Stafford council discusses possible permit/fee for vacant retail buildings, takes no action

Stafford City Council held a discussion on whether the city should require annual vacant‑building permits and assess fees on owners of vacant retail buildings and warehouses to cover inspection and compliance costs.

City staff described how some other cities require property owners to register and pay a permit fee (examples cited in discussion included fees in the hundreds of dollars per year) so the city can require that properties remain safe, maintained and ready for occupancy. Staff said an ordinance would need to define whether fees apply per building or per suite, what the required standards for maintenance would be, how long owners have to comply, and whether the fee should be set to recover staff costs rather than act as a punitive charge.

Council members raised practical questions: how many vacant retail properties exist in Stafford; whether water/electric utilities or code‑compliance records could be used to identify vacancies; whether fee revenues would cover the cost of enforcement; and how the city should balance incentives for property owners to find tenants versus regulatory burdens. Several council members said this would not be a quick revenue fix but could fund a code‑compliance position to help make properties tenant‑ready.

Public commenters and a council member recommended staff compile an inventory of vacant commercial properties and survey comparable Texas cities for fee levels and enforcement practices. Council took no formal action but directed the mayor and staff to research legal authority, typical fee structures, and implementation details and return with recommendations.