Council approves demolition of last homes condemned from 2018 storms

Oct. 9—A 77-year-old Vietnam veteran who hasn't been healthy enough until lately to repair his uninsured Decatur home damaged in a 2018 storm will see it razed after a decision the City Council said it took regretfully last week.

The council voted unanimously Monday to demolish the home at 406 Fifth Ave. N.W. owned by Al Robinson and a home at 504 Finley Drive N.W. with different ownership after heavy damage both suffered from the straight-line winds of April 3, 2018, was never repaired. Officials said they believe those are the last structures damaged in the storm that hadn't been repaired or torn down.

Council also voted to demolish a third home, on 507 13th Ave. N.W., but its problems are not due to the storm.

The April 3 storm damaged more than 100 homes and businesses as winds as high as 75 mph went through the city between 10:15 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. Northwest Decatur, Old Decatur and the Riverwalk Marina sustained the most damage.

The building at the corner of Second Avenue Southeast and East Moulton Street owned by attorney H.M. Nowlin was damaged beyond repair, displacing Downtown Dawgs and C.F. Penn's Hamburgers restaurants. Nowlin later had the building demolished.

An 80-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott is now under construction on the Nowlin property.

Chief Code Inspector David Lee said Tuesday that his department cited about 55 homes for unsafe buildings and property maintenance issues related to the 2018 storm. He said he doesn't know how many the city had to demolish.

"These last two were special because we had done everything we could to save the homes," Lee said.

Council members admitted after the meeting that the Fifth Avenue home was the most difficult vote after Robinson pleaded with the council to give him another chance.

Robinson was watching the storm come in when the wind blew the door shut in front of him. All six members of his family were inside asleep when an old tree about 4 feet in diameter crash into his home.

Afterward, the Vietnam veteran compared the scene to when he served in the war, saying it "looked like a bomb went off" in Northwest Decatur.

Robinson, who retired from International Paper in 2000, bought the house in 2013 and he was slowly renovating the home as he could. Unfortunately, he had not purchased insurance at the time of the storm.

He said following the storm that the home needed $20,000 to $25,000 in renovations to be eligible for home insurance, which he couldn't afford at the time.

Code Inspector Chris Wilbanks told the City Council last week that Robinson "made no progress and purchased no building permit" to repair his home after the storm.

"We tried to work with him," Wilbanks said.

Wilbanks said the city prosecuted Robinson in Municipal Court.

"The judge gave him 12 months to abate the problem, and nothing has been done," Wilbanks said.

Wilbanks said the home continues to deteriorate to the point that the weather is affecting the interior.

"I noticed several unsafe conditions in the house," Wilbanks said.

Robinson, who is living with his brother, acknowledged "it has been a while" since the house was damaged by the storm. He said his health and financial issues kept him from being able to repair the home.

"We will follow the wishes of the city, but I would like to have another chance," Robinson said. "I'm better off financially, and my health is getting better."

However, when questioned by Council President Jacob Ladner on the how much work would be needed, Wilbanks estimated that 60% to 70% of the home would need to repairs, of which would include foundation issues.

"The repairs would be massive," Wilbanks said.

'Icon in this community'

Robinson said after the council vote that he understands and accepts it. He said he had lived in the Fifth Avenue home only about seven years.

"It always hard to lose my home, but it's only a material thing," Robinson said. "The final chapter hasn't been written."

Councilman Carlton McMasters said it's always difficult to authorize the demolition of a home.

"It's somebody's personal property," McMasters said. "But it's been almost five years and there was a court order. What are we going to do?"

Ladner said Community Development tried to work with Robinson on saving the house.

"I have a lot of respect for him coming up here and giving his case," Ladner said. "But eventually it comes down to what is in the interest of the public at large. Community Development did a good job of making a case that it's a hazardous area."

Councilman Billy Jackson was unable to attend Monday's council meeting because a man drove a car into his home earlier in the day. Jackson said he's known Robinson for years as a District 1 resident.

"Al is sort of an icon in this community and, when something like this happens, it's hard," Jackson said.

Jackson said the aftermath of the April 3, 2018, storm "has been very, very traumatic on our community. Obviously, we're still not fully recovered."

Other properties

Code Inspector Jonathan Lowery said the owner sold the Finley Drive home to I.V. Fletcher, of Huntsville, after the storm. Fletcher did some work on the home,

"It was still in bad shape but it wasn't condemned at the time," Lowery said.

Lowery said the home "sat for a long time" until his department went to inspect it in March.

"We found the building open and unsecure," Lowery said. "There were a lot of unsafe conditions."

Fletcher's time to buy building permits ran out May 9. They inspected the home again on June 3 and gave him an extension that ran out on June 23.

"We were advised he was in the middle of a divorce and didn't have time to correct the issues," Lowery said. "We haven't had any contact since that time."

Lowery said repairs of the Fletcher home were of low quality and now the roof is sagging, the interior drywall is rotting, and the interior copper has been stripped out.

"It's a real hazard," Lowery said.

Fletcher wasn't at the meeting. No one spoke out against demolishing his Finley Drive home or the 13th Avenue home.

Lee said he will now seek bids on the demolition of three houses while Decatur Utilities disconnects the utilities.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.