Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2476 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/26/2019

                    86R9274 SLB-F
 By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 2476


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the creation of the Waller County Water Control and
 Improvement District No. 3; 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 I, Title 6, Special District Local Laws
 Code, is amended by adding Chapter 9085 to read as follows:
 CHAPTER 9085.  WALLER COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
 NO. 3
 SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL PROVISIONS
 Sec. 9085.0101.  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 Waller County Water Control
 and Improvement District No. 3.
 Sec. 9085.0102.  NATURE OF DISTRICT.  The district is a water
 control and improvement district created under Section 59, Article
 XVI, Texas Constitution.
 Sec. 9085.0103.  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. 9085.0104.  CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The
 temporary directors may not hold an election under Section
 9085.0103 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.
 Sec. 9085.0105.  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 water control and improvement 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. 9085.0106.  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. 9085.0201.  GOVERNING BODY; TERMS.  (a)  The district is
 governed by a board of five elected directors.
 (b)  Except as provided by Section 9085.0202, directors
 serve staggered four-year terms.
 Sec. 9085.0202.  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 9085.0103; 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 9085.0103 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 9085.0103; 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. 9085.0301.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES.  The district
 has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for
 which the district is created.
 Sec. 9085.0302.  WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
 POWERS AND DUTIES.  The district has the powers and duties provided
 by the general law of this state, including Chapters 49 and 51,
 Water Code, applicable to water control and improvement districts
 created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
 Sec. 9085.0303.  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. 9085.0304.  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, zoning and
 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. 9085.0305.  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 42.042 or 42.0425, Local Government Code, and
 consents to the creation of the district or to the inclusion of land
 in the district.
 Sec. 9085.0306.  LIMITATION ON USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN. The
 district may not exercise the power of eminent domain outside the
 district boundaries to acquire a site or easement for:
 (1)  a recreational facility, as defined by Section
 49.462, Water Code; or
 (2)  a road project authorized by Section 9085.0303.
 SUBCHAPTER D.  GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
 Sec. 9085.0401.  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 9085.0403.
 (b)  The district must hold an election in the manner
 provided by Chapters 49 and 51, 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. 9085.0402.  OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX.  (a)  If
 authorized at an election held under Section 9085.0401, 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. 9085.0403.  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. 9085.0501.  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. 9085.0502.  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 Chapter 51, Water Code.
 Sec. 9085.0503.  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.
 Sec. 9085.0504.  BONDS FOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. (a)
 The district may develop recreational facilities and issue bonds
 for recreational facilities as provided by Chapter 49, Water Code,
 regardless of whether the district's territory overlaps with the
 territory of a political subdivision that is authorized to develop
 recreational facilities and issue bonds for recreational
 facilities under Chapter 49, Water Code.
 (b)  The authority of the district to develop recreational
 facilities and issue bonds for recreational facilities under this
 section does not limit the authority of another political
 subdivision whose territory the territory of the district may
 overlap, wholly or partly, to develop recreational facilities and
 issue bonds for recreational facilities under Chapter 49, Water
 Code.
 SECTION 2.  The Waller County Water Control and Improvement
 District No. 3 initially includes all the territory contained in
 the following area:
 A metes & bounds description of a certain 3,791 acre
 (165,143,925 square feet) tract of land situated in the W.
 McCutchen (H. & T.C. R.R. Co.) Survey, Abstract No. 312, H. & T.C.
 R.R. Co. Survey, Abstract No. 145, W. McCutchen (H. & T.C. R.R. Co.)
 Survey, Abstract No. 315, H. & T.C. R.R. Co. Survey, Abstract
 No. 193, W. McCutchen (H. & T.C. R.R. Co.) Survey, Abstract
 No. 309, H. & T.C. R.R. Co. Survey, Abstract No. 192, H. & T.C. R.R.
 Co. Survey, Abstract No. 188, J. McCutchen (H. & T.C. R.R. Co.)
 Survey, Abstract No. 307, and the E. Wright (H. & T. R.R. Co.)
 Survey, Abstract No. 381 in Waller County, Texas, being all of a
 called 640 acre tract conveyed to Margaret Sager Pfeffer Estate
 Trust by Deed recorded in Volume 271, Page 308, Waller County Deed
 Records, being all of a called 640 acre tract conveyed to Adolph and
 Noelie Pfeffer Family Partnership One, Ltd. and Adolph and Noelie
 Pfeffer Family Partnership Two, Ltd. by Special Warranty Deed
 recorded in Volume 1284, Page 133, Waller Official Public Records
 of Real Property, being all of a called 823.996 acre tract conveyed
 to Adolph A . Pfeffer Sr., Trustee, of the Margaret Sager Pfeffer
 Estate Trust by Warranty Deed recorded in Volume 297, Page 825,
 Waller County Deed Records, being all of a called 320 acre tract
 conveyed to Cochran Road Partners, LLC by Special Warranty Deed
 recorded in Volume 1212, Page 399, Waller County Deed Records,
 being all of a called 640 acre tract conveyed to Cochran Road
 Partners, LLC by Special Warranty Deed recorded in Volume 1212,
 Page 399, Waller County Deed Records, being all of a called 152 acre
 tract conveyed to Cochran Road Partners, LLC by Special Warranty
 Deed recorded in Volume 1212, Page 399, Waller County Official
 Public Records of Real Property, being all of a called 80.741 acre
 tract conveyed to Adolph A Pfeffer, Jr., Trustee, of the Margaret
 Sager Pfeffer Estate Trust by Warranty Deed recorded in Volume 570,
 Page 822, Waller County Deed Records, being all of a called 40 acre
 (Tract 6) tract conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Deed recorded in
 Volume 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed Records, being all of a
 called 40 acre (Tract 7) tract conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Deed
 recorded in Volume 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed Records, being
 all of a called 119.5 acre (being 159.5 acres less 40 acres) tract
 conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Deed recorded in Volume 350, Page 5,
 Waller County Deed Records, being all of Lot 6 (called Tract 1)
 conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Partition Deed recorded in Volume
 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed Records, being all of Lot 7 (called
 Tract 2) conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Partition Deed recorded in
 Volume 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed Records, being all of Lot 8
 (called Tract 3) conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by Partition Deed
 recorded in Volume 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed Records, being
 all of Lot 9 (called Tract 4) conveyed to Adolph Pfeffer by
 Partition Deed recorded in Volume 350, Page 5, Waller County Deed
 Records, being the residue of a called 20.00 acre tract conveyed to
 Adolph A. Pfeffer by Special Warranty Deed recorded in Volume 1109,
 Page 001, Waller County Official Public Records of Real Property,
 and being a portion of tracts conveyed to Adolph A. Pfeffer by deed
 recorded in Volume 119, Page 113 Waller County Deed Records; said
 3,791-acre (165,143,925 square feet) tract of land being more
 particularly described as follows with all bearings being based on
 the Texas Coordinate System, South Central Zone, NAD 83:
 BEGINNING at a point being the southeast corner of said
 called 640 acre tract conveyed to Margaret Sager Pfeffer Estate
 Trust;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" West, 5,280.00 feet to a point for a
 corner being the southwest corner of said called 640 acre tract
 conveyed to Margaret Sager Pfeffer Estate Trust;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" West, 2,640.00 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 640 acre tract conveyed
 to Margaret Sager Pfeffer Estate Trust and being the southeast
 corner of said called 320 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" West, 5,280.00 feet to a point for
 corner being the southwest corner of said called 320 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" East, 2,728.33 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called 320 acre tract,
 being the southwest corner of said called 640 acre tract conveyed to
 Cochran Road Partners, LLC, and being the southeast corner of said
 called Volume 119, Page 113;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" West, 761.11 feet to a point for
 corner being in the south line of said called Volume 119, Page 113;
 THENCE, South 89°36'31" West, 1,319.30 feet to a point for
 corner being the southwest corner of said called Volume 119, Page
 113 and being the southeast corner of said called 80.741 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 89°37'42" West, 1,843.37 feet to a point for
 corner being the southwest corner of said called residue of a called
 20.00 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°22'16" East, 1,105.28 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called residue of a called 20
 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 89°37'43" East, 500.54 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 80.741 acre tract and
 being in the east line of said called residue of a called 20.00 acre
 tract;
 THENCE, North 01°24'32" West, 391.93 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 80.741 acre tract and
 being in the east line of said called residue of a called 20.00 acre
 tract;
 THENCE, North 01°16'47" East, 33.21 feet to a point for corner
 being in the west line of said called 80.741 acre tract and being in
 the east line of said called residue of a called 20.00 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 89°37'43" West, 488.89 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called residue of a called
 20.00 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°22'21" East, 189.43 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called residue of a called
 20.00 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 89°37'43" East, 491.89 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 80.741 acre tract and
 being the northeast corner of said called residue of a called 20.00
 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 01°16'47" East, 926.49 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called 80.741 acre tract
 and being the most northerly southwest corner of said called Volume
 119, Page 113;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" West, 1,223.80 feet to a point for
 corner being the southeast corner of said called Tract 6 and being
 in the west line of said called Volume 119, Page 113;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" West, 2,638.89 feet to a point for
 corner being the southwest corner of said called Tract 7;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" West, 1,322.22 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called Tract 7;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" East, 530.56 feet to a point for
 corner being in the north line of said called Tract 7 and being the
 southwest corner of said called 119.5 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" West, 2,516.67 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called 119.5 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 89°54'50" East, 2,773.34 feet to a point for
 corner being the northeast corner of said called 119.5 acre tract,
 being the southwest corner of said called Lot 6, and being the
 northwest corner of said called Lot 7;
 THENCE, North 00°00'00" West, 840.28 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called Lot 6;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" East, 2,735.00 feet to a point for
 corner being the northeast corner of said called Lot 6;
 THENCE, South 00°00'00" West, 869.44 feet to a point for
 corner being the southeast corner of said called Lot 6, being the
 northeast corner of said called Lot 7, and being the northwest
 corner of said called 152 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" East, 2,657.30 feet to a point for
 corner being the northeast corner of said called 152 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 00°00'00" East, 2,491.67 feet to a point for
 corner being the southeast corner of said called 152 acre tract and
 being in the north line of said called 640 acre tract conveyed to
 Cochran Road Partners, LLC;
 THENCE, North 90°00'00" East, 2,622.70 feet to a point for
 corner being the northeast corner of said called 640 acre tract
 conveyed to Cochran Road Partners, LLC, being the northwest corner
 of said called 640 acre tract conveyed to Adolph and Noelie Pfeffer
 Family Partnership One, Ltd. and Adolph and Noelie Pfeffer Family
 Partnership Two, Ltd., and being the southwest corner of said
 called 823.996 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°04'31" East, 4,548.22 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 823.996 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 11°22'24" West, 128.93 feet to a point for
 corner being in the west line of said called 823.996 acre tract;
 THENCE, North 00°21'45" East, 459.44 feet to a point for
 corner being the northwest corner of said called 823.996 acre
 tract;
 THENCE, South 89°56'04" East, 2,814.86 feet to a point for
 corner being the most northerly northeast corner of said called
 823.996 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 16°12'54" East, 1,715.81 feet to a point being
 an interior corner of said called 823.996 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 81°28'25" E, 2,000.00 feet to a point for corner
 being the most southerly northeast corner of said called 823.996
 acre tract;
 THENCE, South 00°06'10" East, 13,746.77 feet to the POINT OF
 BEGINNING, CONTAINING 3,791 acres (165,143,925 square feet) of land
 in Waller County, Texas filed in the office of Manhard Consulting,
 Ltd. in The Woodlands, Texas.
 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)  Section 9085.0306, Special District Local
 Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of this Act, takes effect only if
 this Act receives a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to
 each house.
 (b)  If this Act does not receive a two-thirds vote of all the
 members elected to each house, Subchapter C, Chapter 9085, Special
 District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of this Act, is
 amended by adding Section 9085.0306 to read as follows:
 Sec. 9085.0306.  NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The district may
 not exercise the power of eminent domain.
 (c)  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, 2019.