Abandoned construction equipment clouds landscape on Farr Road

Abandoned construction equipment in the 900 block of Farr Road is too much for a Columbus woman who drive past the steel cranes and other material on her way to church.

“These construction vehicles are rusted out with vines growing on them,” she said in an email. “ I think it's a safe bet that the owners are not coming to claim this property, and I would like to see the city clean it up.”

Records date back to 1986 on the 2.9 acres along the west side of Farr Road, according to city records. City officials have been aware of the property littered with solid waste but haven’t been able to contact the owner.

“We have been aware of it, but it’s just one of those things we can’t really follow up until we get the correct owner and send the stuff to the right address,” said Inspections and Code director John Hudgison.

Four months ago, the property was owned by Raymond Cline of Columbus, but the property changed hands in June to Northwest Acquisitions LLC. The Inspections and Code folks learned the property had been foreclosed.

While the city is sending information on the property to its new owner, Hudgison said inspectors will be at the site on Tuesday after the Columbus Day holiday.

“We’ve got to notify them of the issues of the property they bought in June,” he said. “It’s now October. I don’t know if they are waiting to do anything with the property.”

Under the city ordinance, solid waste is defined as items or material that are no longer useable. A change in the owner will affect the 14-day compliance schedule under the law.

The city sends the owner a certified letter stating the property has accumulated solid waste and the owner is given two weeks to clean up the property. If the city is notified, the owner received the letter. “If it’s returned to sender, we know we have to make sure that person got the information,” Hudgison said.

The owner may ask the city for more time if the work is not completed within the time period.

A change in the owner apparently has cost one popular tenant to shut down a body shop in the area. Chester Jackson repaired almost 1,000 bicycles there last year and presented them to needy children for Christmas. Those buildings were located on the north end of the property.

The woman who drives on Farr Road hopes the landscape changes with the abandoned heavy equipment. “This is an opportunity to show the residents of this area that they are valued constituents who deserve a safe and clean environment in which to live,” she said.

Those cranes and other equipment probably haven’t moved in nearly 20 years. If that kind of equipment is not on a construction site, it should be recycled and reused. If you’ve seen something that needs attention, give me a call.

This story was originally published October 8, 2017 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Abandoned construction equipment clouds landscape on Farr Road."