Parkman Rescinds Demolition Orders
Parkman Township Trustees voted Sept. 4 to rescind orders they passed Aug. 20 to demolish two vacant houses in the downtown area, after Township Zoning Inspector John Spelich reported the properties were being cleaned up.
Parkman Township Trustees voted Sept. 4 to rescind orders they passed Aug. 20 to demolish two vacant houses in the downtown area, after Township Zoning Inspector John Spelich reported the properties were being cleaned up.
On Aug. 20, trustees voted to notify owners of 18295 and 18305 Madison Road, just north of the U.S. Route 422 and state Route 528 intersection, the Geauga County Building Department had inspected the houses and found them insecure and unsafe.
A certified letter went out to the owner of the house at 18295 Madison Road informing him of the trustees’ action, Spelich told trustees Sept. 3. Under Ohio law, the owner had 30 days to appeal the decision or clean up the property.
Spelich said a letter was not sent to the owner of the house at 18305 Madison Road, because she complied with the zoning request to clean up the property.
Trustee Henry Duchscherer said both owners were attempting to clean up the exteriors of their properties. He moved to rescind both of the Aug. 20 resolutions ordering demolition, pending further inspection from the county building department.
“We will keep an eye on them,” Duchscherer said.
Trustees asked Fire Chief Mike Komandt whether he could conduct a safety inspection of the buildings’ interiors.
“We’re not allowed to inspect private property unless invited,” Komandt told trustees.
In other discussion, Komandt reported the county building department will not approve plans for local Amish residents to volunteer their time to build an addition on the township’s fire station.
“They had hand-drawn plans and the county says we need to have an architect make the plans,” Komandt told trustees, adding he can’t get estimates on costs for materials until there is a formal plan.
“An architect will want a lot of money, usually 10 percent,” Komandt said.
During the Aug. 20 trustees meeting, resident Dennis Kos told trustees many Amish residents had told him they would be willing to hold a “frolic” to construct the proposed addition, which will add sleeping quarters and other space to the township’s cramped fire station. The township would purchase the materials and the residents would perform the work.
Trustee Roger Anderson recommended putting together a pencil drawing of what is needed and having someone make a formal drawing.
In other discussion, Trustee Dennis Ikeler said he had received estimates from two companies to install security cameras at the community house and the recycling center.
Trustees have had numerous problems with people dumping trash at the recycling center, and are considering moving the center and setting up cameras to catch the culprits.
Ikeler said one company, Radioactive, estimated installation of two cameras would cost $3,432, and Hudson Communications gave an estimate of $3,508. Komandt recommended they research the proposals further before making a decision, to make sure the systems are comparable.
Trustees said they would decide the issue at a future meeting.
