Staff Writer

Demolishing a building or home isn't going to make another eyesore, according to City of Thomaston officials.

Instead, a preventive move has been taken to make sure tax payers don't have to look at a pile of rubble. City Attorney Joel Bentley, at the Thomaston City Council's request, revised the 20 year old ordinance and gave it some “teeth.”

“We want to tighten up what we have because we don't want another drawn out situation,” said Thomaston Mayor Hays Arnold, during a work session Friday.

Council members reviewed the proposed ordinance Friday afternoon working out all the kinks and leaving no loopholes.

“If [the ordinance] it is too complicated, then it is too complicated to follow and too difficult to enforce,” Bentley said. “We want to make it as clear as possible.”

After discussions Friday, the City Council voted to approve the new ordinance Tuesday night.

The new ordinance addresses permits, time constraints and bonds.

Each person and entity performing any demolition of any building, or portion of a building, must have a permit before beginning.

According to the ordinance, any person who does not have a permit can be subject to criminal prosecution.

From the time the permit is issued, people will have 45 days, 90 days and one year to complete the project, depending on the size of the building.

Any project of less than 2,500 square feet will be allowed 45 days. A building of more than 2,500 square feet but less than 10,000 square feet will have 90 days to be demolished. A demolition period of one year will apply to a building of more than 10,000 square feet.

“The longer they have to get the building down, the longer it will take,” Bentley said Friday. “

A cash bond or performance bond must be issued before a permit can be received.

Building officials will decide the amount of bond based on the following criteria: