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Business owners tell Stafford council building inspections delay tenants and revenue; staff says code applied evenly
Summary
Owners of older commercial buildings and property managers told the council inspections and plan-review delays have prevented tenants from occupying space. City staff and the fire marshal said reviews follow code and that the city is working to improve outreach and process.
Several commercial property owners and managers urged Stafford City Council on Sept. 17 to ease permitting and plan-review bottlenecks they said are keeping tenants out of leased space and draining owners’ revenue.
Brent Scallon, who said his family operated Sunbelt Machine Works and still owns multiple Stafford properties, told the council he and other landlords have spent substantial money to bring buildings toward compliance but face delays and new requirements such as full fire alarms that tenants must meet before receiving occupancy permits. Scallon said some tenants have paid rent for months without access to leased space.
Other owners, including Joe Scanlon and representatives of multi-tenant properties, told council they fear losing tenants and buyers because of inspection and plan-review outcomes. They asked the council to help connect property owners and city staff to find practical paths to occupancy while meeting safety requirements.
Fire Marshal Lopez and Development Services staff said inspections and plan-review comments are documented and tied to specific code sections. Lopez said the fire marshal’s office provides written reasons for every plan-review failure, including references to plan sheet numbers, and that staff meet with applicants when needed. Director Chris Riggs described a Development Review Committee (DRC) that includes building, fire and planning staff; he said the committee is identifying process gaps and that staff have begun additional outreach and documentation to help applicants.
Councilmembers and staff discussed options including improved customer-facing materials, a single-point liaison for complex cases, and stronger education for owners and contractors about common causes of rejections. Property owners pressed for faster resolutions and for the city to consider phased or incremental remedies in some cases; staff replied that some changes trigger code-required upgrades under the International Building and Fire Codes and cannot be waived.
Council asked staff to continue working with business owners and to return with proposals to streamline notifications and the resubmittal process. Council also voted to keep this item on an upcoming agenda to continue working with the affected property owners and staff.
