Sheldon, Iowa — The City of Sheldon has commenced the proceedings to force the owner of the H.C. Lane Building downtown to repair the issues turned up by state inspectors during a complaint inspection conducted on March 29th.
At last week’s meeting of the Sheldon City Council Public Works Director Todd Uhl was directed by the council to block off the alley behind the eastern portion of the Lane Building due to the alleged danger of the collapse of the south wall of the structure. At that time the council put a two-week time limit for the alley to be closed.
According to the Notice of Unsafe Building and Notice to Abate Nuisance sent by the City to the owners of the building on Tuesday, April 9th, the owners and their agent are given until 4:30 pm on April 17th to make all repairs necessary for the alley to be reopened. The document further requires the repairs to begin within 48-hours of the date of the notice. The notice says the owners, and their agent have until the 90th day following the date of the notice to fully abate the nuisances. It also orders that the building not be occupied until the required repairs and improvements are completed, inspected, and approved by the City Manager of Sheldon, or his designee.
The notice goes on to say that a hearing may be requested before the City Council. A request for such a hearing must be in writing and delivered to the City Clerk within fourteen-days from the date of the notice, or it will be conclusively presumed that a nuisance exists and that it must be abated as ordered.
The cover letter accompanying the Notice may be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
To view the Notice, as well as the state inspector’s Complaint Inspection Report, CLICK HERE.
The Schlotfeldt Engineering Report, commissioned by the building owner’s agent, Rod Fonkert, can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
