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Tidioute property declared blighted

The Warren County Blighted Property Review Committee handed down one declaration of blight during Thursday’s meeting.

That’s a Tidioute Borough property located at 268 Main St.

Blight Committee Chairman Paul Pascuzzi, citing records provided by the borough, said that there have been multiple structure fires at the residence over the last several years but that the property has a leaky roof, making the structure “so wet that it doesn’t burn.”

The borough, Pascuzzi explained, also reported disconnected utilities and raw sewage in the basement.

A report from E&M Engineers and Surveyors, P.C., further indicated that the structure “is in very poor condition” including a “partially collapsed” roof structure, a quarter inch-wide crack in the foundation and bowing on the west wall.

“I don’t see anything… that Tidioute may not have done correctly,” Pascuzzi said, noting that it appears the structure has “been unoccupied” for many years.

The owner, Vicky White, told the committee that she hasn’t lived there since 2005 and that the property has been completely vacant for a year or two.

She expressed to the committee that she doesn’t have the resources to address the blight issues.

The committee then made a motion to move the property on to the Planning Commission for its review.

“That means, as a Blighted Property Review Committee, that Tidioute followed the rules of the ordinance. We… feel as though this is a blighted property.

As evidence, Commissioner Jeff Eggleston, who sits on the committee, cited the lack of a long term plan and the minimal chance that the property owner will undertaken improvements.

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