The City of Charlottetown is once again looking at what it will do with this home at 10 York Lane, located in the Brighton neighbourhood just off North River Road. Back in 2012, city council declared it violated the city’s dangerous, hazardous and unsightly bylaw. That dealt with the exterior of the property. Now the city is looking at the condition of the home’s interior.
The City of Charlottetown is in the process of dealing with a property that has been a thorn in its side for the past few years.
Deputy Mayor Mike Duffy, who represents the area, toured the inside of the home at 10 York Lane on Wednesday with a bylaw enforcement officer, a building inspector, fire inspector, the city’s chief administrative officer and a provincial government health inspector.
Back in 2012, council voted in favour of having the city’s public works department clean up what had become, on the outside, an unsightly property.
Rob Lantz, who represented the area on council at the time, called it “an absolute disgrace’’. The grass was at least a foot-and-a-half long and the property itself was in such disrepair that it became populated with skunks and mice.
Public works sent heavy machinery in to handle the backyard.
Now the city is dealing with the actual house on the property.
“We’re in the investigative stages,’’ Duffy said. “We’re just trying to do what we can do to fix up a long-standing problem.’’
An engineering study has to be carried out to see what is necessary, and whether the home would have to be demolished. Duffy said it would be premature to speculate what the solution will ultimately be.
Hoarding seems to have been an issue inside the house. The Guardian has attempted to speak to the owner in the past but to no avail. No one is living in the house at this time.
“(When) you go inside, it’s not very pleasant in there. (Hoarding is an issue) that is not very easy to deal with.’’
Whatever costs the city incurs it would likely try to recover at some point by placing a lien on the property.
Duffy said demolishing the home would be a last resort.
“We don’t want to do that unless we have to.’’
