Richmond council to vote Monday on demolition of derelict home on farmland
Credit to Author: Jennifer Saltman| Date: Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:37:23 +0000
Richmond council will decide at a special meeting Monday whether to order the owners of a Steveston property to demolish their dilapidated house and outbuildings, which have become an eyesore for neighbours.
The three-storey, 100 year old house sits behind a padlocked gate on a four-hectare property on No. 3 Road. Surrounded by an overgrown yard strewn with vehicles, tools, construction materials and other debris, it’s mostly hidden from the road by tall cedar hedges, masses of blackberry brambles and an uprooted tree that has taken out half of the house’s upper deck.
Part of the property is farmed, but the home has been vacant since at least 2011 and the city’s concerns are around maintenance, cleanliness and safety of the house and its outbuildings, which include a garage, shipping containers and portable tents.
Staff have dealt with complaints about the deteriorating condition of the property for at least a decade. The rural property, which is included in the Agricultural Land Reserve, is assessed at just under $85,000.
Richmond Coun. Harold Steves said it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this point, however it’s come to the point where the city has to do something. He has visited the property and believes it’s unsightly.
“It’s sad,” said Steves.
City staff have recommended that council declare the house and other structures a nuisance and require the owners to demolish them within 60 days, or the city will do it and charge the property owners. The owners, Michael and Verna Fairhurst, have appealed to council to rescind the order, but staff recommend the appeal be denied and the order to comply confirmed.
Carli Williams, manager of business licence and bylaws, said in a staff memo that a considerable amount of staff resources have been used to monitor the site, and that will continue unless the issues are dealt with.
There have been several orders to clean up the property, with the latest issued July 22. There was initially some progress, however inspections in August and October show that the progress has stalled.
“It’s pretty questionable,” Mayor Malcolm Brodie said of the property, which he has seen in passing.
Staff from a variety of city departments, including fire, police, building approvals and bylaws, inspected the house and property Thursday.
They found that the house was disconnected from gas and water, and although the electricity is hooked up, a number of circuits have been disconnected and there is exposed wiring.
The house, which may be structurally sound, is being used as storage and several rooms are inaccessible because they’re crammed with materials. Some rooms have been cordoned off with caution tape. An addition to the back of the house is deteriorating, and the roof is leaking with large gaps that animals are using to access the house.
The house has been deemed unfit for occupancy, and a “Do Not Enter” notice posted on the front door. The owners are required to board up the house by Monday at noon. As of Sunday morning, the house hadn’t been secured. If it’s not done by the deadline, the city can hire a contractor to secure the house and charge the owners.
“Moving forward, it will take a considerable amount of effort on behalf of the owner to bring the house and property into compliance with all bylaws,” Williams notes in the staff memo.
If the house isn’t demolished, it will need to be emptied before repairs and reconstruction can take place, and the report says it’s unclear whether the owners are capable of completing the work.
Postmedia News was unable to reach the owners for comment, however, according to a staff report prepared for the special meeting, Michael Fairhurst has told the city that the farm and house are in the process of being renewed and winterized, and, although he has made significant progress, he won’t be able to meet the city’s deadlines.
He also claims that the person who complained about the state of the property has “destroyed the property, trespassed and dumped garbage on the site.”
The Fairhursts have been notified of the upcoming meeting.