Residents from Arbor East subdivision are seeking help from the Cullman City Council to clean up an abandoned residence they said has become a public safety issue.
Monday, Sept. 9, Bobby Bowden spoke to the council on behalf of more than 60 Arbor East residents who he said had signed a petition requesting some type of action be taken in regard to the property located at 1509 Bower Drive SE.
Bowden said the property has plagued neighboring residents since it was abandoned by the owner — Karen Bowling according to online property records and confirmed by city of Cullman attorney Luke Satterfield — in 2019.
“We are dealing a lot actually,” Bowden said. “This abandoned property has become a safety issue for the entire neighborhood.”
Bowden said he had incurred personal expenses to remove fallen tree limbs and increase his level of pest control in an effort to maintain his home which is adjacent to the abandoned property. He also said teenagers have also been seen on several occasions entering and exiting the property.
“The house needs to be torn down and the property cleaned. We need your help. Nothing can be done without the action of this council,” Bowden said.
Satterfield said while the process may be moving slowly, he and Mayor Woody Jacobs ensured the residents that their request had not fallen on deaf ears.
“The residents [of Arbor East] are going to be taken care of,” Jacobs said.
Satterfield said the city’s building department issued Bowling a citation for failing to maintain the property late last year, but she failed to appear in court on two separate occasions. An arrest warrant was then issued and Satterfield said Bowling pled guilty and told a municipal judge she had no intention of repairing or demolishing the house in July.
The city was required to wait a minimum of 45 days after the court appearance before taking action in order to give Bowling an opportunity to appeal. He said that time has since lapsed.
He said a public hearing will now be set for the council to deem the property as an “unsafe public nuisance.” The city will then have the authority to demo the structure and pass the cost along to Bowling.
If she is unable to re-pay those costs, a lien will placed on the property.
In other business the council:
— Set a public hearing to rezone property located at 916 Parker Avenue SW from R-3 to R-2 at 7 p.m. Oct. 21.
— Approved a special event request from Blake Harbison of Blake Photo and Video to film a music video at the Cullman Skate Park Sept. 22.
— Approved a special event request from Katherine Anderson for the annual Les Dames Witches Ride Oct. 20.
— Approved a special event request from Mary Talley of The Sanctuary to hold a vendor fair at Heritage Park Sept. 10.
— Approved a special event request from April Borden of Bearcat Buddies to hold the first annual Pickleball Extravaganza fundraiser at the Cullman Adult Center Nov. 2.
— Approved a special event request from Kelly Pulliam of Cullman Parks and Recreation and Sports Tourism to hold the annual Oktoberfest event from Oct. 3-5.
— Approved a special event request from Summer Shaddix of the 3Sixty Jeep Club for the annual Nightmare at Depot Park event at the Festhalle Oct. 26.
— Approved a special event request from Karen Speegle of Seventh Street Baptist Church for the annual Fall Fest on Oct. 30.
— Awarded a bid for excavation and utility services to Manning Construction.
— Held the first reading of an annexation ordinance regarding a property located at 24 County Road 1188 as B-2.