By: Springer S.B. No. 2208
(Stucky)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Rocky Top Ranch Municipal Utility
District of Denton County; 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 7905 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 7905. ROCKY TOP RANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT OF DENTON
COUNTY
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 7905.0101. 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 Rocky Top Ranch Municipal
Utility District of Denton County.
Sec. 7905.0102. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a
municipal utility district created under Section 59, Article XVI,
Texas Constitution.
Sec. 7905.0103. 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. 7905.0104. CONSENT OF MUNICIPALITY REQUIRED. The
temporary directors may not hold an election under Section
7905.0103 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. 7905.0105. 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. 7905.0106. 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. 7905.0201. GOVERNING BODY; TERMS. (a) The district is
governed by a board of five elected directors.
(b) Except as provided by Section 7905.0202, directors
serve staggered four-year terms.
Sec. 7905.0202. 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 7905.0103; 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 7905.0103 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 7905.0103; 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. 7905.0301. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The district
has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for
which the district is created.
Sec. 7905.0302. 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. 7905.0303. 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. 7905.0304. 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. 7905.0305. 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. 7905.0306. DIVISION OF DISTRICT. (a) The district may
be divided into two or more new districts only if the district:
(1) has no outstanding bonded debt; and
(2) is not imposing ad valorem taxes.
(b) 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.
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
(e) The board may adopt an order dividing the district
before or after the date the board holds an election under Section
7905.0103 to confirm the district's creation.
(f) An order dividing the district shall:
(1) name each new district;
(2) include the metes and bounds description of the
territory of each new district;
(3) appoint temporary directors for each new district;
and
(4) provide for the division of assets and liabilities
between the new districts.
(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) Any new district created by the division of the district
shall hold a confirmation and directors' election as required by
Section 7905.0103. If the voters of a new district do not confirm
the creation of the new district, the assets, obligations,
territory, and governance of the new district revert to the
original district.
(i) If the creation of the new district is confirmed, the
new district shall provide the election date and results to the
commission.
(j) Any 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.
(k) Municipal consent to the creation of the district and to
the inclusion of land in the district granted under Section
7905.0104 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. 7905.0401. 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 7905.0403.
(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. 7905.0402. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TAX. (a) If
authorized at an election held under Section 7905.0401, 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. 7905.0403. 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. 7905.0501. 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. 7905.0502. 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. 7905.0503. 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. Rocky Top Ranch Municipal Utility District of
Denton County initially includes all the territory contained in the
following area:
Tract 1:
BEING A 152.226 ACRE TRACT OF LAND SITUATED IN THE JOHN B. CRAWFORD
SURVEY, ABSTRACT NO. 224, DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS, AND BEING ALL OF A
CALLED 60.030 ACRE TRACT OF LAND CONVEYED TO GARLAND R. BOYD, AS
RECORDED IN VOLUME 2715, PAGE 650, OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORDS, DENTON
COUNTY, TEXAS, AND THE REMAINING PORTION OF A CALLED 115.3885 ACRE
TRACT OF LAND CONVEYED TO GARLAND R. BOYD AND JOSEPHINE BOYD, AS
RECORDED IN VOLUME 1483, PAGE 250, REAL PROPERTY RECORDS, DENTON
COUNTY, TEXAS. SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT BEING MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED BY METES AND BOUNDS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINNING AT A 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES"
SET FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT, FROM WHICH
A 1/2" IRON ROD FOUND BEARS S 89°57'04" W, A DISTANCE OF 1302.00
FEET. SAID 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES"
BEING CALLED THE POINT OF BEGINNING AND HAVING A TEXAS COORDINATE
SYSTEM OF 1983, TEXAS NORTH CENTRAL ZONE (4202), STATE PLANE
COORDINATE OF N:7140353.10, E:2323847.58 FEET, FOR REFERENCE.
THENCE, N 89°57'04" E, A DISTANCE OF 1056.17 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED
IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER ON THE NORTH
LINE OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, N 89°57'04" E, A DISTANCE OF 777.30 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED
IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER ON THE NORTH
LINE OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 07°20'11" E, A DISTANCE OF 23.45 FEET TO A FENCE CORNER
POST FOUND FOR CORNER OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 89°44'52" E, A DISTANCE OF 834.84 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED
IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR THE NORTHEAST
CORNER OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 00°24'16" W, A DISTANCE OF 2474.53 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED
IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR THE SOUTHEAST
CORNER OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT ON THE NORTH LINE OF JACKSON ROAD;
THENCE WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT THE FOLLOWING
COURSES AND DISTANCES:
N 89°34'11" W, ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF JACKSON ROAD, A
DISTANCE OF 167.02 FEET TO A BENT 1" IRON ROD FOUND FOR
CORNER;
S 00°29'47" W, OVER AND ACROSS SAID JACKSON ROAD, A DISTANCE
OF 40.00 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL
SERVICES" SET FOR AN ANGLE POINT OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
N 89°10'42" W, A DISTANCE OF 400.35 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON
ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER;
N 00°29'47" E, OVER AND ACROSS SAID JACKSON ROAD, A DISTANCE
OF 40.00 FEET TO A 5/8" IRON ROD FOUND FOR CORNER ON THE NORTH
LINE OF JACKSON ROAD;
N 89°13'48" W, ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID JACKSON ROAD, A
DISTANCE OF 1046.07 FEET TO A FENCE CORNER POST FOR CORNER;
N 89°37'45" W, CONTINUING ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF JACKSON
ROAD, A DISTANCE OF 1055.80 FEET TO FENCE POST FOUND FOR
THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, N 00°21'12" E, DEPARTING SAID NORTH LINE OF JACKSON ROAD,
WITH THE WEST LINE OF SAID 152.226 ACRE TRACT, A DISTANCE OF 2471.99
FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, CONTAINING 152.226 ACRES OR
6,630,966 SQUARE FEET OF LAND, MORE OR LESS.
Tract 2:
BEING A 247.889 ACRE TRACT OF LAND SITUATED IN THE JOHN B. CRAWFORD
SURVEY, ABSTRACT NO. 224, DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS, AND BEING ALL OF A
CALLED 247.194 ACRE TRACT OF LAND CONVEYED TO BORUCH FRISHMAN AS
RECORDED IN VOLUME 1282, PAGE 412, OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORDS, DENTON
COUNTY, TEXAS. SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT BEING MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED BY METES AND BOUNDS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINNING AT A 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES"
SET FOR THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT, FROM WHICH
A 1/2" IRON ROD FOUND BEARS S 89°57'04" W, A DISTANCE OF 1597.05
FEET. SAID 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES"
BEING CALLED THE POINT OF BEGINNING AND HAVING A TEXAS COORDINATE
SYSTEM OF 1983, TEXAS NORTH CENTRAL ZONE (4202), STATE PLANE
COORDINATE OF N: 7140353.35, E: 2324142.63 FEET, FOR REFERENCE.
THENCE FROM SAID POINT OF BEGINNING, N 00°12'15" W, A DISTANCE OF
2466.89 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL
SERVICES" SET FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 89°45'15" E, A DISTANCE OF 3170.12 FEET TO A 1/2" IRON PIPE
FOUND FOR CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 00°24'01" W, A DISTANCE OF 603.03 FEET TO A FENCE CORNER
POST FOUND FOR CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT, FROM WHICH A 1/2"
IRON ROD FOUND BEARS S 04°21'04" E, A DISTANCE OF 0.28 FEET;
THENCE, S 89°30'52" E, A DISTANCE OF 1623.61 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED
IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER OF SAID
247.889 ACRE TRACT AND BEING IN RIPY ROAD, FROM WHICH AN IRON ROD
FOUND BEARS N 00°07'28" W, A DISTANCE OF 604.87 FEET;
THENCE, S 00°06'47" E, ALONG SAID RIPY ROAD, A DISTANCE OF 1832.41
FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET
FOR THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT IN RIPY ROAD;
THENCE WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT THE FOLLOWING
COURSES AND DISTANCES:
S 89°57'04" W, A DISTANCE OF 2002.33 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON
ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER OF SAID
247.889 ACRE TRACT;
S 01°21'57" W, A DISTANCE OF 29.78 FEET TO A FENCE CORNER POST
FOUND FOR CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT;
N 89°44'52" W, A DISTANCE OF 1239.81 FEET TO A FENCE CORNER
POST FOUND FOR CORNER OF SAID 247.889 ACRE TRACT;
N 07°20'11" W, A DISTANCE OF 23.45 FEET TO A 1/2" CAPPED IRON
ROD STAMPED "TRANSGLOBAL SERVICES" SET FOR CORNER OF SAID
247.889 ACRE TRACT;
THENCE, S 89°57'04" W, CONTINUING WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID
247.889 ACRE TRACT A DISTANCE OF 1538.42 FEET TO TO THE POINT OF
BEGINNING, CONTAINING 247.889 ACRES OR 10,798,024 SQUARE FEET OF
LAND, MORE OR LESS.
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
7905, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of
this Act, is amended by adding Section 7905.0307 to read as follows:
Sec. 7905.0307. 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, 2021.