Eight years to abate a burned Main Street building?

It only took the city of Susanville 8 years to initiate code enforcement action against a burned Main Street building.

During business from the floor (public comment) Lassen County realtor James McCarthy thanked the city and the comission for their roles in taking down an allegedly unsafe structural element at the Frontier Inn on Main Street

But he bristled at the one item on the agenda for the Susanville Planning Commission’s Tuesday, Nov. 12 meeting — a public hearing, approval of a resolution declaring a public nuisance at 2772 Main St. (the bowling alley) and the issuance of a nuisance abatement order for the property — the Susanville Bowling Alley.

McCarthy read out loud the opening portion of the summary report submitted by Michael Prettyman, of the Building and Planning Division, that reads: “The building located at 2772 Main Street has been declared substandard and in violation of California Health and Safety Code 17920.3 since December of 2016.”

“Really?” McCarthy asked. “Eight years? After how many meetings have I been to that have been cancelled because there’s nothing to do? Are we going to wait for another arsonist to do some of our job? What’s the deal with this? I think the grand jury would be interested in the way the city of Susanville is doing business and the Susanville Planning Commission is being played like a violin.”

McCarthy said he thought the new members on the planning commission and a new owner of the St. Francis Hotel whose restoration of the historic building would make a difference “in how things go around here.”

McCarthy let the commission know what he thought about the length of time that’s passed without action.

“This is shameful, absolutely shameful, and I’m not going to leave it alone,” McCarthy said. “I’m going to go to the grand jury. This is ridiculous.”

Commissioner Wayne Jambois said he “took to heart” what McCarthy had said. “I think this building has been an eyesore for a number of years … Does staff have any comments about what happened?”

City Planner Kelly Mumper said he didn’t have the complete history since the matter began before his tenure with the city, but he said the owner was under contract for almost 3 years with either the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management that planned to purchase the building, rehab it and turn it into their new office location and vehicle yard. That contract expired, but he said the planning commission had considered the possibility of radio facilities at the site in the  past.

“There may have been some invented hope by staff during that time that that contract might actually come to fruition and we might see something happen,” Mumper said. “Since that fell apart we haven’t been able to garner any tangible interest, if you will, on the site … Staff feels it’s been far too long. We’re not getting responses from the property owner in a timely manner, especially when it comes to graffiti.”

While the owner has made some attempts to secure the building, Mumper said, “It’s still an attractive nuisance.”

He also said the city has not received a notarized letter from the property owner that would allow the city to deal with trespassers and squatters.

“Moving forward with the abatement order is in the city’s best interest,” Mumper said.

Jambois responded to this information from city staff.

“In all the years I’ve been on this commission … frankly, I don’t think anybody’s ever approached this commission in terms of complaints,” Jambois said. “I’ve never received any about that property.”

Jambois said the commission takes its responsibilities seriously and deals with issues as they come up, “but that particular property, I don’t remember ever hearing anything come up about that.”

Commissioner Rod DeBoar agreed with Jambois.

According t0 the staff report, “The building located at 2772 Main Street has been declared substandard and in violation of California Health and Safety Code 17920.3 since December 2016. The Susanville Police Department has received 19 calls for service at the property in 2024; 58 in total since January 2021. The Susanville Fire Department has received 14 calls for service in the past 11 months.”

“That is honestly how I feel, especially in light of recent events, said chair Tony Ardito. “There are a number of properties in town that should be crown jewels and yet they are rotting sockets just kind of sitting there, especially in the main throughfare through town … I understand, Mr. Mumper, we don’t need to wait for someone to complain to work on it, correct?”

“That is correct,” Mumper said. “If it’s in violation of city code, we don’t need to wait for a click it and fix it to bring it to our attention … Given limited staff we are highly complaint driven, but if something meets the threshold of an immediate or imminent threat to public health and safety where at times depending on the secured nature of the building, we could certainly make that argument, and while it’s secure, it is still in a dilapidated an dangerous state right now.”

Ardio fondly remembered the glory days of the bowling alley.

“It’s always been a real shame for someone of my generation, that once upon a time we had this wonderful venue that people could go and hang out at, and it was a place you could congregate, and now it’s been in a state of disuse and increasing dilapidation for decades,” Ardio said. “I think that’s where we’re at right?”

Mumper said city staff would be excited to work with the property owner if there was a plan for the building, but staff has not been approached by anyone.

Susanville attorney Peter Talia acknowledged the building is a problem with an out-of-town owner. But he said a party is interested in the property for a restaurant and banquet hall.

The commission unanimously approved the resolution (that may be modified in the future) and after Dec. 4 the owner could be fined $500 per day up to the fine’s cap of $10,000.

Talia disagreed with the $500 a day fine and suggested the owner could be responsible for the city’s actual costs.

“Mr. McCarthy’s right, it needs to be cleaned up,” Talia said. “We don’t need another St. Francis episode … ”