The City of Seadrift has compiled a list of 41 properties in the city limits that have been deemed “uninhabitable”. Two of these have recently been issued Repair Permits and one is under contract to be sold. A few of these dwellings are still being lived in. A few are a result of hurricane damage, but many have been uninhabitable for years. As a result, the City is considering how to best resolve the situation.
The other area of Code Enforcement which has become a problem is Weed/Brush, Trash/Debris. In the month of August, the City sent out 62 Code Enforcement Letters to property owners who are non-compliant with this Code. There were only seven burn permits requested and issued before the No Burn Order was issued by the County.
In a statement at the September 6 Council meeting, Mayor DeForest said:
“Since it has now been a year since Harvey, the City is looking into ramping up the unpleasant task of Code Enforcement regarding substandard structures, debris, trash, overgrowth and etc. on both private AND public property. Those that want quick and more forceful results may not be completely pleased with the City’s plodding pace AND it is a given that those on the receiving end of Code Enforcement actions will, unfortunately, definitely not be pleased as well. Timelines for different Code Enforcement actions can vary from as little as 30 days to as long as 12 months, or longer. I’m sure that most of you understand and appreciate that the Ciy has certain powers, but these powers should not be abused at the expense of residents.
The City should proceed diligently and cautiously to make sure everything is done in an orderly and legal manner, appreciating the fact that many residents are on fixed incomes and sometimes had trouble making ends meet before Harvey, much less after Harvey. The City will work with everyone equally and evenly making any Code Enforcement actions easier to accomplish and possibly less burdensome, IF there is a spirit of cooperation between the City and residents.
My final thoughts, in regard to Code Enforcement: IF you are on the receiving end of any Code Enforcement Letters, please immediately contact the City to see what needs to be done. The worst thing one can do is ignore Code Enforcement Letters. If ignored, the City will have no input from you, and will have no recourse but to begin the more stringent follow-up actions needed to abate the problem.”
At the September meeting, the Council also approved a new tax rate for the City. Council raised the tax one-half cent ($0.005) from $0.5350 to $0.5400 per $100 of valuation to help offset tax revenue lost because of Harvey damages to taxable property for the 2018-2019 fiscal year beginning October 1st.
