Hattiesburg City Council will hold an upcoming public hearing that will allow department heads to determine how to proceed on a dilapidated former church on Atlanta Street.
The hearing, which will be held at 4 p.m. July 1 in Hattiesburg City Hall’s council chambers, will determine whether the Atlanta Church of God at 908 Atlanta Street is in such a state of uncleanliness as to be a menace to the public health and safety of the community. The owners of the building, as well as members of the public, are invited to get information, ask questions and offer a defense at the hearing.
“This resolution is a part of our code enforcement process that allows us to focus on cleanup efforts throughout the city,” said Andrew Ellard, director of the city’s Urban Development Department. “For the Atlanta Street property, it will give us the authority to clean up the lot, mow the lawn and secure the building if necessary.
“During this process, our historic preservation planner will also research the building and its contributions to Hattiesburg's story. These two actions together will help provide a plan for any additional steps needed to move forward.”
If the property is deemed to be unsafe to the community, the city will request the landowner to clean the property. If the landowner refuses or is unable to do so, the city will handle the cleanup, and may adjudicate the costs of the work plus penalties.
The costs may then become assessment against the property, which shall be a lien against it.
