OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — The Oil City Council Thursday voted to take a property on Harold Street by eminent domain because of a crucial city waterline that runs through the parcel.
The real estate in question is located at 3 Harold Street, owned by Kristy Martino, is identified in the tax assessment records for Venango County as Parcel ID No. 16,002.-005..-00.
According to the resolution passed by the council to take the property, the reason for the seizure is in “order to promote public health, safety, convenience and welfare.” Oil City solicitor Robert Varsek said the issue is a waterline that goes through the property, and Oil City Mayor Bill Moon described the waterline as the “life supply to the town” as it carries all the city’s water to the other pipes in the city.
Varsek said while Martino owns the property, she does not live in Oil City, and his belief is that the property is currently unoccupied. Oil City Manager Mark Schroyer confirmed that the property has been vacant for “quite a few years.”
The City will now have the property accessed and pay Martino “just compensation” for it.
PROPERTY CODE, CONSTRUCTION CODE UPDATED
The Council also took action, on a first-reading basis, to update the City’s Property Code and Construction Code.
The City, if the ordinance passes two more readings, will adopt the 2015 Edition of the International Property Maintenance Code and will also be adopting the Pennsylvania Construction Code.
According to Varsek, the City is currently operating under the 2009 Edition of the International Property Maintenance Code but that Code was updated and in 2017 the Pennsylvania Legislature adopted the use of the Code under Act 36 of 2017.
Both revisions are available for public inspection at the City Building, and PDF copies of the codes distributed to the media are available below: