Diamondville council approves first readings of building-permit and fee ordinances

At its Jan. 5, 2026 regular meeting, the Diamondville Town Council approved on first reading two ordinances that change local permit and fee procedures.

Council Member Robert Sawaya moved to approve Ordinance 493, described in the motion as an amendment to Chapter 8, Section 8.15 (Building Permits) to establish building-permit term limits and to require compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws. Council Member Sherrol Sloan seconded the motion; according to the minutes "all voted aye" and the motion carried.

In the same motion sequence, Council Member Robert Sawaya moved to approve Ordinance 494, described as an amendment to Chapter 11.30 (Fees) to remove the fees section from the code and provide that fees be established by a separate resolution of the governing body. Council Member Nicole Petersen seconded; the minutes record that "all voted aye" and the motion carried.

Why it matters: Ordinance 493 would add explicit permit-term limits and an explicit requirement that permits comply with applicable laws, which affects how building permits are issued and tracked. Ordinance 494 changes the mechanism by which fees are set, moving fee amounts out of the code and into a separate resolution process that the council would control.

The transcript records the approvals as first readings; it does not list individual vote tallies by member or specify dates for any subsequent readings or final adoption. The ordinances will follow the town's local process for further readings or adoption as required; the minutes do not specify the next procedural steps or dates.

The meeting also recorded that further discussion on allowable businesses within commercial zoning was to be added to a future agenda, but no substantive debate on that subject occurred during this session.