Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Eyesore Torn Down
Pikeville, Ky.—Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford and Pike County District Six Magistrate Chris Harris were on hand in Hardy, Tuesday morning, to witness a crew from the Pike County Solid Waste Department tear down the third blighted house that has been demolished via a public nuisance ordinance passed by Pike County Fiscal Court in June of 2007.
“Clearing these houses will bring value to Pike County in many ways. It will protect children from entering the unstable structures and hurting themselves. It will eventually increase the availability of middle income housing by creating cleared, buildable land that will be used for that purpose, and it will also improve Pike County’s tourism industry, by enhancing the beauty of the routes that tourists must take to get to their destinations,” said Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.
Rutherford also expressed his appreciation Tuesday, for the local fire departments, the sheriff’s department, the Pike County Attorney’s Office and the other entities who have helped the Pike County Fiscal Court since it began enforcing its nuisance ordinance in June of 2008.
“The Fiscal Court and the Solid Waste Department would not be able to clear these buildings without the aid of local fire departments and law enforcement, such as Belfry Fire Department Chief Nee Jackson and Belfry Volunteer Firefighter Brad Hatfield, who came out today to help direct traffic during the demolition. In this endeavor, as in all of our endeavors, it takes the support of the entire community in order for the county government to accomplish things successfully, and we appreciate all who help us,” Rutherford said.
“The Pike County Fiscal Court is serious about continuing to clean up Pike County. We've come a long way, but we still have a way to go,” said Harris.
“I'm excited to see our new public nuisance ordinance put into action throughout the county. We have so many old, abandoned structures in Pike County that need to be torn down and this ordinance finally gives us the ability to address these unsightly and sometimes dangerous hazards. I encourage folks who may have one of these dilapidated buildings in their neighborhood to contact their Magistrate's office to find out what steps need to be taken to get their structure on our list of potential sites,” Harris added.
Pike County’s public nuisance ordinance calls for the removal of structures that create dangers to the public health, welfare and/or safety. The ordinance also creates a procedure for removing nuisance structures while protecting the rights of property owners. The county removed its first nuisance structure in Shelbiana in June, almost exactly one year after the ordinance was passed.
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“Clearing these houses will bring value to Pike County in many ways. It will protect children from entering the unstable structures and hurting themselves. It will eventually increase the availability of middle income housing by creating cleared, buildable land that will be used for that purpose, and it will also improve Pike County’s tourism industry, by enhancing the beauty of the routes that tourists must take to get to their destinations,” said Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.
Rutherford also expressed his appreciation Tuesday, for the local fire departments, the sheriff’s department, the Pike County Attorney’s Office and the other entities who have helped the Pike County Fiscal Court since it began enforcing its nuisance ordinance in June of 2008.
“The Fiscal Court and the Solid Waste Department would not be able to clear these buildings without the aid of local fire departments and law enforcement, such as Belfry Fire Department Chief Nee Jackson and Belfry Volunteer Firefighter Brad Hatfield, who came out today to help direct traffic during the demolition. In this endeavor, as in all of our endeavors, it takes the support of the entire community in order for the county government to accomplish things successfully, and we appreciate all who help us,” Rutherford said.
“The Pike County Fiscal Court is serious about continuing to clean up Pike County. We've come a long way, but we still have a way to go,” said Harris.
“I'm excited to see our new public nuisance ordinance put into action throughout the county. We have so many old, abandoned structures in Pike County that need to be torn down and this ordinance finally gives us the ability to address these unsightly and sometimes dangerous hazards. I encourage folks who may have one of these dilapidated buildings in their neighborhood to contact their Magistrate's office to find out what steps need to be taken to get their structure on our list of potential sites,” Harris added.
Pike County’s public nuisance ordinance calls for the removal of structures that create dangers to the public health, welfare and/or safety. The ordinance also creates a procedure for removing nuisance structures while protecting the rights of property owners. The county removed its first nuisance structure in Shelbiana in June, almost exactly one year after the ordinance was passed.
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# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 3:55 PM 
