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Garland proposes higher reinspection fee and changes to restaurant inspection posting and enforcement window
Summary
Staff proposed raising the reinspection fee to $200, clarified score posting requirements, and extended the failure window from 18 to 24 months with escalating suspensions and revocation on the third failure; the changes were presented for council review and scheduled for the regular meeting.
City staff presented proposed amendments to Garland’s food and food‑establishment ordinance that would raise reinspection fees, clarify inspection‑score posting and lengthen the failure window for escalating enforcement.
Mandy (Environmental Health staff) told council the recommended reinspection fee would increase to $200 to better reflect staff time. She also reminded council that state law does not require posting of inspection scores; Garland’s ordinance requires posting "in a reasonable amount, close to the front entryway" and staff proposed minor language tweaks and a more prominent landscape format for the printed score.
Staff proposed changing the enforcement window from 18 months to 24 months for calculating successive failures. Under the draft language described to council, a first failure would result in a one‑day permit suspension, a second failure would lead to a seven‑day suspension, and a third failure within 24 months would permit revocation of the permit; an appeal process would remain available to the property standards board.
Councilmember Dutton said posting scores in the entryway is useful when online systems are unavailable; staff confirmed a printed score would still be provided and could be displayed at the establishment. The presentation closed with staff noting the matter would appear on the regular meeting agenda for final consideration.
