First known city demolition without owner’s consent
CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council at its Monday meeting approved a resolution to declare a residence at 1509 Bower Drive SE as “unsafe, uninhabitable and a threat to public safety.” Referring to the house also as a “public nuisance,” the council voted to demolish the structure in the near future, following a 10-day period in which the property owner can appeal the decision.
According to officials, this is the first known instance of the City acting to demolish a structure without the consent of the owner. One previous instance of City demolition of a property was done by agreement with the owner.
City Chief Building Official Brandon Lewis told the council, “The home has been left abandoned and unsecured for years. The property shows signs of use by unauthorized persons, vandalism, graffiti to the interior of the structure. And because it’s been left without maintenance, the roof and floor structure has started to fail in multiple locations. My department has tried on multiple occasions to contact and work with the owner towards a solution. Unfortunately, we’ve received no cooperation, so, based on the current condition of the property and the fact that it is unsafe, I would recommend that the City move forward to remedy these issues.”
Other council business
The council held a public hearing for an ordinance to rezone property located at 916 Parker Ave. SW from R-3 to R-2 residential district, with no one speaking for or against the measure.
The council approved multiple seasonal special event requests:
- From Adam Clark for the annual Police Department Trunk or Treat and Movie at the Park on Oct. 29, 2024, at the Police Department and Skate Depot
- From Greg Speegle of Cullman Moose Lodge for the Annual Turkey Shoots every Saturday morning in November and December
- From Zachary Ivey of 1729 Churchill Lane SE for a tailgate party with live music at his residence on Nov. 9, 2024, from 1-6:30 p.m.
- From Jonathan Creekmore of The Link of Cullman County for a community trunk or treat at 708 Ninth St. SE on Oct. 25, 2024
- From Tanya Carter for the Cullman Warehouse District to host the Warehouse District Christmas Open House on First Avenue Northeast on Nov. 9, 2024, from 9-6 p.m.
The council approved a resolution to award the bid for the construction of the Fourth Avenue Southwest downtown streetscape improvement TAP grant project to Bulls Construction Group, LLC, the lowest responsible bidder, in the amount of $1,086,846.
The council removed two proposed resolutions from the agenda at the beginning of the meeting:
- Approving a tax abatement for PGI Holdings LLC for a new industrial project with a capital investment of $1.05 million
- Approving a tax abatement for “Project Vance” for a major addition to an existing facility with a capital investment of $43 million
The council held first readings of four proposed ordinances:
- To annex Pioneer Land Acquisitions, LLC property located on U.S. Highway 31 and County Road 715 as a B-2 business district
- To adopt an electronic records management policy for the City of Cullman
- To vacate and surplus a portion of Lot 1 Block 5 Ratliff Hancock Subdivision Bauers Addition, which is owned by the City
- To confirm and ratify the levy of taxes for educational purposes in the city of Cullman.
The Cullman City Council meets next on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Cullman City Hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
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