ThisWeek CW 10/03/2013
Madison Township trustees have added three new properties to the list of potential demolition projects.
According to Township Administrator Susan Brobst, Franklin County has put a new process in place for submitting properties to the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corp. Land Bank program.
Under the new process, the township submits one packet to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission that includes a declaration claiming a property is “unfit for human habitation” and is a nuisance, as well as an approval for demolition.
MORPC then decides which properties move forward to the Land Bank for demolition.
“There are three new properties and each of the three resolutions is required,” she said. “In the past, we’ve done each one at a separate point in time, but we decided in order to keep things moving, we’d get all the resolutions done at once.”
The three new properties on the demolition list are: 5544 Saltzgaber Road, 5439 Sedalia Drive and 3773 Beechton Road.
Additionally, new demolition agreements were also required for five previously submitted properties located at: 3555 Clearwater Drive, 3299 Fontaine Road, 8197 Oregon Road, 3796 Shoreline Drive and 4419 Zimmer Drive.
“The properties with a demolition agreement only are due to the new step in the process,” Brobst said. “These properties were submitted in the past, but now MORPC wants them submitted with the original packet, so we needed to approve the new version of the agreement.”
According to the demolition participation agreement, there is a $20,000 threshold before the township is expected to pay anything for the removal of a structure, grading and reseeding of the property. That initial $20,000 comes from COCIC funds.
“For the most part, the $20,000 covers the demolition. Madison Township has not had to pay any additional demolition costs for our properties, thanks to the $20,000 limit,” Brobst said.
So far, the township has had two properties demolished, one at Latonia Court and another on Sedalia Drive.
Brobst said she sees this program as being a success for the county and specifically for the township.
“It’s unfortunate that any properties get to this point of disrepair,” she said. “Living conditions for residents are improved by having these properties removed because they are no longer an attraction for area teens to get into trouble, vandalism, rodents — and they are no longer environmental safety issues.
“Unfortunately, the next step after demolition is not quick. We remain concerned about how long the township will have to mow these properties until a new owner takes possession.”
The township assumes responsibility for maintenance of the land after the demolition is complete and then, upon sale of the land to a new owner, that owner is required to pay for back taxes and other assessments.