Horseshoe Bay strip mall faces potential condemnation after complaint

CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

HORSESHOE BAY — The Texan Mart, one of just two convenience stores in the city, could face condemnation after code enforcement investigators found dozens of violations involving building safety codes, leaks inside and outside the building and structural concerns with the roof, officials say.

The Texan Mart, 6802 FM 2147 West in Horseshoe Bay, is located within a strip mall that can accommodate two businesses and includes a studio apartment on the second floor. More than half the building currently serves as storage.

“We received a complaint from a citizen about the interior and the exterior of the building,” said Horseshoe Bay Development Services manager Eric Winter. “We followed up with our code enforcement officer visiting the building, and we found out there were issues that were structural in nature. … There was a lot of leaking going off from the roof, inside of the building.”

Among the issues cited were:

• cracking and weathering in the concrete roof covering;

• poor roof drainage, indicating inadequate slope and maintenance, pooled water and a clogged drain;

• water seeping through the west exterior apartment wall;

• and deteriorated sealant on the west exterior wall.

“Those all violate sections of our substandard building ordinance,” Winter said.

The city found three issues with the building, which did not meet structural integrity standards “because of a possibility that the roof truss cannot support the live load from the occupancy as it is now.”

Along with an engineering inspection, fire officials conducted inspections and found 18 violations of the city and international fire codes, including electrical wiring and blocking of the exits, Winter said.

Code enforcement officials drafted a petition, approved by the city council and submitted to the city attorney, to start the process to require the owner to either repair the violations, remove the apartment or potentially demolish the entire building.

“If it is found that the repair costs will exceed 50 percent of the appraised value, it is an automatic reason for demolition of the building,” Winter said.

The issue is scheduled for a hearing July 8 in municipal court.

“If (the owner is) not there, the judge will probably rule in favor of our petition and determine whether to repair (or) demolition and removal,” he said. “We’re going to be sending public notices out to the owner and letting him know that he has to be at that meeting to present evidence on his behalf as to what the problems are, what the repair issues are, how he’s going to handle those and how long it’s going to take him to do it.”

Winter said he talked to the owner once and has not heard back since sending multiple letters, certified and by regular mail.

Public safety remains the primary motive behind the city’s actions, Winter said.

“There can be safety hazards for those occupying the building and those going into the building as customers,” he said.

Attempts to reach the owner of the Austin-based KLM Enterprises Inc., listed in the Llano Central Appraisal District as the owner of the property, were unsuccessful.

connie@thepicayune.com