Hagerstown Town Council has authorized its building commissioner to send letters to four property owners giving them 15 days to fix violations of the town’s unsafe properties law or submit their plans for them.
Building Commissioner Terry Ford has identified four properties that appear to be in violation of the town’s unsafe buildings law, according to Jon D. Madison, town attorney, at the Sept. 3 council meeting. He and Ford have been working with other town officials to update the law and its enforcement procedures.
Madison presented a form letter that will be sent to owners of properties with apparently unsafe conditions. The letter will describe the specific violations. Owners will have 15 days to fix problems or present their plans for the property to the building commissioner.
Madison also presented changes to bring the local code into compliance with state law.
“Your ordinances are not really that awful,” Madison said, “but I don’t think anyone has tied it together about what happens when the (enforcement) letter does not work.”
Madison is proposing that property owners who disagree with an unsafe property notice could appeal to the Town Council. It would then conduct a hearing to determine what to do.
The council took Madison’s proposals under advisement but agreed that Ford should send violation letters.
One of the cited properties is a house on South Perry Street whose owner came to the council a few months ago to ask if the town would demolish it as part of a blight elimination program.
Amy Coffin, the owner, came to the Sept. 3 meeting to review requirements for that program and ask again if the town would demolish the house.
She said she and her husband bought the house next to theirs in 2020 with plans to tear it down and expand their yard. They haven’t been able to do that. She is hopeful the town would include it in a blight elimination program of the Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County.
Council members said they are not clear on the program’s rules. Council President Allan Bullock suggested further discussion at a work session to be scheduled in the near future.
In other business, Heart of Hagerstown Business Association announced dates for a town cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 14; a fall festival on Saturday, Oct. 12; and Hagerstown Hometown Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The council’s next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, in Town Hall, 49 E. College St. The public may attend.
Town plans ‘Dumpster Day’
Hagerstown residents will have an opportunity to get rid of bulky trash at a Dumpster Day from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Dumpsters will be available at the town wastewater treatment plant in the 600 block of South Washington Street. Heart of Hagerstown Business Association and the town are sponsoring the activity.
“This is not for landscaping and yard waste, but let’s get rid of junk in yards – mattresses … the trash and rubbish,” said Gary Schuette, HOH chairman.
Items that will not be accepted include electronics, yard waste, tires, paint or other hazardous materials and items with Freon.
Those wishing to put items in the Dumpster may be asked to show proof they live in Hagerstown. Unloading assistance will not be available.
A version of this article appeared in the September 11 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.