CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (AP) - After a years-long legal battle, the City of Charlestown and its board of public works settled with a residential association whose members alleged that the city had imposed unfair fines on neighborhood property.
The Pleasant Ridge Neighborhood Association - formed in 2014 to defend against redevelopment of the neighborhood - filed its initial complaint in 2017. It argued that the city was unequally enforcing property maintenance code violations on Pleasant Ridge property owners, while not holding the same standard to developer John Neace, who had plans to raze and redevelop the area, the News and Tribune reported.
The fines could be forgiven if a homeowner agreed to sell to Neace at $10,000 apiece.
The Dec. 17 agreement and subsequent ruling issued by Special Judge Jason Mount in Clark County Circuit Court No. 2 stated that the city is required to enforce the property maintenance code “in plain language,” and that residents should be given time to correct any violation, with 10 days to appeal. Previously, fines had started accruing the day a violation was noted.
The city also agreed to pay $70,000 in plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees.
“We are happy that this nightmare is coming to an end for the Pleasant Ridge neighborhood,” Charlestown Mayor Treva Hodges said in a news release. “I know that the residents have endured many sleepless nights as they’ve worried about losing their homes to big development. I hope that everyone rests a little easier tonight knowing that they are safe.”
Neace, who did not offer any comment to the newspaper, did not immediately return a message left Friday by the Associated Press.
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