C-T Photo/ Laura Schuler

CAPTION: Chillicothe Street crews moved equipment to 410 Collier Street this week to clean up trash and debris that has accumulated at the site which has been considered a nuisance for more than a year. The city plans to clean up about six more properties where the owners have not complied with city codes.

The city of Chillicothe is currently addressing a list with nearly 200 complaints of nuisance violations and just this week gained permission from the court to clean up one property in the 3rd Ward that has been considered a city nuisance for more than a year.

City street crews moved large equipment to 410 Collier on Monday to begin removing junk and debris that had been accumulating and creating health and safety threats to neighbors. At this particular site, there were several inoperable, unlicensed vehicles full of trash and junk, a trailer full of junk, and junk piled around the house, according to Ron Urton, of the city’s contracted engineering firm of Shafer, Kline and Warren, which has been hired to temporarily fulfill the duties of the city code enforcement officer.

This particular site has attracted cats, possums and snakes and the area smells, Urton said. He added that the house-type structure itself is unoccupied and inside is piled from floor to ceiling with junk. The nearest neighbor’s residence is within 20 to 30 feet. "It's not fair to the folks who live around it," Urton said. Urton said the Collier property should be cleaned up by Monday and then a determination will be made as to whether the structure is torn down.

The city is dealing with about six other properties in similar situations although not to the same extent as this property - where the city will likely go in and clean up the properties because the owners have failed to comply with notices sent to them. These property owners have had at least 40 days to comply with the city codes and have failed to do so.