Central Park group discusses blight, alternative house

A city blight officer and members from the UM-Ann Arbor Urban and Regional Planning Committee were guest speakers at the Central Park Neighborhood Association meeting Feb. 10.

Blight Officer Marshall Jenkins explained his role in ticketing residences with tall grass, trash or unlicensed vehicles.

"We cannot ticket anything on the street," Jenkins said, "but we do issue tickets for blight on residential properties. An owner has five days to clean it up or pay a $25 fine."

After a ticket is issued, Jenkins said, the case is settled in blight court — which to the best of his knowledge has no judges now.

Jonathan Tarr and Maria Ryen talked about UM-Flint's Urban Alternative House, 924 Eddy St.

"The first floor of the house will be used as a working laboratory for green technology and energy," Ryen said. "The second floor of the structure will be used for apartments."

She said a group of students just completed external survey of Central Park.

"We split the neighborhood into two sections," Tarr said. "The west section with 103 residences had 74 properties rated good, 10 fair, three poor and three recommended for demolition," he said.

"On the east side there were 127 residences, 100 were rated good, 15 fair, three poor and none were recommended for demolition," Tarr said.

Officer Kraig Brueck, Mott Department of Community Safety, reported no major issues on campus.

He said the college uses an alert system to notify staff and students about closing but does not have an official cell phone based crime system like the Red Alert used in other neighborhoods.

He said the double drive off Court Street has been turned into a single lane. The other lane will be used as a pedestrian walkway. He also reported that a street light was being installed at Horrigan and Court streets.

President Jerry Rule announced that according to a report in the Flint Journal there are 11 homes in Central Park area slated for foreclosure.

Norma Sain, Court Street Village Non Profit Housing Corporation, said the association received a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for maintaining Court Street Park.

Vice President Edwin Custer suggested the association write a letter to inform the city parks director about the grant. After a year, the association will expect the city to take charge of park maintenance again.

The group will meet next at 7 p.m. March 10 at the Court Street Village Neighborhood House, 727 East St.

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