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Fort Worth, TX Code of Ordinances
FORT WORTH, TEXAS CODE OF ORDINANCES
OFFICIALS of the CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS
PART I: THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH
PART II: CITY CODE
CHAPTER 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 2: ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER 2.5: RETIREMENT
CHAPTER 3: AIRPORTS AND AIRCRAFT
CHAPTER 4: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
CHAPTER 5: AMBULANCES/EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
CHAPTER 6: ANIMALS AND FOWL
CHAPTER 7: BUILDINGS
ARTICLE I: IN GENERAL
ARTICLE II: INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE
ARTICLE III: INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE
ARTICLE IIIA: INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE
ARTICLE IV: MINIMUM BUILDING STANDARDS CODE
ARTICLE V: INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE
ARTICLE VI: FALLOUT SHELTERS
ARTICLE VII: MOVEMENT AND DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
ARTICLE VIII: FLOODPLAIN PROVISIONS
ARTICLE IX: STANDARDS, REGISTRATION, AND INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR MULTIFAMILY DWELLING COMPLEXES
ARTICLE X: REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION OF ONE-FAMILY AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS
ARTICLE XI: EXISTING BUILDING CODE
ARTICLE XII: INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE
ARTICLE XIII: SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION
CHAPTER 8: CABLE COMMUNICATION SERVICE
CHAPTER 9: COMMUNITY FACILITIES AGREEMENTS
CHAPTER 10: COURTS
CHAPTER 11: ELECTRICITY
CHAPTER 11.5: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 12: EMERGENCY REPORTING EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES
CHAPTER 12.5: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND COMPLIANCE
CHAPTER 13: FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
CHAPTER 14: RESERVED
CHAPTER 15: GAS
CHAPTER 16: HEALTH AND SANITATION
CHAPTER 17: HUMAN RELATIONS
CHAPTER 18: LAKE WORTH
CHAPTER 19: LIBRARIES
CHAPTER 20: LICENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 21: RESERVED
CHAPTER 22: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
CHAPTER 23: OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 24: PARK AND RECREATION
CHAPTER 25: RESERVED
CHAPTER 26: PLUMBING
CHAPTER 27: POLICE
CHAPTER 28: PUBLIC UTILITIES
CHAPTER 29: SIGNS
CHAPTER 29.5: SMOKING
CHAPTER 30: STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
CHAPTER 31: SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE
CHAPTER 32: TAXATION
CHAPTER 33: TREES, SHRUBS, ETC.
CHAPTER 34: VEHICLES FOR HIRE
CHAPTER 35: WATER AND SEWERS
CHAPTER 36: RESERVED
APPENDIX A: ZONING REGULATIONS
APPENDIX B: CODE COMPLIANCE
APPENDIX C: RESERVED
CODE COMPARATIVE TABLE
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§ 7-108 JUDICIAL REVIEW.
   (a)   Any owner, lienholder or mortgagee of record of property jointly or severally aggrieved by an order of the building standards commission or municipal court issued under this article, may appeal the order by filing a verified petition in a Tarrant County civil district court.
   (b)   The petition must be filed by an owner, lienholder or mortgagee within 30 calendar days after the mailing of the building standards commission or municipal court order.
   (c)   If not timely appealed, the order of the building standards commission or municipal court becomes final as to the owners, lienholders and mortgagees upon the expiration of 30 calendar days after the mailing of the order.
   (d)   If the building standards commission or municipal court ordered the subject property to be demolished, then the appeal to the district court shall be by trial de novo. Otherwise appeal to the district court shall be governed by the procedures outlined in Tex. Local Government Code Chapters 54 or 214.
   (e)   Judicial review for proceedings under § 7-77.1.
      (1)   The city shall publish an abbreviated copy of the order in a newspaper of general circulation within ten calendar days of the mailing of the order. The order shall include the following:
         a.   The street address or legal description of the property;
         b.   The date of the hearing;
         c.   A brief statement indicating the content of the order; and
         d.   Instructions stating where a complete copy of the order may be obtained.
      (2)   A copy of the order shall be filed in the office of the city secretary.
      (3)   If no appeal is taken from the decision of the building standards commission within the required period, the decision of the building standards commission is, in all things, final and binding.
      (4)   Any owner, lienholder or mortgagee of record jointly or severally aggrieved by a decision of the building standards commission may appeal the decision by filing a verified petition in Tarrant County civil district court.
      (5)   A lienholder does not have standing to bring a proceeding under this subsection (e) on the grounds that the lienholder was not notified of the proceedings before the building standards commission or was unaware of the condition of the property, unless the lienholder had first appeared before the building standards commission and entered an appearance in opposition to the proceedings.
      (6)   The petition must be presented within 30 calendar days after the date a copy of the final decision of the building standards commission is mailed by first class mail, certified receipt requested, to all owners, lienholders and mortgagees of record.
      (7)   The appeal to the district court shall be governed by the procedures outlined in Tex. Local Government Code Chapter 54 or 214.
(Ord. 13743, § 1, passed 3-23-1999; Ord. 14629, § 1, passed 5-22-2001; Ord. 15503, § 3, passed 4-1-2003; Ord. 20104-03-2012, § 1, passed 3-20-2012; Ord. 21217-04-2014, § 3, passed 4-22-2014; Ord. 23577-03-2019, § 12, passed 3-19-2019)
§ 7-109 PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
   (a)   Prior to the issuance of notice for a hearing under § 7-102 or § 7-102A of this article, a hearing will be conducted before the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission of the City of Fort Worth if the building or structure that is the subject of the hearing:
      (1)   Meets either a. or b. and also c. below.
         a.   Individually designated or pending designation as:
            1.   Highly significant endangered;
            2.   Historic and cultural landmark; or
            3.   Demolition delay.
         b.   A contributing historic property located in an area designated or pending designation as an historic and cultural landmarks district.
         c.   Is not a single-family dwelling occupied by the owner.
   (b)   The director may secure the structure from entrance until the requirements in subsection (c) of this section are completed.
   (c)   The landmarks commission shall review the condition of the building or structure to determine whether it can be reasonably rehabilitated and shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the director within 60 calendar days from the date of the initial landmarks commission hearing.
   (d)   If the landmarks commission determines that the building or structure cannot be rehabilitated, the director may proceed as provided in § 7-102 or § 7-102A above, and the building standards commission or municipal court may order its demolition.
   (e)   If the landmarks commission determines that the building or structure can be reasonably rehabilitated, the city may not permit the building or structure to be demolished for at least 90 calendar days after the date the report is submitted to the director. During this 90-calendar day period, the city's historic preservation officer, shall notify the building or structure's owner to afford the owner an opportunity to attempt to identify a feasible alternative use for the building or structure or to locate an alternative purchaser to rehabilitate and maintain the building or structure.
   (f)   If the city is not able to locate the owner or if the owner does not respond within the 90-calendar day period, the director may proceed as provided by § 7-101, and the city may then file suit pursuant to Tex. Local Government Code § 214.003 for the appointment of a receiver. A receiver may not be appointed for a building or structure that is an owner-occupied single-family residence or that is zoned nonresidential and used in a nonresidential character.
   (g)   The director may proceed as provided in § 7-101, and the building standards commission or municipal court may order the demolition of a building or structure, if after the expiration of the 90-calendar day period the city is not able to:
      (1)   Identify a feasible alternative use for the building or structure;
      (2)   Locate an alternative purchaser to rehabilitate and maintain the building or structure; or
      (3)   Appoint a receiver for the building or structure as provided by Texas Local Government Code § 214.003.
   (h)   An owner of a substandard building or structure declared to be in violation of this article is not liable for penalties related to the building or structure that accrue during the 90-calendar day period provided for disposition of historic property under this section.
   (i)   In determining whether to issue a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of a non-contributing historic property, the city must follow the processes and procedures set forth in the Historic Preservation Ordinance for demolition requests by an applicant other than the city.
(Ord. 13743, § 1, passed 3-23-1999; Ord. 23577-03-2019, § 13, passed 3-19-2019; Ord. 23984-12-2019, § 1, passed 12-17-2019, eff. 12-25-2019)
§ 7-110 QUARTERLY REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES ON THE DEMOLITION/REHABILITATION LIST.
   (a)   The director shall make quarterly reports to the city council of all buildings or structures on the city-funded demolition/rehabilitation list. The report shall list each building or structure by its street address, owners of record, city council district, length of time on the list, and its priority on the list.
   (b)   The director shall list buildings or structures on the report as priority one demolish, priority one rehabilitate, priority two demolish, priority two rehabilitate, priority three demolish and priority three rehabilitate, and shall develop criteria for determining a building or structure’s placement in a category.
   (c)   The city council, by a majority vote, may remove a building or structure from the list or may change its priority on the list.
(Ord. 13743, § 1, passed 3-23-1999; Ord. 23577-03-2019, § 1, passed 3-19-2019)
§ 7-111 APPOINTMENT OF A RECEIVER.
   In accordance with Tex. Local Government Code § 214.003, the city may bring an action in district court against an owner of residential property that is not in substantial compliance with the minimum standards of this article, seeking an order from the court appointing a receiver to take control of and restore the property.
(Ord. 13743, § 1, passed 3-23-1999)
§ 7-112 CIVIL ACTION WITHOUT COMMISSION HEARING.
   (a)   The city may bring suit for injunctive relief and civil penalties against the owner of property in violation of this article, or to compel the demolition or repair of buildings or structures, as provided for by Tex. Local Government Code Chapter 54, Subchapter B.
   (b)   Filing a suit for civil penalties, injunctive relief or other remedies shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against a violator.
(Ord. 13743, § 1, passed 3-23-1999)
§§ 7-113—7-120 RESERVED.
DIVISION 5: CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT
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