Residents press council over abandoned house, deer damage and speed-bump design; mayor promises follow-up

Several residents used the meeting’s public-comment period to press for action on neighborhood problems, including an abandoned house, an increasing deer population and traffic-calming measures.

Resident Steve Hervik described 7503 Outlook Avenue as an abandoned property with open windows, trash and wildlife incursions. He asked the city to take steps to protect the neighborhood and noted that building and code actions had been attempted. "It's just going to be a matter of time before raccoons…it's going to destroy that property," he said.

Hervik also said he has seen an unusually large number of deer in and around Brooklyn Memorial Park and said young fawns appeared undernourished; he asked whether the city would proceed with culling. Victor Ardito said he has been working with the building department on the same Outlook Avenue property and described continued efforts to address the issue.

Mayor Vancerk responded that staff will follow up with the building department on the abandoned property and that the city is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address deer management, likely between January and March of the following year. On the topic of removable traffic-calming chicanes, the mayor said they are removable for winter months and will be taken out to avoid snow-accumulation hazards.

The meeting record shows ongoing follow-up: building department staff and the mayor said they would continue working on the Outlook Avenue property and implement the planned deer-management work in winter months.