Parma gas station hit with $5,000 fine for code and safety violations

PARMA, Ohio - Imagine pulling into your neighborhood gas station and dealing with massive holes in the pavement, construction debris, and other potential hazards for months.

It's a situation Parma prosecutors report was a reality at the Marathon gas station located at the intersection of State and Pleasant Valley roads.

Assistant Parma Prosecutor Tim Miller provided 5 On Your Side with dozens of pictures that show a potentially hazardous open construction site at the gas station from October 2010, through July of 2011.

Prosecutors report gas station ownership, Prime Properties LTD, was charged with a several code and safety violations, prompting Parma Judge Tim Gilligan to issue a $5000 fine.

"We tried to work it our with them for over a year before they were cited," said Assistant Prosecutor Tim Miller. "They were in no hurry reacting to what was an open excavation site."

Miller reports Prime Properties LTD has been cooperative in recent months, it installed new fuel storage tanks and took care of all code violations.  The company now has until January 27 to pay the $5,000 fine and hundreds in court costs.

Prime Properties LTD issued a statement, telling NewsChannel5 "project delays were created by financial issues caused by the $300,000 fuel tank replacement, and waiting for important grant money."

Judge Gilligan told NewsChannel5 the $5,000 fine is an example of how Parma is stepping up code enforcement for both commercial and residential properties.

"If people believe this is an acceptable way to run a business, to just have garbage, potholes, and safety hazards everywhere, it's going to devalue everything," said Judge Gilligan.

NewsChannel5 is committed to helping with the growing problems caused by vacant homes and code violations with the launch of its Building Better Neighborhoods year long initiative.

5 On Your Side invites residents to report vacant/condemned homes in their neighborhood, by sending pictures and information on distressed properties to our Troubleshooter Facebook or Twitter account @joeonyourside .

Report a home by sending us the address and digital pictures of vacant houses to our newsnet5.com Building Better Neighborhoods page, you can send an email to BBN@wews.com, or use your smartphone and our free NewsChannel5 newsnet5.com app.

If you're dealing with a vacant home in your neighborhood, use the Cleveland Housing Court Vacant Home Toolkit , it will guide you through the process of moving a vacant home to progress step-by-step.

NewsChannel5 will bring you a series of reports and updates on the progress made through the Building Better Neighborhoods initiative throughout 2012.