Goshen board affirms unsafe-unit orders at 1705 West Plains Drive, approves rehab plan and levies per-unit fines

The Goshen City Board of Public Works and Safety on March 26 affirmed multiple unsafe-building orders for 1705 West Plains Drive and approved a phased rehabilitation agreement intended to restore the property’s 16 vacant units to habitable condition.

Grace, the city’s building commissioner, told the board the seven orders under review apply to units that ‘‘have no working electrical, no gas, no plumbing or water’’ and that meters had been pulled; she said many units also show moisture damage, failed flooring and other deficiencies and that the building’s condition has generated repeated police calls. ‘‘Every one of the seven units subject to tonight’s hearing has no working electrical, no gas, no plumbing or water,’’ she said.

The building commissioner said staff offered the owner a rehabilitation agreement in February that laid out a phased schedule for restoring utilities and bringing units up to code. Grace described options for the board including affirming, modifying or rescinding the orders; seeking receiverhip for the property; or entering a rehabilitation agreement to allow the owner to complete work under a court-enforceable schedule.

Owner Cecil Bond Trigger spoke to the…