CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Circleville City Council declared an emergency Monday authorizing Mayor Michelle Blanton to demolish a house on Sumpter Avenue that the city says has become a site of drug trafficking and criminal activity, with the cost of the teardown to be billed to the property owner.
Council passed the resolution Nov. 3 for the structure at 301 Sumpter Ave., which the city found to be unsafe and in violation of the International Property Code, the city’s zoning code and its codified ordinances, according to the legislation. The property has no septic system or utilities, the resolution said.
The resolution directs the mayor, along with the city’s service and safety directors, to enter into any contracts needed to demolish and remove the structure. The city plans to assess the full cost of the demolition, including administrative expenses, against the property owner and certify that cost to the Pickaway County auditor as a lien on the property, according to the resolution. The city said the lien is to be placed on the property as soon as the cost is presented to the auditor.
City records show the property owner was notified by certified mail and given 30 days to fix the violations, with the deadline passing Oct. 8. According to a city affidavit, the violations had not been corrected as of Oct. 26.
Council declared the resolution an emergency measure, citing the unsafe condition, the property’s abandonment, and the criminal activity and health risks tied to the lack of septic and utility service, according to the legislation. Suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Circleville.
