Administrative Review Board of Appeals Meeting – September 25, 2026

On Friday, September 25, 2026, the Administrative Review Board of Appeals convened at 9:11 AM in City Hall, Room 301‑B, with Vice‑Chair Kendrick Yandell presiding (Chair Vincent Bobot absent). Board members present were Ald. DiAndre Jackson, Alex Bruzan, Elizabeth Hammer, and Kendrick Yandell. The board heard 20 agenda items, including requests for fee waivers, code‑violation appeals, and a nuisance property designation. Actions ranged from denials (for non‑appearance or on the merits) to settlements and fee reductions.

Consent Calendar

• Item 2 (Daniel Kontowicz, tall grass/weeds) – Settled: city offered to waive $75 posting fee and $100 admin fee; appellant accepted, owing $237.38 (contractor fee + tax).
• Items 3–5 (Rick Kouchich, Tammi Kaloti, Robert Wutke – reinspection fees) – All settled.
• Item 8 (Michael Chelminsui – vacant building fees) – Settled.
• Item 9 (HUAD Real Estate Trust – vacant building fees) – Settled.
• Item 13 (Nikka Singh – garbage/litter) – Settled.
• Item 14 (Glady Ruiz – solid waste) – Settled.
• Item 15 (Kenneth Brown – reinspection fees, 3536 N 93rd) – Settled.
• Item 18 (Vera Curry – graffiti nuisance) – Settled.
• Item 19 (Atty. Michael Pflughoeft – nuisance property designation) – City withdrew the designation due to a procedural error; appeal became moot.
• Item 20 (Atty. Michael Pflughoeft – nuisance call special charges) – Appeal denied on a 2‑1‑1 vote (Bruzan and Hammer aye to deny; Yandell nay; Jackson abstained).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Daniel Kontowicz (Item 2) – Stated he never received a notice, was battling gout, and his front yard is under 800 sq ft. Accepted the city’s fee reduction offer.
• Rick Kouchich (Item 3) – Described financial hardship due to disability and cancer; claimed an inspector was rude and that neighbors with worse conditions were not cited. The city had already waived the $1,624 in fees before the board, so no further action was possible.
• Catherine Beck (Item 6) – Appealed denial of a chicken‑keeping permit. Argued that all adjacent neighbors support her chickens; the only opponent is an absentee landlord. She disputed city photos showing rodent activity and said she remedied the coop after the first denial. Board denied the appeal 4‑0.
• Shirley Walker (Item 7) – Asserted her building is occupied; her daughter coordinated a reinspection with the city inspector but the city had no record. Board granted the appeal 4‑0 after she testified the inspector had agreed to visit.
• Aaron (for Sydney Engstrom, Item 10) – Said a sofa and debris were left at the tenant’s request; owners hired contractors but the city’s reinspection still found junk. Board denied appeal 4‑0.
• L’Oreal Allen (for Hannah Basch/Park Hill Assets, Item 11) – Explained confusion over property lines: she thought the overhanging branches belonged to a neighboring church or Park Hill Family, not her own parcel. She cut other vegetation in good faith. Board granted in part (waived $100 admin fee) and denied in part (upheld $390 contractor fee), 4‑0.
• Ebony/LaTroy Blumfield (Item 12) – City waived $1,524 in reinspection fees and agreed to work with the owners on repairs; matter settled.
• Atty. Michael Pflughoeft (Item 20) – Argued that the city’s notice for the February 13 warrant charge was insufficient (only stated “warrant” without a concise description of nuisance activity) and that the warrant was not a separate, distinct incident from the February 8 robbery. Officer Sheets Walker testified the warrant was a follow‑up investigation of the robbery at the same location.

Discussion Items

• Catherine Beck chicken permit (Item 6) – Extensive debate. The city (Lori Gallup) stated two prior denials due to enclosure distance and later rodent/uneaten‑food issues. Beck said the problems were fixed. The board noted the city’s process (neighbor approval, hearings) was followed. Motion to deny passed 4‑0, with advice that she reapply.
• Shirley Walker vacant building (Item 7) – City’s inspector found property “appears vacant, secured” on Aug 25, 2026. Walker claimed the tenant was home and an inspector visited on Sep 24. The board granted the appeal, ordering the fee waived, contingent on future verification.
• Hannah Basch overhanging branches (Item 11) – Debate on whether the property manager made a good‑faith effort. The city forester deemed the violation egregious and was reluctant to reduce fees. Board compromised by waiving the admin fee but upholding the contractor fee.
• Atty. Michael Pflughoeft warrant charge (Item 20) – Legal arguments on notice sufficiency and whether a search warrant constitutes a separate “nuisance activity.” Board voted 2‑1 (Jackson abstaining) to deny the appeal, finding the warrant was a follow‑up to the same incident and the notice, while sparse, still provided enough information for the property owner to investigate.

Key Outcomes

• Denied for non‑appearance: Item 1 (Leon Davis) – 4‑0.
• Denied on merits: Items 6 (Catherine Beck – chicken permit), 10 (Sydney Engstrom – garbage/litter), and 20 (Atty. Pflughoeft – warrant charge) – all 4‑0 except Item 20 which was 2‑1‑1.
• Granted: Items 7 (Shirley Walker – vacant building fees) – 4‑0.
• Granted in part / Denied in part: Item 11 (Hannah Basch – admin fee waived, contractor fee upheld) – 4‑0.
• Settled (city waived or reduced fees): Items 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18.
• Withdrawn by city: Item 19 (nuisance property designation – procedural defect).
• Held in committee (postponed): Items 16 and 17 (Kenneth Brown – both for 7809 W Hadley) – 4‑0, to be rescheduled.

The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were addressed. The next meeting date was left to be coordinated with the chair.