SRC-JXG S.B. 1175 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1175
76R8878 CMR-FBy: Wentworth
Intergovernmental Relations
4/5/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, counties with certain road districts and refinanced bond
indebtedness are the ultimate guarantors of millions of dollars in bonds.
These road districts may be negatively impacted by changes in impervious
cover limits that a city may impose, if some of the territory of the road
district lies within a city. Repayment of bonds becomes difficult, if the
amount of land to be developed within the district is limited. S.B. 1175
would assure that land could be developed at a current impervious cover
limit, but without the cover limit exceeding five percent. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1175 regulates land development in certain political
subdivisions to certain cover limits. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 3, Title 22, V.T.C.S., by adding Article 726a, as
follows: 

Art. 726a. LAND DEVELOPMENT IN ROAD DISTRICT
WITH OUTSTANDING INDEBTEDNESS

Sec. 1. DEFINITIONS. Defines "affected area," "assessment road district,"
"land development," and "regulation." 

Sec. 2. CHANGES IN REGULATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT. Requires the political
subdivision, before the changes take effect, to pay certain assessments, if
a political subdivision changes regulations regarding land development that
apply to land in an affected area in a manner that reduces the amount of
impervious cover, as defined in the regulations, or that reduces the total
allowable floor area of a building on developed land. Prohibits a political
subdivision from changing or amending its regulations regarding land
development within an affected area in any way that reduces the allowed
amount of impervious cover, as defined in the political subdivision's
regulations, or reduces the total allowable floor area of a building on
developed land more than five percent. 

Sec. 3. ANNEXATION OF PROPERTY TO AN ASSESSMENT ROAD DISTRICT. Authorizes a
person who owns land in an affected area to request that the governing body
of an assessment road district annex any part of the owner's land within
two miles of the district's boundaries. Authorizes the governing body of
the district by resolution to annex the land, on request under Subsection
(a) of this section. Requires the governing body of the district to
reapportion the remaining assessment on the owner's land on a per acre
basis for all of the owner's land in the district, after annexation of the
land under this section.  

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999.