All of the properties that came before the Knox Board of Work for review in public hearings last Wednesday were found to be non-compliant.
Four separate properties were reviewed for orders that were issued regarding the removal of garbage, refuse, solid waste, debris and in a few cases incompliant vehicles.
Director of Building and Code Compliance Kenny Pfost visited all the properties on Monday, March 25th and presented Board of Works members with photos from the inspection at their meeting on Wednesday, March 27th.
Owners of properties on South Portland Street and West Locust Drive were present during the hearings and provided members with information about how they’re working to bring themselves into compliance.
Each of them had already received a ticket prior to their hearing. The owners of the South Portland Street property paid the initial fine, while the owner on West Locust Drive had not. The owner of the property on Locust was ordered to pay the first ticket which carried a $150 fee.
Both property owners were told that a $500 fine will be imposed if they do not address the violations by the next Board of Works meeting on Monday, April 24th. If Director Pfost and the board members determine the properties have been brought into compliance at that time, the additional $500 fee will be waived.
A property on South Shield Street was also discussed but the owner was not present. Pfost explained that since the notice of the hearing was sent out, there has been obvious effort made to clean up the property but it was still just a little shy of complete compliance. Pfost reported having difficulty contacting the owner here and shared that a $150 ticket had been issued last year and said it is still unpaid.
Board of Works members ordered the Shield Street property owner to pay the original ticket and voted to impose an additional $250 fine with the condition that it will be waived if the property is in compliance by the board’s next meeting in April.
A hearing was also held over a non-compliant property on East Lake Street. Pfost mentioned that he has issues getting a response from the owners here as well and said multiple complaints from neighboring residents have been brought to his attention. A $150 ticket issued last year has gone unpaid and neither owner who was listed on the agenda was present for the hearing.
Since this would be the second offense and there was no evidence presented that any effort is being made to bring the property into compliance, board members voted to impose a $500 fine against the owners at the East Lake Street residence.
