This section defines bus rapid transit and rail transportation projects, preserves certain reinvestment zone powers, allows some tax increment fund use for land outside the zone if conditions are met, and forbids acquisition through condemnation for property acquired under subsection (c).
Sec. 311.01005. COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPORTATION OR TRANSIT PROJECTS. (a) In this section: (1) "Bus rapid transit project" means a mass transportation facility designed to give preferential treatment to buses on a roadway in order to reduce bus travel time, improve service reliability, increase the convenience of users, and increase bus ridership, including: (A) a fixed guideway, high occupancy vehicle lane, bus way, or bus lane; (B) a transit center or station; (C) a maintenance facility; and (D) other real property associated with a bus rapid transit operation. (2) "Rail transportation project" means a passenger rail facility, including: (A) tracks; (B) a rail line; (C) a depot; (D) a maintenance facility; and (E) other real property associated with a passenger rail operation. (b) This section does not affect the power of the board of directors of a reinvestment zone or the governing body of the municipality that creates a reinvestment zone to enter into an agreement under Section 311.010(b) to dedicate, pledge, or otherwise provide for the use of revenue in the tax increment fund to pay the costs of acquiring, constructing, operating, or maintaining property located in the zone or to acquire or reimburse acquisition costs of real property outside the zone for right-of-way or easements necessary to construct public rights-of-way or infrastructure that benefits the zone. (c) An agreement under Section 311.010(b) may dedicate, pledge, or otherwise provide for the use of revenue in the tax increment fund to pay the costs of acquiring land, or the development rights or a conservation easement in land, located outside the reinvestment zone, if: (1) the zone is or will be served by a rail transportation project or bus rapid transit project; (2) the land or the development rights or conservation easement in the land is acquired for the purpose of preserving the land in its natural or undeveloped condition; and (3) the land is located in the county in which the zone is located. (d) The board of directors of a reinvestment zone, if all of the members of the board are appointed by the municipality that creates the zone, or the governing body of the municipality that creates a reinvestment zone may enter into an agreement described by Subsection (c) only if: (1) the board or the governing body determines that the acquisition of the land, or the development rights or conservation easement in the land, located outside the zone benefits or will benefit the zone by facilitating the preservation of regional open space in order to balance the regional effects of urban development promoted by the rail transportation project or bus rapid transit project; and (2) the municipality that creates the reinvestment zone and the county in which the zone is located pay the same portion of their tax increment into the tax increment fund for the zone. (e) Property acquired under Subsection (c) may not be acquired through condemnation. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1134 (H.B. 2653), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005.