Dumfries officials continue to take action against owners of properties deemed blighted.
The Dumfries Town Council will schedule a public hearing over the house at 17882 Main Street. The home sits along busy Route 1 south, the town’s main street.
Here’s what town officials have to say about the property:
Because the owner of the blighted structure failed to implement a plan for remediation within a reasonable time period, the Town Manager is authorized to request for Town Council to conduct a public hearing and make findings and recommendations regarding the safety of the structure.
Dumfries Town Attorney Olaun Simmons told the Town Council Tuesday night that he’s made several unsuccessful attempts to speak with the property owner, who has not been named. Simmons told the Town Council he had never seen the house.
The public hearing has yet to be scheduled. Afterward, if the council deems the property a nuisance, the town can order the demolition of the home.
The property owner lives in Woodbridge, according to Simmons. Mayor Jerry Foreman also said the owner owns other properties in Dumfries.
If awarded court approval to proceed, Simmons said the town would pay to have the house demolished and could later recoup the cost by filing a tax lien against the property owner.
“The town views this as a last resort. This was not our first choice. We’ve been put into a position where this is the last thing to do,” said Foreman.
The motion to schedule a public hearing to deem the house a nuisance passed 6 to 1, with Vice-Mayor Willie J. Toney voting against the measure.
This move is the latest in the town’s efforts to force property owners to bring their homes into compliance with zoning standards. Potomac Local last reported on another “blighted” home in Dumfries’ Tripoli Heights neighborhood that officials also wanted to demolish.
