The city has reached a settlement over liens and fees related to fire code violations with a downtown property owner who plans to sell the property.
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City Council at its March 11 regular meeting approved a resolution (AR-91-24) releasing fines and liens assessed against the owner of Quinn’s Book Store at 83 E. Cherry St. (Block 317, Lot 16).
The settlement stems from liens against the property for multiple violations that stem from several inspections over the past few years that revealed multiple violations of the Uniform Fire Code and City Municipal Code. The ground-floor storefront of the two-story building is filled with books stacked high but, in my experience over the years, has rarely been open or displayed store hours.
“The owner and the city each acknowledge that although the violations have not been corrected, the owner has made a good faith effort to alleviate a number of violations and is currently working to address the remaining violations,” according to the resolution.
On Feb. 1, the owner informed the city of her intention to sell the property. Upon closing of the property, the city agrees to remove the lien and the fees “as the city deems necessary.”
The property last sold in 2010 for $159,000. It is assessed for $56,4000 ($12,200 for land, $44,200 for improvements), generating a property tax bill of about $4,000.
The Fire Prevention Bureau conducted an inspection in September 2021 that revealed “multiple violations of the Uniform Fire Code and City Municipal Code, which if left unabated creates a health hazard, a safety hazard, and fire hazard that are likely to injure or damage persons or the property of persons other than the owner,” according to the resolution.
A second inspection a month later, followed by a third inspection in July 2023, revealed that he owner failed to mitigate or abate the violations. In October, the city assessed fines against the property for failure to mitigate or abate the violations.
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