The Town of Tryon now has its sites on cleaning up four dilapidated structures in the eastside neighborhood.
During Tryon Town Council’s Sept. 27 meeting, fire chief and code enforcer Joey Davis gave an update on four structures in the process of either making property owners repair or the town demolishing.
Davis also said there are six other parcels the town has identified as not meeting minimum housing code.
The structures currently in violation of the town’s Chapter 152 housing code are 123 Cleveland Street, a house on Shepherd Street with an unknown address and 351 and 366 East Howard Street.
All property owners have been sent findings of fact and were given until Jan. 13 to bring the structures into compliance.
Town council can make a decision after Jan. 13 whether or not to approve ordinances to demolish any structures.
Councilman Roy Miller has recently expressed concern over several structures, particularly in the Eastside Neighborhood that are dilapidated and are decreasing nearby property values. Miller has said he feels like a mobile home on Rippy Road was demolished quickly after residents expressed concern and some of the Eastside structures have been on the town’s list for a decade.
Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples said at the September council meeting that he had the same impression as Miller regarding the Rippy Road mobile home at first.
Part of the problem with the Eastside houses is the property owners do not live in the area, some have never lived in the area, town officials said.
Town attorney Bailey Nager said the Rippy Road structure went through the same 90-day process that any structure has to go through before the town can approve an ordinance to demolish. Once an ordinance is approved, the demolition process can move quickly, Nager said.
Miller suggested in the process that the town make the property owners at least board up some of the structures due to the dangers.
Town council is scheduled to hear an update on the four structures during its Oct. 18 meeting.