Concerns Heard About Berlin Home

Concerns Heard About Berlin Home
This home at the corner of Flower and Showell streets has been vacant for years. Photo by Charlene Sharpe

BERLIN –  Officials expressed concern regarding the dilapidated condition of a vacant house on Flower Street this week.

At the July 8 meeting of the town council, Councilman Dean Burrell asked staff what was being done about the property at the corner of Flower and Showell streets. The vacant house on the property, which has already been partially boarded up, continues to deteriorate.

“I’m concerned about how that property is being used,” Burrell said. “If it’s vacant it’s supposed to maintained at a certain level, with certain qualifications. It’s pretty much open.”

According to Dave Engelhart, the town’s planning director, plans to burn the old house down had fallen through. He said that when the condition of the home had first been brought to his attention, he’d contacted the property owner and the owner had agreed to work with the Berlin Fire Company to have the house burned. Engelhart said there had been a title issue, however, and another family member had opposed the plan to burn the house.

“So after scheduling it three times the Berlin Fire Company, they said they would not reschedule it for a burn,” Engelhart said.

Because of that, the house, if it’s to be demolished, will have to be demolished mechanically.

“You know, go in with machinery and knock it down and remove the debris,” Engelhart said. “He hasn’t made a decision yet when he’s going to do that.”

Burrell said that even though it was vacant the home should still be maintained.

“If the property owner fails to comply with the ordinances I think fees need to be levied against them as possible motivation to do something with that property,” he said. “It can’t just sit there.”

He added that there was vegetation on the site that made it difficult for motorists at the stop sign there to see oncoming vehicles.

Resident Phyllis Purnell said she had the same concerns Burrell did regarding the derelict property.

“I have been informed there is debris falling from the house onto the street so that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible,” she said.

Mayor Gee Williams said staff could attempt to work with the property owner on the situation and if that fell through, could correct the situation itself and then send a bill.

“And if the bill’s not paid then file a lien,” he said.

Engelhart confirmed that was the process.

“With the house that was to be demolished, that’s how we originally got to the burn solution because we were following up with him boarding up the house, securing it so there wasn’t access into the house,” Engelhart said. “He said ‘I’m going to burn it anyway.’ We went through that whole process over months and when that fell down we haven’t addressed him. I will follow up.”

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

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Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.