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AGENDA RECOMMENDATION |
2.
City Council Emergency Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 07/30/2026
Agenda Item:
Motion adopting Emergency Ordinance for the Immediate Securing of 312 Hubbell Avenue.
Recommendation/Action(s):
Adoption of the attached emergency ordinance.
Summary:
The City recently conducted an inspection with consent of the property owner of 312 Hubbell Avenue. The Council will recall that we have previously, through an Agreement with the property owners, worked on a voluntary abatement agreement of the property to clean up debris and nuisance items in the yard and on the exterior porch of the residence located at the property, twice.
On July 13, 2026, Sandra Weston and Alastair Weston (the property owners) consented to multiple city staff members entering the single-family residence located on the property to inspect the interior of the residence. During the July 13, 2026, inspection, City of Mankato’s Building Official, Thomas Krause, found multiple building code violations and safety issues that pose an immediate danger to public health and safety. Conditions found are documented in Exhibit A attached to the resolution.
On Wednesday, July 29, the Building Official ordered the building to be vacated, with the authority granted in Minn. R. 1300.0180.
Minn. Stat. §463.251, subd. 4 allows a City Council, by ordinance, to order the emergency securing of a vacant building that presents an immediate danger to the health and safety of persons in the community. The building is now vacant.
Section 2.15 of the City of Mankato Charter allows for adoption of emergency ordinances “to meet a public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public peace” by a vote of at least five members of the Council; City staff took multiple photographs of the existing conditions dangerous to life, health and safety of occupants, copies of which are attached to the ordinance as Exhibit B.
Also, while city staff were on site at the time of the inspection, they were informed that the basement stairs were not structurally safe for anyone to go down into the basement and that, in addition to other unsafe and nuisance conditions, there was standing sewage in the basement.
Building Official Krause contacted Xcel Energy pursuant to his authority under Minnesota Rule 1300.0180, and Xcel Energy disconnected the utility services to the residence because of several electrical and mechanical system hazards that were found.
As a result of the severity of the code violations at the Property, Mr. Alastair Weston, the only legal occupant of the single family residence located on the Property, has vacated the residence pursuant to the Order to Vacate.
City Staff are asking that the City Council consider the emergency ordinance to secure the property. The costs to secure the property will be invoiced to the property owner and may become a lien against the real estate, which may be levied and collected as a special assessment.
On July 13, 2026, Sandra Weston and Alastair Weston (the property owners) consented to multiple city staff members entering the single-family residence located on the property to inspect the interior of the residence. During the July 13, 2026, inspection, City of Mankato’s Building Official, Thomas Krause, found multiple building code violations and safety issues that pose an immediate danger to public health and safety. Conditions found are documented in Exhibit A attached to the resolution.
On Wednesday, July 29, the Building Official ordered the building to be vacated, with the authority granted in Minn. R. 1300.0180.
Minn. Stat. §463.251, subd. 4 allows a City Council, by ordinance, to order the emergency securing of a vacant building that presents an immediate danger to the health and safety of persons in the community. The building is now vacant.
Section 2.15 of the City of Mankato Charter allows for adoption of emergency ordinances “to meet a public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public peace” by a vote of at least five members of the Council; City staff took multiple photographs of the existing conditions dangerous to life, health and safety of occupants, copies of which are attached to the ordinance as Exhibit B.
Also, while city staff were on site at the time of the inspection, they were informed that the basement stairs were not structurally safe for anyone to go down into the basement and that, in addition to other unsafe and nuisance conditions, there was standing sewage in the basement.
Building Official Krause contacted Xcel Energy pursuant to his authority under Minnesota Rule 1300.0180, and Xcel Energy disconnected the utility services to the residence because of several electrical and mechanical system hazards that were found.
As a result of the severity of the code violations at the Property, Mr. Alastair Weston, the only legal occupant of the single family residence located on the Property, has vacated the residence pursuant to the Order to Vacate.
City Staff are asking that the City Council consider the emergency ordinance to secure the property. The costs to secure the property will be invoiced to the property owner and may become a lien against the real estate, which may be levied and collected as a special assessment.