Calaveras EnterpriseFront Page Local News School News Club News Business News Sports Crime Obituaries Multimedia Place an Ad Online Lodestar Magazine Photo Galleries Columns Letters to the Editor Submit a Letter Announcements Monday, December 8, 2008 News | Sports | Classifieds | Calendar | Special Sections | Opinion | Contact Us | Local Links | Real Estate | Autos and RVs | Groceries News Obits Advanced Search • Archives E-Edition E-Edition Log In News Leaning Lode Hotel a safety concern, council says By Krissi Krob Email this story | Print this story Posted: Monday, December 8, 2008 10:16 AM CST The sagging staircase at the Lode Hotel is a safety hazard, the Angels Camp City Council says. Enterprise photo by Krissi KrobA historic building in downtown Angels Camp that is in a state of disrepair was the subject of much discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting as the council discussed how to solve the safety issues at the Lode Hotel. Code Enforcement Officer Olen Murphy presented a slideshow outlining conditions at the Lode Hotel, a building on the 1100 block of South Main Street. The building has been a “problem area” since 2001, Murphy said, starting with an initial order to vacate the premises. Seven years and a new owner later, the unoccupied building still poses a safety threat to pedestrians, as the sagging deck hangs over the sidewalk, and the building's foundation is so unstable that the Lode is learning against the building next door. “In my estimate, the city has bent over backward” to work with the previous and present owner, Tim Ashlock, Murphy said. Murphy's slideshow included several pictures of the site that showed its disrepair, including holes in stucco walls, gaps in window frames, the sagging front porch and how the building leans into the one next door, crushing its rain gutter. The owner of that building, Richard Wilmshurst, wrote a letter to Code Enforcement in November about the problem. “It's becoming a real structural problem now that it's leaning into an adjoining property,” Murphys said, adding that a citation has been issued to the owner. Ashlock disagreed with Murphys' statement that the city had bent over backward to work with him, saying that investing in the building has been “the most difficult situation that we've had.” In fact, he said, he didn't even find out about Tuesday's meeting until the day before it happened. “I really feel like I've just walked into an ambush, with all the things here,” Ashlock said. Included in Tuesday's agenda packet was a copy of a letter, dated Nov. 20, informing Ashlock of the Dec. 2 meeting. When he purchased the building, he said, it was boarded up and he was unsure what his final plans for it would be. Restoring it to a hotel status was one of those options, he said. He removed 40 loads of debris from inside the building, and said he sought on many occasions to obtain permits to begin renovation but was denied because he did not have a complete plan for the building's future. Richard Matranga, the city's attorney, advised that the building should be secured immediately to prevent passersby from entering. The council instructed that a meeting be set up with Murphy, Ashlock, Silva and City Engineer Gary Ghio and that they report back to the council in two weeks. For the complete story, see Friday's print or e-editions. Comment (No comments posted.) Comments are posted after review by the Web master. They represent the opinion of the commenting party. While we encourage them as a way to further community discussion of important public topics, we reserve the right to reject or edit them. How do I find my comments later? Articles change daily on our Web site. Please make a note of the title of the article you have commented on. 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