Snyder City Council members talked about ways to attract new development by changing the city’s existing zoning ordinances and easing the burden on property owners with city demolition and weed liens during Monday’s meeting.
“One of the main purposes of bringing this up — and Boerne is just an example — they had gone through a restructuring of ordinances so that they would be more people friendly, business friendly,” Snyder Mayor Tony Wofford said. “How do they compare to ours? Are any of ours behind the time? Do they need to be updated?”
Wofford said doing business in Snyder is more difficult than in other cities.
“I’ve said this before, in Snyder it’s harder to do things than in other places,” he said. “We need to get builders, citizens together to make our ordinances better. What can we do to make it more palatable?”
Zoning Administrator Vick Chambers asked how Boerne’s 150-page ordinance was more streamlined than Snyder’s 33-page version.
“What I’m trying to get across, I can’t see how this streamlines anything,” he said. “They are 40 miles from the Alamo, the Riverwalk. Snyder is 40 miles from mesquite trees and fence posts. Bring me any specifics of what someone says prevents them from building.”
Development Corporation of Snyder Executive Director Bill Lavers said he knew of two local builders who cancelled projects because of the ordinances.
“I’ve been told all these things about this document has been a stumbling block, but I have never been brought any evidence,” Chambers said.
Lavers said a former mayor, who he did not name, had planned a housing development along Kerrville Ave., but the city’s setback regulations were too strict.
“Until we change the rules, they’re not going to build,” Lavers said. “We need greater density.”
Wofford will appoint a committee during the next council meeting to study the existing ordinances and propose changes.
Those recommendations will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review before it makes a recommendation to the council.
Council member Vernon Clay said he would like the city to find a way to lessen the burden of outstanding liens. He suggested the city could waive the fee for rolloff containers.
According to Public Works Director Eli Torres, the cost of rolloffs for a typical house would be about $900, while the landfill fees would be $3,000.
The city’s attorney, Bryan Guymon, said the state constitution requires the city to place and maintain a lien when it provides a service such as demolition or grass cutting.
“There is a constitutional prohibition against the city giving away city services,” he said. “There are very few circumstances if there’s a public purpose — the developer says he will extend a water line that the city would normally pay for, a sidewalk.”
Guymon said the council could, on a case-by-case basis, consider each situation and if the city was to receive some public good in return, negotiate a Chapter 380 agreement to release the lien in exchange for the developer’s investment.
The council did not vote on the zoning ordinances or liens.
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