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Fire marshal updates TIRZ board on six dangerous or boarded properties; no new TIRZ funding requested
Summary
Melissa Sheplinsky of the Fire Marshal's office told the TIRZ board there are six properties with demolition orders or boarded-building concerns; two commercial sites require asbestos notifications under NESHAP rules, estimated city demolition costs run roughly $10,000–$20,000 per property, and staff may roll funds into the next fiscal year or seek third-party bids.
Melissa Sheplinsky of the Fire Marshal's office updated the TIRZ board on six properties that currently have demolition orders or boarded-building concerns and described the status, legal steps and estimated costs.
Sheplinsky listed properties under consideration (202 E. Avenue K; 517 Cecil and attached Zerovec lot; 1425 Beck St.; 609 Spencer; 826 Antonio; 2433 Oaklawn; and 3112 N. Chadbourne). Two commercial properties (202 E. Avenue K and 517 Cecil/Zerovec) have asbestos present in flashing below the NESHAP threshold; that triggers a 10-day notification requirement to the state and can complicate scheduling because the asbestos tester cannot perform remediation. One property (3112 N. Chadbourne) is being handled through a securing/boarding process that allows faster action without a demolition order; owners may request a hearing afterward.
Sheplinsky said city operations historically performed demolitions and that city-performed demolition costs average between about $10,000 and $20,000 per property depending on structure type and materials; trailer homes are typically cheaper. Third-party contractor bids previously received were roughly double city costs. She noted the department has $50,000 allocated annually in its general fund for abatements and staff reported a $73,000 encumbrance related to the current cases. She warned that, given operations workload and mowing season, some work may roll into the next fiscal year or require hiring third-party contractors at higher cost.
Board members sought clarity about TIRZ-eligible properties and were told TIRZ funds may only be spent on properties within the TIRZ district; if some of the listed properties fall outside the zone, staff will remove them from the TIRZ-funded tally. The board was not asked to approve new funding during the update.
Sheplinsky confirmed that the city files liens to recover abatement/demolition costs (including administrative fees) after work is completed and billed.
Next steps: staff will produce a map clarifying which dangerous/boarded properties fall within the TIRZ boundaries and return to the board with a clearer funding plan if TIRZ assistance is requested.
