A garage at 19th and Washington damaged during a storm nearly a year and a half ago was deemed as unsafe and dangerous by the Great Bend City Council Monday night.
The structure located at the southwest corner of 2555 19th Street has been inspected by the Code Enforcement Department and the Building Inspector Logan Burns, City Attorney Bob Suelter said. They made the determination as to its condition.
In order to conduct a hearing, notice must be given by passage, mailing and publication of a resolution announcing the scheduling for the matter. That hearing has been set for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20, at City Hall, 1209 Williams, prior to the start of the council meeting that night.
Burns conducted a visual inspection from public right-of-way on the accessory structure. During the inspection the following items were noted:
• A deteriorated tarp had been covering the roof at the location where a tree had previously fallen on it June 21, 2020.
• The double top plate at the location was split in half and separated on the east and west sides of the hole.
• The north wall was pushed out towards the north approximately three to four inches and the northwest comer of the structure was leaning towards the west approximately six to eight inches. This is evidence of the top plate being separated and not holding the corner plumb.
• There did not appear to be any evidence of the garage door header sagging, but it won’t close all the way.
• From looking at the roof (without being able to accurately measure the hole from the roof or from the inside) he estimated that six to seven rafters have been compromised from the tree putting stress on them as well as the roof sheathing that is no longer in place.
• Without seeing the underneath side of the roof from inside, he couldn’t say the exact amount of damage the structure sustained.
• Due to the sustained damage to the studs, wall sheathing, double top plate, rafters, roof sheathing, and the north wall and northwest corner dislocation, it is possible that the structure “may not be capable of resisting any and all forces and loads to which they may be subjected if left unattended.”
• This structure would not meet the 1991 Uniform Housing Code.
“I would recommend the council take appropriate action for this structure to be repaired or removed,” Burns said in his written report to the council.
There are a couple snags, Suelter said. First, they don’t know what is in the garage, an may not know until the hearing, and the owners is in jail in Newton County, Ark,
They are, however, in contact with the owners brother.
Another property matter
In the case of another house on the council’s radar as once being a hazard, the council removed the house at 1007 10th St. off any unsafe and dangerous structure hearing list, and allowed permits to be pulled to make the house livable.
A public hearing on the property took place Sept. 7 after the matter first came up in July. At the hearing, the owners and prospective buyers have contacted city staff and presented a plan to rehabilitate and repair the structure.
It was from this home where the residents, including children, were removed due to what was reported to be filthy conditions and a lack of utility services.
But, the prospective buyers have cleaned up the property, repaired 2003 fire damage, removed trees and hauled several dumpsters full of trash from inside, Suelter said. They have also made structural improvements.
Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Great Bend City Council did Monday night:
• Authorized Venture Corporation to construct the bulk oil plant at 8920 8th St. in the Great Bend Transload Facility.
Venture’s Christopher Spray, president, and William Seybert, spill prevention, control and countermeasure coordinator, met with City Attorney Bob Suelter, Building Inspector Logan Burns, Fire Inspector Mike Smith and Fire Chief Luke McCormick to discuss placing bulk storage tanks at the transload facility.
Venture has purchased the transload facility and is requesting permission to place 10 20,000-gallon horizontal steel storage tanks to store used diesel motor oil, McCormick said. Venture currently stores approximately 500,000 gallons of oil at the Texpar location at the Great Bend Airport, but Texpar is ending the lease agreement with Venture at the end of the year.
Venture uses the oil as part of the asphalt production.
Venture has supplied the Great Bend Fire Department with a Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan and a site plan for the proposed oil storage facility.
“We have reviewed the proposed plan for the storage of waste oil at the Venture Aggregate Facility located at the Great Bend Airport,” McCormick said. But, city ordinance 8.16.210 requires the fire chief and City Council to authorizes such a facility.
“I recommend that the Governing Body adopt a motion authorizing Venture Corporation to construct the bulk oil plant,” he said.
• Approved a resolution deeming a structure at 2555 19th as unsafe and dangerous.
The garage located at the southwest corner of 2555 19th Street has been inspected by the Code Enforcement Department and the Building Inspector. They have determined that the structure is unsafe and dangerous.
• Approved removing the house at 1007 10th St. off any unsafe and dangerous structure hearings and allow permits to be pulled to make the house livable.
• Approved the letter of support for the Sunflower Diversified Services grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for their General Public Transportation System.
• Approved the letter of support for the Rosewood Services grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for their Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities.
• Approve the letter of support for the Commission on Aging grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for their General Public Transportation System.
• Heard a report from City Administrator Kendal Francis. He focused on the Sports Complex turf project and an increase in sales tax distributions which were a record high in August.
• Heard a report from Great Bend Economic Development Inc. President Sara Hayden. She focused on efforts to improve childcare, recruit new businesses and recruit more employees.
• Approved abatements for trash and refuse at: 1805 8th St., Gustavo Uriel Alvarado Franco; 1202 Morphy St., Billy Byington; 408 Locust St., Miguel Angel Mata Gamez; 204 Fruit St., Gerardo Dominguez and Maribel Sanchez; 300 Walnut St., Maria Galindo; 313 Almond St., Rolando Sanchez; 401 3Rd St., Myron Watkins; 300 Plum St., Wanda Gamboa; 218 Pine St., Lawrence Rowe; 300 Heizer St., Manuel Tavarez; 1723 3Rd St., Aida Molina; 1701 Hubbard St., Thomas Pearson; 1439 22Nd St., Jose Espino; 409 Plum St., Jose Guerra; 30 Hickory St., Kevin Davison; 2525 Russell Pkwy., Randy’s Properties LLC; and 109 Maple St., Baudilio Hernandez.
