NIT Opinion –
The dirt is still moist, fresh and black at the former location of the burned-out house at 202 12th SE.
That was the house that was severely damaged on June 3 and sat there, untouched, for nearly 6 months. The house was privately demolished in recent days; city staff say it was taken down in November. It was photographed by NIT staff still standing at that time.
The exact date it was demolished is immaterial. It stood – barely – for approximately 6 months. It was an eyesore to anyone who drove by on that well-traveled road. It was a danger to children and others who might have wandered inside.
Most would agree, 6 months is too long for such a structure to remain unattended to.
No one is saying city staff did not do their jobs. It seems that no real stringent rules are in place to force faster action on dangerous structures. That the house is gone seems to prove that someone in city hall made sure it was taken down within whatever timeline was possible.
It would seem plausible that if a house, building, or other structure is so severely damaged by any catastrophe, rules should be in place to mitigate safety hazards and remove the buildings in a more timely manner. Ninety days should have been enough time for that small house to vanish.
The house burned up on a Tuesday; it was obvious it was a total loss. It could have been declared so by city staff, and the property owner should have been notified within 48 hours of the incident and the fact that the house was no longer safe and needs to be demo’d immediately. All of this could/should be articulated in city code. If the owner cannot/refuses to demo the house within 90 days – barring a court action – the city should have torn the house down by then and assessed the property owner.
If city leaders are truly interested in turning Mason City around, dealing with this kind of issue is important. It is bad for the city’s reputation for people to see a house like this sit, month after month.
GONE
