Texas Tax Code - TAX § 23.52. Appraisal of Qualified Agricultural Land

(a) The appraised value of qualified open-space land is determined on the basis of the category of the land, using accepted income capitalization methods applied to average net to land.  The appraised value so determined may not exceed the market value as determined by other appraisal methods.

(b) The chief appraiser shall determine the appraised value according to this subchapter and, when requested by a landowner, the appraised value according to Subchapter C of this chapter   1 of each category of open-space land owned by that landowner and shall make each value and the market value according to the preceding year's appraisal roll available to a person seeking to apply for appraisal as provided by this subchapter or as provided by Subchapter C of this chapter.

(c) The chief appraiser may not change the appraised value of a parcel of open-space land unless the owner has applied for and the land has qualified for appraisal as provided by this subchapter or by Subchapter C of this chapter or unless the change is made as a result of a reappraisal.

(d) The comptroller by rule shall develop and distribute to each appraisal office appraisal manuals setting forth this method of appraising qualified open-space land, and each appraisal office shall use the appraisal manuals in appraising qualified open-space land.  The comptroller by rule shall develop and the appraisal office shall enforce procedures to verify that land meets the conditions contained in Subdivision (1) of Section 23.51.  The rules, before taking effect, must be approved by the comptroller with the review and counsel of the Department of Agriculture.

(e) For the purposes of Section 23.55 of this code, the chief appraiser also shall determine the market value of qualified open-space land and shall record both the market value and the appraised value in the appraisal records.

(f) The appraisal of minerals or subsurface rights to minerals is not within the provisions of this subchapter.

(g) The category of land that qualifies under Section 23.51(7) is the category of the land under this subchapter or Subchapter E, as applicable, before the wildlife-management use began.