H.B. No. 2497

	AN ACT
	relating to rules of and appeals to a municipal board of adjustment.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 211.008(e), Local Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(e)  The board by majority vote shall adopt rules in
	accordance with any ordinance adopted under this subchapter and
	with the approval of the governing body. Meetings of the board are
	held at the call of the presiding officer and at other times as
	determined by the board. The presiding officer or acting presiding
	officer may administer oaths and compel the attendance of
	witnesses. All meetings of the board shall be open to the public.
	SECTION 2.  Section 211.010, Local Government Code, is
	amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding
	Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), any of the
	following persons may appeal to the board of adjustment a decision
	made by an administrative official that is not related to a specific
	application, address, or project:
	(1)  a person aggrieved by the decision; or
	(2)  any officer, department, board, or bureau of the
	municipality affected by the decision.
	(a-1)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), any of the
	following persons may appeal to the board of adjustment a decision
	made by an administrative official that is related to a specific
	application, address, or project:
	(1)  a person who:
	(A)  filed the application that is the subject of
	the decision;
	(B)  is the owner or representative of the owner
	of the property that is the subject of the decision; or
	(C)  is aggrieved by the decision and is the owner
	of real property within 200 feet of the property that is the subject
	of the decision; or
	(2)  any officer, department, board, or bureau of the
	municipality affected by the decision.
	(b)  The appellant must file with the board and the official
	from whom the appeal is taken a notice of appeal specifying the
	grounds for the appeal. The appeal must be filed not later than the
	20th day after the date the decision is made [within a reasonable
	time as determined by the rules of the board]. On receiving the
	notice, the official from whom the appeal is taken shall
	immediately transmit to the board all the papers constituting the
	record of the action that is appealed.
	(d)  The board shall set a reasonable time for the appeal
	hearing and shall give public notice of the hearing and due notice
	to the parties in interest. A party may appear at the appeal
	hearing in person or by agent or attorney. The board shall decide
	the appeal at the next meeting for which notice can be provided
	following the hearing and not later than the 60th day after the date
	the appeal is filed [within a reasonable time].
	SECTION 3.  (a) Section 211.008(e), Local Government Code,
	as amended by this Act, applies only to rules adopted by a municipal
	board of adjustment on or after the effective date of this Act.
	(b)  Section 211.010(a), Local Government Code, as amended
	by this Act, applies only to an appeal based on a decision made by an
	administrative official on or after the effective date of this Act.
	An appeal based on a decision made by an administrative official
	before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
	effect on the date the decision was made, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2497 was passed by the House on May 8,
	2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 2, 1 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2497 was passed by the Senate on May
	22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor