Sec. 49.302. ADDING LAND BY PETITION OF LESS THAN ALL THE LANDOWNERS

(a) In addition to the method of adding land to a district described in Section 49.301, defined areas of land, whether or not they are contiguous to the district, may be annexed to the district in the manner set forth in this section.

(b) A petition requesting the annexation of a defined area signed by a majority in value of the owners of land in the defined area, as shown by the tax rolls of the central appraisal district of the county or counties in which such area is located, or signed by 50 landowners if the number of landowners is more than 50, shall describe the land by metes and bounds or by lot and block number if there is a recorded plat of the area and shall be filed with the secretary of the board.

(c) It shall be the duty of the board to pass an order fixing a time and place at which the petition for annexation shall be heard that shall not be less than 30 days from the day of the order calling the hearing.

(d) The secretary of the board shall issue a notice setting forth the time and place of the hearing and describing the area proposed to be annexed. Notice of the hearing shall be given by posting copies of the notice in three public places in the district and in one public place in the area proposed to be annexed for at least 14 days before the day of the hearing and by publishing a copy of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the area proposed to be annexed is located one time at least 14 days before the day of the hearing.

(e) If upon the hearing of the petition it is found by the board that the proposed annexation of the area to the district is feasible, practicable, and to the advantage of the district and if the district's system and other improvements of the district are sufficient or will be sufficient to supply the added land without injuring land already in the district, then the board, by order entered in its minutes, may receive the proposed area as an addition to and to become a part of the district. The order adding the proposed territory to the district need not include all of the land described in the petition if at the hearing a modification or change is found necessary or desirable by the board.

(f) A copy of the order annexing land to the district, attested by the secretary of the board, shall be filed and recorded in the deed records of the county or counties in which the district is located if the land is finally annexed to the district.

(g) After the order is recorded the area shall be a component part of the district.

(h) The annexed area shall bear its pro rata share of all bonds, notes, or other obligations or taxes that may be owed, contracted, or authorized by the district to which it has been added.

(i) Before the added area shall be subject to all or any part of the bonds, notes, obligations, or taxes created before the annexation of the area to the district, the board shall order an election to be held in the district, as enlarged by reason of the annexation of the area, on the question of the assumption of the bonds, notes, obligations, and taxes by the annexed area.

(j) At the same election, the board may also submit a proposition on the question of whether the annexed area should assume its part of the bonds of the district payable in whole or in part from taxes that have been voted previously but not yet issued or sold and the levy of an ad valorem tax on all taxable property within the area annexed along with a tax on the rest of the district for the payment of the bonds.

(k) If the election results favorably, the district shall be authorized to issue its voted but unissued tax bonds even though the boundaries of the district have been changed since the original election approving the bonds.

(l) At the election called for the purpose of determining whether the annexed area shall assume the bonds, notes, or other obligations or taxes of the district, the board in a separate proposition may also submit the question of whether the board should be authorized to issue bonds payable in whole or in part from taxes to provide service to the area annexed.

(m) In the event that the district has bonds, notes, or obligations or taxes that may be owed, contracted, or authorized at the time an area is annexed or if the district has voted but unissued bonds payable in whole or in part from taxes at the time of an annexation, the board may provide in its order annexing an area to the district that the annexation will not be complete or final unless the indebtedness, tax or bond, note, or other obligation assumption election results favorably to the assumption of the district's outstanding bonds, notes, or other obligations and voted but unissued bonds.

(n) If the board elects to submit the question of whether the board should be authorized to issue bonds to provide service to the area annexed, the board may also provide in its order annexing an area to the district that the annexation will not be complete unless the election results favorably to the issuance of bonds to serve the annexed area.

(o) Whenever an election is ordered to be held in the district for the purpose of the assumption of bonds, notes, or other obligations or taxes or the assumption of voted but unissued bonds by reason of the annexation of any area, then the election shall be held and notice given as provided for bond elections held by the district.

(p) The district has the same right and duty to furnish service to the annexed land that it previously had to furnish service to other land in the district, and the board shall endeavor to serve all land in the district without discrimination.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 715, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1070, Sec. 22, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 20, eff. June 17, 2001.