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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Harris-Waller Counties Municipal |
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Utility District No. 7; granting a limited power of eminent domain; |
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providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose |
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assessments, fees, and taxes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 6, Special District Local Laws |
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Code, is amended by adding Chapter 7903A to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 7903A. HARRIS-WALLER COUNTIES MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT |
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NO. 7 |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 7903A.0101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the district's board of directors. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality. |
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(3) "Director" means a board member. |
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(4) "District" means the Harris-Waller Counties |
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Municipal Utility District No. 7. |
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Sec. 7903A.0102. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a |
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municipal utility district created under Section 59, Article XVI, |
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Texas Constitution. |
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Sec. 7903A.0103. CONFIRMATION AND DIRECTOR ELECTION |
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REQUIRED. The temporary directors shall hold an election to |
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confirm the creation of the district and to elect five permanent |
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directors as provided by Section 49.102, Water Code. |
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Sec. 7903A.0104. CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The |
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temporary directors may not hold an election under Section |
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7903A.0103 until each municipality in whose corporate limits or |
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extraterritorial jurisdiction the district is located has |
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consented by ordinance or resolution to the creation of the |
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district and to the inclusion of land in the district. |
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Sec. 7903A.0105. FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE AND BENEFIT. |
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(a) The district is created to serve a public purpose and benefit. |
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(b) The district is created to accomplish the purposes of: |
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(1) a municipal utility district as provided by |
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general law and Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and |
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(2) Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, that |
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relate to the construction, acquisition, improvement, operation, |
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or maintenance of macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or |
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improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads. |
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Sec. 7903A.0106. INITIAL DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The |
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district is initially composed of the territory described by |
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Section 2 of the Act enacting this chapter. |
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(b) The boundaries and field notes contained in Section 2 of |
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the Act enacting this chapter form a closure. A mistake made in the |
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field notes or in copying the field notes in the legislative process |
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does not affect the district's: |
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(1) organization, existence, or validity; |
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(2) right to issue any type of bond for the purposes |
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for which the district is created or to pay the principal of and |
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interest on a bond; |
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(3) right to impose a tax; or |
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(4) legality or operation. |
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SUBCHAPTER B. BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Sec. 7903A.0201. GOVERNING BODY; TERMS. (a) The district |
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is governed by a board of five elected directors. |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 7903A.0202, directors |
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serve staggered four-year terms. |
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Sec. 7903A.0202. TEMPORARY DIRECTORS. (a) The temporary |
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board consists of: |
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(1) Josh Trlicek; |
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(2) Sarah Sessum; |
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(3) Courtney Wilcox; |
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(4) Jonathan Corb; and |
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(5) Tyler Brown. |
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(b) Temporary directors serve until the earlier of: |
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(1) the date permanent directors are elected under |
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Section 7903A.0103; or |
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(2) the fourth anniversary of the effective date of |
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the Act enacting this chapter. |
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(c) If permanent directors have not been elected under |
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Section 7903A.0103 and the terms of the temporary directors have |
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expired, successor temporary directors shall be appointed or |
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reappointed as provided by Subsection (d) to serve terms that |
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expire on the earlier of: |
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(1) the date permanent directors are elected under |
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Section 7903A.0103; or |
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(2) the fourth anniversary of the date of the |
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appointment or reappointment. |
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(d) If Subsection (c) applies, the owner or owners of a |
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majority of the assessed value of the real property in the district |
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may submit a petition to the commission requesting that the |
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commission appoint as successor temporary directors the five |
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persons named in the petition. The commission shall appoint as |
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successor temporary directors the five persons named in the |
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petition. |
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SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES |
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Sec. 7903A.0301. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The district |
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has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for |
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which the district is created. |
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Sec. 7903A.0302. MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POWERS AND |
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DUTIES. The district has the powers and duties provided by the |
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general law of this state, including Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code, |
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applicable to municipal utility districts created under Section 59, |
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Article XVI, Texas Constitution. |
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Sec. 7903A.0303. AUTHORITY FOR ROAD PROJECTS. Under |
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Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, the district may |
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design, acquire, construct, finance, issue bonds for, improve, |
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operate, maintain, and convey to this state, a county, or a |
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municipality for operation and maintenance macadamized, graveled, |
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or paved roads, or improvements, including storm drainage, in aid |
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of those roads. |
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Sec. 7903A.0304. ROAD STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) A |
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road project must meet all applicable construction standards, |
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zoning and subdivision requirements, and regulations of each |
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municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial |
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jurisdiction the road project is located. |
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(b) If a road project is not located in the corporate limits |
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or extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the road |
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project must meet all applicable construction standards, |
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subdivision requirements, and regulations of each county in which |
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the road project is located. |
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(c) If the state will maintain and operate the road, the |
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Texas Transportation Commission must approve the plans and |
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specifications of the road project. |
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Sec. 7903A.0305. COMPLIANCE WITH MUNICIPAL CONSENT |
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ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION. The district shall comply with all |
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applicable requirements of any ordinance or resolution that is |
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adopted under Section 54.016 or 54.0165, Water Code, and that |
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consents to the creation of the district or to the inclusion of land |
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in the district. |
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SUBCHAPTER D. GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 7903A.0401. ELECTIONS REGARDING TAXES OR BONDS. (a) |
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The district may issue, without an election, bonds and other |
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obligations secured by: |
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(1) revenue other than ad valorem taxes; or |
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(2) contract payments described by Section |
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7903A.0403. |
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(b) The district must hold an election in the manner |
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provided by Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code, to obtain voter approval |
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before the district may impose an ad valorem tax or issue bonds |
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payable from ad valorem taxes. |
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(c) The district may not issue bonds payable from ad valorem |
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taxes to finance a road project unless the issuance is approved by a |
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vote of a two-thirds majority of the district voters voting at an |
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election held for that purpose. |
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Sec. 7903A.0402. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX. (a) If |
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authorized at an election held under Section 7903A.0401, the |
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district may impose an operation and maintenance tax on taxable |
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property in the district in accordance with Section 49.107, Water |
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Code. |
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(b) The board shall determine the tax rate. The rate may not |
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exceed the rate approved at the election. |
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Sec. 7903A.0403. CONTRACT TAXES. (a) In accordance with |
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Section 49.108, Water Code, the district may impose a tax other than |
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an operation and maintenance tax and use the revenue derived from |
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the tax to make payments under a contract after the provisions of |
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the contract have been approved by a majority of the district voters |
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voting at an election held for that purpose. |
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(b) A contract approved by the district voters may contain a |
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provision stating that the contract may be modified or amended by |
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the board without further voter approval. |
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SUBCHAPTER E. BONDS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS |
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Sec. 7903A.0501. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BONDS AND OTHER |
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OBLIGATIONS. The district may issue bonds or other obligations |
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payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, impact fees, |
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revenue, contract payments, grants, or other district money, or any |
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combination of those sources, to pay for any authorized district |
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purpose. |
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Sec. 7903A.0502. TAXES FOR BONDS. At the time the district |
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issues bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, the |
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board shall provide for the annual imposition of a continuing |
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direct ad valorem tax, without limit as to rate or amount, while all |
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or part of the bonds are outstanding as required and in the manner |
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provided by Sections 54.601 and 54.602, Water Code. |
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Sec. 7903A.0503. BONDS FOR ROAD PROJECTS. At the time of |
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issuance, the total principal amount of bonds or other obligations |
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issued or incurred to finance road projects and payable from ad |
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valorem taxes may not exceed one-fourth of the assessed value of the |
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real property in the district. |
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SECTION 2. The Harris-Waller Counties Municipal Utility |
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District No. 7 initially includes all the territory contained in |
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the following area: |
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Being a tract of land containing 45.924 acres (2,000,467 |
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square feet) located in the J. Gibbons, Abstract Number (No.) 133 in |
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Harris County and the J. Gibbons Survey, Abstract No. 286 in Waller |
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County, Texas; Said 45.924 acre tract being all of a called 45.7143 |
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acre tract recorded in the name of Thomas F. Mathis, Jr., Ronald |
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Gene Mathis and Cathy Mathis Willhoite in Volume 339, Page 6 of the |
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Waller County Deed Records (W.C.D.R.) and in Harris County Clerk's |
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File Number (H.C.C.F. No.) H603706, (all bearings are based on the |
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Texas Coordinate System of 1983 (NAD83), South Central Zone, per |
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GPS observations): |
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Beginning at a 1-inch iron pipe found on the occupied West |
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Right-Of-Way (R.O.W.) line of Mathis Road (called 99 feet wide in |
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Volume 17, Page 222 of the Harris County Deed Records (H.C.D.R.) and |
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shown as 66 feet wide on the Harris County Engineering Department |
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R.O.W. Map No. 3912, Sec. 1, 1984), said pipe being at the northeast |
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corner of a called 45.86 acre tract recorded in the name of Laretta |
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Rena Callaway in H.C.C.F. No. U998001, for the southeast corner of |
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the herein described tract, from which found 1/2-inch iron pipe for |
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the southeast corner of said 45.86 acre tract bears South 02 degrees |
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31 minutes 13 seconds East, a distance of 605.89 feet; |
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Thence, with the line common to said 45.86 acre tract and said |
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45.7143 acre tract, South 87 degrees 45 minutes 20 seconds West, a |
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distance of 3314.83 feet (called 3297.22 feet) to a 5/8-inch iron |
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rod with a Miller Survey Group (MSG) cap set on the east line of a |
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called 36.3038 acre tract, recorded in the name of Leslie W. Lofton |
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and Catherine A. Lofton in Volume 670, Page 885 of the W.C.D.R., |
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same being the northwest corner of said 45.86 acre tract for the |
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southwest corner of said 45.7143 acre tract and the herein |
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described tract, from which a found 3/4-inch pinch top pipe bears |
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South 01 degrees 57 minutes 35 seconds East, a distance of 604.28 |
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feet; |
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Thence, with the line common to said 36.3038 acre tract and |
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said 45.7143 acre tract, North 01 degrees 57 minutes 35 seconds |
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West, a distance of 603.94 feet to a 5/8-inch iron rod with a MSG cap |
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set at the southwest corner of a called 37.759 acre tract of land |
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recorded in the name of Brandon J. Cotton, et.al. in H.C.C.F. |
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No. W570059, for the northwest corner of said 45.7143 acre tract |
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and the herein described tract, from which a found 5/8-inch iron rod |
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at the northwest corner of said 37.759 acre tract bears North 01 |
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degrees 57 minutes 35 seconds West, a distance of 697.56 feet and |
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from which a found 5/8-inch iron rod bears North 07 degrees 06 |
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minutes West, a distance of 7.0 feet; |
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Thence, with the south line of a called 37.759 acre tract and |
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the south line of a called 5.7142 acre tract recorded in the name of |
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Jesus Duran in RP-2016-303676 of the Official Public Records of |
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Real Property of Harris County, Texas (O.P.R.R.P.H.C.T.), same |
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being the north line of said 45.7143 acre tract, North 87 degrees 45 |
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minutes 20 seconds East, at a distance of 1649.83 feet pass a found |
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2-inch iron pipe at the common south corner of said 37.759 acre |
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tract and said 5.7142 acre tract, and continue for a total distance |
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of 3309.87 feet (called 3297.22 feet) to a 5/8-inch iron rod with a |
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MSG cap set on the west R.O.W. line of said Mathis Road, at the |
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southeast corner of said 5.7142 acre tract, for the northeast |
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corner of said 45.7143 acre tract and the herein described tract, |
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from which a found 3/4-inch iron pipe at the northeast corner of |
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said 5.7142 acre tract, bears North 02 degrees 25 minutes 47 seconds |
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West, a distance of 150.00 feet; |
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Thence, with the west R.O.W. line of said Mathis Road, same |
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being the east line of said 45.7143 acre tract, South 02 degrees 25 |
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minutes 47 seconds East, a distance of 603.94 feet to the Point of |
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Beginning and containing 45.924 acres (2,000,467 square feet) of |
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land. |
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SECTION 3. (a) The legal notice of the intention to |
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introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this |
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Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a |
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copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies, |
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officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished |
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under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313, |
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Government Code. |
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(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has |
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submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality. |
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(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed |
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its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives within the required time. |
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(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this |
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state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect |
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to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled |
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and accomplished. |
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SECTION 4. (a) If this Act does not receive a two-thirds |
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vote of all the members elected to each house, Subchapter C, Chapter |
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7903A, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of |
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this Act, is amended by adding Section 7903A.0306 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 7903A.0306. NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The district may |
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not exercise the power of eminent domain. |
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(b) This section is not intended to be an expression of a |
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legislative interpretation of the requirements of Section 17(c), |
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Article I, Texas Constitution. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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