UPDATE: Commissioners Court Members: Rep. Terry Wilson has informed us that he has secured a commitment that the Senate amendments to H.B. 3697 will be removed in the Conference Committee Report. The final version will not repeal county authority to protect the public interest and regulate lot sizes and density. Thank you for your efforts, Jim Allison.
EMERGENCY ALERT: H.B. 3697 – Subdivision Regulations
Commissioners Court Members: The Senate amended H.B. 3697 to REPEAL AND ELIMINATE the ability of Commissioners Courts to 1) adopt subdivision regulations to promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the county and the safe, orderly, and healthful development of the unincorporated area and 2) to regulate the minimum size of a lot, dimensions of a lot, minimum width of a lot frontage, minimum distance a lot must be set back from a road or property line, or another component of lot density. Without this statutory authority, the Commissioners Court will not be able to prevent “flag” lots and other shoddy development. These amendments will result in a reduction of the value of residential properties and allow creation of “colonias” throughout Texas.
The House author, Rep. Terry Wilson, has refused to accept these amendments and demanded a conference committee to reconcile the differences. The House conferees are Rep. Wilson, Rep. Cecil Bell, Rep. Shawn Thierry, Rep. Ed Thompson, and Rep. Cody Vasut. The Senate conferees have not been designated. Please call the House conferees and request that they reject the Senate amendments and support the House version of H.B. 3697. Thanks, Jim Allison
