The City of Batavia has issued a summons to the owners of Northside Meadows to appear in Batavia City Court next month to answer criminal charges in connection with Batavia Municipal Code violations at the three-building, 24-unit apartment complex at 335 Bank St.
According to documents obtained by The Batavian through the Freedom of Information Law, the summons lists a court date of 10 a.m. Nov. 18 to address offenses pertaining to ongoing roof, drainage and fire classification violations.
Correspondence dated Sept. 29 from Doug Randall, City of Batavia code enforcement officer, indicates that on June 29, 2021 through Sept. 27, 2021, the following violations did exist:
- Roofs and drainage. The asphalt roof coverings are deteriorated, missing material, and not maintained in a sound and tight condition on the two (center and rear) residential buildings located on this property.
- Fire classification: General. Two of the residential buildings – center and rear buildings – are covered with gray plastic tarps. The tarps are not approved roof covering materials.
The notice states that “since notification of 7/1/21 and 9/10/21 (similar violations), the defendant has failed and/or refused to satisfactorily correct cited violations of the City of Batavia Municipal Code and/or New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.”
Additionally, “… the structures at 335 Bank St., Batavia, continue to be in violation of the Property Maintenance Code and Building Code of NYS. That pursuant to B.M.C. (Batavia Municipal Code) 51-45 B, each day that the violation continues is a separate violation.”
The violation notice sent out on Sept. 10 after a re-inspection of the premises called for Northside Meadows Association to correct the violations by Sept. 27. Should this action result in a conviction, the owner would be subject to a maximum fine of $250 and/or 15 days in jail for each and every day that you remain in violation.
Contacted today, property manager David Renzo of V&V Development Corp. of Batavia, said he was aware of the latest inspection violation notice but did not know about the summons. He said he wants to get the roofs fixed as soon as possible and also to pay more than $160,000 in back taxes owed to the city.
“I’m trying to devise a plan to get them paid and get the roofs done,” he said. “We got the blacktop done, but we still are going back and forth with USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) on trying to figure out a plan on how to get the roofs done and the taxes paid.”
A previous violation notice from the city did reveal that the sidewalks and driveways at Northside Meadows were in violation, but that does not appear on the latest notice.
“We fixed the driveways by funding that out of operations,” he said.
Renzo said he has a roofing contractor lined up to do the work.
“I had to submit a plan of action (to the USDA),” he said. “My first plan was to request additional funding to get it done. And I requested to pay it off in three or four years. However, they’re saying that it would be a burden on the project, and that we have to establish some other kind of financing – either through them or through a third party or bank.”
He said he working on a “Plan B,” so to speak, adding, “We’re going to figure this out one way or another. We can’t let it go any further.”
As far as the tax situation, the City Clerk’s office reported that $167,544.26 is owed to the city in back taxes.
Tax bills have been paid recently at two other subsidized housing sites managed by V&V Development – Le Roy Meadows and Corfu Meadows.
The Genesee County Treasurer’s office confirmed that a payment of $615,851.84 was received on Aug. 26 for taxes on Le Roy Meadows and a payment of $62,195.13 was received on Sept. 27 for taxes at Corfu Meadows.
Renzo said that roof work on three of the 10 buildings at Le Roy Meadows, 16 Genesee St., has been completed, with the remaining seven to be done on an “as needed basis.”
Previously: City inspection violation notices call upon Northside Meadows management to rectify roof, driveway issues
Previously: Le Roy Meadows manager says plan will address $600,000 in back taxes, needed repairs
