The City of Warren Blighted Property Review Committee pronounced second declarations of blight Thursday on properties at 202 Pennsylvania Ave. E. (pictured) and 11 1/2 Linwood St.

The City of Warren Blighted Property Review Committee moved two of a possible 10 properties into the second declaration of blight stage.

At the BPRC meeting Thursday, held at the Allegheny Community Center because of renovations at the municipal building,

The committee made second declaration of blight pronouncements on 202 Pennsylvania Ave. E. and 11 1/2 Linwood St. properties.

There have been no steps taken to improve the property, the city has had to perform property maintenance including lawn-mowing, and neither owner has contacted city officials, according to Code Official Ken Hinton.

The committee tabled consideration of five properties– 237 Buchanan St., 1507 Pennsylvania Ave. E., 110 Conewango Ave., 511 1/2 East St., and 908 Fourth Ave. — due to their inclusion on this year’s Warren County judicial sale list for failure to pay taxes and possible ownership concerns related to that pending sale.

The owners of two other properties asked the committee for more time to move forward with renovations and finding funding.

Tom Shorebird, who owns 17 Conewango Ave., said he is in contact with a family member who may be interested in buying the property and putting up the money for renovations.

Code Official Jessica Roudybush said the property was damaged by fire a year ago.

“The property remains in the same condition” as it was when discussed at the May BPRC meeting, she said.

The property is officially condemned, and there have been no permits issued for demolition nor for renovation, she said.

Shorebird said the structure is secure. “It’s not a hazardous site,” he said.

The committee disagreed, citing an April property maintenance violation notice and subsequent court ruling.

“The court did determine that your property is a dangerous structure,” Chairman Ray Pring said. “Reading between the lines you seem to be asking for more time.”

Shorebird asked the committee for “a couple of months.”

Neighbor Carl DeVlieger, who attended the meeting on a separate matter, said he had provided Shorebird with contact information for a certified engineer to help him. “It’s not causing any imminent threat to the public standing the way it is,” DeVlieger said. “He’s properly boarded his property up.”

City of Warren Fire Department Chief and committee member Sam Pascuzzi, who was in attendance of his first meeting as a member, made a motion to forestall the second declaration until the next meeting. He also asked that Shorebird provide a written plan and schedule and stressed that the continuance does not mean the property is exempt from the city’s property maintenance regulations. That motion was approved unanimously.

Roudybush said progress has been made at DeVlieger’s 20 Conewango Ave. property and she recommended that the committee not make a second declaration of blight.

Committee member Greg Fraser made a motion to table consideration of the property until the next meeting.

A woman who is paying the taxes on, but does not own, one of the remaining properties asked for a continuance so that she would have more time to be granted ownership.

Debbie Miles showed the committee evidence that she is paying property taxes on 708 W. Fifth Ave. That property is owned by Franklin Geiger, who is in state prison, according to Hinton.

Miles has spoken with an attorney and signed the deed, but Geiger has not, she said.

Hinton said no progress has been made in clearing the problems that led to the initial declaration of blight.

“I’d like to have ownership before I start doing the work,” Miles said.

Her brother, Wayne Miles, said he plans to do the work and is ready to “start the process of revamping the place so she can make it her own.”

Pring asked if there would be negative consequences if the committee did not take immediate action.

“There would be no negative impact if you did a 30-day continuance,” Hinton said.

The committee agreed, but, since the August meeting is less than 30 days away, set the continuance to end at that meeting.

“By the August meeting, we would like to see the title transfer having taken place and a clear plan of what your next steps are,” committee member David Cantrell said.

The committee approved Cantrell’s motion unanimously.

The next meeting of the BPRC will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at the ACC.