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Board warned of possible June hearings after lack of response from owners of two fire‑damaged properties
Summary
City staff reported two fire‑damaged structures at 776 and 778 West 3rd Street; repeated attempts to contact owners failed for 776 (named as Sherry Copeland) and engineers warn the south façade at 778 could collapse unless braced within two months, prompting possible unsafe‑structure hearings in June.
City staff updated the Board of Public Works and Safety on May 4 about two fire‑damaged properties at 776 and 778 West 3rd Street and said the city may request unsafe‑structure hearings in June if property owners do not act.
Dewey reported that for 776 West 3rd (the yellow structure) the city has "continued to reach out" to the property owner with no response; certified mail was returned and there is no forwarding address or phone contact. Dewey named the owner as Sherry Copeland during the update. For 778 West 3rd the structural engineer warned that, with the roof and some floor joists missing, the south façade could collapse if not braced within roughly two months.
City staff and legal counsel described the standard unsafe‑structure process: the building inspector declares a structure unsafe, the city notifies the owner and holds a hearing, and the board then decides on remedies (demolition, boarding or repairs). If an owner refuses or cannot pay, the city may perform the work and place a lien on the property.
Board members asked staff to continue monitoring the properties and indicated hearings would likely be scheduled in June if there is no owner action.
