BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 177

79R1632 PAM-D                                                                                                              By: Brimer

                                                                                                               Intergovernmental Relations

2/16/2005

As Filed

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, boards of adjustment (BOA) hear and adjudicate cases dealing with a city's zoning ordinances.  These cases are critical to the efficient development process within a city.  Fort Worth currently has a nine-member BOA that meets once a month, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  An additional BOA panel would expedite the docket without asking the volunteer board members to devote more time to the position.

As proposed, S.B. 177 allows smaller cities, such as Fort Worth, to have more than one BOA panel in order to expedite cases.

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 Section 211.014(a), Local Government Code, by providing that this section (regarding the composition of a board of adjustment) applies to a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more, rather than a population of 1.18 million or more.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.