Friday, October 28, 2011

The plumber with the incriminating photos?

Imagine the money it's taken to get this Spring Street home looking so great. It's a showplace. You'll notice a curtain on the porch, presumably placed so the view to the west is screened:

Parishioners at the newly refurbished St. Mary's, just a block down the street, have this view to the east:

Yes, I know we've been here before, but seriously: Why does this guy get a permanent pass? Is he the mayor's personal plumber, or something? Not a finger has been lifted since the hurricane damaged the structure in 2008, and it wasn't being maintained even before that.

Anyone?


11 comments:

w&la said...

From The City of New Albany Code of Ordinances

§ 97.01  MAINTAINING CONDITIONS CONSTITUTING A NUISANCE.
     It shall be unlawful and it shall be a nuisance for any person to erect, construct, cause, permit, keep or maintain within the city limits an environmental nuisance that is injurious to health, or indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property; and any person maintaining any nuisance as set forth in this section is declared to be the author and maintainer of a nuisance.
(Ord. G-01-25, passed 6-21-2001)  Penalty, see § 97.99


§ 97.18  PROHIBITED ACTIVITY.
     It shall be unlawful for any owner of private property or governmental property to allow an environmental public nuisance to exist on that property.
(Ord. G-01-25, passed 6-21-2001)  Penalty, see § 97.99


§ 97.19  DETERMINATION OF VIOLATION.
     (A)     Complaint. Violations under this subchapter shall be cited by any city department that receives a complaint regarding an environmental public nuisance on any property within the city and they shall forward that complaint to the Board of Public Works and Safety.

     (B)     Assignment of complaint. The Board of Public Works and Safety shall then forward the complaint to the Inspector, who, in turn, shall process the complaint and follow the case through to its resolution.

     (C)     Notice to abate.
          (1)     When a complaint addresses private property, the Inspector, through the Board of Public Works and Safety, shall cause a written notice to abate to be served upon the owner of the property in question, who shall be granted a minimum of five calendar days to remove the environmental nuisance.

          (2)     This notice shall be served by a law enforcement officer, by certified mail to the owner, or by conspicuously posting on the property a "notice" placard containing the following information:
               (a)     The address of the property;
               (b)     The date of the notice;
               (c)     The address and the telephone number of the Board of Public Works and Safety; and
               (d)     A warning that, if the environmental public nuisance is not removed within five calendar days after posting, the city will abate the nuisance and seek recovery of the actual costs involved in its removal.

          (3)     After posting a notice to abate, the Inspector shall serve the owner of the subject property with a copy of the notice by regular first class United States mail, postage prepaid. However, any failure to give the written notice shall not constitute a defense to any action to enforce § 97.18.

     (D)     Publication of notice.
          (1)      In lieu of the notice required by division (C) above, the city, through the Board of Public Works and Safety, may, on two separate occasions during the month of March, publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the city, that weeds not cut by May 1 of that year will be cut by the city, and the owner of the property shall be charged with the costs under division (C) above.

          (2)     The published notice shall contain all of
the information required of the notice to abate.

          (3)     The city may cut weeds as many times as are necessary and its actual cost shall be charged to the property owner.

     (E)     Inspection. Following the expiration of the notice to abate, an Inspector shall visually inspect the property to determine whether an environmental public nuisance exists. If an environmental public nuisance exists, action shall be taken to abate that nuisance in accordance with this subchapter.

     (F)     Abatement by city on governmental property. Where the complaint addresses governmental property, the Inspector, having determined that a violation exists and threatens the health and safety of the people of the city, may direct the city to immediately enter upon the premises and remove the environmental public nuisance.
(Ord. G-01-25, passed 6-21-2001)

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PR Gal said...

You really have to ask? Plumbers are notorious for showing their cracks! 'Nuff said! :-)

G Coyle said...

I'd like to ask Greg Phillips, running for our council rep, EXACTLY what he can do to get building codes enforced. Or anyone running this election. Now is the time to get committments for the first 100 days of office. ACTION must be taken against property owners who act like maggots.

ecology warrior said...

first thing you have to do is get the lazy code enforcement officers off their donut runs and start investigating complaints. Next get rid of Shane Gibson as city attorney. Last, no more political favoritism, Gahan will change that, I dont think Greg Phipps is your answer

w&la said...

For some reason - I haven't been able to post this part of the City Ordinances.

This seems to outline how to file a complaint against "an environmental nuisance that is injurious to health, or indecent or offensive to the senses" - filing a complaint with the Dept. of Public Works & Safety.

New Albany, IN Code of Ordinances
TITLE IX: GENERAL REGULATIONS CHAPTER 97: NUISANCES

§ 97.01 MAINTAINING CONDITIONS CONSTITUTING A NUISANCE.

It shall be unlawful and it shall be a nuisance for any person to erect, construct, cause, permit, keep or maintain within the city limits an environmental nuisance that is injurious to health, or indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property; and any person maintaining any nuisance as set forth in this section is declared to be the author and maintainer of a nuisance.

§ 97.08 NOTICE TO BE GIVEN OF VIOLATION.

No charges shall be filed for violation of this chapter unless the offender shall fail to correct the condition within five days after receiving notice that the Board of Public Works and Safety has ordered the condition corrected. The notice may be served by any member of the Police Department, or by mailing it by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested.

WEEDS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES

§ 97.16 DEFINITIONS.

ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC NUISANCE. Any one or more of the following:

(1) Any growth of weeds, grass or other rank vegetation on private property which is neglected, disregarded or not cut, mown or otherwise removed, and/or which has attained a height of nine inches or more;

(2) Any accumulation of dead weeds, grasses or brush on private or governmental property;

(3) Any poison ivy, ragweed or other poisonous plant or plants detrimental to health, growing on any private or governmental property; or

(4) Property that has been allowed to become a health or safety hazard, or on which litter or waste products has accumulated, unless specifically authorized under existing laws and regulations.

INSPECTOR. An employee of the Street Commissioner or any other city governmental department so designated by the Mayor, having the power to enforce the provisions of this subchapter by issuing city ordinance violation summonses.

OWNER. Any one or more of the following:

(1) The owner or owners in fee simple of a parcel of real estate, including the life tenant or tenants if any;

PRIVATE PROPERTY. All real estate within the city, except governmental property.

§ 97.17 APPLICATION OF SUBCHAPTER.

(B) Each owner of private property shall be required to keep that private property free from environmental public nuisances.

§ 97.18 PROHIBITED ACTIVITY.

It shall be unlawful for any owner of private property or governmental property to allow an environmental public nuisance to exist on that property.

§ 97.19 DETERMINATION OF VIOLATION.

(A) Complaint. Violations under this subchapter shall be cited by any city department that receives a complaint regarding an environmental public nuisance on any property within the city and they shall forward that complaint to the Board of Public Works and Safety.

(B) Assignment of complaint. The Board of Public Works and Safety shall then forward the complaint to the Inspector, who, in turn, shall process the complaint and follow the case through to its resolution.

(C) Notice to abate.

(1) When a complaint addresses private property, the Inspector, through the Board of Public Works and Safety, shall cause a written notice to abate to be served upon the owner of the property in question, who shall be granted a minimum of five calendar days to remove the environmental nuisance.