Texas House Bill HB4042

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to county transportation access plans.

Impact

The implementation of HB 4042 would place a significant responsibility on counties to develop and approve transportation access plans. The bill outlines that counties must require a plan that details the potential additional costs of construction or maintenance of local roads related to the intended development. If such costs are identified, it will allow for recovery from the developers, thus alleviating financial burdens on local authorities and ensuring that the infrastructure is prepared for increased traffic resulting from new projects.

Summary

House Bill 4042 focuses on the need for county transportation access plans in Texas. The bill introduces a new subchapter E to Chapter 615 of the Local Government Code, mandating that any approval, issuance, or renewal of licenses, permits, or registrations within unincorporated county areas must include an access plan. This requirement aims to ensure that sufficient planning is in place to accommodate traffic and access needs for new developments or enterprises operating in these areas.

Contention

While the concept of mandating access plans has merit in terms of local planning and road maintenance, there may be contention around the financial implications of the required assessments. Some stakeholders might argue that requiring developers to absorb these costs could deter investment in rural or less populated areas. Additionally, the bill includes a provision allowing counties to waive the requirements, which could lead to inconsistencies in how access plans are managed across different counties and possibly create disparity in access to legal developments depending on local government decisions.