An abandoned home has stirred a bit of mystery in the Village of LaBelle North.
The home at 3485 Boardroom Trail is owned by 82-year-old Lilla Bredt who purchased the residence in 2015 for $195,500.
A complaint was received Sept. 28 regarding overgrown grass and weeds and the violation was verified the following day by Community Standards.
Staff has tried contacting the homeowner by phone and in person on numerous occasions, but has been unsuccessful.
Director of Resident Services Matt Armstrong said Community Standards has reached out to neighbors but have had no luck.
The utilities at the home are past due and have been shut off.
“The phone is shut off, the utilities are shut off, the house is empty. Sounds like we’ve got another deceased resident,” said CDD 10 Board Chairman Don Wiley.
However, District Counsel Mark Brionez said it was too early to draw any conclusions.
“We don’t know that the owner is deceased,” Brionez said.
What is known is that the property needs to be maintained.
“I’m not willing to allow the house to look like a junkyard while we look for the owner,” said Supervisor Steve Bova.
He added that neighbors shouldn’t be the ones to suffer.
The board agreed to give the homeowner three days to bring the property into compliance. If it is not brought into compliance, a $250 fine will be imposed each time the District maintains the property.