Council sets deadline for building owners to present repair plan after safety concerns

The Green Isle City Council told the owners of a deteriorating downtown building Dec. 9 that the city needs a clear, expert‑backed plan to address safety issues and avoid abatement action.

City Attorney Ken Jansen and the building inspector, Darren Hesllet, told the council that permits affecting the property are currently on hold and that the inspector’s report identified plumbing failures and other systems in need of replacement. The city asked the owners to present a timeline and a plan — including input from a mechanical or structural engineer as needed — before Dec. 23 so staff can document progress and, if necessary, proceed with abatement steps.

“We need to set some sort of strong guidelines and goalposts on what they need to hit and when we’re going to intervene,” Jansen said, urging a plan that the building inspector can review. The inspector had recommended that a mechanical engineer or architect help determine what is necessary to make the building safe.

The building owner contested parts of the inspector’s approach, questioning the need for a mechanical engineer where the report already calls for full replacement of plumbing. “There’s no point in having any engineer come look at this…He already states it,” the owner said during the meeting, referring to the inspector’s plumbing findings.

Council members emphasized safety as the primary goal and agreed the city should allow owners an opportunity to present a plan and work with the inspector. The council discussed a firm deadline (12/23 as noted during the meeting) for the owners to provide documentation that either shows timely action or explains why an engineer cannot be secured; if owners do not meet the timeline or if their plan is inadequate, the council indicated it may deem the structure hazardous and move forward with abatement procedures through the courts.

The council also discussed specific permit questions: seven window permits had been requested for the property and remain a focal point for making the building weather‑tight and stabilizing the structure. Staff said all permits for the property are on hold until a clear, inspectable plan is produced and coordinated with the city’s inspector.

Next steps: the building owner is to provide a written plan and timeframe to the city and coordinate with Building Inspector Darren Hesllet before the next council meeting; staff will document any inability to obtain required engineering input by Dec. 23.