CANCELLATION OF CERTAIN SUBDIVISION PLATS IF EXISTING PLAT OBSOLETE

(a) This section applies only to a subdivision for which: (1) a plat has been filed for 75 years or more; (2) the most recent plat describes at least a portion of the property as acreage tracts; (3) a previous plat described at least a portion of the property as lots and blocks; and (4) the county tax assessor-collector lists the property in the subdivision on the tax rolls based on the description in the previous plat and assesses taxes on the basis of that description. (b) A person owning real property in the subdivision may apply to the commissioners court of the county in which the property is located for permission to cancel an existing subdivision plat in whole or part and to reestablish the property using lots and blocks descriptions that, to the extent practicable, are consistent with the previous subdivision plat. (c) After notice and hearing, the commissioners court may order the cancellation of the existing subdivision plat and the reestablishment of the property in accordance with the application submitted under Subsection (b) if the court finds that: (1) the cancellation and reestablishment does not interfere with the established rights of: (A) any owner of a part of the subdivision; or (B) a utility company with a right to use a public easement in the subdivision; or (2) each owner or utility whose rights may be interfered with has agreed to the cancellation and reestablishment. (d) The commissioners court shall publish notice of an application for the cancellation and reestablishment. The notice must be published at least three weeks before the date on which action is taken on the application and must direct any person who is interested in the property and who wishes to protest the proposed cancellation and reestablishment to appear at the time specified in the notice. The notice must be published in a newspaper that has general circulation in the county. (e) If the commissioners court authorizes the cancellation and reestablishment, the court by order shall authorize the person making the application under this section to record an instrument showing the cancellation and reestablishment. The court shall enter the order in its minutes.