MAMAKATING – For over a year, the property at 2 Dogwood Road has sat with ongoing violations and safety concerns from the Town of Mamakating. That period has now come to an end, as the town will move forward with next steps following a no-show due process hearing.

Town Supervisor Peter Goodman stated that the property, located at the corner of Wurtsboro Mountain and Dogwood Road, has received numerous violations and complaints since last year. The building has fallen into disrepair, with debris and garbage scattered throughout the exterior.

Initially, the town pursued code enforcement in an effort to have the property cleaned up or potentially demolished. However, officials learned at the time that the property had been sold, and opted to give the new owner time to address the issues.

“We were going to give the new owner some time to take care of it and hopefully we would have a good resolution,” Goodman said.

According to Goodman, those issues were not resolved, resulting in additional violations being issued. He added that the property owner has not responded to the building department regarding corrective action.

The town proceeded with a due process hearing during its latest Tuesday night meeting, which would have allowed the owner an opportunity to appear and respond before any action was taken. However, no one appeared at the meeting, either in person or online, to represent the property.

The hearing was opened and closed without comment, after which the board discussed how to proceed.

Goodman said the town is now considering measures to secure and clean up the property, either through town resources or by hiring an outside contractor to complete the work.

Given the scope of the situation, he noted that the immediate focus would be on property maintenance and safety rather than demolition.

“We’re talking … securing the building, boarding up windows and doors so that nobody can access it and injure themselves,” Goodman said.

The board then approved a motion to allow 30 days for the property to be brought into compliance, including maintenance and securing the structure. The motion was made by Councilman Gary Forthoffer and seconded by Councilman Rob Rogers, with both in favor.

If the issues remain unresolved after that timeframe, the town may move forward with completing the work itself.