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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 293WATER DISTRICTS
SUBCHAPTER EISSUANCE OF BONDS
RULE §293.59Economic Feasibility of Project

  (10) A current market study is required for districts using growth projections to support the feasibility of the bond issue. The market study will meet the guidelines set out in the Bond Application Report Format. The market study provided will specifically address the projected building program for the three years subsequent to filing of the bond application and the period of projected build-out shown in the bond application and the competing projects in the surrounding market area. The study must contain a detailed description of the proposed development and the houses, buildings, and other improvements that are proposed.

  (11) Requirements of paragraph (6)(A), (C), and (E) of this subsection, and the requirements of paragraph (7) of this subsection shall not apply in the following cases where:

    (A) the no-growth tax rate for a district containing 2,000 acres or more providing only drainage facilities does not exceed $1.30; the no-growth tax rate of a district providing major water and sewage facilities that it finances by the issuance of its bonds to an area containing 2,000 acres or more does not exceed $1.30, and the combined no-growth tax rate does not exceed $2.00; and, the developer has completed a substantial amount of major thoroughfare or other infrastructure to serve the district;

    (B) the district has an acceptable credit rating as defined in §293.47(b)(4) of this title or a credit enhanced rating as defined in paragraph (5) of this subsection; or

    (C) the district is providing water, wastewater, and drainage facilities and the combined no-growth tax rate of all overlapping entities specifically attributable to water, sewage, drainage, recreational facilities, and roads if the entity is a special district encompassing less than one county commissioner's precinct, if any, does not exceed the following:

      (i) $1.50 in Harris, Galveston, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Waller, and Brazoria Counties;

      (ii) $1.20 in Dallas, Denton, Collin, Tarrant, Travis, Hays, Williamson, Comal, and Guadalupe Counties; or

      (iii) $1.00 in all other counties.

    (D) for the exceptions in subparagraph (A) or (C) of this paragraph, the developer shall provide a guarantee for its 30% share of utilities, if required under §293.47 of this title, in the form and manner required by §293.47(g) of this title;

    (E) for utilities that are not funded and not complete but necessary to support the feasibility of the bond issue, the developer shall provide a guarantee for 100% of utilities for the exceptions in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) of this paragraph in the form and manner required by §293.47(g) of this title;

    (F) for the exceptions in subparagraph (B) or (C) of this paragraph, the developer shall provide a paving guarantee under §293.48 of this title (relating to Street and Utilities Construction by Developer); or

    (G) for the exceptions in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, financial guarantees for the internal subdivision utilities and streets are not required.

(l) For a district's second and subsequent bond issues, subsection (k) of this section shall apply, and the following shall apply except that only paragraph (1) of this subsection applies to districts that do not have a developer as defined by TWC, §49.052(d), or to districts that meet the criteria set out in subsection (k)(11) of this section.

  (1) A 90% tax collection rate shall be used in the projected tax rate calculations unless the district demonstrates that its historical collection rate is higher, and a 100% tax collection rate shall be used in the no-growth tax rate calculations.

  (2) The water, wastewater, and drainage facilities financed by the district under previous bond issues and all road and street construction to serve such connections shall be at least 95% complete as certified by the district's engineer.

  (3) Sufficient lift station, water plant, and sewage treatment plant capacity to serve the connections shown in the tax rate calculations submitted in prior bond issues shall be at least 95% complete as certified by the district's engineer, unless the district is a participant in a regional surface water or wastewater plant, a permit sufficient for the expansion has been issued, and either:

    (A) funds are available to finance such capacity and any additional capacity necessary for a feasible expansion;

    (B) sufficient capacity is contractually available to serve all such prior connections; or

    (C) the plant is under construction with sufficient capacity to serve all such prior connections.

  (4) Houses and/or buildings equal to 75% of the projected buildout used in the projected tax rate calculations contained in all prior bond issues shall be completed and may be located on either:

    (A) the area developed from the proceeds of the prior bond issues; or

    (B) a combination of the area developed from the proceeds of prior bond issues, the proposed bond issue, and future bond issues.

  (5) The requirements of subsection (k)(10) of this section shall apply, unless the district requests and the commission, in its discretion waives such requirement for one of the following reasons:

    (A) disregarding those areas that had growth projected and were financed in previous bond issues, at least 50% of the value of the houses and/or buildings shown in the build-out schedule and used in the projected tax rate calculations supporting the subject bond issue must be existing;

    (B) the district anticipates receiving an acceptable credit rating as defined in §293.47(b)(4) of this title or a credit enhanced rating as defined in §293.47(b)(5) of this title, and such rating must be obtained prior to the sale of bonds; or

    (C) the district has a ratio of debt to assessed valuation as provided in §293.47(a)(1) of this title.

(m) Bond issues supported only by revenue from a defined area must be analyzed to assure that the defined area meets the requirements of this section independently of the remainder of the issuing district.

(n) A district may request a variance if it does not meet the guidelines contained in subsections (k) and (l) of this section, and a majority of the district's board of directors finds by resolution that the district would be justified in requesting a variance. The district will be responsible for providing sufficient documentation to justify any request for a variance. The commission will only grant variances in exceptional cases and may deny any request for a variance. The commission shall not grant a variance to the maximum combined projected tax rate or the maximum combined no-growth tax rate specified in subsection (k) of this section for districts that have a developer and the district is financing 100% of construction costs under the criteria set out in §293.47(a) of this title, which would otherwise require 30% developer participation. In determining whether to grant a variance, the following factors shall be considered:

  (1) the degree of variation from the guidelines;

  (2) the past history of the district with respect to its projections versus actual build-out and compliance with commission rules;

  (3) the past history of the developer and related or affiliated entities with respect to its projections versus actual build-out and its compliance with commission rules and agreements with the district and other districts in which it developed land;

  (4) other factors peculiar to the district, such as the area in which situated, economic factors, the adjoining competitive developments, and their status;

  (5) the financial resources of the developer and its lender and any special commitments, obligations, or expenditures for the project;

  (6) past history of the market area in which the project is located; and

  (7) other factors that may affect the feasibility of the project.


Source Note: The provisions of this §293.59 adopted to be effective August 9, 1989, 14 TexReg 3572; amended to be effective June 30, 1993, 18 TexReg 3758; amended to be effective April 15, 1994, 19 TexReg 2301; amended to be effective October 22, 1996, 21 TexReg 9905; amended to be effective September 14, 2000, 25 TexReg 8955; amended to be effective October 6, 2002, 27 TexReg 9365; amended to be effective May 5, 2005, 30 TexReg 2533

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