GREENFIELD — The city of Greenfield has moved one step closer to demolishing a home that has been a concern for years.
The Greenfield Board of Works upheld a demolition order at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, for the home, located at 239 W. South Street.
Building commissioner Erikk Knapp said it was necessary for him to obtain an administrative search warrant to examine the house after the owners were not cooperative. Knapp showed the board of works photographs reflecting extensive damage to the exterior and interior of the property. That includes a partially collapsed roof and exposed electrical wiring.
Knapp said virtually every provision of the city’s unsafe building code applies to the structure, which was built in 1900, according to property records.
The owners of the house, Brian and Beth Scott, asked the board of works at its December meeting for a 90-day window to make repairs to the dwelling. They were denied that, but Brian Scott said they had begun making repairs anyway.
“All we want to do is make the repairs and keep our house,” Brian Scott said. He added that they would need about 45 days to bring the house up to code, but city officials were skeptical.
“Mr. Scott, this has been going on for a period of years, so I see no 45 days being the answer to this property,” Mayor Chuck Fewell said. “I’ve seen nothing from you that presents any evidence, to me, that 45 days would be any different than what’s been happening the past 20 years.”
The Scotts were at odds with city attorney Gregg Morelock over the facts about the property. Morelock said the Scotts presented no evidence they had made substantial repairs to the home or that they had the money to do so.
Morelock said the property has been a long-term problem and has not had regular water service for 20 years, according to city records.
The Scotts also said they had applied for and been denied permits to work on the home, but Knapp said any permits applied for had expired before his tenure with the city.
The board of works upheld a demolition order for the building, which can be appealed in court. If the property owners do not take steps to appeal or to demolish the home themselves, the project will go out for bids at the February board of works meeting.