The Greenbrier County Commission announces that as of Dec. 16, six months into a program to demolish and remove dilapidated structures in the county, that grant funding has allowed it to demolish and remove 25 condemned structures in the county and an additional 15 dilapidated structures are scheduled for demolition. Additionally, property owners have acted to demolish 21 dilapidated structures, including two commercial buildings in Fairlea.
Dilapidated structures are evaluated by the Building Code Official on several factors including: imminent safety hazards, fire or flood damage, evidence of vagrants, population density, and whether the property is located in an area targeted for renewal. The Midland Trail, Coalfield Trail, Seneca Trail, Pocahontas Trail, and areas within neighborhoods are areas targeted for renewal in Greenbrier County.
Condemned structures that have been evaluated and determined eligible for demolition with grant funding are next reviewed by the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) and evaluated for the presence of asbestos, and if present, asbestos is abated prior to demolition.
Voluntary consent to the demolition of the condemned structure is always sought, and ownership of the property is not affected by voluntary participation. In some cases, an owner cannot be located or consent of all the owners of a property cannot be obtained, necessitating a request for an Order for Demolition of the unsafe condemned structure to be issued by the Greenbrier County Commission. In some cases, if the property is sold within 5 years, the cost of demolition is repaid from the sale proceeds.
The Greenbrier County Commission has received grant funding for this effort from the WV Division of Environmental Protection Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP). Funding for the WVDEP REAP Dilapidated Properties Program is made possible by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), which is intended to provide support to State and local governments in responding to the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19 and in their efforts to contain impacts on their communities, residents, and businesses. Demolition of vacant or abandoned structures is an eligible activity for SLFRF appropriations.
Questions about the dilapidated properties program may be directed to the Greenbrier County Planning and Permits Office by calling 304-647-6687 or by email at: ssimmons@greenbriercounty.net.
