HB2439 is Detrimental to Texas Cities

Please stop taking away city rights to govern themselves

I believe each town/city should have the right to determine the aesthetics of their buildings/structures. If we regulate the aesthetics of all Texas cities then we will have the same look in different places. We would also loose the quirky characteristics that make each Texas city unique because new development will not match the existing character. To me that's not building community.

PLEASE VETO THIS BILL!!! As a planner and architectural preservationist, I am completely opposed to this bill. If this bill is passed, it will remove any ability of a municipality to maintain or preserve the character of an area by requiring new construction to blend aesthetically with the surrounding area. While there is an exception for existing historic districts, it does not except conservation districts or allow for the creation of new districts that can regulate materials.

As stated in the attached opposition statement, this Bill will have great unintended consequences for cities, neighborhoods and residents. This Bill is an example of the State over reaching into City jurisdictions. Please veto this Bill.

Please reject this bill to help us maintain, enhance, and develop our beautiful cities.

This is a bad bill and needs to be vetoed.

There is a dangerous product hiding within this bill like a coiled snake. CSST gas tubing --------<- Please veto the bill....

Governor Abbott - This heavy-handed law flies in the face of Texan's proud tradition of local control by removing our ability to control what is built in our communities. Economic development will be adversely affected. If cities no longer have the ability to regulate aesthetics and quality development, especially in commercial or mixed-use areas, it will adversely affect economic development, both in cities and in the State of Texas. Aesthetics in cities will be dramatically affected. Communities throughout the country have found that their residents not only support the involvement of their elected representatives in maintaining the physical character of their city, town, or county, but they insist on it. They are often irate when government fails to prevent an individual from charting his or her own course in a way that is perceived to have a negative effect on the aesthetics of the community. Imagine the most beautiful area in your community getting a five-story, neon green building with neon pink polka dots downtown, or the most scenic places and neighborhoods in Texas getting monstrosities right in the middle of them which meet just the minimums of the National Building Code. That's just the aesthetic side of the Bill, let alone the installation and construction side of development that would be left to bare minimums. The Bill will have many unintended consequences. Infill projects, i.e. those projects going into or renovating in already developed areas, would no longer have to match the existing character, look, feel, or aesthetics of their neighbors, regardless of the area they are in and what protections may be applicable to the area currently. Beautiful places and neighborhoods could be completely destroyed by one flippant or careless property owner or developer, or worse yet, a group of them. Cities’ abilities to protect existing residents’ or business owners’ investments and well-being would be severely affected. This Bill takes away the abili

This law is a bad idea - please veto it.

Veto HB 2439 Please

Please keep these decisions local! Veto this bill.

Do not sign this bill! One size does not fit all - cities need to be able to enact regulations that will directly affect their residents.

While I do believe some cities take material requirements a bit far at times, I do not think that the state needs to meddle in local regulations. As a landscape architect I do support the majority of the local regulations that guide aesthetics and historic preservation.

Signing this bill into law would nullify a municipality's ability to govern itself when it comes to products being used by builders. I have been witness to the destructiveness of corrugated stainless steel tubing. Please do not sign this bill into law because doing so will comes with the guarantee of more fatalities due to a product that is not safe to have installed in the manner in which it is being installed. Please veto HB2439.

This bill is more of the same that we get from the Texas Legislature for our communities - telling us what we cannot do to make our communities livable and proud to call home. We the people have worked hard to create the communities we want to live in, that are attractive, and reflect our values; however, every two years it seems like a small group of legislators try to find some way to take this away from us. Please let us take care of our own communities, and not have someone from somewhere else legislate us from our local values.

Our codes are written to be a minimum threshold for safety and recognize the need for regional enhancements. Thinking that the code is an end all be all document for the entire country with no amendments is ignorance.

Leave local control to the elected city officials.

Please veto HB2439.

The use and adoption of these regulations should be decided at a local level.

I am a planning and zoning commissioner for the city of Friendswood, Texas. In survey polls, our citizens consistently ask for our downtown to have a old town feel which means we prohibit certain siding materials for the good of all the citizens in the downtown area. Please veto this bill and allow us to keep our city beautiful.