SANFORD – A year after the city council declared the vacant  home at 9 Kirk St. an abandoned property, the board unanimously declared it to be a dangerous building Tuesday, which may lead to demolition of the 1910 structure.

The decision came after owner Dianne McCaul told the council she hadn’t been able to secure all the financing needed to shore up the roof and remediate mold in the home and that she has her husband are considering selling the property.

A structural engineer accompanied city codes office staff on an inspection of the property in November and in a report said the house is not viable for renovation.  The house has mold, sagging floors and ceilings, broken steps, the roof is compromised, and a host of other issues, the engineer said.

Under the terms of the order signed by the city council, McCaul has 30 days to fix the litany of building code violations. If that doesn’t happen, the city can order the building demolished and present the cost to the owner as a special tax.

McCaul said she watched as other homes in the neighborhood were being repaired during a housing revitalization program, “while I was bailing out the kitchen every time it rained,” she said, unable to qualify.

The house has been vacant for at least three years.

McCaul reeled off the names of half-a-dozen contractors who gave her estimates. She said she has been able to secure $30,000 of the $47,000 she said she’s been told it will take to repair the roof and remediate the mold.

McCaul lost the property in a foreclosure several years ago; it reverted back to her unexpectedly, she told the council.

Councilor Fred Smith pointed out that despite conversations with city personnel to work out a solution a year ago, McCaul never returned to city hall to sign consent forms, nor did she attempt to organize the debris or pick up trash outside.

According to a report from the structural engineering firm Civil Consultants, the Nov. 15 inspection showed the building is structurally unsound.

“The roof has been compromised on the north side for what appears to be many years,” wrote structural engineer Geoffrey R. Aleva. “Water has entered the building and has destroyed the adjacent roof and floor systems. I would not allow access to the second floor due to safety concerns.”

Aleva said he believes the building is not a viable candidate for renovation, due to extreme damage and environmental moisture issues.

“The structure is not safe for occupancy or entry. If the structure is not addressed soon, it will become a safety issue for the neighboring properties,” Aleva wrote.

City assessing records show the property is valued at $47,800; the .19 acres of land associated with the property is valued at $35,800, with the remaining $11,900 as the value of the house.

During the public hearing portion of the discussion, Gary Lamb, who was raised nearby and whose mother still lives there, urged the council to act.

“It is beyond the stage of being (able to be) salvaged,” he said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.