Bill Text: TX SB929 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the notice and compensation a municipality must provide before revoking the right to use property for a use that was allowed before the adoption of or change to a zoning regulation or boundary.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-19 - Effective immediately [SB929 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB929-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Parker S.B. No. 929
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the notice and compensation a municipality must provide
  before revoking the right to use property for a use that was allowed
  before the adoption of or change to a zoning regulation or
  boundary.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 211.006, Local Government Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  In addition to any notice required by this section or
  Section 211.007, the governing body of a municipality or a zoning
  commission, as applicable, shall provide written notice of each
  public hearing regarding any proposed adoption of or change to a
  zoning regulation or boundary that could result in a current
  conforming use of a property becoming a nonconforming use if the
  regulation or boundary were to be adopted or changed. The notice
  must:
               (1) be mailed by United States mail to each owner of
  real or business personal property where the proposed nonconforming
  use is located as indicated by the most recently approved municipal
  tax roll and each occupant at that property not later than the 10th
  day before the hearing date;
               (2) contain the time and place of the hearing; and
               (3) include the following text in bold fourteen-point
  type or larger:
         "THE [MUNICIPALITY NAME] IS HOLDING A HEARING THAT
  WILL DETERMINE WHETHER YOU MAY LOSE THE RIGHT TO
  CONTINUE USING YOUR PROPERTY FOR ITS CURRENT USE.
  PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY."
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 211, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Section 211.019 to read as follows:
         Sec. 211.019.  NONCONFORMING LAND USE. (a)  In this section,
  "market value" means the price the sale of the property would bring
  in an arms-length transaction when offered for sale by one who
  wishes, but is not obliged, to sell and when bought by one who is
  under no necessity of buying it. 
         (b) Except as provided by this section, the operator of
  property with a nonconforming use as a result of the adoption of or
  change to a zoning regulation or boundary may continue to use the
  property in the same manner the property was used before the use
  became nonconforming.
         (c)  If a nonconforming use on a property described by
  Subsection (b) is required by a municipality to cease operation due
  to being a nonconforming use, the owner or the lessee of the
  property is entitled to receive either:
               (1)  a payment from the municipality composed of costs
  that are directly attributable to the municipal requirement of
  ceasing operation including demolition expenses, relocation
  expenses, termination of leases, and discharge of mortgages, and
  an amount equaling the diminution, if any, of the greater of, as
  determined by the municipality, the market value of the property on
  the day before:
                     (A)  the notice under Section 211.006(a-1) was
  required to be sent to the property's owner of the adoption of or
  change to a zoning regulation or boundary that made the use
  nonconforming and the property's market value as a result of the
  use becoming nonconforming; or 
                     (B)  a person submits an application or request to
  the municipality to require or the municipality otherwise requires
  the nonconforming use to cease operation due to being a
  nonconforming use and the property's market value as a result of a
  municipal requirement that the use cease operation; or 
               (2)  additional time to operate the nonconforming use
  until the property owner or lessee has recovered, through its
  business activities using generally accepted accounting
  principles, the amount determined under Subsection (c)(1).
         (d)  A municipal requirement to cease operation due to
  nonconformity under this section includes:
               (1)  an action of the governing body, board, commission,
  department, or official of the municipality; and
               (2)  a determination by the municipality that must be
  made before the nonconforming use is required to cease operation
  such as determining the use has an adverse effect.
         (e)  The municipality must notify each owner of real or
  business personal property, as indicated by the most recently
  approved municipal tax roll, with a nonconforming use subject to a
  municipal requirement to cease operation due to being a
  nonconforming use and each occupant at that property in writing of
  its requirement and the remedies described in Subsection (c) not
  later than the 10th day after the date the municipality imposes the
  requirement.
         (f)  The owner and any lessee of the real property must
  notify the municipality in writing of the remedy chosen under
  Subsection (c) not later than the 30th day after the date the
  municipality sent the notice required by Subsection (e). If the
  owner of real property and a lessee choose different remedies, the
  owner's choice of remedy controls. If there is more than one owner
  of the real property and they choose different remedies, the choice
  of remedy by owners who have a greater ownership interest in the
  property controls. If the property owner and lessee fail to provide
  timely notice, the municipality may choose the remedy.
         (g)  A person receiving payment under Subsection (c)(1) must
  cease operating the nonconforming use not later than the 10th day
  after the date of the payment. 
         (h)  A person receiving additional time to operate the
  nonconforming use under Subsection (c)(2) must cease operating that
  use immediately on the expiration of the additional time. 
         (i)  If both the owner and lessee of the property seek a
  payment from the municipality under Subsection (c)(1), the
  municipality shall apportion the payment between each based on the
  market value of their interests in the property. The municipality's
  apportionment may be appealed by either the owner or lessee in the
  same manner as other appeals allowed by this section. 
         (j)  If the owner or lessee does not accept the
  municipality's determination under Subsection (c)(1) or (2),
  either person may appeal the determination to the board of
  adjustment of the municipality not later than the 20th day after the
  date the determination is made. At the hearing before the board of
  adjustment, the municipality has the burden of proof to establish
  the correctness of its determination.
         (k)  The municipality or a person aggrieved by the final
  decision of the board of adjustment may seek judicial review of the
  decision in the manner provided by Section 211.011 by filing suit
  not later than the 20th day after the date the final decision is
  made except that:
               (1) the municipality has the burden of proving by clear
  and convincing evidence that its determination was correct; and
               (2) in reviewing the municipality's decision, the
  court: 
                     (A) may not use a deferential standard in the
  municipality's favor; and 
                     (B) is not limited to determining whether a
  decision of the board is illegal. 
         (l)  A person seeking additional time to operate under
  Subsection (c)(2) who appeals the decision of the municipality or
  board of adjustment may continue to use the property in the same
  manner as before the use became nonconforming pending the appeal
  unless an official of the body who made the decision certifies in
  writing to the entity with jurisdiction over the appeal facts
  supporting the official's opinion that continued nonconforming use
  of the property would cause imminent peril to life or property. In
  that case, continued nonconforming use of the property may be
  stayed only by a restraining order granted by the entity with
  jurisdiction over the appeal, after notice to the official, if due
  cause is shown. 
         (m)  If following an appeal it is determined that the amount
  of compensation that a person is ultimately entitled to under this
  section is different from the amount initially received under
  Subsection (c)(1), the entity with jurisdiction over the appeal
  shall order additional compensation to the person or reimbursement
  to the municipality, as appropriate. 
         (n)  If following an appeal it is determined that the amount
  of additional time to operate the nonconforming use that a person
  is ultimately entitled to under this section is different from the
  amount initially received under Subsection (c)(2), the entity with
  jurisdiction over the appeal shall order additional or less time to
  the person, as appropriate. 
         (o)  An owner or lessee of the real property may waive the
  rights and remedies provided by this section by notifying the
  municipality in writing of the waiver. 
         (p)  This section does not apply to a nonconforming use that
  has been intentionally abandoned for six months or more. 
         (q)  A municipality's or board of adjustment's immunity from
  suit and liability is waived in an action brought by a property
  owner or lessee to enforce the rights and remedies under this
  section. 
         SECTION 3.  (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply to
  property for which:
               (1)  on or after June 1, 2023, the governing body or
  zoning commission of a municipality considers a proposed adoption
  of or change to a zoning regulation or boundary that could result in
  a current conforming use of a property becoming a nonconforming
  use; or
               (2)  on or after February 1, 2023, the governing body or
  a board, commission, department, or official of a municipality
  requires, by ordinance or otherwise, or receives an application or
  request to require a nonconforming use to cease operation due to its
  nonconformity with the property's current zoning.
         (b)  Subsection (a)(2) of this section applies to a property
  even if the governing body or a board, commission, department, or
  official of the municipality is required to make a determination,
  such as determining the nonconforming use has an adverse effect,
  before the nonconforming use is required to cease operation.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2023.
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