By: Oliverson (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 5385

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2023; May 10, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Local Government; May 15, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 15, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 582; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 6, Special District Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Chapter 7959A to read as follows:

CHAPTER 7959A. HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 582

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 7959A.0101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Board" means the district's board of directors.

(2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(3) "Director" means a board member.

(4) "District" means the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 582.

Sec. 7959A.0102. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a municipal utility district created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 7959A.0103. CONFIRMATION AND DIRECTOR ELECTION REQUIRED. The temporary directors shall hold an election to confirm the creation of the district and to elect five permanent directors as provided by Section 49.102, Water Code.

Sec. 7959A.0104. CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The temporary directors may not hold an election under Section 7959A.0103 until each municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction the district is located has consented by ordinance or resolution to the creation of the district and to the inclusion of land in the district as required by applicable law.

Sec. 7959A.0105. FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE AND BENEFIT. (a) The district is created to serve a public purpose and benefit.

(b) The district is created to accomplish the purposes of:

(1) a municipal utility district as provided by general law and Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and

(2) Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, that relate to the construction, acquisition, improvement, operation, or maintenance of macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.

Sec. 7959A.0106. INITIAL DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The district is initially composed of the territory described by Section 2 of the Act enacting this chapter.

(b) The boundaries and field notes contained in Section 2 of the Act enacting this chapter form a closure. A mistake made in the field notes or in copying the field notes in the legislative process does not affect the district's:

(1) organization, existence, or validity;

(2) right to issue any type of bond for the purposes for which the district is created or to pay the principal of and interest on a bond;

(3) right to impose a tax; or

(4) legality or operation.

SUBCHAPTER B. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sec. 7959A.0201. GOVERNING BODY; TERMS. (a) The district is governed by a board of five elected directors.

(b) Except as provided by Section 7959A.0202, directors serve staggered four-year terms.

Sec. 7959A.0202. TEMPORARY DIRECTORS. (a) The temporary board consists of:

(1) Joshua Tarr;

(2) Sarah Hognig;

(3) Kevin Stutts;

(4) Joseph Monk; and

(5) Kenneth Hepburn.

(b) Temporary directors serve until the earlier of:

(1) the date permanent directors are elected under Section 7959A.0103; or

(2) the fourth anniversary of the effective date of the Act enacting this chapter.

(c) If permanent directors have not been elected under Section 7959A.0103 and the terms of the temporary directors have expired, successor temporary directors shall be appointed or reappointed as provided by Subsection (d) to serve terms that expire on the earlier of:

(1) the date permanent directors are elected under Section 7959A.0103; or

(2) the fourth anniversary of the date of the appointment or reappointment.

(d) If Subsection (c) applies, the owner or owners of a majority of the assessed value of the real property in the district may submit a petition to the commission requesting that the commission appoint as successor temporary directors the five persons named in the petition. The commission shall appoint as successor temporary directors the five persons named in the petition.

SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES

Sec. 7959A.0301. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The district has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for which the district is created.

Sec. 7959A.0302. MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POWERS AND DUTIES. The district has the powers and duties provided by the general law of this state, including Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code, applicable to municipal utility districts created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 7959A.0303. AUTHORITY FOR ROAD PROJECTS. Under Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, the district may design, acquire, construct, finance, issue bonds for, improve, operate, maintain, and convey to this state, a county, or a municipality for operation and maintenance macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.

Sec. 7959A.0304. ROAD STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) A road project must meet all applicable construction standards, zoning and subdivision requirements, and regulations of each municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction the road project is located.

(b) If a road project is not located in the corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the road project must meet all applicable construction standards, subdivision requirements, and regulations of each county in which the road project is located.

(c) If the state will maintain and operate the road, the Texas Transportation Commission must approve the plans and specifications of the road project.

Sec. 7959A.0305. COMPLIANCE WITH MUNICIPAL CONSENT ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION. The district shall comply with all applicable requirements of any ordinance or resolution that is adopted under Section 54.016 or 54.0165, Water Code, and that consents to the creation of the district or to the inclusion of land in the district.

Sec. 7959A.0306. DIVISION OF DISTRICT. (a) The board, on its own motion or on receipt of a petition signed by the owner or owners of a majority of the assessed value of the real property in the district, may adopt an order dividing the district.

(b) An order dividing a district may create one or more new districts and may provide for the continuation of the district.

(c) An order dividing the district shall:

(1) name any new district;

(2) include the metes and bounds description of the territory of each of the districts;

(3) appoint temporary directors for any new district; and

(4) provide for the division of assets and liabilities between the districts.

(d) The board may adopt an order dividing the district before or after the date the board holds an election to confirm the district's creation.

(e) The district may be divided only if the district:

(1) has never issued any bonds; and

(2) is not imposing ad valorem taxes.

(f) A new district created by the division of the district may not, at the time the new district is created, contain any land outside the area described by Section 2 of the Act enacting this chapter.

(g) On or before the 30th day after the date of adoption of an order dividing the district, the district shall file the order with the commission and record the order in the real property records of each county in which the district is located.

(h) This chapter applies to any new district created by the division of the district, and a new district has all the powers and duties of the district.

(i) A new district created by the division of the district shall hold a confirmation and directors' election.

(j) If the creation of the new district is confirmed, the new district shall provide the election date and results to the commission.

(k) A new district created by the division of the district must hold an election as required by this chapter to obtain voter approval before the district may impose a maintenance tax or issue bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes.

(l) The district may continue to rely on confirmation, directors', bond, or tax elections held prior to the division.

(m) Municipal consent to the creation of the district and to the inclusion of land in the district acts as municipal consent to the creation of any new district created by the division of the district and to the inclusion of land in the new district.

SUBCHAPTER D. GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 7959A.0401. ELECTIONS REGARDING TAXES OR BONDS. (a) The district may issue, without an election, bonds and other obligations secured by:

(1) revenue other than ad valorem taxes; or

(2) contract payments described by Section 7959A.0403.

(b) The district must hold an election in the manner provided by Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code, to obtain voter approval before the district may impose an ad valorem tax or issue bonds payable from ad valorem taxes.

(c) The district may not issue bonds payable from ad valorem taxes to finance a road project unless the issuance is approved by a vote of a two-thirds majority of the district voters voting at an election held for that purpose.

Sec. 7959A.0402. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX. (a) If authorized at an election held under Section 7959A.0401, the district may impose an operation and maintenance tax on taxable property in the district in accordance with Section 49.107, Water Code.

(b) The board shall determine the tax rate. The rate may not exceed the rate approved at the election.

Sec. 7959A.0403. CONTRACT TAXES. (a) In accordance with Section 49.108, Water Code, the district may impose a tax other than an operation and maintenance tax and use the revenue derived from the tax to make payments under a contract after the provisions of the contract have been approved by a majority of the district voters voting at an election held for that purpose.

(b) A contract approved by the district voters may contain a provision stating that the contract may be modified or amended by the board without further voter approval.

SUBCHAPTER E. BONDS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS

Sec. 7959A.0501. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BONDS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS. The district may issue bonds or other obligations payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, impact fees, revenue, contract payments, grants, or other district money, or any combination of those sources, to pay for any authorized district purpose.

Sec. 7959A.0502. TAXES FOR BONDS. At the time the district issues bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, the board shall provide for the annual imposition of a continuing direct ad valorem tax, without limit as to rate or amount, while all or part of the bonds are outstanding as required and in the manner provided by Sections 54.601 and 54.602, Water Code.

Sec. 7959A.0503. BONDS FOR ROAD PROJECTS. At the time of issuance, the total principal amount of bonds or other obligations issued or incurred to finance road projects and payable from ad valorem taxes may not exceed one-fourth of the assessed value of the real property in the district.

SECTION 2. The Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 582 initially includes all the territory contained in the following area:

A 195.749 acre, (8,526,822 square feet more or less) tract of land, being all of Tract 1, a called 97.850 acre tract conveyed to Joe D. Wood and Tract 2, a called 97.850 acre tract of conveyed to Zola Wood Cater as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. 20140535364 in the Official Public Records of Harris County, Texas, situated in the I. & G.N. Railroad Company Survey, Abstract No. 966, Harris County, Texas. Said 195.749 acre tract being more fully described as follows, with bearings based on the Texas Coordinate System established for the South Central Zone from the North American Datum of 1983 (NA2011) epoch 2010.00:

BEGINNING: At a railroad spike found for the northwest corner of a said Tract 1, 97.850 acre tract, the northeast corner of a called 5.0001 acre tract conveyed to Eduardo Loya as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. T085516 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, in the Centerline of Mayer Road ( called 60' wide right-of-way, per WPA Official Project No. 65-1-66-2749), and in the apparent survey line of I. & G.M. Railroad Survey Company, Abstract No. 966 and Samuel Kelly Survey, Abstract No. 501;

THENCE: N 87°29'16" E, along and with the north line of said Tract 1, 97.850 acre tract, the north line of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the center line of said Mayer Road, the north line of Abstract No. 966 and the south line of Abstract No. 501, a distance of 3,143.68 feet to a mag nail with shiner stamped "Pape-Dawson" set for the northeast corner of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the northeast corner of Abstract No. 966, the southeast corner of Abstract No. 501, The southwest corner of the B.B.B.&C. Company Survey, Abstract No. 171, the northwest corner of B.B.B.&C. Railroad Company Survey, Abstract No. 170, and in the center line of said Mayer Road, from which a 1 inch iron pipe bears N 17°34'00" W, a distance of 9.84 feet;

THENCE: S 02°16'53" E, departing the center line of said Mayer Road, along and with the east line of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the west line of a called 617.91 acre tract conveyed to Henry Schmidt, Jr. as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. G359500 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, the apparent east line of said Abstract No. 966 and the west line of said Abstract No. 170, passing at a distance of 30.00 feet a 5/8 inch iron rod with cap stamped "Pape-Dawson" set in the south right-of-way line of Mayer road, in the east line of said Tract 2, and the northwest corner of said 617.91 acre tract, continuing for a total distance of 3,296.84 feet (called 3296.36 feet) to a 1/2 inch iron rod with cap found for the southeast corner of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the northeast corner of a called 22.029 acre tract conveyed to Lawrence Frattalone, Jr. as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. X5447505 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, in the west line of said 617.91 acre tract, the apparent east line of said Abstract No. 966 and the apparent west line of said Abstract No. 170;

THENCE: S 88°14'50" W, along and with the south line of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract and the north line of said 22.029 acre tract, a distance of 796.15 feet to a 5/8 inch iron rod with cap stamped "Pape-Dawson" set for a southwest corner of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the northwest corner of said 22.029 acre tract, and in the east line of a called 13.265 acre tract conveyed to Larry Frattalone as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. Z406306 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas;

THENCE: N 02°32'31" W, along and with a west line of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract, the east line of said 13.265 acre tract and the east line of a called 11.765 acre tract conveyed to Larry Frattalone as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. Z406306 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, a distance of 770.69 feet (called 770.62 feet) to a 5/8 inch iron rod with cap stamped "Pape-Dawson" set for an interior corner of said Tract 2, 97.850 acre tract and the northeast corner of said 11.765 acre tract;

THENCE: S 87°24'01" W, along and with a south line of said Tract 1 and Tract 2, the north line of said 11.765 acre tract, the north line of a called 51.125 acre tract conveyed to Edwin Lee Kohutek, Jr. as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. U725401 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, and the north line of a called 159.96 acre tract conveyed to Texas FLG, LLC as described in a deed recorded in Clerk's File No. RP-2018-421130 of the Official Public Records of Real Property of Harris County, Texas, passing a distance of 1,787.90 feet a 1 inch bar found for the northwest corner of said 51.125 acre tract and a northeast corner of said 159.96 acre tract, a total distance of 2,340.39 feet to a 1/2 inch iron rod found for a southwest corner of said Tract 1, interior corner of said 159.96 acre tract;

THENCE: N 02°21'55" W, along and with the west line of Tract 1, passing at a distance of 591.43 feet to a 1/2 inch iron rod, 1.82' left, passing at a distance of 2,489.15 feet a 5/8 inch iron rod with cap stamped "Pape Dawson" set in the south right-of-way line of Mayer Road, and continuing for a total distance of 2,519.15 feet (called 2518.74 feet) to the POINT OF BEGINNING, and containing 195.749 total acres, having 2.165 acres within the right-of-way of Mayer Road, leaving 193.584 net acres in Harris County, Texas. Said tract being described in accordance with a survey made on the ground and a survey map prepared under job number 49181-20 by Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc.

SECTION 3. (a) The legal notice of the intention to introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies, officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313, Government Code.

(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives within the required time.

(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled and accomplished.

SECTION 4. (a) If this Act does not receive a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house, Subchapter C, Chapter 7959A, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of this Act, is amended by adding Section 7959A.0307 to read as follows:

Sec. 7959A.0307. NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The district may not exercise the power of eminent domain.

(b) This section is not intended to be an expression of a legislative interpretation of the requirements of Section 17(c), Article I, Texas Constitution.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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