Martha Bible, who identified herself and gave a Decatur address, told the commission a young man recently released from prison hoped to repair and live in the house and that family members were willing to help. “I would like to just give the kid a try,” she said, asking the commission for time to coordinate permits and a repair plan with the family.

City staff told the commission that any work must be permitted and performed by licensed trades and warned that the house’s open walls and deteriorated condition create safety risks. Staff recommended securing the site with a temporary boundary while repairs are pursued and said the department had attempted to notify owners by mail using tax records.

Commission members discussed several timetable options, weighing the need for prompt action against the possibility the owners could show progress. Chair said a 30-day window to produce a repair plan and begin work was reasonable; staff said the formal process is to (1) declare a structure substandard and (2) set the time frame for repair, removal or demolition. One commissioner moved that the structure meet the code definition of a substandard structure; that motion passed unanimously.

A subsequent motion that passed ordered the property repaired, removed or demolished within 30 days of notification and required the property remain unoccupied and secured from unauthorized entry while work was underway or pending action. The commission agreed it could revisit the case if permit filings and engineering work were in progress.

The commission asked staff to provide an update at the next meeting so members can assess whether to extend the timeline or proceed with a demolition order. The next meeting was announced for Monday, March 16 at 03:30 PM.

The commission’s action uses the procedures and timelines found in the cited sections of the City of Decatur code of ordinances; staff will return to the commission with updates on compliance.