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Editor’s note–Printed herein is the charter of the City of Humble, Texas, as adopted in its entirety by Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22. The charter was originally adopted by an election held December 19, 1970. For a history of charter amendments prior to the adoption of Ordinance 22-934, refer to the following ordinances listed in the Ordinance Disposition Table provided in appendix E of this code: Ordinance 330, Ordinance 331, Ordinance 87-403, Amendment adopted 5/2/92, Ordinance 96-498, and Ordinance 00-552. Apart from minor nonsubstantive changes in style and formatting, the charter is reproduced as adopted by Ordinance 22-934. Capitalization, punctuation and grammar have been retained. Obviously misspelled words have been corrected without notation. Material enclosed in brackets has been added for clarification. Amendments to the charter are indicated by a history note following the amended section.
The inhabitants of the City of Humble within the boundaries as now established or as hereafter established in the manner provided by law shall continue to be a body politic and corporate and be known by the name of the City of Humble.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The municipal government provided by this Charter shall be known as the “council-manager” form of government. Pursuant to the provisions of, and subject only to the limitations imposed by, the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas and by this Charter, all powers of the city shall be vested in an elected city council, which shall enact ordinances, adopt budgets, determine policies, and appoint the city manager, who shall execute the laws and administer the government of the city. All powers of the city shall be exercised in the manner prescribed by this Charter, of [or] if the manner be not prescribed, then in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance or state law.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city shall have all the powers granted to municipal corporations and to cities by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, together with all the implied powers necessary to carry into execution all the powers granted. The city may acquire property within or without its corporate limits for any city purpose in fee-simple or any lesser interest or estate by purchase, gift, devise, lease or condemnation and may sell, lease, mortgage, hold, manage and control such property as its interest may require; and, except as prohibited by the constitution and statutes of this state or restricted by this Charter, the city shall and may exercise all municipal powers, functions, rights, privileges and immunities of every name and nature whatsoever. The city may use a corporate seal; may be sued and may sue; may contract and be contracted with; may implead and be impleaded in all courts and places and in all matters whatever; may cooperate with the government of the State of Texas or any agency thereof, or [with] any political subdivision of the State of Texas to accomplish any lawful purpose for the advancement of the interest, welfare, health, morals, comfort, safety and convenience of the city and its inhabitants; and may pass such ordinance as may be expedient for maintaining the peace, welfare of the city and for the performance of the functions thereof. The enumeration of particular powers by this Charter shall not be deemed to be exclusive and in addition to the powers enumerated therein or implied thereby or appropriate to the exercise of such powers it is intended that the City of Humble shall have and may exercise all powers of local self-government and all powers not expressly prohibited by the constitution and laws of the State of Texas.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
Before the city shall be liable to damage claim or suit for personal injury or damage to property the person who is injured or whose property is damaged or someone in their behalf shall give the city manager notice in writing within six (6) months after the occurring of the alleged injury or damage stating specifically in such notice when, where and how the injury or damage was sustained and setting forth the extent of the injury or damage as accurately as possible, and giving the names and addresses of all witnesses upon whose testimony such person is relying to establish the injury or damage. No action at law for damage shall be brought against the city for personal injury or damage to property prior to the expiration of sixty (60) days after the notice hereinbefore described has been filed with the city manager. After the expiration of sixty (60) days aforementioned, the complainant may then have two years from the date of the alleged injury or damage in which to bring an action of law.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city shall have the full right, power and authority to exercise the power of eminent domain when necessary or desirable to carry out any of the power[s] 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 city to take the fee in the lands so condemned and such power and authority shall include the right to condemn public property for such purposes. The city shall have and possess this power of condemnation for any municipal or public purpose, even though not specifically enumerated in this section or in this Charter.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The City of Humble shall have the power to lay out, establish, name, open, alter, widen, narrow, straighten, change, lower, extend, grade, vacate, abandon, discontinue, abolish, close, care for, pave, supervise, maintain and improve streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, squares, public places and bridges; and regulate the use thereof and require the removal of all obstructions and encroachment of every nature or character from streets, sidewalks, alleys and other public property or places.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The City of Humble shall have exclusive dominion, control and jurisdiction in, upon, over and under the public streets, avenues and alleys of the city, and may provide for the improvement thereof of paving, repaving, raising, draining or otherwise. Such exclusive dominion, control and jurisdiction shall 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.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city council shall have power by ordinance to fix the boundary limits of the City of Humble and to provide for the extension of said boundary limits, and the annexation of additional territory lying adjacent to the city, to provide for the disannexation of territory within the city, and to provide for the exchange of territory with other cities and towns, pursuant to and in accordance with the present or hereinafter adopted or amended general and special laws of this state applicable to home rule cities.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city shall have the power to provide for a water and sanitary sewer system and to require property owners to connect their premises to such systems; to assess penalties in municipal court for failure to make such connections; and shall further have the right to fix charges and compensation to be charged by the city for such services, providing rules and regulations in connection therewith and to provide for rendering a lien against any property owner’s premises who fails or refuses to make water and sanitary sewer connections after due notice and to charge a cost against said owner and make it a personal liability. No free service shall ever be given to any person, firm or corporation whatsoever.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city council may by ordinance adopt and prescribe rules and regulations for the handling and disposition of all garbage, trash and rubbish within the City of Humble and may fix charges and compensation to be charged for the removal of garbage, trash, and rubbish, and may provide rules and regulations for the collection thereof.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)
The city shall have the power to define nuisances and prohibit the same within the city and outside the city limits for a distance of five thousand (5,000) feet; to have power to police all parks or grounds, speedways, or boulevards owned by said city and lying outside of said city, to prohibit the pollution of any stream, drain or tributaries, thereof, which may constitute the source of water supply of any city and to provide for policing the same as well as to provide for the protection of any watersheds and the policing of same, to inspect dairies, slaughter pens, and slaughterhouses inside and outside the limits of the city, from which meat or milk is furnished to the inhabitants of the city.
(Ordinance 22-934 adopted 5/26/22)