WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The City of Washington Court House Abatement of Public Nuisance Committee met in regular session on Wednesday with building official Rod Bryant presenting updates on some city properties.
In old business, Bryant noted that there is a hearing scheduled in Fayette County Common Pleas Court on Friday, July 19 regarding the Hastings property at 1045 Damon Drive. There was a complaint concerning doing business out of a home and storing work vehicles on the property. Bryant noted that as of this date, he did not see any work vehicles on the property.
A garage at 1231 Washington Ave., owned by Stephen Horney, will be torn down soon by the city at the request of the owner.
Regarding the properties located at 134 E. Court St. and 105 E. Court St., the city has not been able to locate the owners and have requested a full title search from P.M. Title.
The properties located at 147 E. Court St., 111 and 113 S. Fayette St. (the parking lots behind 147 E. Court St.), owned by the Yamours, were recently sold at auction to Graham Construction (Herb Graham and son). The property on Court Street was condemned. The Grahams are going to clean up the apartments on the upper floor, repair the roof, and hopefully bring the main floor back to a retail space after reconstruction, according to Bryant.
City Manager Joe Denen said it would be nice to have a construction plan and timeline from Graham Construction for this rehab.
Due to the new home building in this area, and ongoing building inspections needed to be done in the city, the city has contracted with two building inspectors from Ross County to do inspections on Wednesdays, on a part-time basis. The building official’s job has gotten much more expansive, and there is more work involved, so some part-time help was needed, Bryant said. He will still do inspections and spend Fridays doing the permit work that is required, and all other aspects of his job, and oversee the contracted inspection work.
Bryant reported that 619 Broadway St. is now in the name of the Fayette County Land Bank. The old Carlton Manor at 726 Rawling St., also in the name of the Land Bank, will be town down soon and it has been requested that the land be rezoned for housing. The number of lots that could be available on that property has not yet been determined.
The repairs on 128 W. Elm St. are nearly completed. Then the owner can focus his attention on 127 W. Elm, which he also owns.
A new owner has purchased 1214/1216 Gregg St. and a repair permit has been issued for the old Yamour property. There is also a new owner for 416 Peabody Ave. and a walk-through has been completed.
Walk-throughs have been rescheduled for the 1113 Countryside Drive and 214 Ogle St. properties, owned by David Cooper, because of a break-in at the Countryside Drive location and clean-up needed, according to Bryant. Those properties are in need of repair.
