Medina County Commissioners Court v. Integrity Group, Inc.

21 S.W.3d 307, 1999 Tex. App. LEXIS 6303, 1999 WL 643143
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided August 25, 1999·No. No. 04-99-00087-CV·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinions

OPINION

Opinion by:

ALMA L. LÓPEZ, Justice.

Medina County Commissioners Court (“Medina Court”) appeals the trial court’s order, granting The Integrity Group, Inc. (“Integrity”) mandamus relief and ordering the Medina Court to approve Integrity’s subdivision plat. In its brief, the Medina Court asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in granting mandamus relief because: (1) the Medina Court has the authority to regulate minimum lot size requirements; (2) the Medina Court performed a discretionary function in deciding whether Integrity complied with the Subdivision Rules and Regulations; and (3) the trial court replaced its decision for that of the Medina Court. We reverse the trial court’s order and remand the cause for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Factual Background

In 1993, Integrity requested preliminary approval from the Medina Court to subdivide 4.843 acres of land adjacent to Medina Lake into 16 lots, with each lot containing less than 30,000 square feet. After further discussion and meetings with the Medina Court, Integrity ultimately requested permission to subdivide the land into seven lots of approximately 30,000 square feet. Preliminary approval was given by the Medina Court on May 2, 1994, subject to certain conditions.

By letter dated June 15, 1994, the Bex-ar-Medina-Atascosa Counties Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 (“BMA”) gave its approval to Integrity’s wastewater proposal in connection with the proposed subdivision, stating that with the insertion of certain agreed restrictive covenants “the subdivision will be in accord with our existing rules and satisfy [BMA’s] desire to do what can be done to prevent problems from developing.” In addition, on December 13, 1994, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (“TNRCC”) approved Integrity’s water pollution abatement plan. Although the TNRCC noted that approximately 0.4683 acres of roadway will be located on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone (“EARZ”), it was not requiring the subdivision to have the minimum one acre lot for wastewater disposal because the application for approval had been submitted before August 4, 1994. In describing the project, the TNRCC notes that the site will conform with applicable codes and requirements of Medina County.

On February 13, 1995, Integrity requested final approval of its subdivision plat from the Medina Court. The Medina Court denied approval because “the proposed plat [did] not meet Medina County’s Subdivision Rules and Regulations and/or checklist and is, therefore, not in compliance.” Specifically, the lot did not meet the one acre minimum requirement for lots located over the EARZ.

Integrity filed a petition in the trial court seeking various forms of relief from the Medina Court’s decision, including mandamus relief. Both parties filed motions for summary judgment in the trial court, and the trial court granted Integri[309] ty’s motion with regard to its request for mandamus relief. The Medina Court timely filed this appeal.

Standard op Review

In an appeal from a summary judgment, we must determine whether the movant has shown that no genuine issue of material fact exists and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Nixon v. Mr. Property Management Co., 690 S.W.2d 546, 548-49 (Tex.1985); Ray v. O’Neal, 922 S.W.2d 314, 316 (Tex.App.— Fort Worth 1996, writ denied). Where both parties move for summary judgment and one is granted and the other denied, we review the summary judgment evidence presented by both sides, determine all questions presented, and render the judgment the trial court should have rendered. Commissioners Court of Titus County v. Agan, 940 S.W.2d 77, 81 (Tex.1997). In determining whether a material fact issue exists to preclude summary judgment, evidence favoring the nonmov-ant is taken as true, and all reasonable inferences are indulged in favor of the nonmovant. Nixon v. Mr. Property Management Co., 690 S.W.2d at 548-59. Furthermore, any doubt is resolved in the nonmovant’s favor. Id.

A party can invoke the district court’s constitutional supervisory power over a commissioners court only when the commissioners court acts beyond its jurisdiction or clearly abuses the discretion conferred upon the commissioners court by law. Agan, 940 S.W.2d at 80. If the commissioners court acts illegally, unreasonably, or arbitrarily, a district court may find an abuse of discretion. Id. However, in reviewing a commissioners court judgment for abuse of discretion, the district court has no right to substitute its judgment and discretion for that of the commissioners court. Id.

Discussion

A writ of mandamus will issue to compel a public official to perform a minis-

terial act. Anderson v. City of Seven Points, 806 S.W.2d 791, 793 (Tex.1991). An act is ministerial when the law clearly spells out the duty to be performed by the official with sufficient certainty that nothing is left to the exercise of discretion. Id. Under section 232.002 of the Local Government Code, the authority of the commissioners court to approve subdivision plats is not discretionary if the plat meets the statutory requirements set forth in section 232.001. Tex. Local Gov’t Code Ann. § 232.002 (Vernon 1999) (providing commissioners court must approve plat unless it does not meet requirements prescribed that section 232.001); Projects American Corp. v. Hilliard, 711 S.W.2d 386, 389 (Tex.App.—Tyler 1986, no writ); Commissioners’ Court v. Frank Jester Development Co., 199 S.W.2d 1004, 1007 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1947, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. JM-789 (1987). A commissioners court cannot require additional substantive requirements for a subdivision plat that are not contained within the statute. Projects American Corp. v. Hilliard, 711 S.W.2d at 389; Commissioners’ Court v. Frank Jester Development Co., 199 S.W.2d at 1007; Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. JM-789 (1987).

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Medina County Commissioners Court v. Integrity Group, Inc., 21 S.W.3d 307, 1999 Tex. App. LEXIS 6303, 1999 WL 643143 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999).

21 S.W.3d 307 (Medina County Commissioners Court v. Integrity Group, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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