AI-assisted research summary: This section requires or allows municipalities to appoint a zoning commission and sets timing and notice rules for zoning commission hearings.
Sec. 211.007. ZONING COMMISSION. (a) To exercise the powers authorized by this subchapter, the governing body of a home-rule municipality shall, and the governing body of a general-law municipality may, appoint a zoning commission. The commission shall recommend boundaries for the original zoning districts and appropriate zoning regulations for each district. If the municipality has a municipal planning commission at the time of implementation of this subchapter, the governing body may appoint that commission to serve as the zoning commission. (b) The zoning commission shall make a preliminary report and hold at least one public hearing on that report before submitting a final report to the governing body. The governing body may not hold a public hearing until it receives the final report of the zoning commission unless the governing body by ordinance provides that a public hearing is to be held, after the notice required by Section 211.006(a), jointly with a public hearing required to be held by the zoning commission. In either case, the governing body may not take action on the matter until it receives the final report of the zoning commission. (c) Before the 10th day before the hearing date, written notice of each public hearing before the zoning commission on a proposed change in a zoning classification shall be sent to each owner, as indicated by the most recently approved municipal tax roll, of real property within 200 feet of the property on which the change in classification is proposed. The notice may be served by its deposit in the municipality, properly addressed with postage paid, in the United States mail or by electronic delivery. If the property within 200 feet of the property on which the change is proposed is located in territory annexed to the municipality and is not included on the most recently approved municipal tax roll, the notice shall be given in the manner provided by Section 211.006(a). (c-1) Before the 10th day before the hearing date, written notice of each public hearing before the zoning commission on a proposed change in a zoning classification affecting residential or multifamily zoning shall be sent to each school district in which the property for which the change in classification is proposed is located. The notice may be served by its deposit in the municipality, properly addressed with postage paid, in the United States mail or by electronic delivery. (c-2) Subsection (c-1) does not apply to a municipality the majority of which is located in a county with a population of 100,000 or less, except that such a municipality must give notice under Subsection (c-1) to a school district that has territory in the municipality and requests the notice. For purposes of this subsection, if a school district makes a request for notice under Subsection (c-1), the municipality must give notice of each public hearing held following the request unless the school district requests that no further notices under Subsection (c-1) be given to the school district. (d) The governing body of a home-rule municipality may, by a two-thirds vote, prescribe the type of notice to be given of the time and place of a public hearing held jointly by the governing body and the zoning commission. If notice requirements are prescribed under this subsection, the notice requirements prescribed by Subsections (b) and (c) and by Section 211.006(a) do not apply. (e) If a general-law municipality exercises zoning authority without the appointment of a zoning commission, any reference in a law to a municipal zoning commission or planning commission means the governing body of the municipality. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 640 (H.B. 674), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 401 (H.B. 1381), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 460 (H.B. 4506), Sec. 2, eff. June 20, 2025.