78R7097 AKH-D

By:  Kolkhorst                                                    H.B. No. 3198



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the adoption of rules by a county relating to the 
connection of utilities in subdivisions and certain other land use 
controls.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government 
Code, is amended by adding Section 232.0033 to read as follows:
	Sec. 232.0033.  CONNECTION OF UTILITIES.  (a)  By an order 
adopted and entered in the minutes of the commissioners court and 
after a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation in 
the county, the commissioners court may adopt rules governing the 
connection of utilities to subdivided land as described under this 
section.  This section does not apply to utility connection made 
before September 1, 2003.
	(b)  The county by rule may provide that an electric, gas, 
water, or sewer service utility or other utility service may not 
serve or connect to subdivided land unless the utility receives a 
certificate issued by the commissioners court or a person 
designated by the commissioners court under this section.
	(c)  A certificate issued under Subsection (b) may be based 
on:       
		(1)  whether the land has been subdivided in compliance 
with this chapter and the county's subdivision regulations and 
policies adopted under this chapter;
		(2)  whether a development permit for a floodplain, as 
defined by Section 232.021, has been issued by the county, if the 
county requires a permit; and
		(3)  whether a permit for a sewage facility located on 
the subdivided land has been issued by the county or a person 
designated by the county, if the county requires a permit.
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 232, Local Government Code, is amended 
by adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER F. INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING
	PROVISIONS IN COUNTIES GENERALLY
	Sec. 232.121.  LOT FRONTAGES.  The commissioners court may 
adopt or establish reasonable standards relating to lot frontages 
as provided by Section 232.103.
	Sec. 232.122.  SET-BACKS.  The commissioners court may 
establish reasonable building and set-back lines as provided by 
Section 232.104.
	SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 
232, Local Government Code, apply only to a subdivision plat that is 
filed on or after September 1, 2003, and to the subdivision covered 
by that plat.  A subdivision plat that is filed before September 1, 
2003, and the subdivision covered by that plat, is governed by the 
law in effect immediately preceding that date, and the former law is 
continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.