The East Ridge Housing Commission met Thursday afternoon at City Hall and took the following actions.
_1312 Pleasant St.: Codes enforcement officer Terrie Leidholdt told the board that the house is in a low lying are and prone to flooding. It has structural issues and a leaky roof. The housing commission had previously ordered the owners clean up the property and bring it up to code or have it demolished.
Housing Commission Chairman Jim Winters said the last time the owner came before the commission she was in the process of attempting to sell the house. The owner, whose name was never mentioned, appeared with Josh Barr, who is buying the house. The sale, Barr said, should be completed by next Friday.
Barr told the commission that he intends to make repairs to the house and bring it up to current code.
Board member Lynda Stephens asked Barr if he understood the scope of the work needed, “just so we can all be on the same page.”
The board is asking for Barr to have a FEMA form completed. The house will have to be raised a minimum of eight feet to avoid potential flood damage. Barr will be required to have a licensed contractor fill out a “substantial improvement form,” which officials said lists all the renovations that are required and the cost of the renovations. Barr will have 10 days in which to comply.
“I guarantee you I will follow through,” Barr said. “If it makes more sense to tear it down, then that’s what we will do.”
Barr will come back to the housing commission at its February 11 meeting to give an update.
_ 1317 Pleasant St.: Leidholdt told the board members that the owner, William Phillips, was ordered to appear at the Jan. 14 housing commission meeting but failed to do so. He had turned in building permits but could not be reached for follow-up phone calls.
Leidholdt said that any building permits would not be approved by codes enforcement until Phillips completes a “substantial improvement form. She said the house has floor joist problems.
Phillips, who appeared at the meeting, said that he has the “substantial improvement form” completed that it has not been signed by a licensed contractor. He said the house will require about $20,000 worth of repairs, which he intends to do.
The board voted to give Phillips until its Feb. 11 meeting to produce a signed “substantial improvement form.”
_ 2005 Prigmore Rd.: Leidholdt told the board that the property has a garage that is falling down. The owner of the property did not appear at the Jan. 14 meeting.
Owner Kevin Blair told the board that he intends to address the issues with the garage, primarily the replacement of the roofing trusses. He intends to get a building permit to put on a new roof for the structure.
The board voted to pass the case until its March 11 meeting.
_ 708 Donaldson Rd.: Code enforcement officer Charlie Ritchey told the board that the owner has pulled permits to work on the electrical system of the house and that other work has begun on the property. An inoperable truck has been removed from the yard of the house. Ritchey said that the roots of an enormous tree on the property are spreading to adjacent neighbors’ houses and causing foundation problems.
Two people appeared on behalf of the owner, Ed Hayes. Board member Earl Wilson made a motion to pass the case until Feb. 11 so the board could speak with Hayes about the issues facing the house. The board voted to do so.
_ 605 S. St. Marks Ave.: Ritchey told the board that a building permit was issued in October and the house is undergoing extensive renovation. Ritchey noted that one side of the house has rotten windows and the wall needed to be shored up as it poses a safety hazard.
The owner of the house, Randy Shelly, told the board that he bought the house with the intent of renovating it. Once that work began he realized there were more problems than anticipated. Shelly said he considered demolishing the house and splitting the large lot into two parcels and building two new homes. He has since reconsidered an intends to continue with renovations.
Chairman Winters said that he had looked at the house and said “it is in sad shape.”
Shelly said he is getting estimates on going forward with the renovation and asked for more time. The board voted to give Shelly until March 11 to report back to them on what he intends to do.
_ 1222 Reeves Ave.: Ritchey told the board that the owner, Michelle Cagle, recently gave him access to the house for a thorough inspection. He found that the house has major structural problems and the entire electrical system needs to be replaced. Ritchey said that an old retaining wall caused drainage problems and the floors are badly rotted.
Chairman Winters noted that the house has been vacant for quite some time. He asked what Cagle intended to do with the house.
Cagle said that she has been working on it consistently for some time and intends to bring it up to code and allow her daughter to move into the home. She said that she would call in a foundation specialist to address the problem. She will have an electrician address any wiring problems.
A neighbor told the board that the exterior of the house had not been painted in 16 years. She presented Winters with a petition of 17 signatures presumably asking for the house to be cleaned up.
The board voted to pass the case until March 11 when Cagle will be required to produce a structural engineering report on the house.
