Sec. 246.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Commission" means the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

(2) "Critical facility" means a central office that contains:

(A) a switching unit for a telecommunications system that provides service to the general public; and

(B) equipment and operating arrangements necessary for terminating and interconnecting:

(i) customer lines and trunks; or

(ii) trunks.

(3) "Impervious lot coverage regulation" means an ordinance, regulation, rule, or other enactment by a county, municipality, or other authority that limits the development of real property based on the amount of impervious lot coverage to be constructed. The term does not include a flood control regulation.

(4) "Regulating authority" means a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state that has adopted an impervious lot coverage regulation or a sedimentation, retention, or erosion regulation by ordinance, order, resolution, rule, or other enactment.

(5) "Sedimentation, retention, or erosion regulation" means an ordinance, regulation, rule, or other enactment by a county, municipality, or other authority that limits or regulates the development of real property based on the development's effect on water quality resulting from sedimentation, retention, or erosion. The term does not include a:

(A) flood control regulation; or

(B) requirement for silt fences, vegetative cover, or other similar requirement.

(6) "Telecommunications utility" has the meaning assigned by Section 51.002, Utilities Code.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 210, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.