The Town shall have all powers and rights of self-government and home rule that exist now or may be granted to municipalities by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas as fully and completely as though they were specifically enumerated in this Charter, together with all of the implied powers necessary to carry into execution such granted powers, unless such power or right is expressly prohibited or restricted by this Charter.
The Town shall have the full power to sell and to acquire by any lawful means, including condemnation, purchase, or exchange, private or public property located inside or outside of the corporate limits for public purposes. The Town shall have the full right, power and authority to exercise the power of eminent domain when necessary to carry out any of the powers conferred upon it by this Charter, or by the Constitution or laws of the State of Texas. The power of eminent domain hereby conferred shall include the right of the Town to take fee title and easement interest in the lands so condemned. An affirmative 3/4 vote of the entire membership of Council shall be required to authorize the use of eminent domain.
The Town shall have exclusive domain, control and jurisdiction in, upon, over, and under all highways, alleys, streets, gutters and sidewalks, situated in the Town. The Town shall have the power to layout, establish, open, alter, widen, lower, extend, grade, drain, abandon, and improve highways, streets, alleys, sidewalks, squares, parks, public places, and bridges and regulate the use thereof including, among other things, by establishing regulations relating to vehicle speed as permitted by State law. The Town shall have the full ability to require the removal from highways, streets, sidewalks, alleys, and other public property or places of all obstructions, telegraph, telephone, or other poles carrying electric wires or signs, encroachments of every nature or character upon any said streets and sidewalks, and to vacate and close private ways; and when a street or alley has been vacated or abandoned, the Town shall have the right to sell the same in any lawful manner. The Town shall have the power to assess property owners for improvements and collect attorney’s fees for the collection of assessments as allowed under state law. Such exclusive dominion, control and jurisdiction in, upon, over or under the public streets, avenues, sidewalks, parkways, alleys and highways of the Town shall also include, but not be limited to, the right to regulate, locate, relocate, remove, or prohibit the location of all utility pipes, lines, wires, or other property of any sort. The right of control and use of the public streets, highways, sidewalks, and alleys is hereby declared to be inalienable to the Town, except by ordinances not in conflict with this Charter.
(a)
The Council shall have the power to provide for and/or own and regulate the following, but not to the exclusion of other powers:
(b)
The Council shall have the power to define all nuisances and prohibit them within the Town and outside the Town limits for at least a distance of 5,000 feet.
(c)
The Council shall have the power to provide for fixing of penalties for failure of any person, firm, corporation or association to comply with any such rules and regulations so prescribed by the Council under the provisions of this section; it being the intention to vest in the Council not only powers expressly enumerated in this section but all other powers reasonably necessary for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the Town and its inhabitants.
The Town may exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions and may participate in the financing thereof, jointly or in cooperation by contract or otherwise, with any one or more municipalities, States, and divisions or agencies thereof, the United States or any agency thereof.