Pampa commissioners renew tax-abatement guidelines, approve plat-fee increase on first reading and award delinquent-tax lot

At a Pampa City Commission meeting, commissioners voted to reauthorize tax-abatement guidelines required under Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code, approved an ordinance on first reading to raise plat filing fees, and awarded a delinquent-tax parcel to a bidder, the commission announced during the meeting.

The reauthorization of the tax-abatement guidelines was adopted as Resolution R25-011. Shane, a city staff member, told commissioners the guidelines are required before establishing reinvestment zones and must be renewed every two years. "When we established our 2 reinvestment zones here in Pampa, we had to start with the guidelines and criteria. It's a requirement before you can establish that zone...by law, you have to renew them every 2 years," Shane said. Shane said the guidelines set a relatively low eligibility bar when the zones were created — including a threshold described by staff as $100,000 in improvements and a net $500,000 over the life of an abatement — and that only one company has used the program to date.

The commission also approved Ordinance No. 18-19 on first reading to increase plat filing fees. Carrie, a planning staff member, summarized current and proposed charges for plat processing and inspection work and told the commission that the city’s present fees do not cover staff time or publication and county-filing costs. She outlined current charges — a $150 preliminary plat fee and a $500 final plat fee, plus about $200 for publication and about $165 to file the plat at the county — and said the construction board of appeals recommended raising the fee for the complete package to better reflect those costs. (The amount stated in the meeting transcript for the recommended complete-package fee appeared as "$9.75"; staff characterized the recommendation as a substantial increase to cover actual costs. The exact final fee amount will be set on subsequent readings and is not specified in the meeting record.)

On a separate item, the commission awarded the bid for a delinquent-tax property — described in the agenda as the West 40 feet of Lot 1, Block 2 of the South Side Addition, commonly known as 413 East Craven — to Linda Pichardo Carver for $510. Gary, a staff member, said he was "happy to get this back out on an active tax roll and not anything that we have to maintain any longer." The motion to award the bid passed by voice vote.

The meeting record also shows the commission accepted the minutes of the March 24, 2025, regular meeting and excused Mayor D'Fever’s absence from that meeting. Commissioners closed a public hearing on reestablishment of the city’s tax-abatement guidelines before taking the resolution vote.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution R25-011 (reauthorize tax-abatement guidelines pursuant to Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code): adopted (voice vote). Resolution number: R25-011. - Ordinance No. 18-19 (amend City Code Article 10.02, Section 21; increase plat filing fees): approved on first reading (voice vote). Ordinance number: 18-19. Final fee amounts to be set on subsequent reading(s); transcript indicates staff recommended raising the complete-package fee but does not specify the final figure. - Award delinquent-tax property (413 East Craven) to Linda Pichardo Carver: approved (voice vote). Bid amount: $510. Property described as West 40 Feet of Lot 1, Block 2, South Side Addition. - Minutes of the March 24, 2025 regular commission meeting: approved (voice vote). - Excuse absence of Mayor D'Fever from March 24, 2025 meeting: approved (voice vote).

Why it matters

The tax-abatement guidelines set the criteria developers must meet to obtain city-backed property tax incentives in the city’s reinvestment zones; reauthorizing the guidelines preserves the city’s ability to offer abatements while staff and commissioners decide whether to adjust incentive levels. Changes to plat fees affect builders, developers and homeowners by altering local development costs and are tied to the commission’s stated expectation of increased growth. Selling delinquent-tax parcels returns property to the active tax roll and relieves the city of maintenance obligations for vacant or distressed lots.

What commissioners said

Shane, a city staff member, said the guidelines and criteria were set with a low initial threshold to encourage development when the reinvestment zones were created and recommended leaving the criteria in place for another two years. Carrie, a planning staff member, told commissioners that current plat fees did not recover the city’s publication, county-filing or inspection costs and relayed the construction board of appeals’ recommendation to raise the fee to cover actual costs. Gary, a staff member, said the sale of 413 East Craven returns the parcel to the tax roll.

Next steps

The ordinance on plat fees will return for subsequent readings where the commission will set a final fee schedule. Any developer seeking a tax abatement must meet the reauthorized guidelines; commissioners noted the guidelines can be amended outside the two-year renewal window only by a supermajority vote.