270006 WHITE - CITV CLERK .�.y// �n}���
PINK - FINANCE GITY OF SAINT 1 Al.} L COUIICII � ! ��Ji;�
CANARY - DEPARTMENT
BLUE - M�AYOR File NO.
uncil Resolution
Presented By �
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Saint Paul
hereby ratifies and approves the action of the City of Saint Paul
Board of Appeals and Review pertaining to the following listed prop-
erty and as shown by the Excerpted Minutes of said Board of Appeals
and Review, dated October 11, 1977, and marked Exhibit A, and
attached hereto �nd made a part hereof by reference:
DATE OF BOARD
MINUTES CASE NO. PROPERTY APPELLANT
10/11/77 43-77-B 650 Pt. Douglas Road Lorna M. Hulbert
(one-family �residence,
vacant)
BOARD ACTION: Granted waiver of Saint Paul Legislative Code provi-
sion pertaining to quarterly fees payable under the
Vacant Building Registration Ordinance.
Property Description: Burlington Heights, Division No. 2, Lots 15
through 20 and Lots 50 through 55, Block 9.
COUIVCILMEN Requested by Department of:
Yeas NaS�s
Butler �
Hozza In Favor
Hunt �
Levine __ Against BY
Roedler
Sylvester
Tedesco �., _
�.r- Form Approved by City Attorney
Adopt��y`�ouncil: Date N�V � 1977
C tified Pas y Cou .i ecretary BY, O
By
Approved by avor• Date �� ` ` 7 �QV Z` � � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
By BY
PUBLISNED ��J�'+I �J 'IJ77 ,
3 `����'�
�- �; �.
' ' EX f-� l �3/T ,4
� IO/11/77 - Meeting No. 134
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
ST. PAUL BOARD OF APPEALS AIVD REVIEI'J
Tuesday, October 11, 1977
Ramsey County Boardroom - Room 356 City Hall
1: 30 p .m.
hiEMBERS PRESENT: Arthur Tieso, Acting Chairman
LeRoy Coleman
Ron Glassman
David Heider
Estyr Bradley Peake
MEMBERS ABSENT: D. Donald Wozniak
James Voigt �
AGENCIES PR�SENT: Depaxtment of Community Services - Division vf
Housing and Bu lding Code En orcement :
Frank Staffenson
Alice Bijjani
Steve Roy
Fire Prevention Bureau:
James Tucker
OTHERS PRESENT: Lorna Hulbert
Belle Miller
A1 M. Mayers
James Davis
John C. Hunter
STAFF PRESENT : Patricia Moxness , Appeals Board Secretary
The meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Tieso at 1 : 40 p.m. '
The minutes of the meeting of September 13, 1977, were approved as mailed
out to the members .
CASE N0. PROPERTY APPELLANT
43- 77-B 650 Pt. Douglas Rd. Lorna M. Hulbert
(single family - vacant) _
SUBJECT: Rec{uest waiver of St. Paul Legislative Code ordinance pertain-
ing to vacant building registration fees , because of financial hardship .
Z
° b5� Pt. Douglas Rd. -2- I0/11/77 - Meeting No. 134
� .
APPEARANCE : Lorna M. Hulbert
PROCEEDINGS :
Mrs. Hulbert stated that their home had burned to a total loss in Deeember,
1976, caused by an explosion of their car in an attached garage as a result
of , a leak in the gas tank. The car had been in the repair shop and hex
husb and had just driven it home . He had noticed the Ieakin g gas tank and
was going to return the car to the repair shop the following day. They
had owned and lived in the house for thirty years, but there was no
insurance against the loss , estimated to be about $30 ,OQ0.
In tilarch, 1977, Mrs . Hulbert continued, her husband left her, probably
because he felt so overwhelmed by events , and she didn' t know where he
was . In May, 1977, the city ordered her to board up the house and remove
debris from the premises , also requesting her ta advise them of her plans
for the building. After obtaining estimates on the cost of repairs, one
contractor estimating $35 ,000 and another, $50 ,000 , she had concTuded that
the best solution -was to have the building torn dawn. She said this tivould
cost $2 ,000 , which she didn' t have, and in additian she was storing her
smoke damaged home furnishings there, having them restored piece by piece
as she could afford it . At the end of A�igust she received notice from
the city that she must pay a fee of $45 per quarter as of August l under
the vacant building registration ordinance . She had understood this to
be payable at the end of the quarter (�ctober 31) , but later learned that :
she was delinquent and would be fined an additional $5 per month for each
mon�h she was in arrears.
Mrs. Hulbert said she felt she had cooperated with every order of the city,
but she felt she had suffered enough emotionally and financially and did
not feel she could pay the. quarterly fees . She was 67 years old and still
working a full time job, although she had hoped to be able to retire soon.
Now it appeared she would have to continue working indefinitely.
Acting Chairman Tieso asked if she had considered Iegal action against the
person or firm who had repaired the car, since it seemed that the repairs
had been defective and had been a direct cause of the explosion and fire.
Mrs . Hulbert replied that, unfortunately, she and her husband had had the
cax removed from the garage right after the fire. Later, when they consulted
a lawyer, he said they had a good case if it could be proved that the
faulty car repair had caused the fire, b ut they were unable to locate the
car. Also, when her husband disappeared, the most important witness was
lost, because he knew the condition of the car, both before and after it
was repaired.
Steve Roy, of the Code Enforcement Division, said his department had no
objection to waiving the fees , if the Board should so choose . He suggested
to Mrs. Hulbert that she might find it was financially to her advantage
to try to sell the house as is , that the lot was in a favorable locatian
and should be worth something even though the house �rould have to be torn
do�vn by the�'buye r. " - - . �
BOARD ACTION: Mr. Glassman moved to waive payment of the vacant building
fees for an indefinite period. Mr. Heider seconded. MOTION CARRIED AND
SO ORDERED.
THE VOTE : Ayes - 5 Nayes - 0 Abstentions - 0
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