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Town of St. Armand orders demolition of fire-damaged house and barn at 4 Union Lane
Summary
After a public hearing, the St. Armand Town Board declared the fire-damaged dwelling and an associated barn at 4 Union Lane uninhabitable and adopted a resolution ordering demolition; demolition costs may be levied to property taxes if owners do not comply.
The Town of St. Armand on Sept. 17 ordered the demolition and removal of a fire-damaged single-family dwelling and a partially collapsed barn at 4 Union Lane.
Code Enforcement Officer Rodger Tompkins told the board the primary dwelling suffered a fire in May 2024 and now has exposed and cracked foundation walls, partially collapsed structural members and roof failure. The board found the structures "unsafe and dangerous to the general public," and moved to demolish and remove both the house and barn. Attorney William Tanzi advised the board to follow the town’s Unsafe Structure Local Law in pursuing demolition and cost recovery.
The board adopted Resolution #74, which authorizes the town to demolish the structures and levy any associated costs — including legal expenses — against the real property taxes by special proceeding or otherwise if the owners do not comply. The resolution also ordered that vehicles and boats on the property be removed by Oct. 11, 2024 or be towed and stored at the owners’ expense. The motion was moved by Councilperson JP O’Neil and seconded by Deputy Supervisor Karl Law; the roll-call vote was unanimous in favor.
The notice of unsafe or dangerous building was issued under Town of St. Armand Local Law #2 (2020) and had been served earlier in August; the town had given the owners an opportunity to show cause at the Sept. 17 public hearing. The board concluded that, absent owner action, immediate demolition is necessary to protect public safety.
