The property on the corner of Cheviot and Petersen roads, notorious for an abandoned house, has raised the ire of the city once again.
The dilapidated house, which had prompted complaints from neighbours over the years, was demolished at the city’s request last November.
While that eliminated the most obvious eyesore, debris from the tear-down still remains as well as an old shed and the body of an old vehicle, among other items.
“This property has a long history of neglect, causing a number of complaints in relation to its unsightliness over the years,” wrote Karl Read, city bylaw officer, in a report to city council. “The dilapidated vacant dwelling at the property was demolished at the city’s behest in 2014. While much of the material was removed, a number of materials were left on the property causing it to be unsightly.”
Read noted that other items, such as a small boat hull and a vehicle axle, have also since been dumped on the property.
He said city staff sent a letter to the owner on Feb. 12 requesting the site be cleaned up, but that hasn’t happened.
At Monday night’s council meeting, council approved issuing a remedial action notice to the owner.
Read said the owner has 30 days to bring the property into compliance, and remove the deteriorating vehicle body, the boat hull, vehicle axle, old tires, and other materials.
“If an owner does not comply with the notice, the city (pursuant to the Community Charter) has the ability to have the work done, and recover the costs from the property owner,” Read wrote. “Unpaid costs would be added to the owner’s property tax account.”
The owner has already shelled out thousands of dollars to have the abandoned home that was on site torn down and to have asbestos removed from the house.
Prior to the home being demolished, threats were made that the house would be burned down on Halloween night but RCMP warned that would release the asbestos and pose a major health concern to the surrounding neighbourhood.
The Cheviot house is not the only home to be left abandoned and ordered torn down by the city.
Last December, the city ordered the demolition of a former motel at 391 Island Highway, below the Eagle’s Nest Lodge Motel.
Despite the owner’s efforts to board it up, trespassers habitually got into the vacant building. The city requested the building be torn down after a fire compromised the structural integrity of the building and made it a safety hazard.