| 1 | 1 | | 85R12929 JTS-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Reynolds H.B. No. 3174 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to an environmental report as part of a municipality's |
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| 8 | 8 | | comprehensive plan for long-range development. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 213.003, Local Government Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) A comprehensive plan may be adopted or amended only by |
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| 14 | 14 | | ordinance following: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) a hearing at which the public is given the |
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| 16 | 16 | | opportunity to give testimony and present written evidence; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) review by the municipality's planning commission |
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| 18 | 18 | | or department, if one exists. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) The governing body of a municipality that has adopted a |
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| 20 | 20 | | comprehensive plan shall update the plan at least every five years. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 213, Local Government Code, is amended |
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| 22 | 22 | | by adding Section 213.006 to read as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | Sec. 213.006. ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION REPORT. (a) As |
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| 24 | 24 | | part of a municipality's comprehensive plan, the municipality's |
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| 25 | 25 | | governing body must also adopt an environmental evaluation report |
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| 26 | 26 | | that includes: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) projected environmental changes that may be |
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| 28 | 28 | | reasonably anticipated due to implementation of the comprehensive |
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| 29 | 29 | | plan regarding air, water, and soil quality; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) any adverse environmental effects to be monitored |
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| 31 | 31 | | due to changes in air, water, and soil quality; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) an evaluation of projected environmental benefits |
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| 33 | 33 | | that may be reasonably related to implementation of the |
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| 34 | 34 | | comprehensive plan; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (4) an evaluation of adverse environmental results |
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| 36 | 36 | | that may be reasonably related to implementation of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | comprehensive plan; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (5) measures for the identification and environmental |
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| 39 | 39 | | protection of environmental resources that may reasonably be |
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| 40 | 40 | | affected by the plan; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (6) either: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (A) an assessment of the cost to remedy or |
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| 43 | 43 | | mitigate any adverse effects or results identified in Subdivisions |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) and (4); or |
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| 45 | 45 | | (B) a feasibility study of alternative planning |
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| 46 | 46 | | that mitigates those adverse effects or results. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (b) The environmental evaluation report may include: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) the organizational structure of community |
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| 49 | 49 | | planning committees; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) the identification of best practices, procedures, |
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| 51 | 51 | | processes, and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, |
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| 52 | 52 | | reviewing, and maintaining continuous improvement in environmental |
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| 53 | 53 | | policy. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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