## 2%~ ATFCBIZNEX GENERAL
OF TicXAS

. February 5, 1971 Iion.J.W.Edgar Opinion NO. M-788 **cauniesiowr of**  Education Teams Sducatbn Agency Ret Whether ahomrule city and 201Eaet llth Street an independent 8ahool **district Awtin,**  **lbacarr 78701**  may exchange cmrtainlandr without advartidng tlaeproDearDoctbrMgarr pomd 0s and 'reaiving bide theruoti:

. ‘,,.. Your recent litter r&uwting the opinion of tbf8 officeconcerningtlm referanoed matter Miatw, Inpnrt, ae follows:, . . l %,Dalhart &dependent 8chool DlatrL6t **on8** a **20-a-** tra&t **of lhnd**  **which** it **-pur&ased** in 1965 **for** i&loo1building pupone@. 'In 1993, tbe+iyofDalhartpuchas8d atractof land ... 'The schbold%&rict deukeatoexizhange about **nine** acre0 **of it8**  **lOacre** tract to **tb8. cityfornineacrw**  **of ita**  trakt,a **part ofwhich**  **bas~bk@~** utid’as“(a)**.ball park.**  **The landq**  **If** a-iii&d **-%' jtbb)y**  **scbdl** ‘ dibgict **in embange,**  **till .ba**  **wbd"ii*'** a.**Mi ifor**  **i new**  mlmol **beil&ng.**

**., .'.**  **: al** 

**. .**  **. '3**  **am**requwted **by the**  **Boata** of **Trwtw8** of ~Dalhat+I~~~~ntSchoolDi~trict toobtain **an** urgentl* **needed opinion**  **from the**  **offica** of **(the)** Attorney General on the following aabdtted quwtiona appertaLni.ngto 8u*landsr l(l)Legally,may the aity autho rity +nd (the) m3mol board ea&anp euch aforementioned lands by appropriate ordinance hotim of the city council and iw8olution **of** the'edhool board **-3833-**Hon. J. W. Edgar, page 2
. (M-788)
authorizing such 1andB exchange and execution of .deed(cr)

therefor,without adverticling of the aaxe for sale nor using bid procedure?
"In the event (1) ie anmered in the affirmative% "(2)May there legallybe an exchange of such landswithout the city firathaving an election authorieing rale of same?* Youhava alrroinformedus that the tract of land **owned** by the Cityhaa been and ie now being used am **a** ball park, and you have so oartified **to** theae,fact8. We acceptthe factual *tatexentaas true. This place0 the factual aituatioh Withixi thepurview .of.hrticle542151, Vernon's Civil Statutes.
A memorandum brief submittedwith your letter etatee that the City of Dalhart is a home rule citywhich adopted its Charter in 1960,and that Section6 70 **and** 153 of that Charter provide **for** public.males or leaee of property and in oertain cireunultances~for an election. In our opinion Section 70 of the Charter,which requirw notice and bide, is **not** applicable in this aituationt**howaver,** Section 153 of the Charter prwiding I **for** a 30 **day** Waiting period andpoamible electionmust be compliedwith.

Article 5421c-12,Vernon's Civil Statutes,which provides forpublication **of notice**  when a political subdivision **of** the &ate offers land for sale is not applicable in the **fact** situationunder wneideration.

Inyour came,we find a proposed exchange by two political a&divisions, each with power of eminent domain and condemnation: cities: kt. 1107, 1109b, 1110, 1206t schools: Sec. 23.31;Texas Education Code. Similar mituatione and question8were answered in our Opinions C-434 (1965)and C-469 (1965). The opinion8 refer to a PaBo Countv v. The Citv of El. &$, 35; ;;:.2d 783 (Tex.Civ.App.1962), andpinowille IndeP ent c 1District v. Crenshaw, 164 S.W.Zd 49 (Tex.Civ.App. 1942, error ref. wan.). Both caees dealt with a park area in**tended** to bacome school property. Similar lrtatuter to Article 5421r12 and your Charter provisionWere under consideration.
-3834-Hon. J.W. Edgar, page 3 (M-788)

The court in the Fl Paso case in effectheld that althougha statute requiring appointment of a commieeionerto sell county landat public auction and a statute relating to abandonm6nt of countyparks are applicablewherever a political subdivision,eubject to such statutes, desires to dispose of any of ite land to an $..gy, neither etatute is applicablewhere a wlitical subdivisionwith oower of eminent d 5 nd n ation eu ve ,.' WL and to reach an agreement as to change of public use.

The L(inaevillQ

case, eupra, held in effect that a city park devoted to public use couldbe taken fa another publicuse withoutbide.and,zonverted to public school use,whee the city and school authoritiesdetermined that its use for schoolpurposeswas ne+eeaa?y and that itwas not-practical or possible to use any othh property.

However, Article 54216, eupra, enacted fn 1969, in its Section 1, read6 as fdllwer

*Hodepartment, agency, political subdivision, county, or municipality of this State shall apprwe any program **or** project that requires the treeor taking of any public landdesignated and utilized prior to the arrangement of such program or project as a park, recreation area, scientific area,wildlife **refugei** or historic site, unless such department, agency, political eubdivieion, county or municipality,,actingthr%gh its duly authorized governingbody.or'officer, shall determine, after notice and a public hearing as required herein, that .(l)there is **no** feasible and prudent alternative to the use of taking **of** such land, and (2) such program or project includee all reasonable planning to minimize harm to such land, as a park, recreation area, scientific area, wildlife refuge. or historic site, resulting from such use or takingr clearlyenunciated local preferences shallbe considered, and the provisions of the Act do,not constitute a mandatory prohibition against the use of such area if the findings are made'that justify the approval of a program or project. -3835-Hon. J. W. Edgar, page 4 **(M-.788)**

Section 2 **of** this Article preeaibee publicationprocedures, and **Section** 3 prwidee that judicial **review** ishamed 30 days **after** the aotion is announced.

Dalhest'e nine acre tractbeAng a ball park, clearly Article 542lqwould apply.

You **aretherefore** advised that the anevmrtoyour two ~eetione is *yes',**but the**  **Piope+d ~oxchange**  **of property**  **is** subject to the notice and bearing prwieione preeaibed by Article **542lq, and**  **the** neceeeary **findings thm.** 

Dnder the **fact** situation, anexchangebetween theCityofDalhert, ahome rule city, andDalhart Inde@end+ntSchoolDietrict of r~leetateueed by the city **for** public park purpoeee and realty owned by the I~~~ent8~~lDi~~ic+.raquiree the publicati~bf notice **and** public hearing under Cuticle 5421q,V.C.S. Article 5421c-12,V.C.S.,which require8 notice and bide, is not applicebletbut Section 153 **of** tha Charter **of** the City **of** Dalhart must be campliedwith.

**neral of**  **Teams prepared**  by **Vim8** Taylor bei8tant m5maney General
AFFRovsDr **OPINIOM** ca4MITTBE
Kerns Taylor, Chairmen **W. B.**  **Allen,** Co-Chairmen
**-3836-**Hon. J. W. Edgar, page 5

Arthur Sandlin Pat Bailey Ben Harrison Austin Bray ~MMDEF.GRIE+FIS Staff Legal**Aeefetant ALFRmwAIaR**  ExecutiveAeeietant
Ho&AWRITB F-et Aseietent (M-788)

-3837-