Cedar Lake Unsafe Building Commission
Regular Meeting Minutes

Pledge of Allegiance

Mr. Thiel called the meeting to order and led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call

Members Present: Richard Thiel, Chairman; Greg Parker; Rick Layman.

Staff Present: Benjamin Eldridge, Town Manager; Ryan Deutmeyer, Town Attorney; David Austgen, Town Attorney; Tony Gatto, Building Inspector; Cheryl Hajduk, Recording Secretary.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes of the March 18, 2026 regular meeting were presented for approval.

Motion to approve the March 18, 2026 regular meeting minutes made by Mr. Parker; seconded by Mr. Layman.

Motion carries, 3–0.

Active Unsafe

1. 13025 Tyler Street

Mr. Gatto reported that the property owner recently visited the Building Department. The owner was previously unaware that the contractor he had hired (Mr. Serrano) had his license revoked, and had been waiting for a scope of work that was never delivered. The owner subsequently obtained a demolition estimate from a contractor on the north side of Chicago, which Mr. Gatto reviewed and found to be acceptable in scope and cost. The owner wishes to retain the property and may build a new home there in the future; he wants the existing structure demolished to clear his record.

The out-of-state contractor must obtain a Cedar Lake contractor’s license before pulling a demolition permit. The owner indicated the contractor was amenable to this requirement. Mr. Gatto recommended allowing a short window and following up if no permit application is received.

Mr. Thiel directed a 30-day deferral to the May 20 meeting, noting that if the contractor obtains a license and pulls a permit in the interim, the project may proceed and a status update will be provided at the next meeting.

Motion to defer 13025 Tyler Street 30 days to the May 20, 2026 meeting made by Mr. Parker; seconded by Mr. Layman.

Motion carries, 3–0.

2. 7204 W. 129^th Lane

Daniel Venegas appeared via Zoom on behalf of the property owner. Business address: 2½ Dumas, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383. Mr. Venegas explained the property was purchased as an investment; after pulling demo permits and beginning interior demo work, the condition proved significantly worse than anticipated and the project stalled. He had previously communicated to Mr. Gatto that he planned to proceed after selling another property — that sale closed the prior week. The property was briefly listed for sale but received no acceptable offers. Mr. Venegas stated his intent is to proceed with the rehabilitation project and will meet with his contractor (Seth) during the week to develop a timeline. He committed to having a rough plan in place within 30 days.

Mr. Parker asked about the security of the structure. Mr. Gatto noted the garages are closed and locked but a window is open. Mr. Parker directed Mr. Venegas to secure all openings as soon as possible; no permit is required for that work. Mr. Venegas agreed.

Motion to defer 7204 W. 129^th Lane 30 days to the May 20, 2026 meeting made by Mr. Parker; seconded by Mr. Layman.

Motion carries, 3–0.

Potential Unsafe

1. 13517 Dewey Street — Letter Sent February 20, 2026

Mr. Gatto reported he spoke with the property owner, Mr. Perez, the day prior to the meeting. Mr. Perez was cooperative and acknowledged the property is in worse condition than he had originally believed. He is attempting to arrange for his regular contractor to travel to Cedar Lake to perform the work; if that is not possible, he indicated he will likely sell the property. Mr. Gatto requested that Mr. Perez provide a decision one way or the other before the next meeting (approximately 30 days). Mr. Perez agreed.

Status: Monitoring. Owner to provide update within 30 days.

2. 7110 W. 128^th Avenue — Letter Sent February 20, 2026

Mr. Gatto reported that the property owner was contacted and was adversarial, stating “we’ll see you in court” on multiple occasions. The owner claimed a neighbor filed the complaint and that the Town refused to let him repair the garage. Mr. Gatto clarified that the concern is both the house and the garage, and that the Town has declined to issue a garage permit separately while the house — under construction since 2019 — remains unfinished. All permits have expired; the most recent permit expired March 16, 2025.

Mr. Gatto conducted an on-site inspection the day prior. The property is unoccupied; the back door was open. Inside: a bed and couch in the rear room, significant mold on the ceiling, and deteriorating drywall. The rear addition is wood-framed; the main structure is cinder block. The electrical service panel is located in the garage, where the roof is collapsing. The property is owned by an investment company that holds 16 to 17 properties in Lake County; the Building Department will monitor to prevent unauthorized occupancy.

Motion to move 7110 W. 128^th Avenue to Active Unsafe status made by Mr. Parker; seconded by Mr. Layman.

Motion carries, 3–0.

3. 14523 Colfax Place — Letter Sent

60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Property recently changed ownership. No vehicles observed at the property when inspected the prior Friday; believed to be unoccupied. Monitoring.

Status: 60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

4. 7409 W. 140^th Place — Letter Sent

60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

Status: 60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

5. 13040 Polk Street — Letter Sent

60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

Status: 60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

6. 7417 W. 134^th Court — Letter Sent

60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

Status: 60-day letter sent April 13, 2026. Monitoring.

Additional Properties Identified — 7406 and 7414 W. 136^th Avenue

Mr. Gatto noted that following a complaint received by Ms. Hajduk regarding the area of W. 136^th Avenue, he reviewed four adjacent properties. Of these, three are in poor condition. 7332 W. 136^th Avenue is currently involved in a pending lawsuit between the homeowner and her insurance company; the owner is actively attempting to repair the property and is not at fault for the delay. Mr. Gatto identified 7406 W. 136^th Avenue and 7414 W. 136^th Avenue as properties warranting further review. These addresses are not yet on the formal agenda and no action was taken tonight; Mr. Gatto will include them in future agenda recommendations.

Under Permit / Demolition Orders

1. 14324 Edison Street — Town of Cedar Lake

The demolition permit has been issued following direction at the last meeting. Access to the structure remains difficult due to recent heavy rainfall and saturated conditions in the low-lying area north of 144^th Avenue near the creek. The plan is to clear and maintain a path to the structure using a skid steer with a mulching attachment, allowing access when demolition is ready to proceed.

Status: Permit issued. Access path to be cleared via skid steer/mulcher. Monitoring conditions.

2. 13957 Fairbanks Street

Mr. Gatto reported a productive meeting with the property owner the prior week. The owner has a complete plan, submitted for the permit at the end of the prior week, and understands the full scope of work required. Conditions observed: the floor in the front section has completely collapsed, and an interior dividing wall between two bedrooms has fallen into the crawl space. The foundation is in good condition. Mr. Gatto expressed confidence the owner will perform the work properly. Mr. Thiel asked whether the property could be removed from the Unsafe Building list once the demolition phase is complete; Mr. Gatto indicated that once the permit is picked up — which should occur before the next meeting barring unforeseen circumstances — it can be transferred to Building Department oversight and removed from the Unsafe list.

Status: Permit application submitted. Anticipated transfer to Building Department oversight before May 20 meeting.

Update Items

1. 13713 Parrish Avenue — Diamond Peak Homes LLC

No update. The property remains listed for sale.

Public Comment

Mr. Thiel called for public comment three times and checked for anyone online. No public comment was received.

Adjournment

Mr. Thiel adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m.