HomeMy Public PortalAbout20-186John Van Drasek
6640 Bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 758-7524
City Of Crestview
Community Development, Code Compliance Division
198 Wilson Street North
Crestview, Florida 32536
11-6-20
RE: Case #20-186
Dear Special Magistrate:
The above referenced case has been scheduled for a public hearing on
November 17, 2020. If I am physically able to attend I will be there.
However, I am submitting this letter to you so that you can have a "heads
up" on the issue from the perspective that I have held since this matter
surfaced almost 10 years ago. As best as my records indicate I received
notice of violation in March of 2011. On the first week of April that same
year I spoke with Senida Olgesby and indicated to her that I would be
willing to help her move this matter forward as best as I could. To put the
issue in a more precise framework I had a survey done on the property. The
survey indicated some irregularities that seemed to be unmistakable building
code violations. So after several attempts to contact the adjacent property
owner, Mr. Lee, with no result I set a meeting with Bill Dagel, Crestview's
building codes manager and he said he would meet with Leonard C. Lee and
try to resolve this matter. After several weeks a meeting was set at the
property between Mr. Lee, Mr. Dagel, and me. At that meeting Mr. Lee
agreed to allow me to remove the wood structure of my building while
leaving the block structure of his building that was on my property. I was to
lease back to Mr. Lee a portion of my property that his UN permitted
addition was on. Mr. Dagel would then give written assurance from the City
that the portion of Mr. Lee's building that was on my property met City code
requirements. However, the assurance from the City never came and in
order to remove my building Mr. Lee would have had to sign a statement
holding the demolition company without liability for any unforeseen damage
to his building. Mr. Lee would not sign and as a result the demolition
company would not take the job. As a result and since the City still wanted
the property cleaned up I removed the wooden structure of my building
leaving only the front concrete block facade facing the MILK Street and the
back concrete block section that was now attached to Mr. Lee's addition to
his building (please see the Google Maps overhead view). In all of these
several months of my effort I kept Ms. Oglesby informed of my progress
and set backs. Fast forward to the end of 2019, I now received the same
notice of violation from Ms. Oglesby's department. I immediately started to
try to resolve the matter with phone calls and when the calls were not
returned I wrote letters (please see attached). I have been willing and am
still willing to do whatever is required to get this situation resolved to the
satisfaction of the City. However, I believe that the City has been complicit
in this problem from the beginning in that they allowed a UN permitted
structure to be built on an adjoining property that was not owned by the
builder. And, subsequent to the back and forth bickering about issues
pertaining to this matter that have gone on now for almost 10 years the local
demolition companies are hesitant to take on this project. I have offered to
sell my property to Mr. Lee and even carry the mortgage with nothing down.
Or, I have offered to purchase Mr. Lee's property. I have gone to
considerable effort and expense to, help the City resolve this problem. I have
acted in good faith throughout this matter and am still willing to do whatever
is required to help the City bring this issue to a satisfactory conclusion.
Thank you in advance for your efforts to have this matter heard from my
perspective.
Very Respectfully,
John R. Van Drasek Jr
6640 Bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 682-9911
City of Crestview
Attn: Code Enforcement Officer
201 Stillwell Boulevard
Crestview, Florida 32539
Date: 3-10-11
Case No: CE 110067
Dear Ms. Oglesby:
In response to our telephone conversation today I am addressing this
request. As you have probably already made note the property located at
492 Martin Luther King Blvd. has been thoroughly cleaned and groomed to
a respectable standard. However, as we have discussed the building at that
location is another issue. When the original building was added on to the
City of Crestview allowed construction practices that would not meet current
code requirements. I refer most specifically to the common roof that the
building shares with the building next to it. My intention is to comply with
all city requirements but I am having a bit of a challenge orchestrating the
demolition of my building as long as the building owner next door is not in
agreement. Again, my specific problem is that demolition companies are
hesitant to begin work that has the potential to inflict undue liability on
them. As you know I am currently working with two demolition companies
and both are trying to move the issue forward. This issue is a very delicate
one for many reasons and with that in mind I am requesting a continuance of
the 30 day time limit that the City has set for me to comply. We are making
progress but we need more time. I am willing to tastefully board up the
building so that it does not become a nuisance or an eye -sore in the
neighborhood. I thank you for your interest and assistance in this matter and
will wait for your response.
Very Sincerely,
John R. Van Drasek Jr.
6640 Bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
850 682-9911
Mr. Lenoard C Lee
P.O. Box 622
Crestview, Florida 32536
July 19, 2011
Dear Mr. Lee:
I am having a bit of a hard time sorting out what to do with this situation
we are in. On the one hand The City appears to want that whole corner
cleared and it also appears that they are now using me to be the vehicle to
make that happen. As you can see from the enclosed copy of the recent
survey a portion of your building is on the wrong lot. If I go ahead with the
planned demo of the structures on the lot that I am responsible for I would
have to remove a portion of the main structure of your club. If I do that The
City could get their way because it may make your building untenable. On
the other hand if I could work something out with you we could probably
save the intrusive removal of that portion of your building thus saving you
from a very costly repair or maybe the ultimate demolition of your building
too. As you can see The City is hardening their position and circling their
wagons. I am sure that they have contacted you from more than one of their
offices. I would like to save you the head ache that will surely follow from
their actions, however, the demo of my portion is already going to cost me
more than $4,000.00 and to do it in a half-baked fashion would only cost me
more and drag this issue out. Additionally, The City is threatening to charge
me $250.00 per day for non compliance with their violation notice if I fail to
act. As you can see, which ever way I turn I am between the rock and the
hard spot. Working something out with you could be the way to save us
both a lot of trouble and expense. I am not your enemy ... please consider
talking to me about this issue.
Very Sincerely,
John R. Van Drasek Jr.
6640 Bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 682-9911
City Of Crestview
Attn: Code Enforcement Officer
201 Stillwell Boulevard
Crestview, Florida 32539
Date: 8-1-11
Case No: CE 110067
Dear Ms. Oglesby:
This Letter is to follow up on the meeting that we had on July 25, 2011 at
your location. On that same day I was able to meet with Mr. Lee and a
representative from the City's permit department at the MLK location. We
discussed the unpermitted addition to Mr. Lee's building that extended onto
the lot that I own and that the City wants cleaned up. Mr. Lee agreed to the
demolition and clean up of some of the structures on the property that I own
and further agreed that I would lease back to him a portion of the property
along with the remaining structures. Mr. Lee agreed to sign a "hold
harmless letter" for the demolition company so that we could get the code
compliance project underway. The City's permit department representative
agreed to provide written assurance the structures that would remain on the
Lot 8 portion of my property currently met the City's code standards. As of
today, the demolition company informs me that Mr. Lee refuses to sign the
"hold harmless letter" and I have received no assurance from the City that
the agreed upon structures that were to remain on my property met the City's
code standards. Therefore, at this time I do not think it prudent to proceed
with the scheduled partial demolition at 492 MLK Blvd. I am assembling a
commercial lease for Mr. Lee's signature and when I have that completed
and signed and the assurances that the City has promised I will be prepared
to proceed with this project.
Very Sincerely,
John Van Drasek
6640 bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 758-7524
City of Crestview
Attn: Code Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 1209
Crestview, Florida 32536
Re: Case 419-00000914
October 26, 2019
Dear Ms. Lancaster
This letter is to acknowledge the receipt of the certified correspondence
that I recently received from your office. After our two conversations last
week I feel that I need to stay as current on this issue as I can. So, as I
described to you, this issue is not a simple one and is one of long-standing.
In that there were a lot of correspondence and personal meetings when this
matter first surfaced in 2011,1 am enclosing a copy of my August, 2011
letter to your department. If after your review of this letter, you have any
questions, please contact me at your convenience.
Very Sincerely,
John Van Drasek
6640 bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 758-7524
City of Crestview
Attn: Code Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 1209
Crestview, Florida 32536
Re: Case # 19-00000814
October 28, 2020
Dear Ms. Lancaster:
It has been a year since we last spoke. I have had some medical set -backs in
that time and have not been able to track this issue as closely as I would
have liked. In our last conversation you indicated to me that you had spoken
to Mr. Lee and Job and they were both ready to get started on the demolition
project at the MLK property. I was there yesterday and it appears that
nothing has been started. I have indicated to you and your department my
intention to cooperate and assist in any way possible to help the city get this
project completed. I have in -fact professed that commitment for the better
part of the past 10 years in conversation and in writing. So, after seeing that
no progress had been made on the project and in order to continue to show
good faith, yesterday I met with three demolition contractors. One of those
contractors was Job Dirt Works. I can clearly see that subsequent to the last
several storms that the property that adjoins mine has become a potential
hazard to the community. I hope that your enthusiasm to get this project
completed has not cooled. I know that you must be busy but I have called
you several times since we last spoke. I even spoke to a Scott Sullivan when
I could not reach you and he assured me that I would be called back. And
that never happened. So, my inability to contact you directly has prompted
this note. I hope that you will find the time to let me know what is going on
soon as I am anxious to bring this matter to completion.
Very Sincerely,
John Van Drasek
6640 bill Lundy Road
Laurel Hill, Florida 32567
(850) 758-7524
City of Crestview
Attn: Code Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 1209
Crestview, Florida 32536
Re: Case #20-00000186
Dear Ms. Oglesby:
It is so nice to hear from you again after all these years. However, I am a
bit distressed that after all these years that the City of Crestview has not been
able to bring this issue to a satisfactory conclusion. In 2019 I started
working with a Ms. Lancaster from the City of Crestview on this issue. I
have expressed to her my willingness to help her, as I did with you in 2011,
in whatever way I could to get this issue resolved. I don't think it is
productive to come to me again with your standard letter of threats to try to
influence me to take action that I cannot take due to the City of Crestview's
bungling of this matter in the very beginning (please see attached
correspondence dated 3 -10-11 and 8-1-11). I have done everything that I
can think of to do regarding influencing Mr. Lee to cooperate with the City
to include offering sale or lease of my portion of the property to him so that
this matter could be made easier to resolve. I even offered to hold the
mortgage note so that there would be no initial out-of-pocket expense to
him. I have also, some years ago, dismantled my portion of the property to
comply with Sect. 38-3 (7). So, I am only able to regard your continued
notices of threats as unnecessary until you address the real obstacle here
which I believe is Mr. Lee. You have had my support on this issue for
almost a decade now and I believe continued harassment directed at me will
serve no productive outcome. I encourage you to call me at your
convenience if you have any further questions regarding this matter.
Very Sincerely,
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