Council OKs new rules for substandard buildings

By Rosanne Fohn

Anvil Herald Reporter

At Monday night’s meeting, Hondo City Council unanimously adopted revised procedures for the management of substandard buildings.

Council also discussed updating tax abatement guidelines and made three appointments to city boards.

Substandard buildings

City Manager John Naron presented the amendment, “Building Regulations,” to replace the existing Article 4.05 in the city code, “Substandard Buildings or Structures.” 

“Ideally, we’d like to see compliance,” Naron said, but if building owners do not cooperate and let their structures become unsafe or dilapidated, the revision is meant to “streamline the process, and help our city attorney and municipal judge have some support.” The new protocols call for inspections, contacting building owners, collecting evidence and, if building owners do not comply, presenting the issue to the municipal judge.  

For homeowners who cannot fix up their homes, Naron said he hopes that the city can work with them to update their housing through the HOME investment Partnerships Program, a federal-state grant program that provides affordable housing for people with limited means.

“We’re really after warehouses with holes in the roof,” he said.

Tax abatement guidelines

In other business, Naron introduced council to proposed guidelines for negotiating tax abatements. He said the city is in the advanced stages of discussions with several companies that might be interested in coming to Hondo within the next couple of years, making this an ideal time to shore up the abatement guidelines. He added that the guidelines may become a model for Medina County to use.

“The abatements are designed to benefit the city by encouraging and supporting economic investment and job growth, and to apply to both new facilities and the expansion of modernizing present facilities in the city,” the information provided to council stated.

The main proposed changes are increasing the capital investment in the community and requiring that a certain number of jobs be created within a particular time frame to receive an abatement.

No action was taken on the plan, as Naron was seeking council’s initial thoughts on the guidelines before holding a public hearing and bringing the issue up for a vote.   

Appointments

Council also appointed three residents to citizen boards. Lynda Hook and Theresa Rivera were reappointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Michele Mechler was appointed to a two-year term to the Board of Adjustments.