Municipal Development

201 East Nash
Terrell, TX 75160
Office:972-551-6606
Metro: 972-524-3332
Fax: 972-551-6677
Inspection Hotline: 972-551-6654
E-mail: municipaldevelopment@cityofterrell.org
Staff:
Director: Terry
Capehart
Chief Building Official:David Denney
Code Enforcement Officer: Scott Boyd
Code Enforcement Officer: Sherry Foster
Code Enforcement Officer: Ronnie Click
Housing Inspector: Jerry
Persall
Administrative Assistant: Lucy York
Administrative Assistant: Omaira Renteria
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Municipal Development deals with all aspects of planning,
building, development, and code enforcement within the City of Terrell.
The department’s responsibilities are divided into three divisions:
Planning and Zoning, Building Inspections,
and Code Enforcement. Below you will find a heading
for each division with links and information related to that area of responsibility.
The Developer’s Corner is a one-stop
information center for everything you need to know about the development
processes, including zoning, platting, economic development incentives,
and obtaining building permits. You’ll find fee schedules, guides,
checklists, applications, submittal requirements, maps, ordinances, and
contact information. The Developer's Corner also provides the latest information
regarding current development activities such as Building Permits recently
issued, Certificates of Occupancy recently issued, and Development Projects
that are starting up.
Municipal Development works closely with the Planning & Zoning Commission,
the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the Building Standards Commission, and
the Construction Board of Adjustments.
Planning and Zoning
The Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. on the 4th Monday
of each month. Meetings are held in the City Council Chamber at City Hall,
201 East Nash street. Deadline for item consideration is the first week
of the month.
Agendas are posted on the City Calendar when
they become available.
The
Zoning Board of Adjustment meets at 5:30 p.m. on the 3rd Thursday of each
month. Meetings are held in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 201
East Nash street.
Zoning Ordinance
(this is a 2.7m pdf* file)
Planning
and zoning map
The following are links to the most requested P & Z forms, ordinances,
or other information:
*Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view and print pdf
documents.
Download
it free. 
Building Inspections

The
mission of the Building Inspection Department is to create and maintain
a safe and healthy environment by reasonable enforcement of the codes,
providing efficient customer service, and ensuring quality in the design,
construction, and use of properties within the city.
This is done through review of requests for permits, confirming compliance
with all state and local codes and ordinances, inspection of new construction
projects and inspection of existing buildings for code compliance, and
issuance of construction permits.
The Building Inspections Division also acts as the staff liaison to the
Buildings and Standards Commission in the adjudication of substandard
and dangerous buildings.
Permits are necessary so that we can help you complete your project and
meet certain safety and legal issues. This website will help guide you
through the necessary steps in getting a permit for just about any project
you might do or have done.
The Building Inspection Hot line number is 972-551-6654.
Press #1 for Building Inspection
Press #2 for Fire Marshal
Press #3 for Code Enforcement Complaints
Leave your name and phone number, job address, and type of inspection
you are requesting.
The following are links to the most requested building inspection forms,
ordinances or other information:
Code Enforcement
The City of Terrell, by direction of the City Council, has for the past
3 years made it a priority to clean up all residential and commercial
properties in our city. There are four code enforcement officers who travel
throughout the city and are pro-active in eliminating nuisances such as
High Weeds and Grass, Junk/Debris, Junk Vehicles, and Off-Premise Signs.
The city is divided into three enforcement zones. The east side of Terrell
from Virginia St./Hwy 34 to the east (Zone 1) is patrolled by Code Officer
Ronnie Click. The central parts of town between Virginia and Rockwall
Streets (Zone 2) are handled by Code Officer Scott Boyd. Everything west
of Rockwall Street (Zone 3) is covered by Code Officer Sherry Foster.
Feel free to call our hotline, which is a direct message center line
(972-551-6654 #3), with any questions or to report code violations.
You can also use email to contact us for a prompt response.
High Weeds/Grass- Chapter 7, Section 3 of the City of
Terrell Code of Ordinances: Property owners/tenants (agents in charge
of the property) must keep all grass and weeds below 12” at all
time including all easements, alleyways, and curb lines adjacent to their
property. Penalties for non-compliance of notice shall result in a citation
and/or abatement by the city or its contractor resulting in a bill for
the mowing and administrative fees.
Junk/Debris- Chapter 7, Section 3 of the City of Terrell
Code of Ordinances: Property owners/tenants (agents in charge of the property)
must keep the property free of any accumulation of trash, rubbish, brush,
furniture, appliances, or anything that can harbor rats, rodents, vermin,
or any other disease carrying pests. Penalties for non-compliance of notice
shall result in a citation and/or abatement by the City of Terrell or
its contractor to remove the nuisance. This will also carry a bill for
service and an administrative fee.
Junk Vehicles- Chapter 7, Section 4 of the City of Terrell
Code of Ordinances: A junk vehicle is defined as "any self-propelled
vehicle that does not have lawfully attached to it an unexpired license
plate registration or a valid motor vehicle inspection sticker or is discarded
or wrecked or dismantled or has remained inoperable for more than 30 days
on private property or 72 hours on public property".
If your vehicle is lacking any of these criteria it is considered a junk
vehicle. If it is in ordinary public view, which is being able to be seen
from any public street or easement, the city shall begin actions to abate
the nuisance. Vehicles may be kept in a garage, behind a fence, but out
of public view, or moved from city limits until it is brought back into
compliance.
After 10 days of notice a judge order will go on the vehicle and it shall
be towed to a scrap yard to be immediately crushed. By State Law as well
as City Code, once these actions are taken it cannot be retrieved by the
owner or the City of Terrell.
Housing Inspections
The Housing Inspections Division conducts inspections of Section 8 housing
units on an annual basis as required by Federal Law and are scheduled
typically within 30 days of the same anniversary date from the previous
year. New Section 8 rental units are scheduled for inspections prior to
being occupied and annually within 30 days of the anniversary date of
the previous inspection. Inspections are typically scheduled on Fridays
unless otherwise notified.
The Multi-family Inspection Ordinance No. 2385 has now been superseded
by the new Rental Community Integrity Ordinance
No. 2457, adopted on July 20, 2010, which now requires inspections
of all Multi-family, Duplex, Manufactured Housing and Single-family rental
properties.
The Rental Community Integrity Ordinance, Ord. No. 2457, establishes minimum
property maintenance and safety standards for Single Family, Duplex, Multi-Family,
and Manufactured rental housing. The purpose of this ordinance is to protect
the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Terrell by the inspection
of rental property in the City of Terrell. Required annual inspections
of multi-family units have been in place since October 2008 and this new
ordinance continues this program with the addition of duplexes, manufactured
and single-family rental housing units along with incentives for participating
in the new “Crime Free Rental Program”.
The “Crime Free Rental Program” is a nationally recognized
program designed to help reduce crime in rental properties. Participation
in this program is strictly voluntary; however, a number of benefits and
incentives are available to those rental property owners who participate,
such as, significantly reduced annual fees, two year inspection certificates
vs. annual certificates, and a greatly simplified inspection checklist
(NFPA 101–2 page checklist vs. HUD checklist–20 pages). The
annual fee will be $8.00 per unit if you decide to participate in the
“Crime Free Rental Program” otherwise the yearly fee will
be $25.00 per unit for a 68% savings.
What do you need to do if you own or manage residential rental
property in Terrell?
- If you are the manager or owner of Multi-family, Duplex, Manufactured
(mobile home) or Single-family residential rental property and want
to participate in the “Crime Free Rental Program” in order
to qualify for incentives and benefits you must complete the Rental
Property Registration Form (coming soon- please check back) and return
it to the City by August 31st.
- If your rental units have already been inspected and received an
Inspection Certificate for 2010 or the current year then no additional
inspections or fees will be due until your regularly scheduled inspection
next year; however, you must register by the above deadline and begin
participation in the “Crime Free Rental Program” in order
to receive reduced fees for next year.
- All rental properties which have not been inspected in 2010 must
be scheduled for an inspection and/or registered in the Crime-Free Rental
Program by August 31, 2010 and be inspected before December 31, 2010.
Click here (coming soon- please check back) for the Rental Property
Registration Form which needs to be completed and returned to the Municipal
Development Dept., 201 E. Nash Street, Terrell, Texas 75160.
- Single-family rental properties which are currently vacant as of July
20, 2010 shall be inspected prior to a new tenant moving into the vacant
unit.
- Single-family rental units which are occupied are not required to
be inspected until they are vacant (see Ordinance
No. 2457 for more details); however, they must be registered in
the Crime-Free Rental Program by August 31, 2010 in order to qualify
for incentives.
Our Housing Inspector is Jerry Persall, feel free to call our hotline,
which is a direct message center line (972-551-6654 #3), or if you have
any questions you may also call or send an email to contact us for a prompt
response:
Email: jpersall@cityofterrell.org
Office: 972-551-6600 ext. 250
Cell: 469-576-0906
Fax: 972-551-6677
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