Ross Township supervisors began discussion of their Dangerous Structures Ordinance during their meeting Monday evening.

There are a handful of blighted properties in the township, which residents have issued complaints about for several years, but little has changed. The zoning officer, who is from SFM Consulting, has been out to the properties and provides updates to the supervisors.

One such property is a residence at 1123 Pine Cone Court in Saylorsburg that fire destroyed in January 2018.

Holly Overfield, who lives next door to the house, told supervisors, “We are hearing crashes and bangs where the ceiling is falling. There are animals going in a lot. It’s bringing down the value of my house.”

The house’s owners are no longer at the property. One is deceased and the other is in jail. Overfield said she has seen their relatives come to retrieve items from the property.

“There’s not a lot of options,” supervisor Randy Detrick said about the property. “The current owners could take it down. Someone else could buy the property and take it down. This ordinance would give us a third option, where the township takes it down.”

There are several steps in the process and costs that the township would incur. While this is a third option, it isn’t one that will lead to overnight change, supervisors said.

Township solicitor Richard Campbell said the Dangerous Structures Ordinance has been effective in other townships. The process includes filing a complaint, doing an investigation, reviewing by the supervisors, and a couple other steps, he said.

The supervisors decided to table the discussion until their June 26 workshop meeting. It begins at 1 p.m. They invited Overfield to the meeting. Detrick said he’d reach out to SFM Consulting and invite them to come give an update on various properties.

In other business:

• The township received a grant of $164,000 to spend on repairing a culvert on Mount Eaton Road. The supervisors thanked Rep. Jack Rader for helping them obtain the grant. A bog turtle avoidance study was conducted, and the township is awaiting a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.

• Tyler Shay will perform June 30 during the Concert in the Park. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8:30. Guests may bring lawn chairs and blankets. They are seeking a band for the July 28 Concert in the Park.