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Select Board presses property owner for repairs, seeks meeting with code officer and town manager over dangerous building
Summary
The Select Board continued a long-running dangerous-building case, urged the owner to obtain liability insurance and temporary fencing, and requested a joint meeting with code officer Greg and the town manager before taking further enforcement action.
The Chelsea Select Board continued its multi-year review of a dangerous-building file involving a partially finished structure on M2 Lot 58, pressing the property owner for a clear timeline and safety steps while deferring a final enforcement decision.
Board members said the owner described interior progress — insulation, drywall, footings and block repairs — and told the board he is unemployed and will be on site more frequently. The owner said he intends to keep a motor home on the property to maintain presence and offered to build a temporary wall to lessen the safety risk.
"I'll be there more often because I don't have to worry about work," the meeting participant said, describing work on windows, doors and interior trim and noting a prior euthanasia of one horse on the parcel in December. The owner also expressed frustration with some interactions with the town's code officer, saying the officer took photographs only after he left and that the officer appeared to treat him differently than others.
Select Board member Sher said the property still qualifies as a dangerous building and recommended the owner provide proof of liability insurance and erect a temporary fence or signage to keep people away from unsafe areas. "We need to protect people, our kids in the neighborhood," Sher said, urging visible measures to reduce risk while repairs continue.
Chair Pushard and other board members said they want Greg, the code officer who manages the town's dangerous-building list, to be present when the owner next meets with the board. "Before we make our final decision you need to come in and reach out make an appointment to sit down with both Greg and Christine at the same time," a board member said, asking the owner to schedule a joint meeting with Greg and the town manager so everyone can review the status together.
The board also suggested posting "no trespassing" signs as a low-cost precaution and discussed options to abate the property or pursue legal remedies if repairs are not completed. Board members acknowledged budget and staffing limits that prevent simultaneous action on all town problem properties but said they are actively working through a prioritized list.
The board did not impose immediate sanctions at the meeting; instead, members directed staff to arrange the requested meeting with the code officer and town manager and asked the owner to provide insurance documentation and temporary safety measures.
