Fine Tuning, Enforcing Adjoining Building Ordinance Sees More Discussion

BEATRICE – Beatrice officials held brief additional discussion on the city’s adjoining building ordinance, Monday night. Officials are seeking to clarify the ordinance, which would require inspection of adjoining buildings on a calendar-year basis.

Such buildings would have to be registered. A fee could be waived if the building owner shows proof of insurance. Inspections would be annual, but City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says the inspections are less frequent under certain conditions. With compliance, proper registration and insurance, the inspections would be once every four years. The inspections would focus on structural condition of buildings.

A current definition in the ordinance up for debate does not require registration for adjoining buildings next to a building of the same owner. Councilman Bob Morgan feels that should be amended.

Main Street Beatrice Executive Director Michael Sothan says building owners aren’t excited about having the ordinance, but most see the necessity of updating it. Sothan says he hopes the effort goes beyond just a city regulation and inspections.
He said that includes funding options to assist building owners to bring buildings up to standard.

Tempelmeyer says it’s likely most of the inspections would be done in the winter months, by the city’s Community Development Department.
"We're going to start working with property owners. The idea is not to beat them with a club, but we need to come out, educate them, help them to come into compliance first. We'd much rather like to get compliance, that way".

One estimate is that there would be about thirty inspections, each year. Sothan says some building owners have indicated they haven’t been asked about registering a building, under the current ordinance.

At least two downtown buildings are currently condemned. Both adjoin other businesses.