BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 177
79R4728 PAM-D By: Brimer
Intergovernmental Relations
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
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.