A. 
Generally.
1. 
Easements for drainage, walkways, access and other comparable purposes shall generally be located along the side or rear or front lot lines and/or drainage flow lines and shall be labeled “Drainage Easement,” “Pedestrian Access Easement,” “Common Access Easement,” “Maintenance and Access Easement,” “Emergency Access Easement” or other specifically appropriate labeling on the final plat.
2. 
Unless otherwise recommended by the City Engineer, the developer shall dedicate a fifteen foot (15') general utility easement along the front lot line of each lot and any side lot line that is adjacent to a street. Easements shall be larger when the City Engineer determines necessary special conditions warrant.
3. 
To facilitate access from roads to schools, parks, playgrounds, the City may require perpetual unobstructed access easements for pedestrian or bicycle traffic.
4. 
Easements dedicated on the plat shall be deemed dedicated to the public and to the City unless specified otherwise.
5. 
Private streets shall be labeled as “Emergency Access and Utility Easements” in order to facilitate access for police, fire and other public safety and governmental vehicles and personnel and franchise utility and solid waste disposal vehicles and personnel.
6. 
The width of easements for utility providers other than the City, such as for water, gas, electric, telephone, cable television, or internet, shall be as required by that particular entity. It shall be the applicant’s responsibility to determine appropriate easement widths required by other utility companies.
7. 
Wherever possible, easements shall be centered along front lot lines rather than across the interior or rear of lots.
8. 
Easements shall be dedicated as specified herein. If necessary for the extension of water or wastewater mains, storm drainage or other utilities, easements of greater width may be required along lot lines or across lots. In all cases, easements shall connect with easements already established in adjoining property to facilitate placement of utilities.
B. 
Drainage Easement or Right-of-Way.
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way or channel, there shall be provided a storm drainage easement conforming substantially with such course and of such additional width as may be designated by the City Engineer, according to proper engineering considerations. The required width shall, under normal conditions, be measured from the centerline of creeks, ditches or drainage channels, conform to the requirements set forth by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and/or the City and shall be sufficient to accommodate the 25-year flood return elevation.
1. 
Utilities may be permitted within a drainage or floodplain easement only if approved by the City Engineer and designed according to the EDSS.
C. 
Drainage Piping Requirement.
Any drainage piping that is to be dedicated to the City shall be in an easement with a minimum width of the structure (i.e., pipe diameter or box width) plus fifteen feet (15').
D. 
On-Site Easements.
All necessary on-site easements shall be established on the plat and not by separate instrument, and they shall be labeled for the specific purpose, and to the specific entity if other than the City, for which they are being provided.
E. 
Offsite Easements.
Any necessary easements not shown on the plat shall be procured by separate instrument, in a form approved by the City Attorney, and shall be the developer’s or property owner’s responsibility. If the developer cannot obtain a required offsite easement, then the developer may request that the City assist in the acquisition of the easement. The developer must make an offer in writing, based on the fair market value of the easement, to the property owner from whom the easement is being sought. All costs of obtaining the easement shall be the responsibility of the developer or property owner and the City must be reimbursed for any costs incurred including its attorney’s fees, condemnation award and any fees or expenses of litigation whether at the trial or the appellate level or both.
F. 
Common Access Easements and Cross Access Easements.
To reduce the congestion created by a number of drives along streets while maintaining adequate access to developments, the City may require that “common access easements” or “cross access easements” be dedicated at the corners of lots not intended for low-medium density residential developments when adjacent to lots of a similar use.
G. 
Floodplain Easement.
Floodplain easement requirements are as follows:
1. 
The 100-year floodplain shall be delineated and cited on the plat. Floodplain easements shall be provided along natural drainage ways and lakes or reservoirs. Floodplain easements shall encompass all areas beneath the water surface elevation of the 25-year flood, plus such additional width as may be required to provide ingress and egress to allow maintenance of the banks and for the protection of adjacent property as determined and required by the City Engineer.
2. 
Modification of existing drainage courses shall only be done using methods and procedures compliant with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), U.S. Army Corps of engineers and Texas Parks and Wildlife policies, as applicable.
3. 
The City of Joshua shall maintain areas within floodplain easements. Maintenance of floodplain areas outside of floodplain easements shall be the responsibility of the property owner.
4. 
The City shall have the right of ingress and egress for the purpose of performing maintenance work or to alleviate any undesirable conditions that may occur within floodplain easements.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Division of Property.
Every owner of property for which an application for approval of a development has been submitted shall be required to dedicate to the City that portion of such property as is necessary for the orderly development of streets, roadways, thoroughfares, utilities, drainage improvements, or other public purposes. Such dedication requirements shall be a prerequisite to plat approval.
B. 
Effect of Approval/Disapproval on Dedication.
The approval of a plat is not considered an acceptance of any proposed dedication and does not impose on the City any duty regarding the maintenance or improvement of any dedicated parts until the City makes an actual appropriation of the dedicated parts by entry, use, or improvement. The disapproval of a plat is considered a refusal by the City of the offered dedication indicated on the plat.
C. 
Dedication and Construction of Improvements.
The developer shall dedicate all rights-of-way and easements for and shall construct capital improvements within the rights-of-way or easements for those water, wastewater, road or drainage improvements needed to adequately serve a proposed development consistent with the applicable master facilities plans, whether the facilities are located on, adjacent to or outside the boundaries of the property being developed.
D. 
Facilities Impact Studies.
The City may require that a developer prepare a comprehensive traffic impact study as required in Section 10.7.10, drainage study or other public facilities study to assist the City in determining whether a proposed development will be supported with adequate levels of public facilities and services concurrent with the demand for the facilities created by the development. A study shall identify at a minimum the adequacy of existing facilities and the nature and extent of any deficiencies, and the capital improvements needed to meet the adopted level of service assuming development at the intensity proposed in the development application. The study shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer. The City also may require, at the time of approval of a subsequent development application, an update of a public facilities study approved in connection with a prior development application.
E. 
Deferral of Obligation to Dedicate and Construct.
The obligation to dedicate rights-of-way for, or to construct one or more public works improvements to serve a new development may be deferred until approval of a subsequent phase of the subdivision, upon written request of the property owner, or at the City’s own initiative. As a condition of deferring the obligation, the City shall require that the subdivider enter into a developer’s agreement, specifying the time for dedication of rights-of-way for or construction of capital improvements serving the development.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Determination.
Prior to a decision on an application for approval of a plat or permit for which an exaction requirement is required as a condition of approval, the City Engineer shall affirm that each exaction requirement to be imposed as a condition of plat or permit approval is roughly proportionate to the demand created by the development on the City’s public facilities systems, taking into consideration the nature and extent of the development proposed. In making this determination, the City Engineer may consider the following:
1. 
Categorical findings and recommendations of the North Central Texas Council of Governments in developing standard specifications for public works improvements;
2. 
The proposed and potential use of the land;
3. 
The timing and sequence of development in relation to availability of adequate levels of public facilities systems;
4. 
Impact fee studies, traffic impact studies, drainage studies or other studies that measure the demand for services created by developments and the impact on the City’s public facilities system;
5. 
The function of the public works improvements in serving the proposed subdivision or development;
6. 
The degree to which public works improvements necessary to serve the proposed subdivision are supplied by other developments;
7. 
The anticipated participation by the City in the costs of necessary public works improvements;
8. 
The degree to which acceptable private infrastructure improvements to be constructed and maintained by the developer will offset the need for public works improvements;
9. 
Any reimbursements for the costs of public works improvements for which the proposed subdivision is eligible; and/or
10. 
Any other information relating to the impacts created by the proposed subdivision or development on the City’s public facilities systems.
B. 
Affirmation.
Based upon the proportionality determination, the City Engineer shall affirm that the exaction requirements of this Ordinance or other ordinance requiring the permit, as applied to the proposed subdivision or development, does not impose costs on the applicant for public works improvements that exceed those roughly proportionate to the impact of the proposed subdivision or development.
C. 
Additional Information.
The City Engineer may require that the applicant, at its expense, submit any information or studies that may assist in making the proportionality determination.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Generally.
An applicant for an approval of a plat or permit which imposes an exaction requirement as a condition of approval may file an appeal to contest any exaction requirement, other than impact fees, imposed as a condition of approval or in which the failure to comply is grounds for denying the application.
B. 
Purpose.
The purpose of a proportionality appeal is to assure that an exaction requirement imposed on a proposed development as a condition of approval does not result in a disproportionate cost burden on the developer, taking into consideration the nature and extent of the demands created by the proposed development on the City’s public facilities systems.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Requirements for Appeal.
An applicant seeking approval of a plat or any other type of permit for which an exaction requirement is imposed shall file a written appeal on a form provided by the City with the City Secretary within ten (10) days of the date the Commission or other City official takes action applying the exaction requirement. The applicant shall submit eight (8) copies of the appeal. A separate appeal form shall be submitted for each exaction requirement for which relief is sought. The City Secretary shall forward the appeal to the City Council for consideration.
B. 
Postponement of Action on Plat.
The applicant may request postponement of consideration of the applicant’s plat application by pending preparation of the study required by subsection D., in which case the applicant shall also waive the statutory period for acting upon a plat for the time necessary for the City Council to decide the appeal.
C. 
Basis for Appeal.
The appeal shall allege that application of the exaction requirement is not roughly proportional to the nature and extent of the impact created by the proposed subdivision or development on the City’s public facilities systems and does not reasonably benefit the proposed subdivision or development.
D. 
Study Required.
Within thirty (30) days of the date of appeal, the applicant shall submit to the City Engineer three (3) copies of a study in support of the appeal that includes, with respect to each specific exaction requirement appealed, the following information:
1. 
Modeling of the subdivision’s water, wastewater, roadway, drainage, or park system, as applicable, from the point of connection to the existing public system, employing standard measures of capacity and equivalency tables relating the type of development proposed. Impacts on the existing public system will be reviewed by the City to determine if system upgrades are necessary. If the proposed subdivision is to be developed in phases, such information also shall be provided for the entire development, including any phases already developed;
2. 
Comparison of the capacity of the applicable City utility to be consumed by the proposed subdivision or development with the capacity to be supplied to such systems by the proposed exaction requirement. In making this comparison, the impacts on the City’s public facilities systems from the entire subdivision shall be considered;
3. 
Comparison of the capacity of the applicable City public facilities systems to be consumed by the proposed subdivision or development with the capacity to be supplied to such systems by the proposed exaction requirement. In making this comparison, the impacts on the City’s public facilities systems from the entire subdivision shall be considered;
4. 
The amount of any City participation in the costs of oversizing the public works improvements to be constructed by the applicant in accordance with the City’s requirements;
5. 
Comparison of the minimum size and capacity required by City standards for the applicable public facilities systems to be utilized by the proposed subdivision or development with the size and capacity to be supplied by the proposed exaction requirement; and
6. 
Any other information that shows the alleged disproportionality between the impacts created by the proposed development and the exaction requirement imposed by the City.
E. 
Evaluation.
The City Engineer shall evaluate the appeal and supporting study and shall make a recommendation to the City Council based upon the City Engineer’s analysis of the information contained in the study and utilizing the same factors considered by the Engineer in making the original proportionality determination.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Appeal Hearing.
After the applicant certifies to the City Secretary that all evidence has been submitted, the City Secretary shall schedule the appeal on an agenda of a meeting of the City Council, and notify the applicant, at the address given on the appeal form, of the date and place at which the Council will consider the appeal. The City Council shall decide the appeal within thirty (30) days of the date of final submission of any evidence by the applicant. The applicant shall be allotted thirty (30) minutes to present testimony in support of the appeal at the City Council meeting and may introduce other testimony. The City Council shall base its decision on the criteria listed in Section 10.3.3.A and Section 10.3.5.D.
B. 
Action.
The City Council may:
1. 
Deny the appeal and impose the exaction requirement in accordance with the City Engineer’s recommendation or the Commission’s decision on the plat or other development application; or
2. 
Grant the appeal, and waive in whole or in part an exaction requirement to the extent necessary to achieve proportionality; or
3. 
Grant the appeal, and direct that the City participate in the costs of acquiring land for or constructing the public works improvement.
C. 
Factors.
In deciding an appeal, the City Council shall determine whether application of the exaction requirement is roughly proportional to the nature and extent of the impact created by the proposed subdivision on the City’s public facilities systems for water, wastewater, roadway, drainage, or park facilities, as applicable, and reasonably benefits the subdivision. In making such determination, the Council shall consider:
1. 
The evidence submitted by the applicant; and
2. 
The City Engineer’s report and recommendation, considering in particular the factors identified in Sections 10.3.3.A. and 10.3.5.D.
D. 
Additional Information.
The City Council may require the applicant or the City Engineer to submit additional information that it deems relevant in making its decision.
E. 
Modification.
The applicant shall not be deemed to have prevailed in the event that the City Council modifies the exaction requirement.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Expiration of Decision of City Council.
If the City Council finds in favor of the applicant and waives the exaction requirement or modifies the exaction requirement to the extent necessary to achieve rough proportionality, the applicant shall resubmit the plat application to the Commission within thirty (30) days of the date the City Council takes action, with any modifications necessary to cause the plat to conform to the City Council’s decision. If the applicant fails to conform to the City Council’s decision within the thirty (30) day period provided, the relief granted by the City Council on the appeal shall expire.
B. 
Decision to Waive.
If the City Council finds in favor of an applicant for any other permit and waives the exaction requirement as a condition of permit approval or modifies the exaction requirement to the extent necessary to achieve rough proportionality, the applicant shall resubmit the permit application to the responsible official within thirty (30) days of the date the City Council takes action, with any modifications necessary to conform the application with the City Council’s decision. If the applicant fails to do so, the relief granted by the City Council shall expire.
C. 
Denial of Appeal.
If the City Council denies the appeal and the applicant has executed a waiver of the statutory period for acting upon a plat, the City shall place the plat application on the Commission’s agenda for action within thirty (30) days of the City Council’s decision.
D. 
Additional Dwelling Units.
If the plat application is modified to increase the number of residential dwelling units or the intensity of non-residential uses, the City Engineer may require a new study to validate the relief granted by the City Council.
E. 
New Appeal Required.
If the plat application for which relief was granted is denied on other grounds, a new appeal shall be required on any subsequent application.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
An applicant may appeal the decision of the City Council to the County or District Court of the county in which the development is located within thirty (30) days of the date that the Council issues its final decision.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)
A. 
Generally.
Under state law, each application for permit or plat approval shall be processed pursuant to the regulations in effect at the time of the application unless the applicant has applied for and obtained a letter of recognition of vested rights for the permit or project for which the permit is sought.
B. 
Purpose.
The purpose of a vested rights recognition application is to determine the regulations by which an application for approval of a permit or plat is to be processed.
C. 
Definitions.
The following terms shall have the meanings hereafter ascribed to them:
Administrative official.
The City Manager, or the City Manager’s designated representative, authorized to enforce and administer the terms of this Ordinance.
Chapter 245.
Chapter 245 of the Texas Local Government Code, as may be amended.
Permit.
Has the meaning set forth in Texas Local Government Code Chapter 245, as may be amended.
Progress.
Has the meaning set forth in Texas Local Government Code Chapter 245, as may be amended.
Project.
Has the meaning set forth in Texas Local Government Code Chapter 245, as may be amended.
Vested right.
The right of a person to develop a project that complies only with ordinances and other development regulations in effect on the date a plan for development or the first application for the project was filed with the City.
D. 
Applicability.
An owner of property, or the owner’s authorized agent, may submit an application for recognition of vested rights for the property.
1. 
With and application for approval of a plat, zoning change, building permit or any other permit, or
2. 
To prevent expiration of a plat.
E. 
Effect.
If recognition of vested rights is issued in whole or in part, the Administrative Official shall issue a letter which shall specify the regulations which apply to an application and the application shall be processed in accordance with the regulations specified in the letter. If the application for recognition is to prevent expiration of an approved plat, the plat otherwise subject to expiration shall be extended as provided in the letter.
F. 
Types of Vested Rights.
A person may claim vested rights under common law, a federal or state statute, the state or federal constitution, or Chapter 245. For vested rights claimed under Chapter 245, the definitions of “permit” in Chapter 245 shall apply to applications submitted pursuant to this Section.
G. 
Exemptions.
This article shall not apply to the types of ordinances or other governmental action enumerated in Texas Local Government Code Section 245.004 regardless of the effective date of this Ordinance or the existence of vested rights for a project.
H. 
Duration.
This Section and any letter of recognition issued hereunder shall not extend the time of validity for any permit or project. Any rights recognized by a letter issued pursuant to this Section shall not extend beyond the expiration date prescribed by this Ordinance for the permit(s) submitted for recognition.
I. 
Application Requirements.
1. 
Filing.
A property owner or the owner’s authorized agent may submit an application for recognition of vested rights with an application for approval of a plat or building permit, or at any time for a plat prior to its expiration date established by this Ordinance.
2. 
Fee; Supporting Documents.
The applicant shall submit a completed application together with a permit application review fee in the amount established by the City Council, and three (3) copies of any documents on which the applicant is relying to establish vested rights.
3. 
Form and Contents.
The application shall state that the applicant has a vested right for some or all of the land for which the permit is sought under Chapter 245 or another statute, or other state or federal law that requires the City to review and decide the application under regulations in effect prior to the effective date of the currently applicable regulations. The application shall include the following:
a) 
The name, mailing address, email address, phone number and fax number of the applicant;
b) 
The name, mailing address, email address, phone number and fax number of the property owner, if different than the applicant;
c) 
Identification of the property for which the applicant claims a vested right, including a legal description of the exact boundaries of the property encompassed by the project;
d) 
A description of the project for which the application is submitted, how the project was commenced, and the date of commencement of the project;
e) 
Layout of the site, including locations of buildings, streets, utilities and drainage facilities;
f) 
Identification of the original application for the first permit in the series of permits required for the project, as described in Texas Local Government Code Section 245.001(1) and Section 245.002(a) and (b), as may be amended;
g) 
The date that the first permit in the series of permits required for the project was filed with the city;
h) 
Identification of the regulations which the applicant contends apply to the project and the specific parts of the project which are subject to vesting;
i) 
A copy of any prior recognition of vested rights by the City involving the same land; and
j) 
If the applicant alleges that a plat subject to expiration under a City ordinance should not be terminated, a description of the events, including any plat or other development applications on file, that should prevent termination.
4. 
Complete Application Required.
An application for recognition of vested rights shall not be considered to have been filed with the City until such time as the application is administratively complete. To be administratively complete, the application must meet the following requirements:
a) 
Contain all materials and information required by this Section; and
b) 
Be accompanied by a check payable to the City for the application review fee.
5. 
Criteria for Issuance of Letter of Recognition.
No letter of recognition of vested rights shall be issued unless the applicant has demonstrated compliance with the following criteria, as applicable:
a) 
For statutory vested rights:
(1) 
The applicant filed an application for a permit as provided in Chapter 245 prior to adoption of the regulations against which vested rights are claimed;
(2) 
The regulations against which vested rights are claimed are not subject to an exemption as provided in Texas Local Government Code Section 245.004; and
(3) 
The project has not become dormant as defined in Texas Local Government Code section 245.005; and/or
b) 
For recognition of vested rights under common law or the federal or state constitution, the applicant is in compliance with any other factor which may be required to establish vested rights under the state or federal constitution.
J. 
Processing of Application.
1. 
Review and Determination.
The Administrative Official may require the submission of additional evidence relevant to support the applicant’s claim for recognition. Upon review of the application and evidence, the Administrative Official shall make a determination as to whether the applicant is entitled, in whole or in part, to recognition of vested rights for a permit. If the evidence presented by the applicant establishes that the permit for which approval is sought is part of a project which is vested under Chapter 245, the Administrative Official shall issue a letter of recognition of such rights. If the Administrative Official finds that the applicant is not entitled to recognition of vested rights, they shall notify the applicant of the basis for their findings.
2. 
Substantial Change.
Where the Administrative Official determines that the project for which the applicant seeks vested rights has undergone a substantial change since its inception, recognition of vested rights shall be denied. Examples of a substantial change include, but are not limited to, modifications of the following characteristics of a project:
a) 
Gross surface area or acreage;
b) 
Gross floor area;
c) 
Gross number of buildings;
d) 
Density;
e) 
Living unit equivalents;
f) 
Land use classification;
g) 
Impervious cover or lot coverage;
h) 
Drainage pattern or volumes;
i) 
Street layouts;
j) 
Additional curb cuts or driveways; or
k) 
Orientation of buildings.
K. 
Appeals.
1. 
Filing.
The applicant may appeal the Administrative Official’s decision on the application for vested rights determination to the City Council. An appeal under this Section stays acceptance by filing of any related development applications.
2. 
Process.
The application for appeal shall be made in writing to the City Secretary and shall state the basis for requesting the appeal. The appeal shall be made within ten (10) days of the date of the letter. The City Secretary shall schedule a hearing before the City Council within thirty (30) days of the date the appeal is submitted.
3. 
Appeal of Council Decision.
A person dissatisfied with the decision of the City Council may appeal the decision to a court within the county in which the property is located. The person shall file the appeal with the court within thirty (30) days of the decision of the City Council. If no appeal is filed, the decision of the City Council shall be final.
L. 
Expiration.
1. 
A permit issued by the City that is subject to Chapter 245, but does not expressly contain an expiration date, shall expire by operation of law two (2) years after issuance. This Section shall not apply to permits pursuant to which progress has been made toward the completion of the project, as determined by Texas Local Government Code section 245.005(c), as may be amended.
2. 
A project subject to Chapter 245 shall expire by operation of law five (5) years after an application was filed for the first permit necessary for the project. This Section shall not apply to permits for which progress has been made toward the completion of the project.
(Ordinance 797-2020 adopted 10/15/20)