The Village of Earlville will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28 to discuss a proposed amendment to the village code that will aid in removing the communities worst neglected properties. (Submitted)

EARLVILLE – The Village of Earlville will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28 on a proposed amendment to the village code that will aid in addressing neglected properties.

The amendment would allow the village to demolish or repair unsafe, vacant properties within the building limits and add the cost to the property owner’s taxes.

According to Earlville Mayor Tom Taylor, there is one property currently in a state of disrepair within the village limits. However two other properties seem to be headed in that direction. “The problem is derelict properties with absentee ownership. People buy these properties at auction and realize they’re too much to fix up,” said Taylor.

Currently the village can board up the windows and put red signs on the building that tell the fire department they are unsafe to enter.

The proposed amendment would allow the village to fully demolish buildings if necessary and add those costs to the property taxes.

“Many times these owners aren’t paying the taxes anyway, but when the properties are auctioned off, those taxes are paid and the village residents aren’t on the hook for those costs,” said Taylor.

He said the estimated costs of demotion have not yet been assessed as the village has not had to demolish any buildings at this point.

The Codes Enforcement Officer would be the person responsible for determining when a vacant structure had reached the point of needing to be demolished.

“When they say a property is condemned, the next step is with the property owner,” Taylor said, explaining that this process would take time and procedure before any buildings were demoed.

Currently, the village has one property that could require demolition if the amendment is passed. That property is located on West Main Street. Other properties within the village limits have recently been demoed by the property owners without the village needing to step in.

Earlville has had a lot of turn-over in the codes position until recently. Taylor said this is due in part to the position being part time. However, current Code Enforcement Officer David Smith has been in the position for over a year and as a result the village has been able to move forward with initiatives like this one.

Village residents who would like to be heard on the amendment can attend the hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday July 28 at the Village Office.