City of Marianna “Gets Tough” on Depleted Properties

At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Marianna City Commission City Manager Jim Dean presented a pictorial display of forty homes within the Marianna City Limits which have been targeted as unmaintained eyesores. He requested condemnation action against these properties, which would require the property owners to “Fix Up”, “Tear Down”, or have the City “Tear Down” and issue liens against the property for recovery of demolition costs.

For several years the city has been using a criteria of targeting ten properties per year for this action. This year they are stepping up the pace of enforcement. “Our objective is to make the City of Marianna” more attractive. We need to remove these unmaintained, blighted properties,” stated Dean in defense of the action.

Action was also initiated to process liens against four properties which were demolished at an expense of $32,000 by the City last year. If the liens are not paid, foreclosure action would be the next step.

The Commission approved the action against the forty parcels which were targeted by the City staff as being in a “non compliant” condition. Owners will be notified of this action and will be given a specified length of time to resolve the problems with their property.