Latest Demo, Health Hazard

By David Davis
Managing Editor

The city demolished a house in the fall saying it was a hazard to health and safety. Now the old home site is overgrown with weeds and is a health hazard.
At one time, the old two-story house had a wide view of a bustling retail district from the head of Central Avenue where it intersected Gaut Street. The house’s structural integrity deteriorated to the point that the city’s Codes Enforcement posted it for demolition in 2007.

“The city tore the house down because it was a health hazard, but they just created another one because the lot is overgrown with weeds, all kinds of critters live there,” Carl Whaley said Thursday afternoon from his home across the street. He has seen rats, rabbits and opossums. A cat, maybe a stray, prowled the lot while Whaley talked about the weed-tangled honeysuckle and trees that have become nothing more than trellised vines. “My granddaughter can’t sit on the front porch with me because of all the pollen,” he said.

City Codes Enforcement Officer Joel Prince said maintaining the lot was the owner’s responsibility. City code requires the owner or tenant of property to cut the grass when it reaches a height of 12 inches or Codes Enforcement may prosecute.

The city receives authority from Tennessee code to clean overgrown and dirty lots and place a lien on the property for the cost of the work performed. However, the property owner cannot be located. Mark Pickel was the owner until he sold the lots to Mark Peters. He make two payments then defaulted. Since then, Pickel said he has been paying enough taxes to keep the county from taking possession.

Pickel said Peters purchased the property to establish the Abba House rehabilitation center, but then defaulted. He said Peters has moved several times and every move has been within the city of Cleveland. “I’ve been trying to foreclose on Mr. Peters for two years,” Pickel said. He moves every time I think I’ve got him located.” Pickel said he only wants Peters to sign a piece of paper that would take the property out of legal limbo. “I don’t want to sue him,” Pickel said.”I have prospects who would love to buy the property.”

A telephone listing for Mark Peters was for a number that has been disconnected. City Manager Janice Casteel said, “The city doesn’t want to invest more money in the property than it is worth, but at the same time, public safety and health must be balanced against the city’s investment in the property.”

So far, Pickel said the only liens against the property are some back taxes and the cost of demolishing the structure.
However, that could change if the city is forced to mow the property. In the meantime, Whaley would like to sit on the front porch with his granddaughter.