Transcript: Code Board of Appeals Meeting
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Machine transcript. Speaker names are machine-identified and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Showing 74 of 74 statements
Roy Sudler, Jr.
I now call to order the City of Dover, Delaware's Code Board of Appeals dated October 8th, 2024 at approximately 3:31 p.m.
Play from 00:01Roy Sudler, Jr.
The chair will now accept the motion to adopt the agenda as presented.
Play from 00:10Roy Sudler, Jr.
It's been properly moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Is there a second?
Play from 00:13Roy Sudler, Jr.
It's been properly seconded. All those in favor, please state by saying aye.
Play from 00:16Roy Sudler, Jr.
The motion is adopted. Item 1: appeal of case number 26-00003873 and related fines at 624 Walker Road.
Play from 00:21Roy Sudler, Jr.
Code Enforcement, you now have the floor. Please uh state your name for the record.
Play from 00:30Eddie Kopp
Um Eddie Kopp, Chief Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Dover. Um the time is now 3:32 p.m. There is no appearance of the appellant um at the meeting. Is there an appearance online, Madam Clerk?
Play from 00:35Eddie Kopp
So it's going to be uh Code Enforcement's position to recommend the denial of the appeal due to a no-show of the appellant.
Play from 01:09Roy Sudler, Jr.
The the chair recognized Council President Neil. Council President Neil requests that we give the appellant 5 minutes.
Play from 01:18Melinda Mayne
Sorry about that. Can we have a review on exactly what the um the meeting is about? Cuz I looked up the information, but didn't get the agenda in order to know what the fines were.
Play from 01:30Roy Sudler, Jr.
Okay, that's that's just fine. So as we wait, if everyone's in agreement, we'll just review the case. Um please state your name for the record, and what you would like to share with us in regards to the case details. Thank you, sir.
Play from 02:04Doug Wood
This is uh Doug Wood, City of Dover Code Enforcement. Um the address for this is uh 624 Walker Road, case number 26-00003873. Um the if this case was originated by myself. Um it was initiated um on 9/8, September 8th, 2024 uh from the public right-of-way. Uh I observed a tree on the corner of the driveway in the alley um appeared to be diseased, dying, due to um due to the tree's condition. Uh notice was sent to the owner on 9/9, September 9th, 2024, providing 60 days to remove the tree from the property and properly dispose of.
Play from 02:12Doug Wood
No communication has been received from the owner uh to Code Enforcement outside of the appeal letter that was sent to the uh Clerk's office.
Play from 03:10Doug Wood
Uh Doug Wood, City of Dover Code Enforcement. Um this case is 624 Walker Road, case number 26-00003873. Uh this case was originated by myself. Um it was conducted on September 8th, 2024 from the public public right-of-way. Uh I observed a tree uh on the corner of the driveway in the alley that appeared to be diseased, dying. Uh after observing the tree, um notice was sent to the owner on 9/9, September 9th, 2024, providing 60 days to remove the tree and properly dispose of. Uh I have not received any communication um from the owner to Code Enforcement outside of the appeal that was sent um on 9/17/2024 uh to the Clerk's office. Uh the owner does believe that the tree is healthy and that the condition observed is just normal process of the tree cycle. Um all enforcement has stopped since the appeal was received and, as of this date, the tree still remains uh in the same condition uh, and I took pictures today, so showing those conditions.
Play from 04:05Melinda Mayne
Oh okay, cuz um it it does go through a cycle, but that to me is a dead tree, um just a as a just looking at it, if it's still the same way since the last time you looked, um I would consider it a dead tree. Um is there any type of green life on it whatsoever that you could see?
Play from 05:28Doug Wood
Uh Doug Wood, City of Dover Code Enforcement. No. Um I don't believe there is any green on it at all. Um and, you know, most conifers do shed needles from the inside out, but that's after they produce, you know, new green, new growth in June and July. Um and there is a few varieties of deciduous conifers, um but that that is not one of them.
Play from 06:06Doug Wood
Yeah, that that would be a uh cypresses, a bald cypress, and also uh some varieties of larch trees can grow here, but that that is not one of them.
Play from 06:22Eddie Kopp
Eddie Kopp, Chief Code Enforcement Officer. Um Mr. Wood does have previous experience. Could you um relate to the board your experience with um vegetation and and trees, just so they're aware that it's not just coming out of code, sure, um code official's opinion. Okay. Yes.
Play from 06:33Doug Wood
I am a DNLA uh Master Landscaper, and I had my own business for 22 years in the landscape business, so that's that would be my background.
Play from 07:13Roy Sudler, Jr.
For for for the record, can you uh define the abbreviation of the N, what did you say, N?
Play from 07:20City Clerk
As of right now, we have not heard from the appellant, so I'm going to reach out and see if this is.
Play from 08:16Roy Sudler, Jr.
If this is caller user number one, or if the appellant is online, please specify by either communicating in the chat box and/or raising your hand.
Play from 08:32Roy Sudler, Jr.
Discussion? The chair recognizes Miss Mayne. Miss Mayne, you've been recognized.
Play from 09:21Melinda Mayne
Um the what and is there like a sentimental value to this tree that she doesn't want to remove it, or is it an old tree? Is it, I mean, is there some some attachment to it that she's refusing to remove?
Play from 09:25Eddie Kopp
Eddie Kopp, um Chief Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Dover. The code does not um allow us to speculate on that. The code is clear um a dead, diseased, or dying tree. Um the fact that we believe it's a dead, diseased, or dying tree should be the only thing um considered for this matter before the appeal board today.
Play from 09:39Melinda Mayne
And I'm I'm going to agree with if if it if it's dead, it's dead. It needs to be, you know, cut down, and if she chooses to plant another one there that's going to live, I mean, I I am, you know, I am going for, yeah, that tree does need to be removed before it ends up damaging property, or if the ground softens to where it does fall and damage something of the owner of the property, or someone else's property. Um I just kind of am wondering why she's fighting on getting not chopping the tree down, or having somebody, you know, hiring somebody to take the tree down.
Play from 10:18Roy Sudler, Jr.
Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Is there any further discussion on the matter?
Play from 10:41Roy Sudler, Jr.
Hearing and seeing none, all those in favor, please state by saying aye.
Play from 10:44Roy Sudler, Jr.
The motion has been adopted. The chair will not recognize The chair will now entertain a motion to, actually there's no more business. Is there any other business of the committee?
Play from 11:13