Land acquisitions are required as a foundation for Capital Improvement Projects for new public infrastructure (streets, water/sewer/stormwater) as needed for public health and safety requirements. Real Property staff coordinates the acquisitions on behalf of the City's project manager engineers in TPW and Water Departments. State law (Texas Property Code and Texas Local Government Code) dictates minimum processing times. The City Attorney's Office has also provided guidelines for their eminent domain processing times (handout available). The term “negotiated acquisition” is synonymous with “land acquisition”. The word “negotiated” is used to differentiate an acquisition that was successfully secured by a Land Agent and did not require eminent domain action (judgments/court orders). Projects may have multiple parcels which may be received at any point within a project schedule. Processing times are calculated from the date an acceptable exhibit (metes and bounds survey) of the desired parcel is received in the Real Property office. Any changes or modifications to any of the parcels may cause the schedule to re-set in order to comply with state regulations. Tracking the acquisition process times allows the project managers to accurately schedule project delivery and costs.

The overall target is to complete 90% of negotiated acquisitions within 7 months. The target is based on regulatory requirements from Chapter 21 of the Texas Property Code and Chapter 272 of the Texas Local Government Code.

Currently using Excel spreadsheets to track incoming service requests; project spreadsheets for individual parcel status through completion, ERXchange software and Tarrant County Deed Records for recorded instruments (deeds/easements). Receipt Date of Parcel Acquisition Request to Deed/Easement Recorded Date = # of days/months to complete.

Actual = (# of negotiated parcel acquisitions completed within 7 months / total # negotiated parcel acquisitions) x 100