Royston council debates vacant‑building registry and a blight tax to spur downtown repairs

Public comment and an extended council discussion on Aug. 6 focused on downtown blight and a proposed vacant building registry intended to give the city up‑to‑date contact information and enforcement options.

Margie Moore, owner of Joe T. Cunningham Furniture, said she appreciated the meeting and urged the council to adopt a solution for business owners downtown. She and others raised concerns about distinguishing active but empty storefronts from abandoned properties.

Councilman Fletcher Hodges said Royston should craft its own ordinance rather than copying another town’s language. Councilman Jason Phillips and other members discussed when an abandonment clock should start; Phillips said he believed it should begin when the city deems a property not in use and after a letter is sent to the owner.

A participant identified as Mr. Crump argued taxation would be the most effective lever to force remediation: "the tax penalty needs to be enough to hurt someone," he said. Councilman David Pressley said he thought the amount discussed could be excessive. Jared Hightower, a downtown resident, urged use of existing regulations, noting the city adopted the International Property Maintenance Code in 2020–21 and that the code gives officers authority to inspect vacant buildings; Hightower recommended relying on those provisions and modeling enforcement practices used by other cities.

City Manager Lanier Dunn told the council the issues break into two tracks: the vacant building registry (meant to provide contact information and a fee‑based registry) and a separate blight/ad valorem penalty tied to redevelopment incentives or penalties. Dunn said nuisance citations are already possible under existing zoning, but imposing a tax penalty would be more involved because the city would need qualified inspection evidence to present in municipal court and legal review to ensure any registry fees are lawful and tied to the cost of providing the service.

There was no formal vote. City Attorney Doug Ashworth recommended the council reach out to consultant Jerry Weitz, who helped draft recent zoning and subdivision regulations, to prepare ordinance language that aligns with the city’s existing codes. Councilman Hodges asked Dunn to contact Weitz to prepare a draft. No penalty amounts, fee schedules, or ordinance text were adopted at the work session.

Next steps: staff will pursue consultant assistance and return a draft ordinance for council consideration; the meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM.