One Man’s Trash is Another’s Treasure

What Can and Can’t Be Done Regarding ‘Unsightly’ Properties

A citizen raised questions about two properties she described as unsightly at the La Grange City Council meeting Monday night, Feb. 28.

Theresa Von Rosenberg addressed the council during the citizen participation period during Monday’s meeting. She first asked about the Encore Cabinets building on Eblin Street. The roof of the large building recently collapsed.

“What can be done to clean it up?” Von Rosenberg asked.

City Manager Shawn Raborn said the property lies just outside the city limits.

“We’ve reached out to the County, but the County has very limited authority for substandard structures,” Raborn said. “They don’t have that authority in state law.”

Raborn said he would speak again with County officials to see if anything can be done to urge the owner to clean up the property.

“You make a great point,” Raborn told Von Rosenberg. “I’d never disagree with you. If it was in the City, it would be a completely different process because it’s a dangerous building.”

“A lot of people think it’s in the City, but if you look at a map, the City Limits actually go around it,” said Councilman Dusty Littrell.

Von Rosenberg also asked about the former La Grange Bowling Alley property on North Main Street. The owner operates an antiques business on the property and stores some merchandise outside in the parking lot.

“It’s a commercially-zoned business,” Raborn said. “I have talked with the building official and he has talked to the owner. One man’s treasure is another man’s unsightliness.”

Raborn compared the Bowling Alley to a residential lot with artwork in the yard.

“Most of our ordinances that relate to things like that are basically on weeds, rodents, things along that line,” Raborn said. “People can put artwork in their yard.”

In other business at Monday’s meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint local attorney Kayla Peters as the new municipal judge in La Grange. Peters also serves as the Schulenburg municipal judge.

Raborn told the Record that three other candidates applied for the job as well. He said a committee reviewed the resumes of the four candidates and ultimately recommended Peters. City Council held an executive session Monday night to review the committee’s recommendation. Council deliberated for about 15 minutes in closed session before returning to open session for the vote.

Also at Monday’s meeting, Raborn informed the Council that the water line expansion to the La Grange Springs Apartments on US 77 north of the hospital should be complete by the end of this month. He said construction on the apartment buildings should be complete in May.