[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6477181,"mediaKeyId","5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa","parentId",5713084,"title","Builders' concerns over permit renewal fees for cliff and floodplain homes set for future commission review","audioSeconds",144,"startMs",229000,"endMs",373000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa&start=229&end=373","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa/thumbnail_229000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6477181/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Builders-concerns-over-permit-renewal-fees-for-cliff-and-floodplain-homes-set-for-future-commission-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477181-3579e07b2d326d873fd121c18b155d0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770592260&Signature=TE1peig5s5YnJFW-C9apkjcsFKvvEV49Ucjo6ZdONfYthdwxB2IHDBWRKppOWdUQYstQ2xWRaFZ8fsIdMbRfYneIdLHV5K1FnbF59f6xtT1Tc5xUrbNu-FS0dv8-Pq7AOHUl-W-Uy4ImaeLwzHFHwsinopzc3lPg~bT~DE1eHN30RlFLfouG6RH44GuyUgIVv1mNERSqKXVUE8-LClprFC9r1iqfIN3xRiq~uVAr3CGu9nHKt4VV9Gs3SOSZknh3VCi5HMa9rE2KOKJgD6VrqozCad11Qay4Uqievf56FHOXIqDeAt3MDEUwi0O4e5eaOV-lT3h0bFglke9sncOJkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lago Vista","date","2025-09-03T00:00:00Z","article","A Lago Vista council member asked the Building and Standards Commission on Sept. 3 to examine whether the city should modify permit timelines or fee renewal rules for specialty residential projects, such as homes built on cliffs or in floodplains.

Council member Adam Benefield said several builders had raised concerns about the length of time required to complete some specialty structures and about high permit-renewal fees that kick in at the 12-month anniversary. \"If you have to do that two or three times, you can be pretty heavy in the permit fee,\" Benefield said during the meeting, describing builders' concerns that repeated renewals at $7,000 to $14,000 each impose significant costs.

Staff response and next steps: City staff told the commission that one or two related items will be placed on the commission's October agenda for further discussion and possible action. Commissioners said they will not delve into detailed drafting during the Sept. 3 meeting but agreed to consider a future agenda item to analyze options and fee structures.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to place the topic on a future agenda so the commission can review details and, if desired, draft recommendations for council consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lago Vista - Building And Standards Commission","oneSentenceSummary","A council member asked the Lago Vista Building and Standards Commission Sept. 3 to examine whether permit timelines and renewal-fee rules for specialty homes (for example on cliffs or in floodplains) should be modified.","taxTitle","Lago Vista, Travis County, Texas","taxId",69620,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477190,"Building and Standards Commission votes to require council ordinance referrals before City Council consideration",323,328000,4091,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa&start=328&end=4","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa/thumbnail_328000.jpg","/articles/6477190/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Building-and-Standards-Commission-votes-to-require-council-ordinance-referrals-before-City-Council-consideration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477190-dd408b75d645e0b3aca9a75311ac68ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1770592260&Signature=RUELkb6EheZ-KlnVebIkq7yog8oryZuSHRgRcl1QtH2c2doWRDUTdKwmImYeyOcfOzKRC6a7d3MK2IdTdnrdxR8FmfI8nXYc6cfPOsuxd2Q2hOs-jVlsSbhYPZv2Ksn3kYb2QQFcu5iwD08fxZBzLNW9NPq8PPSvMSoDt9l3UzohxIfKdP6jekfC3F9q6GzEigwN22nyBsN62hThTWUxWzY7-lxy~8eAptmWnq~4yTslH1S7SHac6qEifI2VL4xUtu39k4S-5DQHUXOb7oFP7gp4t7M2gAC6MBZCIMZPUODOlpdMGepdOOGYOjtMWDT~rjm~-Vha8LekxX~dGq4BZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lago Vista Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously Sept. 3 to add language to the city code requiring City Council to refer proposed ordinance amendments that fall within the commission’s purview to the commission for recommendation before the council considers them.

Commissioners said the change is intended to ensure subject-matter expertise is applied to proposed legislative changes and to avoid Council-approved language reaching the council without prior technical review. The amendment will be inserted into the commission’s existing code sections; the commission directed staff and the city attorney to prepare a redlined ordinance for review at the commission’s next meeting.

Why it matters: Commission members argued that technical matters affecting building safety, signs, property maintenance and access management are best reviewed by the Building and Standards Commission before the council acts. Commissioners compared the proposal to an existing practice in which the Planning and Zoning Commission reviews certain zoning and subdivision changes before council consideration.

Discussion and scope: Commissioners and staff discussed whether the change would require multiple ordinance amendments across the code (chapters named in the meeting included chapters 3, 5, 6 and 11) or a single targeted amendment to the Building and Standards sections of the code. Several participants recommended adding a single sentence to the Building and Standards provisions in chapter 9 (specifically sections 9.801 and 9.805) to create the referral requirement and avoid amending multiple chapters. Staff advised the commission that drafting an ordinance amendment would take only a short amount of staff time and that the city attorney would review for legal conformity before it returned to the commission.

Process and next steps: The commission voted to (1) make the current duties language in section 9.805 a subpart a and (2) insert the proposed first-sentence referral language as subpart b of 9.805. Commissioners also passed a separate, unanimous procedural motion directing city staff and the city attorney to draft and return a redlined ordinance to the commission at its next meeting for review and final approval before referral to City Council. Commissioners estimated the full referral-to-council process could take several months once the ordinance drafting and review are complete.

A staff member summarized the practical effect of the commission’s decision: staff will prepare the ordinance language, the city attorney will review and edit it as needed, the commission will review the redline at its next meeting and, if approved by the commission, the referral will be sent to City Council for action.

Ending: The motion to amend 9.805 and to have staff produce a redline passed unanimously. The commission scheduled review of the attorney’s redline at its next regular meeting.","The Lago Vista Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously Sept. 3 to require City Council to refer proposed ordinance amendments that fall under the commission’s jurisdiction to the commission for recommendation before council consideration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477186,"Lago Vista staff activates discussion boards and city email logins for commissions after state law change",132,75000,207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa&start=75&end=207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713084-3162744ec38558eea540ab831b7ac5fa/thumbnail_75000.jpg","/articles/6477186/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Lago-Vista-staff-activates-discussion-boards-and-city-email-logins-for-commissions-after-state-law-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477186-04933230ee14d8714b1289ec08e61103/orig.mp4?Expires=1770573682&Signature=nSyhdaMqTMC0pvEcQawICwJFSDsRbSQzOES1xd9pT~5s8suxqHP1AXv5UypFWBZ9p21LTuB-QtmqDCP9BxDJTGRBdwFBKA93Aaj22-Rnr7Zr7PYpBKXLnjOB32F6h59mZ4gS2Cxa67kmix8DxKv2gPrTN762ChKa8~TAGxR7mlGaid9PgWtcJhnWpgvqYO1wQLtdyoIHk3N4wUCsVHgDUp4x5JTXIoVQwFoZMze48urz1UKs-kVcpYbEmMwVMNB3Y4RhN~dQ5UTfGRLOMsN3~Za6-xF9UL3hyEmP53SEcbM1jV-9mO134qJtHgqJTn1OwovXymAlAryp7M4oc8QKKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Lago Vista Building and Standards Commission at its Sept. 3 meeting that the city has created discussion-board pages and issued city email logins for commission members following a state law change that allows online discussion boards for committees and commissions.

Staff said the city-provided email accounts keep commissioners’ personal email from being subject to open-records requests and that all posts and emails will be archived as city records. The discussion boards are publicly viewable, but commissioners must log in to post and cannot delete or edit their posts once published. Staff emphasized that the online boards may be used for discussion but cannot be used to cast votes.

Why it matters: The change creates an asynchronous channel for commissioners to exchange technical information and discuss agenda items in advance of meetings, which commissioners said could shorten meeting length by resolving procedural or informational questions ahead of time.

Details from the meeting: Staff showed commissioners how to log in and said the discussion boards are linked from the city website’s council/discussions area. A staff member told commissioners the software will archive posts automatically so there is always a record of city business conducted by email or on the discussion board.

Ending: Commissioners indicated they will try the discussion boards between now and the next meeting and exchange ideas there about the ordinance-referral draft and other items.","Staff told the Building and Standards Commission on Sept. 3 that commissioners have been given city email accounts and access to a discussion-board feature on the city website after a state law change allowing such boards. Posts will be archived and visible to the public; commissioners must log in to post and cannot delete or edit posts.","actionData","errors"]

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Builders' concerns over permit renewal fees for cliff and floodplain homes set for future commission review

Building and Standards Commission votes to require council ordinance referrals before City Council consideration

Lago Vista staff activates discussion boards and city email logins for commissions after state law change