Wells City Council Looking at Ways to Deal With an Uninhabitable Building

The Wells City Council learned it could be a complicated process to deal with demolishing a hazardous and uninhabitable building in the city.

Speaking at a City Council meeting last week, City Attorney Pamela Whitmore addressed the situation, stating that there is a specific statutory process which must be followed.  Whitmore explained that the city can save money if they can reach the owner and get their consent.  However, the city has been unable to reach the owner and they do not anticipate success in doing so.

Whitmore then explained the possible approach, requiring a city council resolution ordering the abatement of the building, posting an order on the front door and publishing it in the municipal newspaper for four weeks, serving papers for a lawsuit.  The council asked about getting HRA involved to take over and Whitmore informed them that getting the HRA involved may lead to some requirements in the way the property is used after demolition.

The Council directed Whitmore to outline different options available for utilizing the property, including having the HRA take ownership and report back at a later meeting.