The Fort Dodge City Council will meet tonight for a regularly scheduled meeting. Item M on the consent agenda is setting a public hearing for the disposition of 416 South 10th Street. This is the property formerly known as Fair Oaks Middle School.
According to the memo to the council, the City acquired the property through the Abandon Buildings Code, Chapter 657A of the Iowa Code. According to this code, a building is considered abandoned if the building is vacant or only occupied by trespassers, and in violation of housing or building code.
The property was previously owned by Fair Oaks Homes LLC, registered out of Johnston Iowa. For little a over a year, the location has been known for squatters. During that time frame, the Fort Dodge Fire
Department had extinguished fires at the location on multiple occasions, ignited by ‘human action’. It was originally sold in 2014, with the intention to convert the former school into apartments.
If the item moves forward, the proposed hearing date will be December 9th 2024. In the memo, the purpose of acquiring the property was to find a responsible party to
take over and maintain it.
(Image: Facebook; Fort Dodge Fire Rescue)
