ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County cleaned up a neglected property on Mill Road after spending nearly two years working through the legal process required to address the site.
Planning Director Tracy Parris presented photos of the property during the Richmond County Board of Commissioners’ July meeting, showing the progress that has been made.
“We just wanted for everyone to see the work the work that our county is doing,” Chairman Jeff Smart said.
According to Parris, the cleanup process stretched over at least a year — and possibly closer to two years — as county staff worked through the legal requirements before entering the property.
“We have been working with this project for short of at least a year, probably two years, going through the motions, going through the general statues, making sure we dot all the Is, cross all the Ts, send all the notices, find heirs to the estate,” said Parris.
Parris said those requirements often make nuisance property cases slower than residents expect.
“There’s a lot that goes into these processes. I wish they could happen overnight, but they don’t happen overnight. I know it’s frustrating to neighbors and people. Something can’t happen as soon as a call is made— unfortunately, it just can’t,” Parris said. “There’s enough governmental hurdles that you have to cross through just to go on somebody’s property to clean up the property.”
In an email to the Daily Journal, Parris said the property has been “red tagged,” meaning it has been deemed unsafe for occupancy, but not ordered for demolition, and has since been boarded up.
“We’ve still got a few hurdles before we actually demolish the trailer,” Parris said.
Parris said the trailer had no running water, sewer service or electricity.
“There were people trying to live in that property,” Parris said. “There was trash everywhere on that property.”
She also recognized several people who helped move the project forward, including Building Inspector Mike Burns, Richmond County Animal Shelter Director Tessie Caulder, who helped remove nearly 20 cats from the property, the cleanup crew and deputies with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The lengthy process also prompted discussion among commissioners about whether state law could be changed to help local governments address similar properties more quickly.
Commissioner Andy Grooms asked Parris to provide the board with recommendations “on what we can try to get our legislature to do— help streamline this process ‘cause we’ve got a bunch of these in the county.”
Commissioner Jamie Gathings thanked Parris and everyone involved in the cleanup effort. During the discussion, Gathings said he believed two people had previously been found dead in the trailer from overdoses. Parris responded that there had been no reported deaths at the property but that numerous 911 calls had been made there over the course of the year.
In her email, Parris said the cleanup reflects the amount of coordination required to address nuisance properties.
“These outcomes do not happen overnight. They are the result of teamwork, time, and many required steps in the process that can sometimes take months or even years before the public is able to see the results. We understand that waiting can be frustrating for the public and neighboring property owners. I’m glad this resulted in a positive outcome for the cleanup efforts and thankful for the team on site who helped make it happen,” said Parris in an email.
Gathings said he hopes the county will continue addressing similar properties.
“We need to do a lot more over there— put the tax dollars to work,” said Gathings.