The Building Standards Commission and Fire Board meets on an as-needed basis regarding appeals from the decisions of the Building Official or Fire Marshal.
Key Responsibilities and Functions
- Code Enforcement & Compliance: They hear cases regarding violations of city ordinances, including building, fire, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes.
- Condemnation and Nuisance Abatement: The board determines if a structure is a public nuisance, unsafe, or detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of the public, and may order it vacated or demolished.
- Appeals Body: They function as an appeal board for decisions made by the city’s building official or fire chief.
- Hearings: They hold public hearings to review evidence on properties with serious violations, such as dangerous, unhygienic, or dilapidated conditions.
- Penalties: The commission has the authority to assess civil penalties against property owners for code violations.
Authority and Structure
- Legal Basis: They operate under the authority granted by the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 54.
- Appointment: Members are appointed by the City Council to make final, binding judgments on property violations.
- Appeals: Final decisions by the commission can typically be appealed to a state district court within 30 days.
This is a seven Member Commission appointed by the City Council, without alternates. The term is for three years. Members do not need to be residents of the city, but each appointed member should represent one of each profession:
- Master Electrician
- Licensed plumber
- Licensed air conditioning and heating contractor
- General contractor
- Local citizen interested in the building trade
Please complete an application to serve on this Commission.