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Parkersburg Urban Renewal Authority considers eminent domain acquisitions

Members seek additional information

By Evan Bevins 4 min read

PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg Urban Renewal Authority this week voted to acquire three dilapidated properties by eminent domain and accept the donation of a fourth.

During its meeting Tuesday at the Municipal Building, the authority, which consists of the full City Council, elected to delay action on two other properties until more information could be obtained.

The question of acquiring 2301 Dudley Ave. was tabled on a 7-0 vote, with Councilmen Eric Barber and John Reed absent. The vote included a request that the assistant city attorney and a representative from Code Enforcement be present to answer questions at the next meeting, which has not been scheduled.

"We shouldn't have to request a city attorney or code enforcement," Councilman Zach Stanley said after the meeting.

"We needed legal advice," Councilman J.R. Carpenter said.

Mayor Tom Joyce said Thursday that code enforcement does not usually have a representative at URA meetings. Assistant City Attorney Rob Tebay, who advises the authority, had connectivity issues with his email and did not receive the agenda, which Joyce said was crafted "at the last minute."

"He just didn't receive the notification," he said.

The 2301 Dudley Ave. site has been used as an iced dessert business and sandwich shop but has been vacant for several years. The acquisition and demolition were recommended by the Building Enforcement Agency, which consists of the mayor, public works and development directors, city engineer, fire chief and a representative of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department.

To acquire a property via eminent domain, the city must file a petition in Wood County Circuit Court and pay the owner fair market value. The acquisition cost is expected to be $28,000, which, along with a projected $8,500 demolition estimate, gave some council members pause.

Yeager said city officials have communicated with the owners, Glass Press Properties Ltd., but improvements recommended by code have not been made.

"They were brought before the Enforcement Agency, and they did not show up," he said.

Carpenter asked if the owners had been ticketed and fined by code enforcement, saying he did not like the idea of the owners getting "to walk away from this with $28,000."

Stanley recommended council table the item until more information was provided.

"I would hold off on this right now, but I would love to see it gone," he said.

Code Director Bob McClung said Friday that no citations have been issued on the building since he was appointed to the position in November. Prior to that, he said he does not believe any were issued, in part because the city had a difficult time locating and contacting the owners.

"There's been violations on the building for a while," McClung said. "I've had (the Police Department) in there because of vagrants moving into it."

A total of $6,137.67 is owed to the city for grass and weed removal, fire and police fees and the building's presence on the vacant property registry, according to the Finance Department.

The authority accepted the BEA's recommendations to acquire and demolish three other properties -- dilapidated houses at 1715 Staunton Ave., 901 E. 12th St. and 1502 Avery St. -- on a trio of 7-0 votes. The demolition and acquisition costs are estimated at $12,900, $10,100 and $12,900, respectively.

The acquisitions would be funded by $100,000 budgeted to the authority for the upcoming 2019-20 fiscal year, which begins July 1, Yeager said.

The authority also voted 7-0 to accept the donation of a fire-damaged house at 1335 Latrobe St., contingent on the owner paying $30.84 in fire, police and sanitation fees owed to the city.

The other donation application was for a dilapidated house at 1322 Oak St. Council voted 7-0 to authorize a title search on the project but did not vote on whether to accept the property itself.

A combined $3,192.67 is owed to the city for fire, police and sanitation fees and grass and weed removal, while the owner says there is approximately $8,300 in liens on the property. He said in the application he is working with the bank to see if there is a way to clear that to facilitate the donation.

Code enforcement issued a fix-or-demolish letter on the property before the owner approached the city about donating it, Yeager said.

"If we don't take this, it's going to sit there, because this gentleman cannot afford to bring it up to code," Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl said.

Kuhl noted the owner has spoken to the Finance Department and is making payments on what he owes.

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