APPROVAL PROCEDURE: INITIAL APPROVAL.

(a) The municipal authority responsible for approving plats shall approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove a plat within 30 days after the date the plat is filed. A plat is approved by the municipal authority unless it is disapproved within that period and in accordance with Section 212.0091.

(b) If an ordinance requires that a plat be approved by the governing body of the municipality in addition to the planning commission, the governing body shall approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the plat within 30 days after the date the plat is approved by the planning commission or is approved by the inaction of the commission. A plat is approved by the governing body unless it is disapproved within that period and in accordance with Section 212.0091.

(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (b), if a groundwater availability certification is required under Section 212.0101, the 30-day period described by those subsections begins on the date the applicant submits the groundwater availability certification to the municipal authority responsible for approving plats or the governing body of the municipality, as applicable.

(b-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (b), the parties shall extend the 30-day period described by those subsections for one or more periods, each not to exceed 30 days if:

(1) both:

(A) the applicant requests the extension in writing to the municipal authority responsible for approving plats or the governing body of the municipality, as applicable; and

(B) the municipal authority or governing body, as applicable, approves the extension request; or

(2) Chapter 2007, Government Code, requires the municipality to perform a takings impact assessment in connection with the plan or plat.

(c) If a plat is approved, the municipal authority giving the approval shall endorse the plat with a certificate indicating the approval. The certificate must be signed by:

(1) the authority's presiding officer and attested by the authority's secretary; or

(2) a majority of the members of the authority.

(d) If the municipal authority responsible for approving plats fails to approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove a plat within the prescribed period, the authority on the applicant's request shall issue a certificate stating the date the plat was filed and that the authority failed to act on the plat within the period. The certificate is effective in place of the endorsement required by Subsection (c).

(e) The municipal authority responsible for approving plats shall maintain a record of each application made to the authority and the authority's action taken on it. On request of an owner of an affected tract, the authority shall certify the reasons for the action taken on an application.