08-1190Council File # D8 - i /�/D
Green Sheet# 3061316
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Presented by
RESOLUTION
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
a�
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul hereby certifies and approves the October
7, 2008 decision of the Legislative Hearing Officer on Appeals of Letters of Deficiency and Correction
Notice for the following addresses:
Pronertv Appealed
640 Central Avenue West
Decision: Deny the appeal.
2007 Portland Avenue
Appellant(s)
Luther Whitehead
Daniel Fowlds
Decision: Deny the appeal and grant a one-year extension to repair the bathroom tiles; an extension to
November 7 to address the parking area, exposed wiring in the garage, and the foundation issues.
668 Jenks Avenue
Gary Fuchs obo BFWR Building LLC
Decision: Deny the appeal and grant an extension to November 4, 2008.
Requested by Department of:
�
Form Approved by City Attorney
By:
Adopted by Council: Date ���j/y��j)�/
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
BY � s�
Approv � y� ay Da „ j( �y Ul�
By:
Form Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
By:
Approved by the Office of Financial Services
�
� Green Sheet Green Sheet
Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet �
nfC,rrG�n
- �� .�
DepartrnentlOfFce/Council: Date Initiated:
co- 2,-0�T-0B Green Sheet NO: 3061316
ContaM Person & Phone: DeDarhnent SeM To Person Initial/Date
Marcia Moertnond o oanc� 0
6$57D 1 ompl De artmentDirector
��g 2 " Clerk CtitvClerk
Must Be on Councii Agenda by (Date): Number 3 O
For 4 0
Routing
Doc. Type: RESOLUTION Order 5 0
E-DocumentRequired: Y
Document Contact: Mai Vang
Contact Phone: 6-8563
Total # of Signature Pages _(Clip All Locations for Signature)
Action Requested:
Resolu6on approving the October 7, 2008 decisions of the Legislative Hearing Officer on Appeals of I,etters of Deficiency and
Correc[ion Notice for properties at 640 Central Avenue West, 2007 Portland Avenue, and 668 Jenks Avenue.
Recommendations: Approve (A) or Reject (R): Personal Service Contracts Must Answer the Following Questions:
Planning Commission i. Has this person/firtn ever worked under a contract for this depaAment?
CIB Gommittee Yes No
Civil Service Comm�ssion 2. Has this persnNfirm ever 6een a city employee?
Yes No
3. Does this person/firm possess a skili not nortnally possessed by any �
current ciry employee?
Yes No
F�cplain all yes answero on separate sheet and attach to green sheet.
Initiating Problem, Issues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Why):
Advantages It Approved:
Disativantages If Approved:
Disadvantages If Not Approved:
Total Amount of
Trensaction: CosVRevenue Budgeted:
Funding Source: Activity Number:
Financial Information:
(Fxplain)
October 27, 2008 10:18 AM Page 1
b8-((�D
MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE HEARING
LETTBRS OF DEFICIENCY, CORRECTION NOTICES
AND CORRECTION ORDERS
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Room 330 City Hall, 15 Kellogg Boulevard West
Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer
The hearing was called to order at 135 p.m.
STAFF PRESENT: Leanna Shaff, Deparhnent of Safety and Inspection (DSI) — Fire; AJ Neis, DSI
- Fire; Tom Riddering, DSI - Licensing; 7oe1 Essling, DSI — Code Enforcement; Steve Magner, DSI
— Code Enforcement; and Mai Vang, City Council Offices
Appeal of Luther Whitehead to a Certificate of Occupancy Deficiency List for properly at
640 Central Avenue West.
Mr. Neis stated that he property was inspected on September 12, 2008 in response to a report of an
illegal third unit in the basement, and orders were issued to convert the property back into to a
duplex with a re-inspection date of September 19. The property was visited again on September 15
and access to the basement unit was gained. There was no kitchen facility in the unit, but there was
proper egress and a battery was provided for the non-functioning smoke-detectar. The resident said
that she was moving out on September 17. The property owner did not appear for the September 19
re-inspection, but access to the property was granted by the main floor resident. The entire property
was found to be in disrepair and photographs were taken. The basement resident was given an
extension until October 1 to move out, and orders were issued to the owner to provide access to the
entire building. The property was inspected again on October 1 and the property owner did not
appear. Access was granted by the main floor resident who said that no repairs or attempts at
repairs had been made. An inspection of the exterior of the property found that no work had been
completed.
Ms. Moermond asked how it had been determined that the basement was an illegal third unit. Mr.
Neis stated that the unit was set up as an apartment with a bedroom, refrigerator, bathroom and that
the basement resident had told him that the property owner was allowing her to live there
tempararily while another property was being renovated.
Ms. Moermond stated that since the property owner had not appeared for the appeal and the fee for
the appeal had not been paid, she recommended denying the appeal.
October 7, 2008 Property Code Minutes b g� ��� O Page 4
4. Appeal of Daniel Fowlds to a Certificate of Occupancy Deficiency List for property at 2007
Portland Avenue.
Daniel Fowlds, appellant, appeared and submitted photographs and written material.
Ms. Moermond requested a staff report. Ms. Shaff stated that a Certificate of Occupancy inspection
had been conducted on September 19, 2008 and a list of deficiencies developed. She stated the Mr.
Fowlds was appealing specific items on the list.
Mr. Fowlds stated that he had repaired the bathroom wall and floar tiles to the best of his ability, but
that they were old and channing and he did not want to replace them. He said that all of the tiles in
the shower areas had been sealed or replaced.
Ms. Shaff stated that the additional items being appealed were the parking area, the exposed wiring
in the garage and the foundation. Mr. Fowlds asked for a clarification of those items. He said that
an inspection in June that was a follow-up to his annual Certificate of Occupancy inspection which
found no deficiencies, and that the September inspecrion had been in response to a neighbor's
complaint about over-occupancy. He said that the property had never been over-occupied, and
questioned the large deficiency list since there had been no deficiencies in June.
Ms. Shaff clarified that what was required to be corrected were the deficiencies in the parking area,
garage wiring and foundation.
Ms. Moermond stated that she would recommend granting a one-year extension for repairs to the
bathroom tiles, and an extension to November 7 to address the parking area, exposed wiring in the
garage, and the foundation issues.
October 7, 2008 Property Code Minutes
�O'���D Page6
Appeal of Gary Fuchs ofb/o BFWR Building LLC to a Conection Notice for property at 668
Jenks Avenue.
Gary Fuchs, appellant, appeazed.
Ms. Moermond requested a staff report. Mr. Essling presented photographs and stated that the issue
was erosion along a retaining wali and fence situated on the private side of a public sidewalk. He
said that the property had been inspected in mid-June and that subsequent phone conversations with
the property owner had failed to bring a resolufion. Orders were issued on August 25 with a
compliance date of September 25. He said that prior to the inspection, the city had replaced
sidewalks in the area and that Public Works felt that problems with the sidewalk adjacent to the
property had been caused by the condition of the retaining wall and fence. He said that because the
new sidewalk was one foot narrower than the original, a gap had been left on the private side of the
sidewalk. He said that there was a thirty-foot drop from the sidewalk to the pazking lot which
presented a hazazdous situation and that the city had installed a temporary fence. He said that a
prospective buyer for the building had expressed concerns to the city about the erosion and the
retaining wall before the sidewalk was replaced.
Mr. Fuchs presented photographs. He said that equipment used to install the new sidewalks had
caused the damage to the fence and that the city should have installed a new fence when the
sidewalk was replaced He said that they had no record of the prospective buyer who had contacted
the city about the erosion and the condition of the wall.
Mr. Essling stated that they had tried to arrange having a fence put up under a summary abatement
so that the costs could be spread out over time, but that a property easement would be required since
the narrower sidewalk meant that the fence would be on city property.
Ms. Moermond asked whether a claim had been filed against the city. Mr. Fuchs responded that he
had not filed a claim but that he had been working with the assistant city attorney.
Ms. Moermond said that she would recommend extending the deadline until November 4. She
suggested that Mr. Fuchs begin the process of applying for an encroachment permit and that he
contact the Wazd 6 City Council office.