Zoning, building permits and septic rules in New Boston, Texas

New Boston’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction or structural alteration of a building within New Boston city.

  • Exception: construction or alteration costing no more than $25.00.

  construction-or-alteration-cost exemption threshold: <= 25 USD (No city building permit is required under § 4-51(a).)

  “shall obtain a permit from the city except where the total cost of construction or alteration does not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00).”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures within New Boston corporate limits.

  • The adopted codes are subject to portions amended or deleted by the city ordinance.
  • One annotated copy must be on file with the city secretary.

  International Residential Code edition: 2015 · International Building Code edition: 2015

  “International Building Code 2015, International Fire Code 2015, International Residential Code 2015”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside New Boston city limits.

  • District boundaries are established by the city's zoning district map.

  “Boundaries of the districts, as enumerated in section 19-141 are hereby established as shown on a map prepared for that purpose”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within New Boston city limits.

  • The authentic map and its changes, amendments, and additions are kept by the city planning commission.

  “The city planning commission shall keep on file in its office an authentic copy of such map, and all changes, amendments or additions thereto.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Proposed sewage-disposal facilities for manufactured-home parks not connected to public sewer inside New Boston city.

  • The city code official approves the proposed facilities before construction.
  • Septic-tank language includes the stated state-regulations proviso.

  “all proposed sewage disposal facilities shall be approved by the code official prior to construction”

• Septic permitLimited

  Proposed sewage-disposal facilities for manufactured-home parks not connected to public sewer inside New Boston city.

  • City code-official approval is required before construction.
  • The provision is limited to manufactured-home parks whose sewer lines are not connected to public sewer.

  “all proposed sewage disposal facilities shall be approved by the code official prior to construction”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Manufactured-home parks not connected to public sewer inside New Boston city.

  • All proposed sewage-disposal facilities require code-official approval before construction.
  • The septic-tank proviso refers to compliance with state regulations.

  “Where the sewer lines of the manufactured home park are not connected to a public sewer, all proposed sewage disposal facilities shall be approved”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Manufactured-home subdivisions inside New Boston city limits.

  • Applicable provisions are those pertinent provisions of the city's zoning and subdivision chapters.

  “Any development of manufactured homes as a manufactured home subdivision shall be governed by the provisions of the zoning and subdivision chapters”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits issued by New Boston city.

  • The fee is determined under a schedule on file in the city secretary's office; the supplied code does not state the dollar amounts.

  “The permit fee for the issuance of the building permit shall be pursuant to the schedule on file in the city secretary's office.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building-permit applications inside New Boston city.

  • Application must use the form furnished by the city.
  • Residential-remodeling permits and residential-construction permits other than new construction have a 120-day duration.

  permit duration: 120 days (Residential remodeling and residential construction other than new construction.)

  “Application for building permits shall be made upon a form furnished by the city.”

Rules another office applies inside New Boston

New Boston does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in New Boston's SF-2 single-family 2 district.

  minimum living floor area per family: >= 720 square feet

  “The minimum dwelling size is seven hundred twenty (720) square feet of living floor area per family.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in New Boston's A-1 agricultural 1 district.

  • A preexisting separately owned undersized lot as of March 10, 1981 is subject to the stated exception.

  minimum lot area per family: >= 10 acres (Exception for lot in separate ownership on March 10, 1981, as stated in § 19-163(5).) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet (Exception for lot in separate ownership on March 10, 1981, as stated in § 19-163(6).)

  “lot area of not less than ten (10) acres per family [...] The minimum lot width shall be one hundred fifty (150) feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in New Boston's A-1 agricultural 1 district.

  front yard depth: >= 30 feet · side yard width: >= 15 feet · rear yard depth: >= 30 feet

  “Front yards shall have a minimum depth of thirty (30) feet. [...] Rear yards shall have a minimum depth of thirty (30) feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in New Boston's A-1 agricultural 1 district.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “Buildings or structures shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  One-family mobile or manufactured dwellings in New Boston's MP manufactured home park district.

  • The listed use is allowed in the MP district under § 19-406.

  “In the MP manufactured home park district [...] Dwelling, one-family mobile or manufactured;”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New Boston or Bowie County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built structures inside New Boston city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside New Boston city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside New Boston city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside New Boston city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land inside New Boston city limits.

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.