Laredo committee reviews vacant-building ordinance amendments, seeks incentives to spur downtown reuse

City of Laredo Economic Development Department staff and members of the Economic Development Advisory Committee spent the meeting reviewing the city—s vacant-building ordinance (adopted in 2021) and discussing changes to link enforcement with incentives aimed at downtown revitalization.

The committee heard that the Viva Laredo comprehensive plan calls for a vacant-building ordinance that requires owners to register empty structures, submit long-term reuse plans, bring buildings up to fire and safety codes, maintain facades and provide insurance coverage. "The Viva Laredo comprehensive plan was adopted. It's a vacant building ordinance should be created, enforced, and monitored, and it will require property owners to register their vacant buildings with the city and have them inspected by officials, create a long term plan for the building use, bring the…