The City of Tallassee wants to address living conditions, especially those in rental homes.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Tallassee City council will hold a public hearing before considering an ordinance requiring inspections between tenants in rental properties. Tallassee building inspector and fire chief Eric Jones spoke to the Tallassee City Council about the issue at last week’s meeting.
“We want to make sure they are livable,” Jones said. “We want them to be up to code.”
Jones said some homes are in a deplorable condition. He said he has been on some fire calls where there was no toilet in the home.
“There was just a hole in the floor,” Jones said. “It was just going on the ground under the home. No one should have to live like that in Tallassee.”
Jones said the rental properties would be inspected after one tenant moves out but before the water would be allowed to be turned on for the next tenant. The ordinance is modeled after similar ones in Alexander City, Opelika and Gadsden.
The inspection fee would be $75 with one free inspection and subsequent inspections being $25.
In other business, the council accepted a $600,000 bid for a new city shop, which will allow the construction of a new recreation center. The new shop will be slightly larger than the current one and located on the old airport property in East Tallassee. It will also house the storage rooms from other buildings near the current city shop.
The placement of the new recreation center on the lot on Gilmer Avenue is being adjusted to account for the results of geotechnical testing.
The council also agreed to allow the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce to move into city hall.
The next meeting of the Tallassee City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 25.
