City moves forward to abate nuisance

More than 60 days ago, a nuisance letter was sent to the owner of a property on Sewell Street that has long been considered unsightly and potentially dangerous. On Tuesday, the Sundance City Council heard that no response has been received and Mayor Paul Brooks confirmed that no work has been done to clean up the property.

Now the notice period is up, said City Attorney Mark Hughes, “Under the ordinance, the city can do what is necessary to abate the nuisance and charge the cost to the lot.”

Hughes explained that the city has the right to demolish the home, abate the nuisance, remodel the property or anything else it believes necessary to get rid of the problem. The land underneath, however, will still belong to the landowner.

Public Works Director Mac Erickson stated that he believes the city is capable of doing the work to tear the property down. However, he asked for some time to visit the property and see up close what the challenges might be.

Brooks cautioned that, of the known challenges, there is “an open well there that certainly needs filled”.

A motion was passed for Erickson to look at the property and report back in July with an abatement plan for approval.

“We are moving forward folks and that is probably going to be a good thing,” said Brooks.