BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                 C.S.S.B. 177

79R4728 PAM-D                                                                                                              By: Brimer

                                                                                                               Intergovernmental Relations

                                                                                                                                            2/24/2005

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

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.  Smaller cities would like to have more than one BOA panel in order to expedite cases.  An additional BOA panel would expedite the docket without asking a citizen volunteer board member to devote two work days a month to this volunteer job.

 

C.S.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 Sections 211.014(a) and (b), Local Government Code, as follows:

 

            (a) Provides 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.

 

            (b) Requires a board of adjustment to consist of one or more panels of at least five             members, rather than an absolute number of five members per panel, each to be        appointed for two-year terms. 

 

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