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Plainview staff report rise in permits, stronger compliance after stepped-up code enforcement
Summary
City Community Development Director Philip Mize told the Plainview City Council on June 24 that the department issued more letters and collected more debris this year, saw higher development valuation tied to a Walmart facility, and increased voluntary compliance through education.
Philip Mize, Plainview’s community development director, presented the department’s annual report to the Plainview City Council on June 24, outlining code enforcement activity, building and permitting trends, and minimum-housing actions for fiscal year 2023–24 and year-to-date 2024–25.
Mize said the department has expanded area “sweeps,” sending pictorial flyers in English and Spanish to property owners in targeted grids before enforcement activity. He reported 1,710 letters sent in 2023–24 and 2,479 letters so far for 2024–25. Violation notices issued after sweeps numbered 486 last year and 508 so far this year; citations resulting from violations were 61 in 2023–24 and 31 to date in 2024–25. Mize said the department has emphasized education after issuing letters, and that compliance without citation rose from about 75% last year to about 92% this year.
The department collected 11 tons of trash and debris in 2023–24 and 16 tons so far in 2024–25. Mize said the top recurring violation categories are illegal parking (including parking on grass), trailers left in yards, trash and debris, and tall weeds or grass. He said staff issued 330 citations in 2023–24 and 126 so far this year.
On building and business activity, Mize reported 10 new businesses receiving certificates of occupancy in 2023–24 and 19 so far in 2024–25; applications for certificates of occupancy were 31 last year and 30 this year. Total permits across building, electrical and plumbing were 521 in 2023–24 and 552 so far in 2024–25. Project valuation rose from about $30 million last year to nearly $93 million this year; Mize attributed the increase to work associated with a new Walmart robotic/symphony facility that resulted in a large volume of inspections. Permit fees collected were about $74,840 for 2023–24 and $80,239 for 2024–25 to date.
Mize summarized residential activity: five new residences in 2023–24 and one started so far in 2024–25, with remodels and additions varying year to year. He explained that multi-lot developments can register as single permits, which affects commercial-count comparisons.
On minimum housing, Mize said staff follow the International Property Maintenance Code and provisions in Local Government Code Chapter 214 when pursuing substandard or dangerous structures. He said staff, with assistance from Texas Community Groups on title searches and notifications, opened 20 cases in 2023–24 and 14 so far in 2024–25; of the 13 cases closed in 2023–24, 10 were closed by demolition and three by repair. For cases carried across fiscal years he noted timing can cause apparent discrepancies in the counts. He said owners are given notice and a minimum-housing hearing before orders to repair or demolish are issued; if the city abates a hazard the property owner is invoiced and a lien may be placed if the invoice is unpaid.
Council members asked staff how the letters and sweeps work, whether the letters include citations and photos, where roll-off dumpsters are placed during sweeps, and how the department coordinates with public works on street and right-of-way maintenance. Mize said violation letters include the ordinance citation, a remedy, and photos taken by code officers; the department places one to four roll-offs at strategic locations during sweeps and forwards concerns about city streets to public works for follow-up. He said the department has six authorized positions, including one building official, four code officers and two secretarial positions but is currently down one secretary.
Mize said the department aims to prioritize education and one-on-one contact so residents understand reasons for notices. Council members and the mayor pro tem thanked staff for the improvements in property appearance and for the department’s outreach.
Mize’s presentation concluded with staff noting two open minimum-housing cases that may be resolved by repair or demolition.
Ending: Council took no separate action on the presentation; members thanked Mize for the report and moved to the next agenda item.
