SPRINGTOWN — The Springtown City Council conducted a public hearing Feb. 27 into a property where more than 30 animals were rescued Feb. 3.
During the public hearing, Emmie Bryant represented the property owner, who is a single elderly female. Bryant told the council the property owner will comply with Code Enforcement’s request to have the property demolished. The elderly woman has hired a contractor to demolish the house and requested additional time to have several vehicles be placed elsewhere and to remove items from the house. The owner has put the property on the market, hoping it sells soon.
Springtown City Administrator David Miller told Bryant there will be another hearing at the March 18 city council meeting and assured the property owner that she had additional time to remove items from the house, demolish the house and sell the property.
In early February, Springtown police officers were called to the property for a welfare concern. Upon arrival, the officers discovered an unsecured entry, and based on the welfare concern, made entry to the structure.
They discovered unsanitary living conditions, no running water and more than 30 living cats and dogs. Officers contacted city of Springtown Animal Control and Code Enforcement officers. The property owner voluntarily surrendered the animals to Animal Control on scene, who then removed the animals and relocated them to temporary holding spaces at a city facility because the number of animals exceeded the shelter’s capacity.
Code Enforcement observed plain sight conditions, including the lack of sanitary facilities due to no running potable water and immediately deemed the structure uninhabitable and ordered it to be vacated. Adult Protective Services was contacted for the elderly woman.
APS attempted to assist the resident with temporary housing based on observed conditions including animal feces and urine layering the floor several inches thick, huge materials blocking exterior doors and windows against fire code plus other issues which qualify the building as a substandard structure. Code enforcement believes the structure to be not repairable and as part of the requested public hearing will present evidence to support that determination.
The city council unanimously ordered another public hearing for the March 18 meeting at 7 p.m.
