Category Archives: special districts

2019 Texas Legislature Eminent Domain Playing Field. Who is Where & What are all these Associations?

The 2 umbrella assocaitions in the bruhaha:

  • Texans for Property Rights “dedicated to protecting property rights”
    • Texas Farm Bureau
    • Texas Assoc. of Realtors
    • Texas Wildlife Association
    • Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Assoc.
    • TWITTER  (October 2016)
  • Coalition for Critical Infrastructure ” help maintain Texas’ positive business climate and quality of life by addressing our growing need for roads and highways; oil, natural gas and water pipelines; electric transmission and…

Lege TREND. Governor Protects Open Space from Eminent Domain.

Pennsylvania Governor signed  HB 2468 (2018 | PA) protects open space by making it harder to condemn land that is subject to a Conservation Easement.

How does this work?

  • Land subject to a conservation easement cannot be condemned unless:
  • An court says that eminent domain can be used
  • A court can only say that eminent domain can be used if:
    • necessary for the health and safety of a community
    • no other reasonable and prudent alternative

Patch | Stoneleigh Response Eminent Domain Bill Signed…

3 Reasons an Editorial Opposes Eminent Domain for Affordable Housing

The North Jersey editorial board opposed the taking of private property by a for-profit developer to build between 22 and 29 low- to moderate-income apartments in a mixed use retail and market rate housing development.

The opposition:

  • Affordable housing is not a public use for eminent domain
  • Its iffy if the properties taken are blighted
  • handing private property, seized by emient domain, to a private developer doesn’t fly

North Jersey | Editorial: In Emerson, eminent domain or land grab?  

Texas Attorney General Opinion. Land Use. MUD Fees. New Legislative Fix for MUD fees?

No, a MUD cannot use its funds to replace vandalized mailboxes in its jurisdiction. 

The Attorney General Opinion KP-0169 lays out which code sections that could be amended to include a MUD’s use of funds to repair or replace mailboxes:

  • TEX. WATER CODE§ 54.012. 

    TEX. WATER CODE§ 54.201(b), §54.236 and §54.242 add to the laundry list of specific revenues uses for MUDs

4 Points. Bill Protects Private Property on San Marcos River.

SB 965 (2017) by Zaffirni would:

  • Counties along the river will be able to approve the creation of water and safety zones
  • The water & safety zones can impose fees of up to $4 per person
  • The fees would support services such as rental of recreation equipment, shuttle service or ingress or egress service
  • Due to limited law enforcement the water and safety zones would serve to protect land owners along the San Marcos River

House Sponsor: Cyrier

Texas State University Star | Senate passes…

How many 2017 Special District Bills Deny Eminent Domain?

10+ local bills can still be filed after March 10th.

HB 4271  Relating to the creation of the East Houston Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.

SB 2244  Relating to the creation of the University Hills Municipal Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments or fees.

SB 1996  Relating to the creation of the Rio de Vida Municipal Utility District No. 1; providing…