By: Hegar S.B. No. 1071
(Murphy)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
relating to the creation of the Harris County Municipal Utility
District No. 532; providing authority to impose a tax and issue
bonds; granting a limited power of eminent domain.
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 8443 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 8443. HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 532
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 8443.001. 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. 532.
Sec. 8443.002. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a
municipal utility district created under Section 59, Article XVI,
Texas Constitution.
Sec. 8443.003. CONFIRMATION AND DIRECTORS' 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. 8443.004. CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The
temporary directors may not hold an election under Section 8443.003
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.
Sec. 8443.005. 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. 8443.006. 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. 8443.051. GOVERNING BODY; TERMS. (a) The district is
governed by a board of five elected directors.
(b) Except as provided by Section 8443.052, directors serve
staggered four-year terms.
Sec. 8443.052. TEMPORARY DIRECTORS. (a) On or after the
effective date of the Act enacting this chapter, 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 temporary directors the five persons
named in the petition. The commission shall appoint as temporary
directors the five persons named in the petition.
(b) Temporary directors serve until the earlier of:
(1) the date permanent directors are elected under
Section 8443.003; 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 8443.003 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 8443.003; 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. 8443.101. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The district has
the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for
which the district is created.
Sec. 8443.102. 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. 8443.103. 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. 8443.104. 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. 8443.105. 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.
SUBCHAPTER D. GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 8443.151. 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 8443.153.
(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. 8443.152. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX. (a) If
authorized at an election held under Section 8443.151, 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. 8443.153. 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. 8443.201. 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. 8443.202. 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. 8443.203. 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.
532 initially includes all the territory contained in the following
area:
BEING a 473.9311 acre tract of land situated in Section 69,
Block 2 of the H. & T.C.R.R. Company Survey, Abstract No. 459 of
Harris County, Texas, being all of the Northeast 1/4 and a portion
of the Southeast and Southwest 1/4 of said Section 69, same also
being all of those certain tracts of land described in an instrument
to Lynell Freeman, Trustee of the Freeman Family Trust recorded
under Harris County Clerk's File Number (H.C.C.F. No.) U390809 and
U390807, excluding the portion of said tracts lying within the
right-of-way of Farm-to-Market Road 529, said 473.9311 acre tract
of land being more particularly described by metes and bounds as
follows:
BEGINNING at a railroad spike in asphalt found in the
centerline of Katy-Hockley Cut-Off Road (60-foot width) and
Longenbaugh Road (60-foot width) for the Northeast corner of said
Section 69, same being the Southwest corner of Section 57, Block 2
of the H. & T.C.R.R. Company Survey, Abstract No. 443, the Northwest
corner of Section 58, Block 2 of the H.& T. C. R.R. Company Survey
(George Spencer Survey), Abstract No. 1368, the Southeast corner of
Section 70, Block 2 of the H. & T.C.R.R. Company Survey and the
Southeast corner of the J.E. Cabaniss Survey, Abstract No. 1470
which is out of said Section 70;
THENCE, S 02° 06' 22" E, a distance of 5,128.30 feet along the
centerline of said Katy-Hockley Cut-Off, the East line of said
Section 69 and the West line of said Section 58 to a point for
corner;
THENCE, S 87° 53' 38" W, a distance of 30.00 feet to a point
for corner in the North right-of-way line of Farm-to-Market Road
529 (H.C.C.F. No. C351486 & C261186) and from which a found 4"x4"
concrete monument bears N 43° 07' E, 1.27 feet;
THENCE, S 43° 07' 01" W, a distance of 133.21 feet along the
Northwest cut-back line of the intersection of said Katy-Hockley
Road and Farm-to-Market Road 529 (120-foot width) to a point for
corner in the North right-of-way line of said Farm-to-Market Road
529;
THENCE, S 87° 53' 30" W, a distance of 5,045.90 feet along the
North right-of-way line of said Farm-to-Market Road 529 to a 4"x4"
concrete monument found for the Southeast corner of the Northeast
cut-back of the intersection of said Farm-to-Market Road 529 and
Katy-Hockley Road;
THENCE, N 47° 06' 59" W, a distance of 135.29 feet along the
Northeast cut-back line of the intersection of said Farm-to-Market
Road 529 and Katy-Hockley Road to a point for corner in the East
right-of-way line of said Katy-Hockley Road (60-foot width) and
from which a found concrete monument bears S 40° 50' E, 3.13 feet;
THENCE, S 87° 58' 20" W, a distance of 30.00 feet to a point
for corner in the centerline of said Katy-Hockley Road (60-foot
width) and being in the West line of said Section 69;
THENCE, N 02° 01' 40" W, a distance of 2,490.97 feet along the
West line of said Section 69 and the centerline of said Katy-Hockley
Road (60-foot width) to a 5/8-inch iron rod found for the Northwest
corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 69, same being the
Southwest corner of a called 1.00 acre tract described in an
instrument filed for record under H.C.C.F. No. D748274;
THENCE, N 88° 02' 19" E, along the North line of the Southwest
1/4 of said Section 69, the South line of said 1.00 acre tract and
the South line of a called 158.167 acre tract described in an
instrument filed for record under H.C.C.F. No. 20110061749, at
distance of 30.00 pass the East right-of-way line of said
Katy-Hockley Road, at a distance of 313.00 feet pass the Southeast
corner of said 1.0 acre tract and a Southwest corner of said 158.167
acre tract and continuing for a total distance of 2,645.41 feet to a
point for the Northeast corner of the Southwest1/4 of said Section
69, the Southwest corner of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section 69,
the Northwest corner of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section 69, same
also being the Southeast corner of said 158.167 acre tract;
THENCE, N 02° 01' 40" W, a distance of 2,642.89 feet along the
East line of said 158.167 acre tract and the West line of the
Northeast 1/4 of said Section 69 to a point for the Northwest corner
of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section 69, same being the Northeast
corner of said 158.167 acre tract, the most Southerly Southwest
corner of said J.E. Cabaniss Survey, Abstract No. 1470, the
Southeast corner of a called 75.308 acre tract of land described in
an instrument filed for record under H.C.C.F. No. T291060, the
Southeast corner of the G.H. Holley Survey, Abstract 1480 and the
most Southerly Southwest corner of a called 400 acre tract of land
described in an instrument to Jesse L. Freeman filed for record
under Volume 1212, Page 482 of the Harris County Deed Records;
THENCE, N 87° 54' 21" E, a distance of 2,643.72 feet along the
South line of said 400.00 acres, the South line of said J.E.
Cabaniss Survey, Abstract No. 1470 and the North line of the
Northeast 1/4 of said Section 69 to the POINT OF BEGINNING and
containing 473.911 acres of land.
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
8443, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of
this Act, is amended by adding Section 8443.106 to read as follows:
Sec. 8443.106. 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 Subsection (c),
Section 17, 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, 2013.