SRC-SEW S.B. 1172 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1172
77R8103 PAM-FBy: Wentworth
Intergovernmental Relations
3/19/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, cities and counties are able to exercise certain
authority over residential developments.  Within the corporate limits of a
municipality, a city is authorized to enforce certain development
ordinances, while in the unincorporated area of a county, counties are
authorized to enforce certain development ordinances.  Potential problems
for builders arise for development projects in a city's extraterritorial
jurisdiction (ETJ).  In the ETJ, both the city and the county are
authorized to enforce certain development rules.  This can lead to the city
and the county each adopting different rules for developments in the ETJ,
thus causing confusion and delays.  As proposed, S.B. 1172 prohibits
counties from adopting ordinances in a city's ETJ in order to avoid
problems with overlapping authority.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 242, Local Government Code, by amending Section
242.001 and adding Section 242.0015, as follows: 

Sec.  242.001.  (a) Provides that this section applies only to a county
operating under Sections 232.001-232.005, or Subchapter B or C, Chapter
232. 

(b) Prohibits, for an area in a municipality's extraterritorial
jurisdiction, as defined by Section 212.001, a plat from being filed with
the county clerk without the approval of the governmental entity authorized
under this section to regulate subdivisions in the area. Deletes text
regarding the municipality and the county authorized to regulate
subdivisions.  Deletes text regarding filing a plat for a subdivision of a
tract of land in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality.   
(c) Prohibits a municipality and a county, except as provided by Section
242.0015, from both regulating subdivisions in the extraterritorial
jurisdiction of a municipality. Requires the municipality and the county to
enter into a written agreement that identifies the governmental entity
authorized to regulate subdivisions in the extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Requires the municipality and the county to adopt the agreement by order,
ordinance, or resolution.  Requires the agreement to be amended by the
municipality and the county if necessary to take into account an expansion
or reduction in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality.
Requires the municipality to notify the county of any expansion or
reduction in the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. 

(d) Authorizes an agreement under Subsection (c) to grant the authority to
regulate subdivisions in the extraterrotorial jurisdiction of a
municipality according to certain presets.  Deletes text regarding
conflicts between municipal and county regulations. 

 (e) Requires that, if a municipality and a county do not enter into an
agreement as required by Subsection (c), subdivisions in the
extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality be regulated in a certain
manner until an agreement is executed. 

(f) Prohibits a municipality, in an unincorporated area outside the
extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, from regulating
subdivisions or approving the filing of plats, except as provided by The
Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 791, Government Code.  Deletes
reference to Article 4413(32c), V.T.C.S. 

Sec.  242.0015.  REGULATION OF SUBDIVISIONS BY INTERLOCAL DEVELOPMENT
BOARD.  (a) Authorizes the agreement adopted under Section 242.001(c) to
establish or abolish an interlocal development board. 

(b) Provides that an interlocal development board established under this
section has the exclusive authority to regulate subdivisions in the
extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality under Subchapter A,
Chapter 212, Sections 232.001-232005, Subchapter B or C, Chapter 232, and
other statutes applicable to the regulation of subdivisions by
municipalities or counties. 

(c) Authorizes the interlocal development board, except as provided by this
subsection, if a municipal regulation conflicts with a county regulation,
to determine which regulation applies.  Provides that Section 232.0025
relating to the timely approval of plats controls to the extent of any
conflict with another provision of law. 

(d) Sets forth guidelines concerning the composition of the interlocal
development board, including terms and eligibility. 

(e) Requires an agreement establishing an interlocal development board
under this section to meet certain stated requirements. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: January 1, 2002.