Tuesday, December 23, 2008

PORTICO SAVED, DEC. 23, 2008.



----- Original Message -----
From: Lea Terhune
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 7:08 PM
Subject: Re: portico, 2 Appletree Point Lane


Thank you, Joe. Communication is good. How would I know any of this unless I were a mind-reader? So the Mayor has been responsive and followed up, but it was invisible to me. I should feel better; but, respectfully, somehow it feels worse to know that the Mayor was aware of this, and still it took 3 years to fill an abandoned pool, 2 years to get a vacant property maintained, 6 months to get a compromised portico structure stabilized, and there is yet no Vacant Building Permit, and the VB fees have not been paid!

I'm sure the Mayor noticed that a felon was captured in a vacant building on So. Champlain St. and that it did not have a VB permit, was not secured, and did not have a property maintenance plan. There are very real safety risks in the city if the vacant building ordinance is not enforced. Ask the people who were assaulted and robbed in that area when a felon suspected of these crimes was hiding in a vacant building. And ask my neighbors.

Happy Holidays everyone. We know who got the job done [Norm Baldwin], who helped [Bob Schwartz, Ron Wanamaker, Preservation Burlington], and who didn't [the Code Enforcement director]. To those who helped behind the scenes, thank you. The job got done just in time -- Ch3 News tonight warned that this snow is heavy and roofs need to be cleared, or risk collapse.

Lea Terhune



____________________________________________________


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Reinert"
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:10 AM
Subject: Re: portico, 2 Appletree Point Lane

Dear Lea,

Thank you for your e-mail to Mayor Kiss. It appears as though Norm Baldwin has answered your immediate question about the portico. The Mayor is currently out of the office but I will make sure he is aware of your additional concerns.

I do want to respectfully disagree with your statement that the Mayor has not been responsive to your concerns. Your e-mails in general regarding this property have not gone unnoticed by the Mayor or this office. You and I exchanged correspondence regarding your concerns about the pool on the property and at the time it appeared the issue had been resolved to your satisfaction (I understand that more recently you saw this as a continuing issue). When you initially raised the concerns about the portico and this property, the Mayor followed up with staff about the issue. Earlier this month the Mayor also initiated cross-department meetings to discuss how we deal with vacant buildings.

We appreciate your feedback and look forward to continuing to work constructively on these issues.

With best regards,
Joe Reinert, Assistant to the Mayor

Saturday, December 20, 2008

WHO'S IN CHARGE IN THIS CITY?

Mayor Kiss:

On June 27, 2008, John Ryan inspected 2 Appletree Point Lane and reported that the portico at a vacant building was structurally compromised. Nothing was done.

Two weeks ago, owner/agent of 2 Appletree Point Lane was ordered by DPW to stabilize the portico immediately. A week ago, someone dropped off a pile of 6x6s, and put an orange plastic fence around the portico area. Nothing has been done to stabilize the portico.

We had a snowstorm last night, and more snow is coming. This is the kind of weather event that could bring down the portico, and the warning fence has been scattered. The area is more of a danger today than it was two weeks ago when the owner was ordered to repair it immediately.

Our experience with this scofflaw property owner (he owes the city $4500 in vacant building fees) is that he says he is complying with a request, but he doesn't. When told to drain an abandoned swimming pool, he dropped a cheap sump pump in the pool which of course didn't work. He replaced it with another one that didn't work. It took THREE YEARS to get that pool hazard removed.

The portico won't wait three years. 6 months ago Inspector Ryan noted the condition of the portico in his report. The way this property owner flaunts the city code and orders reflects the attitude of the CE Director who waived fees and ignored complaints. All property owner had to do was SAY he was draining the pool, and the file was closed!

Mayor Kiss, the CE Director reports to you. If the portico structural issue had been addressed when Inspector Ryan reported it, we wouldn't be dealing with it now. You have ignored every email we have sent you about these problems which have been ongoing for three years, one thing after another. YOU are supposed to be in charge in this city! Please DO SOMETHING to get this portico stabilized, and to get that $4500 collected. This city needs money!

Lea Terhune, taxpayer and neighbor to vacant building at 2 Appletree Point Lane
22 Appletree Point Lane
Burlington, VT 05408
802.658.1908

Sunday, December 14, 2008

PORTICO STRUCTURALLY COMPROMISED

SUMMARY: On June 27, 2008, John Ryan, city inspector, reported that the portico of 2 Appletree Point Lane was structurally compromised. Code Enforcement did nothing. On November 23, 2008, I wrote to NNE City Councilors, with copies to the Mayor, the City Attorney, DPW and the Free Press. I asked the Councilors to read the Vacant Building Code, attached for their convenience, and I asked them to look at the problem and DO SOMETHING. DPW re-inspected the portico and took action. On December 13, a truck delivered 6x6 pressure treated timbers to the site, presumably to be used to stabilize the portico. Orange plastic construction fencing was used to cordon off the work area, but no warning signs were posted. A very small amount of work was done as of Dec. 14. To be continued.....








Preservation Burlington

The Sentinel, Fall/Winter 2008

Appletree Point Farm
One of Burlington’s oldest settlements is in danger! As an agricultural entity, Appletree Point farm dates to c.1806, however ownership of the land itself can be traced to the New Hampshire Land Grants of 1763, and Burlington’s first documented settler arrived here as early as 1773. Use of this land for agricultural purposes did not happen until 1806, when Reuben F. Staniford purchased the land. The house that is now commonly referred to as the Wick House, is thought to be Mr. Staniford’s original farmhouse, built circa 1820. Saniford farmed this land until 1880, when Urban A. Woodbury II grandson of Urban Andrain Woodbury, 45th Governor of Vermont purchased the land. Woodbury maintained a herd of prize Guernsey cows here until 1931, when a devastating fire caused him to abandon farming and develop the area as a summer resort. Woodbury mysteriously abandoned this land in 1940 and moved to Ohio. At this time Oliver N. Eastman took ownership of the land and operated a prize winning dairy operation. Many of the farm buildings from this farming occupation still exist. In 1961 the farmhouse and land went up for auction and has since been a private residence. The farmhouse is significant not only because of its age and history, but also because a prominent Vermont Architect, Louis Sheldon Newton (1871-1953) was commissioned at two different times to modify the interior and exterior. It was Newton who gave the farmhouse its present appearance, by designing a character-defining two story portico on the south facade (1924), as well as a rear ell and garage. Louis Sheldon Newton is better known for architectural designs such as the 1930’s Abraham’s Block façade. While plans are being developed for restoration, the house is sitting vacant and in need of routine maintenance. With lack of maintenance to the exterior envelope, the structure is subject to demolition by neglect. There is only a limited amount of time that can go by, until the building materials start failing because of the effects of Mother Nature and time. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for historic homes.