The Abilene Board of Building Standards on Oct. 1 voted to give the owners of 5120 Cuesta Drive 30 days to provide a plan of action that includes a repair timeline, cost estimates and required permits; the board directed staff to place the property back on the November agenda for further consideration.

Ricky Wright, property maintenance inspector, described the property as having “holes straight through the roof” and extensive interior dilapidation. Wright said an initial warrant request to access the interior was denied by a judge in August 2025, but that owners later consented to a search and staff documented advanced deterioration. Wright also said he sprayed the exterior to remove a large number of active wasp nests for inspector safety.

Staff recommended a 30-day period for the owners to provide a specific plan of repairs and to obtain permits; Wright said the owner is attempting to sell the property and that one prospective buyer was present and had been in communication with staff. Board member Turner moved to accept the staff recommendation; McBrayer seconded. Roll call recorded Yes votes from Wyatt, Allred, McBrayer, McNeil, Turner and Beard; the motion passed.

The board did not authorize demolition at this meeting; instead it set an administrative deadline to return the item with documentation of a repair plan or permit activity at the November meeting. If the sale does not complete or the owners do not meet the deadline, the item will be brought back for enforcement consideration.