Table of Contents - Unified Government of Wyandotte County ...

Division Overview:Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas2012 Amended and 2013 Operating BudgetDivision OverviewClearance and DemolitionThe Clearance and Demolition program is a tool to assist Code Enforcement by removing structuresthat are blighted, abandoned, unsafe and structurally unsound. These structures have been abandonedand dangerous or owners cannot pay for the demolition. Funds are derived from three sources: the FireInsurance Proceeds Fund, General Fund, and Community Block Grant funds.The Fire Insurance Proceeds Fund is established by Kansas State Statute and is a funding tool toensure that insured structures significantly damaged by fire, explosion, and windstorm are repairedaccordingly or are razed to eliminate a nuisance and blight.Important Issues:It continues to be a challenge to continually re-prioritize structures slated for demolition due tochanging property conditions, HUD and EPA requirements, restrictions, and increasedresponsibilities in the program. Additional resources and/or funding are needed to do an adequatejob in addressing the number of properties now needing to be demolished in our community. This isespecially a concern for commercial structures where CDBG funds generally cannot be used.The Demolition program also assists Public Works/Engineering by removing buildings involved inRight of Way (ROW) projects such as street widening, storm water shed creeks, and re-alignmentsthrough capital projects. These projects are processed accordingly to ensure compliance withenvironmental and state historical regulations.Increases in landfill fees, fuel oil costs, and special landfills for contaminated materials continue togrow. Costs have increased 15%-30% in just the past year alone.New Initiatives/Goals:The program is working to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Actmandates. New erosion control measures to prevent sediment run-off from demolition sites wereinitiated in 2011 and continuing education of staff and contractors is underway. These measuresinclude improved grading practices, installation of silt fences, specially identified grass seedmixtures, increased straw coverage, and the use of approved grass seed start-up fertilizers toincrease the germination rate of grasses. The measures also will help to create vigorous and densevegetation and aid in reducing the amount of silt and sediment run-off into the streets, right of waysand storm drains. A new measure for 2012 require that aerial photos of subject propertiesidentifying silt fence placement are included with each bid proposal. Multiple sources of mappingare utilized to ensure storm drain inlets and streets are protected for erosion.Include the demolition bidding process in a new electronic internet format being offered through theUnified Government’s Purchasing Department.200