Winnsboro council approves ordinance changes removing price caps from property-registration rules

The Winnsboro City Council approved Ordinance 1084-2025, amending sections 3.12.0002, 3.12.0005 and 3.12.0006 of the city code to remove specified percentage and dollar limits and to clarify exemptions and listing definitions, the council said.

The changes alter language that had attempted to cap owner pricing and registration fees by percentage of appraised value. City staff said the edits followed attorney guidance that the code should not prescribe set price percentages or dollar caps for what an owner may charge or sell a property for.

Cassie, a staff member, told the council that the revisions removed language such as “price within the 30% of the appraised value” and struck a 5% provision and a separate 1% limit. “Anything that lists a percentage or a dollar amount where we are trying to put a price rack on what an owner can charge or sell their, property for — we were under, advisory from our attorney to take that out,” Cassie said. The ordinance keeps an exemption pathway allowing owners to apply for an exemption if a property “has not been listed for sale for more than 24 months,” as defined in the subchapter.

Later in the meeting a council member moved to amend the main motion to include language listing “active listing” in section 3.12.006; the amendment was seconded and approved. The council then approved the amended ordinance by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded.

What the ordinance does not change: the transcript does not specify new fee amounts or new percentage thresholds beyond removing the earlier caps. The city did not provide a dollar total for fee revenues or an effective date for the amended provisions during the meeting.

Next steps: staff indicated the ordinance amendments will be implemented as posted; the council did not add a timeline or directed additional staff reporting in the recorded discussion.