Council to focus on problem buildings downtown
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday agreed to retain a Birmingham attorney to assist with what has been termed a “dangerous buildings and unsafe structures” program.
The agenda item, which was circulated on social media over the weekend, drew a crowd of about 18 to the meeting.
“The City of Andalusia has had ordinance dealing with abatement of properties for many, many years,” Mayor Earl Johnson explained. “That ordinance has been amended only once that I am aware of, when Mayor (Paul) Armstrong was in office in 1994.”
The former mayor was among those in attendance Tuesday night.
In recent years, Johnson said, the legislature enacted laws which made it easier for municipalities to act on the abatement of weeds and grasses.
“The reason for that is quite obvious,” he said. “Weeds grow faster, and need to be dealt with in timely manner.
“What we always do is contact the property owner first,” he said. “We make a request first. When they are not acted on, those cases brought to council for action.”
A building abatement is a much more difficult issue, the mayor said.
“Two weeks ago, an attorney from Birmingham put on basically a seminar for the council and our staff,” he said. Referring to Ben Goldman of Hand Arendall LLC. “This gentleman specializes in this narrow area of the law, primarily with difficult abatement issues and unsafe structures.”
Johnson said the city has ordered a packet of documents from him, which it will turn over to city attorney Mark Christiansen.
“We want him to consult with this attorney on whether we need to amend our ordinance to make it a better ordinance, and thereafter participate with us to clean up some of these buildings.”
Johnson said the council will first target downtown areas.
“Once we get our ordinance in place like.... READ MORE>
Andalusia Star News
Council to focus on problem buildings downtown
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday agreed to retain a Birmingham attorney to assist with what has been termed a “dangerous buildings and unsafe structures” program.
The agenda item, which was circulated on social media over the weekend, drew a crowd of about 18 to the meeting.
“The City of Andalusia has had ordinance dealing with abatement of properties for many, many years,” Mayor Earl Johnson explained. “That ordinance has been amended only once that I am aware of, when Mayor (Paul) Armstrong was in office in 1994.”
The former mayor was among those in attendance Tuesday night.
In recent years, Johnson said, the legislature enacted laws which made it easier for municipalities to act on the abatement of weeds and grasses.
“The reason for that is quite obvious,” he said. “Weeds grow faster, and need to be dealt with in timely manner.
“What we always do is contact the property owner first,” he said. “We make a request first. When they are not acted on, those cases brought to council for action.”
A building abatement is a much more difficult issue, the mayor said.
“Two weeks ago, an attorney from Birmingham put on basically a seminar for the council and our staff,” he said. Referring to Ben Goldman of Hand Arendall LLC. “This gentleman specializes in this narrow area of the law, primarily with difficult abatement issues and unsafe structures.”
Johnson said the city has ordered a packet of documents from him, which it will turn over to city attorney Mark Christiansen.
“We want him to consult with this attorney on whether we need to amend our ordinance to make it a better ordinance, and thereafter participate with us to clean up some of these buildings.”
Johnson said the council will first target downtown areas.
“Once we get our ordinance in place like