Brandon Twp – Township officals say they have been patient with property owner John Sloan for more than three years’but now his time has run out.
On Sept. 20 the township board voted not to give Sloan another chance to finish the home he set out to build more than three years ago.
After several surrounding neighbors appealed to the board not to grant another extension to Sloan, the board voted to remove the home.
Each extension was met with opposition from the township; however, Sloan was given more than two additional years to complete the home structure.
‘The game is over and we’re going to take over now,? said Ron Lapp, township supervisor
After five court cases and six court ordered building extensions, which were opposed by the township, the board voted to honor an April court order to remove the half built home and the surrounding debris.
‘We believe he (Sloan) may take this back to court,? said Tim Palulian, Brandon Building Department director who said th
e township is considering several options to put an end to the Legault property.
Cleaning up the surrounding area of the home is imperative to officials both for safety reasons, and to remove the car, sheet metal, and concerete left behind so neighbors no longer have to look at the heaps.
Obtaining an engineering structural report is another option for the township to determine weather the half built structure is worth saving.
Salvage options are another consideration and depending on the results of the structural report, outright removal is another option, according to both Palulian and Lapp.
‘The question now is just how much to spend to complete this process,? asked Palulian.
‘It’s going to be costly to remove the structure,? he said.
Regardless of what option the township chooses, based on the township attorney’s advice, Lapp says that interference from the Sloan will no longer be tolerated and will be left to the justice system to deal with.
‘We’ve bent over backwards and the last thing we want to do is tear down a man’s home,? Lapp told Sloan’s attorney.
‘We’ve tried to work with him but he has cut off his nose in spite of his face time after time.?