Bolthole Index

Bexar County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Shavano Park, Texas

Shavano Park, Texas handles building permits through its City Permit Office and MyGovernmentOnline.1 Shavano Park sets its own zoning rules; Bexar County Environmental Services handles septic permits inside the city.23 A small home must be checked against district-specific minimum floor areas, rather than assumed permissible because it fits on the lot.45

At a glance

Building permits
City Permit Office; applications through MyGovernmentOnline1
Zoning
City zoning districts apply2
Septic permits
Bexar County Environmental Services3
Minimum home size
A-1: 1,600 square feet; A-2, A-3, A-4 and A-5 PUD: 1,800 square feet45
Minimum lot size
For lots platted or replatted after the section took effect: A-1/A-4, 1 acre; A-2/A-3/A-5 PUD, 0.70 acres67
Accessory dwelling
One accessory building may serve as a dwelling on specified single-family lots, subject to accessory-building rules8
Manufactured homes
B-2 districts only; A-2 construction and use requirements also apply9

Who to call

Building permits

Shavano Park Permit Office

City building permit applications, plan review and inspection scheduling; zoning variance and special-exception application information

210-493-3478

[email protected]

900 Saddletree Court, Shavano Park, TX 78231

Online permits →

Septic permits

Bexar County Environmental Services

Septic permits, installation inspections, renewals and existing-system records inside Shavano Park

210-335-6700

612 Nogalitos San Antonio, TX 78204

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Shavano Park means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Shavano Park, TX?

Shavano Park processes building permits for construction inside city limits through MyGovernmentOnline; residential and commercial permit applications are submitted online.1 Shavano Park has adopted the 2021 International Residential Code with city amendments, including changes to the permit-exemption list.1011 Ask the City Permit Office which building permit applies to the specific house, addition or accessory building before work begins.1 Failure to obtain a required building permit before starting work results in a double permit fee.1

Who handles building permits and inspections in Shavano Park?

The Shavano Park Permit Office can be reached at 210-493-3478 or [email protected], at 900 Saddletree Court, Shavano Park, TX 78231.1 The permit counter is open Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30am to 4:30pm.1 Create a MyGovernmentOnline account to submit the City building permit application and schedule inspections.1 Shavano Park describes plan review as taking 7–10 business days, with commercial applications taking longer; inspection costs are included in the building permit fee.1 Building permit, inspection and plan-review status are available within the online account.1

Does Shavano Park have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

Shavano Park has municipal zoning, and the district assigned to the parcel controls uses and dimensional standards.212 For building lots platted or replatted after the relevant section took effect, A-1 and A-4 require at least 1 acre; A-2, A-3 and A-5 PUD require at least 0.70 acres.67 In A-2 and A-2 PUD, front setbacks are 56 feet on rectangular lots and 35 feet on cul-de-sac lots, with side and rear setbacks of 21 feet.13 On corner lots in those districts, the front setback applies to the street supplying the residence address.13 These are district-specific standards, so ask the City Permit Office to review the proposed site layout and any zoning variance request.121

How do septic permits work inside Shavano Park?

Bexar County Environmental Services regulates septic systems serving property inside Shavano Park, and Bexar County requires all on-site sewage facilities within the county to be permitted.3 City building approval therefore does not replace the county septic permit.13 Bexar County inspects septic-tank installations at various points during installation.14 Contact Environmental Services at 210-335-6700 and request existing septic permit records before relying on an installed system.15 Texas generally requires a septic permit and approved plan for construction, alteration, repair, extension and operation, and local requirements may be stricter than state minimums.16 Do not assume the state acreage exemption overrides Bexar County’s countywide permitting requirement.163

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home in Shavano Park?

Shavano Park’s minimum gross floor area is 1,600 square feet in A-1 and 1,800 square feet in A-2, A-3, A-4 and A-5 PUD, making district selection central to a small-home proposal.45 Shavano Park allows one accessory building to be used as a dwelling on specified single-family residential lots when the use remains consistent with a single-family residence and accessory-building rules are met.8 That provision should not be treated as blanket approval for a detached tiny home.8 Manufactured homes and manufactured home parks are limited to B-2 zoning districts and must also satisfy A-2 construction and use requirements.9 We could not confirm a rule expressly approving tiny-home occupancy or RV living while building; ask the City Permit Office about the proposed structure and occupancy before buying.

Building a home in Shavano Park: what should you do first?

1. Ask the City Permit Office to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and review the house footprint against the applicable lot size, setbacks and floor-area rules.112 2. For a septic-served property, request Bexar County Environmental Services’ existing-system records and resolve the septic permit before relying on the system for the new home.153 3. Submit the City building permit application through MyGovernmentOnline before starting construction, then use the account to arrange inspections and follow plan-review status.1 4. Ask the City Permit Office about private wells, off-grid sanitation and any owner-builder proposal: we could not confirm city-specific approval or exemptions for those plans. For land outside city limits, use the Bexar County guide: the county’s ordinary single-family building-permit answer applies to unincorporated land, not Shavano Park.17

Watch-outs

  • Shavano Park’s manufactured-home rule is limited to B-2 zoning districts and also requires compliance with A-2 construction and use requirements.9
  • A City building permit does not replace the Bexar County septic permit for a septic-served Shavano Park property.13
  • We could not confirm temporary camping, private-well approval or an agricultural exemption inside Shavano Park; ask the City Permit Office before committing to those uses.1

Sources

  1. Shavano Park Permit Office (shavanoparktx.gov)
  2. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Sec. 36-1, Definitions (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  3. Bexar County On-Site Sewage Facilities (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  4. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  5. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  7. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  8. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Sec. 36-36, A-1 through A-5 PUD Single-Family Residential Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  9. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Sec. 36-42, Manufactured home parks (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  10. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6, Sec. 6-2, International Residential Code adopted (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  11. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6, Sec. 6-2, International Residential Code adopted (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  12. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  13. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36, Table No. 1, Single-Family Dwelling Districts (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  14. Bexar County On-Site Sewage Facilities, Permit Inspections (Shavano Park), quoted and re-checked
  15. Bexar County Environmental Services (bexar.org)
  16. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Bexar County FAQ - When is a building permit required in the unincorporated areas (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Shavano Park

Shavano Park’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    Residential construction and listed work inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • The IRC contains a permit-exemption list; the supplied excerpt does not establish that every category of work requires a permit.
    • Sec. 6-2 states that additional exempted work is listed in Chapter 6, Article II.
    “Section R105.2 Building list of exemptions, delete the following items: 1. Other than storm shelters, one-story detached accessory structures, provided that the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet (18.58 m 2).”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • The adopted IRC excludes Chapters 34 through 43 and includes Appendices AK and AT.
    • City amendments in Sec. 6-2 apply.
    “The International Residential Code, 2021 Edition excluding Chapters 34 through 43, and including Appendix Chapter AK (Sound Transmission) and AT (Solar-Ready Provisions for Detached One-and-Two-Family Dwellings and Townhouses), as published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as though it was copied herein fully as the Residential Code of the City of Shavano Park.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Applicable City fire-code construction and occupancy inspections inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • The supplied code excerpt addresses fire-code inspections and commercial property/new structures; it does not establish a universal inspection rule for every residential project.
    “During pre and post construction inspections; requested home inspections; and instances of life safety code hazard discoveries; Members of the Fire Department making such examinations or inspections shall have the right, with proper credentials, and be authorized to take a reasonable number of photographs or videotapes for evidence and for records for use by the Fire Department to study hazards and scientific control for fire safety.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Structures in manufactured home parks inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • A manufactured home park plan must be approved and filed before the City Building Official issues certificates of occupancy for structures in the park.
    • Manufactured home parks must be platted before building permits or utility services.
    “The City Building Official shall not issue building or repair permits or certificates of occupancy for structures in manufactured home parks within the incorporated areas of the City until a plan has been approved in the manner prescribed by this section and duly filed in the office of the City Building Official.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Shavano Park city limits; the City administers Chapter 36 zoning districts and classifications.

    “Boundary (zoning) means the territorial limits of a zoning district. Applications to expand, contract, or otherwise amend the boundaries of a zoning district constitute a zoning boundary change within this Chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Published Shavano Park zoning districts, including A-1, A-1 PUD, A-2, A-2 PUD, A-3, A-4, A-5 PUD, CE, B-2, and other Chapter 36 districts.

    • District-specific regulations and tables control applicable uses and dimensional standards.
    “Table No. 1 - A-1, A-1 PUD, A-2, A-2 PUD, A-3, A-4 and A-5 PUD Single-Family Dwelling Districts”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    A-1 Single-Family Dwelling District.

    • The table also contains separate rules for A-2, A-3, A-4, and A-5 PUD districts.

    minimum gross floor area: 1600 square feet

    “A-1, minimum gross floor area: 1,600 square feet; A-2, A-3, A-4 and A-5 PUD, minimum gross floor area: 1,800 square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    A-1 and A-4 Single-Family Dwelling Districts for lots platted or replatted after the effective date of the section.

    • The table states the rule applies to building lots platted or replatted after the effective date of the section.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre

    “All building lots in A-1 and A-4 Single-Family Dwelling Districts shall contain not less than 1.00 acre of land.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    A-2 and A-2 PUD Single-Family Dwelling Districts.

    • Rectangular and cul-de-sac lots have different front setbacks.
    • Corner-lot front setback is measured from and applies only to the street from which the residence address is assigned.

    front setback rectangular lot: 56 feet · front setback cul-de-sac lot: 35 feet · side setback: 21 feet · rear setback: 21 feet

    “Front setbacks: 1. Rectangular lots - 56 feet. 2. Cul-de-sac lots - 35 feet. The front setback on corner lots shall be measured from and apply only to the street from which the residence address is assigned. b. Side Setbacks - 21 feet. c. Rear Setbacks - 21 feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    A-1, A-1 PUD, A-2, A-2 PUD, A-3, A-4, and A-5 PUD Single-Family Residential Districts.

    maximum lot coverage by buildings: <= 33.333333 percent (one-third of entire lot)

    “In A-1, A-1 PUD, A-2, A-2 PUD, A-3, A-4 and A-5 PUD Single-family residential zoning districts, the buildings on any one lot must not cover more than one-third of the entire area of the lot.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    A-1, A-1 PUD, A-2, A-2 PUD, A-3, A-4, and A-5 PUD Single-Family Dwelling Districts.

    • Basements and attics are excluded from the two-story calculation.
    • The maximum vertical height must also comply with the applicable table limits.

    maximum stories: <= 2 stories (excluding basements and attics) · maximum vertical height: <= 45 feet

    “No building shall exceed two stories in height, excluding basements and attics, and the permitted maximum vertical height shall not exceed 45 feet.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes and manufactured home parks inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • Manufactured homes and parks are limited to B-2 zoning districts.
    • A-2 Single-Family Residential District construction and use requirements also apply.
    • A manufactured home park plan must be approved and filed before permits or certificates of occupancy are issued.
    • The property must be platted before building permits or utility services.

    permitted zoning district: B-2 (must also comply with A-2 requirements)

    “Manufactured homes and manufactured home parks shall only be located in B-2 zoning districts and they shall be required to comply with all of the A-2 Single-Family Residential District construction and use requirements.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    One accessory building used as a dwelling unit on an A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, or A-5 PUD single-family residential lot.

    • The use must remain consistent with use of the property as a single-family residence.
    • Accessory-building size, height, setback, and other rules in Sec. 36-36 apply.
    “One accessory building may be used as a dwelling unit as long as the use is consistent with the use of the property as a single-family residence.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    On-site sewage facilities serving land inside Shavano Park city limits are regulated by Bexar County Environmental Services.

    • Bexar County's statement applies countywide; it includes incorporated land in Bexar County unless a specific exception is stated.
    “Bexar County requires that all on‐site sewage facilities within Bexar County have to be permitted.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Installation of septic tanks inside Shavano Park city limits.

    • Inspections occur at various points during installation.
    • Bexar County also conducts complaint-based inspections when a complaint or health and safety problem is found.
    “All installations of septic tanks are inspected at various points during the installation. The inspectors make sure the tank is installed according to regulation to ensure the system will work correctly.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Each residential lot in a CE Single-Family Cottage Estates Residential District.

    • The driveway must run from an authorized curb cut to the primary residence and/or front door, garage, or carport.
    • The driveway must be large enough for two motor cars per dwelling unit.
    • Driveways may not be extended to additional nonadjacent all-weather parking surfaces.

    minimum vehicle accommodation: >= 2 motor cars per dwelling unit

    “A driveway shall be provided for each residential lot from an authorized curb cut to the primary residence and/or the residence's front door, garage space (detached or attached) or carport. Driveway shall be, at minimum, of sufficient size to accommodate two motor cars for each dwelling unit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Shavano Park or Bexar County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from Shavano Park construction requirements.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land inside Shavano Park city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Shavano Park city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation systems inside Shavano Park city limits.
  • Well permit — Private water wells inside Shavano Park city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Shavano Park publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bexar County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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