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STEUBENVILLE -- City Manager Mike Johnson said Monday some property owners will find out the hard way that Steubenville means business with its ongoing code violation enforcement initiative.
In late June, the city’s inspections team issued 54 notices of violation to property owners, primarily in the North End, with plans to take the enforcement effort citywide. Johnson said the team is preparing to issue a new round of notices within the next week, though he didn’t indicate which section of the city inspectors would be working in.
All notices are sent by certified mail.
“Some owners are responding to the code violation notices, some have requested additional time to address the violations while others have not responded at all,” Johnson said. “For the property owners who did not sign for the certified letter that contained the code violation notice, those properties were posted. If there’s no response after the property is posted, the next step is the beginning of the court process.”
Johnson said several weeks ago that owners who ignore the notices or take no action could ultimately find their properties on the demolition list.
The initial round of violations focused on roof and drainage issues, failing stairways, decks, porches and balconies, overgrown weeds, skylights, exterior walls, protective treatments for doors, windows, trim, decks and fences, and chimneys.
The Sinclair building, meanwhile, continues to be a thorn in the city’s side, requiring fencing to keep pedestrians and even vehicular traffic safe from falling debris.
“It is for sale and an interested party attended a meeting within the past 10 days to discuss the building,” Johnson said. “(But) I do not have any reason to believe a sale is imminent.”
Johnson said the city is hopeful a buyer can be found, but “the city remains committed to enforcing the code violations using all legal means until the building is in compliance with the building code.”
He also said code enforcement “helps protect the people who live, work and shop in the buildings” throughout Steubenville.
“Building codes set minimum standards for how buildings are designed and constructed, making them safer and more reliable,” he said. “Secondly, enforcement of building codes makes a city more attractive to businesses and residents and helps preserve neighborhoods. Everyone deserves to live in a clean, safe environment and enforcing the building codes helps promote a clean and safe environment.”