1. CITY OF ALAMO HEIGHTS
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Phil Laney, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Staff report on potential amendments to Chapter 5 โ Buildings and Building
Regulations for residential structures
DATE: January 9, 2023
SUMMARY
Staff report on potential amendments to Chapter 5 โ Buildings and Building Regulations relating
to contractor registration requirements, enforcement tools related to residential construction
projects and substandard and dangerous structures declaration.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The issuance of residential construction permits assumes the permitted project will be completed
in a timely, effective, and compliant manner. Construction activity in residential areas poses
adverse impacts to surrounding properties, whether through noise, dust, congestion of additional
vehicles, equipment or materials, or other disruptions to the normal operations of a neighborhood.
In the event a project exceeds the reasonable timeframe allowed for work to be completed, the
existing enforcement mechanisms the City has may be limiting in preventing future occurrences
of uncompleted or abandoned residential construction projects.
Staff will present a number of proposals aimed at ensuring residential construction projects are
completed in a timely and effective manner, and in the event projects languish, provide the City
with appropriate enforcement measures to abate the nuisances. Potential proposals amend Chapter
5 โ Building and Building Regulations by modifying the contractor registration requirements and
enforcement tools the Building Official may employ. In addition, staff will provide information
about a potential addition to Chapter 5 that would allow violating structures to be declared a
substandard and dangerous structure.
_____________________
Phil Laney
Assistant City Manager
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Buddy Kuhn
City Manager
