Property owners have officially begun demolishing a long-charred Log Hill Mesa building after obtaining the necessary permits to clean the property, beginning the process to resolve issues surrounding the eyesore.
County gives Log Hill property owners until Nov. 1 to complete work
Property owners have officially begun demolishing a long-charred Log Hill Mesa building after obtaining the necessary permits to clean the property, beginning the process to resolve issues surrounding the eyesore.
Bob and Cynthia Peterson, who own the former Fairway Pines clubhouse on Ponderosa Drive, have until Nov. 1 to clear the structure. The mandate comes after Ouray County commissioners Tuesday held a showcause hearing, giving them the opportunity to explain why it’s taken months to clean up the property. A fire that started in the pool heater burned the clubhouse down Nov. 26.
While the Petersons were a no-show both online and in-person, they recently obtained a Ouray County demolition permit and hired contractors to tear down the structure.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to the Nov. 1 deadline to decrease the chance that snowfall complicates the cleanup process. County Building Inspector Genevieve Shope — who oversees the process — estimated contractors have removed less than 10% of the structure so far.
“I think that they can make (the Nov. 1 deadline) if they literally work every single day, but I can’t guarantee that,” Shope told commissioners.
Should the Petersons leave any of the structure intact for future use, the Ouray County Land Use Department would require them to apply for a building permit. If approved, they would then have to barricade whatever is left until an engineer assesses its structural integrity.
If they fail to clean the property to the county’s satisfaction by Oct. 31, County Attorney Leo Caselli told commissioners he would seek authority to file a court action to force cleanup.
Other legal remedies could include further pursuing enforcement actions under Ouray County’s rubbish ordinance, which wouldn’t require commissioners’ approval. Caselli said that would be the most effective course of action since the county wouldn’t spend money cleaning the property itself.
The county could also levy daily fines against the Petersons if the legal process reaches that point.
The situation has frustrated residents and county officials alike for months as excessive snowfall and spotty communication from the owners strung the process out.
Despite the hearing’s brief, businesslike nature, impatience seeped into the proceedings with Commissioner Lynn Padgett and several attendees seeking a complete demolition without any leeway.
Caselli said the county needed to keep its “eyes on the prize,” which is having the property owners comply with the rubbish ordinance by Nov. 1. He added additional stipulations could stall recent momentum and further complicate an already lengthy process.
Padgett still held a strict view of the rubbish ordinance, preferring contractors leave nothing behind. She cited potential dangers to children and wildlife.
“I don’t want to have any walls or pieces or parts left over because it’s all rubbish unless proven otherwise in a timely fashion,” Padgett said.
“I don’t agree with that interpretation of the rubbish ordinance,” Caselli replied.
County residents who attended the meeting generally agreed officials have given the Petersons more than enough time and patience in recent months to clean the property.
“Based on that alone, I would just like to see that you guys give these people as little slack as necessary,” Ridgway resident Tom McKenney said. “I wouldn’t go out of your way to chastise them, but hold them to the letter of the law.”
The Petersons didn’t respond to a request for comment by Tuesday’s deadline.
