Item 4B - Memo
M E M O R A N D U M
October 9, 2018
To: Shana Yelverton, City Manager
From: Ben Thatcher, Assistant City Manager
Subject: Item 4B - City of Southlake Legislative Agenda
Action
Requested: Approve Resolution 18-044, adopting a legislative agenda
for the 86th Texas Legislative session.
Background
Information: Every two years the Texas Legislature meets in regular
session. Over the last several years the Legislature has
taken up a number of issues that were thought to be, by
some, an aggressive stance with regard to City’s rights to
govern themselves in accordance with the desires of the
City’s citizens. The City of Southlake wants to ensure that it
has the ability to preserve its current authority to govern the
City, its citizens and property.
The City has developed the attached legislative agenda for
consideration by the City Council. The City’s General
Legislative Policy is:
STATEMENT OF PRESERVATION
As a general policy, the City of Southlake seeks to preserve its
current authority to govern the City, its citizens, and its property
in accordance with its strategic goals and interests. The City
will oppose any legislation viewed as detrimental to the City’s
strategic goals; or that is contrary to the health, safety, and
welfare of its citizens; or that mandates or results in increased
costs or loss of revenues; or that would diminish the
fundamental authority of the City and the City Council that has
been elected to govern.
POSITIONS OF SUPPORT
The City supports any legislation viewed as advancing the
City’s strategic goals and interests; or that improves the health,
safety, and welfare of its citizens; or that responsibly increases
revenues; or that advances the City’s authority to conduct the
public's business.
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City Legislative Agenda
Page 2 of 6
POSITIONS OF OPPOSITION
The City will oppose any initiatives that seek to erode municipal
authority or that otherwise have a negative impact on municipal
operations, including but not limited to legislation that would:
Erode home rule authority;
Undermine principles of home rule authority;
Apply one size fits all solutions to complex local policy
issues;
Detrimentally affect the City’s financial position by
reducing revenue streams or increasing costs through
unfunded mandates;
Erode the authority of Texas cities to manage and
control their rights-of-way or other public property and
to be reasonably compensated for such use;
Erode current municipal economic development
authority;
Erode the current authority of Texas cities to ena ct a
system and set the level of impact fees for new
development;
Further restrict cities’ ability to manage land uses or
adopt or amend zoning regulations
Erode municipal eminent domain authority; and
Any legislative requirement requiring the City to
generate revenues for the State;
Otherwise restrict local government decision-making,
as noted in the attached Legislative Agenda.
Partnerships
The City may form strategic partnerships with cities, political
subdivisions, and private sector entities that share common
goals with the City of Southlake. Additionally, the City will work
in coordination with organizations such as the Texas Municipal
League when their adopted positions are in line with the
legislative objectives and goals of the City. The formation of
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City Legislative Agenda
Page 3 of 6
strategic partnerships and coordinated efforts is intended to
provide the City with a stronger presence in the legislative
process.
The remainder of the legislative agenda is broken down into
the City’s Legislative Issues and the Goals of the Legislative
Activities.
Each legislative issue is given a priority designation as
follows:
Seek passage of legislation dealing with the issue
Support legislation dealing with the issue
Oppose legislation dealing with the issue
The complete Legislative Agenda is attached for review.
Financial
Considerations: It may be necessary for both the staff and members of the
City Council to travel to Austin during the legislative session.
Sufficient funds have been budgeted in the FY20 19 budget
to cover these expenses.
Citizen Input/
Board Review: N/A
Legal Review: The City Attorneys have contributed to the language of the
proposed agenda.
Alternatives: The Council could rely on TML’s legislative agenda and
educational efforts for the legislative session;
The Council could choose to not have a formal legislative
agenda and rely on the staff to bring individual issues before
the Council for your action. Because time is so often an
issue during the legislative session you may find that this
alternative puts the City in a “catch-up” position and/or
without the Council providing specific support for a position
on the issue, having the legislature suggesting that the
position is merely that of one Council Member or the staff;
Supporting
Documents: Resolution 18-044
City of Southlake’s proposed 2019 legislative agenda
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City Legislative Agenda
Page 4 of 6
Staff
Recommendation: Passage of Resolution No. 18-044 adopting the City of
Southlake’s Legislative Agenda.
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City Legislative Agenda
Page 5 of 6
RESOLUTION NO. 18-044
A RESOULTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE,
TEXAS, ADOPTING A LEGISLATIVE AGENADA FOR THE 86 TH TEXAS
LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION.
WHEREAS, Home Rule Charter of the City of Southlake, Texas, was approved
by the voters in a duly called Charter election on April 4, 1987; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the need for the City to preserve its
current authority to govern its citizens, budget and property; and,
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has in the past adopted legislation that has
impacted the City’s ability to govern its citizens, budget and property; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the importance of the City being fully
involved in the legislative process; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council had deemed that the recommended legislative
agenda reflects the strategic goals and interests of the City,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS THAT:
Section 1. All of the findings in the preamble are found to be true and correct
and the City Council incorporates said findings into the body of this resolution as
if copied in its entirety.
Section 2. Exhibit A is hereby adopted as the Legislative Agenda for the City
of Southlake, Texas for the 86th Regular Legislative Session.
Section 3. The different elements, issues or priorities, as adopted, and as
amended from time to time, shall be kept on file in the office of the City Secretary
of the City of Southlake, along with a copy of the resolution and minute order of
the Council so adopting or approving same.
Section 4. This resolution shall become effective on the date of approval by
the City Council.
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City Legislative Agenda
Page 6 of 6
PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 16TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2018.
CITY OF SOUTHLAKE
By: _____________________
Laura Hill, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________
Carol Borges,
City Secretary