Within its 1.3 square miles, the City of Logan has 55 dilapidated building causing health and safety concerns for its residents. The majority of the properties are owned by individuals living out of the area and even West Virginia.
On January 6, 2012, the Logan County Dilapidated and Abandoned house ordinance adopted by the Logan County Commission went into effect. The ordinance allows the county to identify dilapidated and abandoned structures and raze them if property owners don’t clean them up themselves. The City of Logan also adopted the ordinance, allowing them to progress on cleaning up the city.
“Our problem was that we didn’t have a dump site,” said City of Logan Mayor Serafino Nolletti. “We didn’t have the money to dump. We can utilize the dump site approved for the county at Three Mile Curve.”
Being able to utilize the county’s EPA approved dump site brings the cost down for removal to around $2,500.
The City began demolition of two fire-damaged structures this week on High Street, but work was halted until a permit is received from the EPA allowing them to dump the rubble at Three Mile Curve.
“People always want to know why the city doesn’t do this or that,” said Nolletti. “Our problem is the money.”
To recover the City’s money for removing the structures, a lien will be put on the property.
“If the owner doesn’t pay, then we’ll request the county court to release the property to the city,” said Nolletti.
Nolletti said demolition work on the two High Street properties will continue upon receipt of a dumping permit from the EPA.
“These are the first of what we hope will be many more,” said Nolletti.
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