City of Navasota requests Abbott’s veto
Monday night the Navasota City Council unanimously approved Resolution 654-19 requesting Governor Gregg Abbott to veto House Bill 2439 when it comes to his desk for a signature.
The bill approved during the 86th Legislature will prohibit city governments from regulating or limiting building products and materials for both new construction and alterations for both residential and commercial buildings that differ from those approved for use by the National Building Code. If signed into law, it will also invalidate all city ordinances related to use of building products.
City Manager Brad Stafford said, “Our Central Business District is a fire district created many years ago because our city burned on a couple of occasions. So, our forefathers decided that we should try to prevent that the best we could, and they decided that all downtown businesses should be constructed with masonry walls.”
Stafford continued, “We’re among many cities who are in this boat and this bill is waiting on the Governor’s desk for his signature or his veto, if neither one comes it will still go into effect. Many cities have submitted resolutions. Several mayors have submitted proclamations and other letters asking the governor to veto this”
He added, “Of course, this is one of many bills that passed in this legislative session that attacked the codes and ordinances of cities.”
The resolution points out that national model building codes are less stringent than local zoning ordinances and do not take into consideration aesthetics, quality, longevity and economic impacts on a city.
According to Stafford, it appears that the impetus to usurp local control is nationwide.
He said, “There is a group out there pushing all state legislators on many of these topics…that supersede city ordinances and codes. Somewhere in this country there is a group against cities having any regulatory authority. Often these bills come across the desks of other states and they’re very similar.”
Stafford said, “If you like the way your downtown looks…you need to push the governor on this. If not, our downtown can be just about anything the building code allows.”