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South Padre Island council directs city attorney to file $70,000 lien on substandard structure at 204 West Gardenia Street
Summary
The South Padre Island City Council voted to instruct the city attorney to file a lien for $70,000 in unpaid civil administrative penalties on a substandard structure at 204 West Gardenia Street, with penalties continuing to accrue at $500 per day until further order.
The South Padre Island City Council voted to instruct the city attorney to file a lien for $70,000 in unpaid civil administrative penalties on a substandard structure at 204 West Gardenia Street, with penalties continuing to accrue at $500 per day until the council orders otherwise.
City staff told the council they had prepared the item for the regular agenda after receiving no documentation showing repairs had started. "We obtained 2 proposals for the demolition as requested by the Council," the staff member said during the presentation, noting a contractor quote and bonding issues.
The council heard from the property owner, identified in the record as Mr. Yerena, who said contractor problems had delayed work and that he now plans to demolish the building. "I'm looking between 60 and 90 days to get it demolished," Mr. Yerena said. He also said he wants to comply: "I just want to comply with the wishes of this board."
Staff reported a demolition bid received during the meeting for $65,500 and said a $100,000 demolition surety bond the council had requested had not been provided. "We got a $100,000 remodel bond, but we didn't get a $100,000 demolition bond," the staff member said. A council member urged that any demolition permit be conditioned on submission of the required bond; the council agreed to that approach.
Chairman moved to instruct the city attorney to file the lien for the unpaid civil administrative penalties "in the amount of $70,000 as of 09/03/2025," adding that "the penalties shall also keep accruing at $500 a day until further ordered by this board." A colleague seconded the motion. After brief additional comments about conditioning the demolition permit on proof of the required bond, the council voted in favor and the motion carried.
The council discussed revisiting the penalties once demolition is complete. A council member said, "Make sure they have the bond when they're applying for the demolition permit. We could revisit the penalties when they're done demolishing." The council adjourned the item with the direction to have the permit process require the demolition bond and to reassess penalties after the property is cleared.
The action instructs the city attorney to record a lien for the amount specified and preserves daily penalties until the council takes further action; the council did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript.
