Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 840 and Senate Bill 15 on Monday, which aim to “combat the statewide housing crisis,” but the bills also remove some power for municipalities to decide what development is allowed by right in certain zoning.
Abbott said the bills are an attempt to create affordable housing in Texas.
“Housing affordability is one of the key issues on the minds of Texans today,” he said. “Thankfully, we have taken large steps to make the American dream of affording a home a reality. Thank you to all the lawmakers and housing advocates who continue working to make Texas the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
Flower Mound Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem Adam Schiestel said Senate Bill 840 would open the door to more apartments without having to go through the zone change process with a Town or City Council.
SB 840 “allows for mixed-use and multifamily development in areas currently zoned for office, retail or warehouse, unlocking new pockets for the immediate development of more housing in large cities,” said the Governor’s Office.
“It would allow commercially-zoned property to be converted into apartments by right,” said Schiestel.
The bill also prevents municipalities from using fees and other requirements as a way to hinder or create barriers for developments like apartments to be built.
However, the bill only applies to municipalities with populations more than 150,000, so Flower Mound, Argyle, Highland Village and other smaller municipalities will not be affected.
Senate Bill 15 prohibits cities imposing minimum lot sizes in residential-zoned districts. The bill opens the door for “smaller and denser development.”
For lots smaller than five acres, “a municipality may not require certain setback requirements, covered parking, more than one parking space, off-site parking, more than 30% permeable surface, certain ceiling height requirements, maximum building bulk or wall articulation,” according to a press release from the Governor’s office.
This bill, similar to SB 840, only applies to municipalities with populations more than 150,000.
Schiestel said all of Flower Mound’s representatives voted ‘no’ on the bill.
The ability to keep Flower Mound and other smaller municipalities from being affected was in big part to leaders from the community testifying against the bills.
Schiestel said Flower Mound council members and Senator Tan Parker were some who spoke out on the bill.
“This outcome was not due to luck. Mayor Cheryl Moore, Mayor Pro-Tem Ann Martin and I made several trips to Austin to testify,” he said. “Most importantly, Senator Tan Parker did heroic work, adding language and amendments to the bills that limited their applicability in southern Denton County. He truly is one of a kind.”
Other bills that could have had impacts on southern Denton County’s small towns and cities failed during the session.
