Bolthole Index

El Paso County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Horizon City, Texas

Horizon City, Texas, in El Paso County, adopts its own zoning ordinance1, and its Building Services Department handles construction permits and inspections2. El Paso County itself does not issue building permits or have zoning authority3. Septic permits inside city limits are not confirmed; ask the city first, then the county.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, city zoning districts apply inside Horizon City14
Building permits
Issued by the city's Building Services Department2
R-1 minimum lot
9,000 sq ft, 60 ft wide, 120 ft deep5
R-1 minimum home size
2,000 sq ft one story; 1,500 sq ft for more than one story6
Height limit
35 ft or 2-1/2 stories in most residential zones; 20 ft in R-MH7
Manufactured homes
Limited to R-MH mobile home subdivisions8
Septic inside city limits
Not confirmed; El Paso County runs the program in unincorporated areas, so ask the city and the county9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Horizon City Building Services Department

Construction permits, business permits and inspections inside Horizon City

(915) 852-1046

14999 Darrington Road, Horizon City, Texas 79928

Septic permits

El Paso County Planning and Development Department

OSSF (septic) permits, driveway and road cut permits and floodplain development permits for unincorporated El Paso County; ask whether it also covers a Horizon City address

915-273-3330

800 E Overland Suite 200, El Paso, TX 79901

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Horizon City, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Horizon City adopted its own zoning ordinance and zoning map for land inside city limits1. The ordinance sets districts from R-1 to R-4 for single-family and duplex homes, plus R-PD planned development, R-MH mobile home, A-1 and A-2 multifamily, commercial, industrial and S-1 open space districts4.

In the R-1 district, a lot needs at least 9,000 square feet, an average width of 60 feet and a depth of 120 feet5. R-1 setbacks are 20 feet in front, 10 feet on the side and 20 feet in the rear10. Homes in R-1 must be at least 2,000 square feet on one story or 1,500 square feet on more than one story, excluding garages, carports, porches and patios6.

Most residential structures are capped at 35 feet or 2-1/2 stories, whichever is less7. Check the zoning map for your parcel's district before you buy, because the numbers change by district.

Do you need a building permit in Horizon City, and who issues it?

The Town of Horizon City's Building Services Department is in charge of construction permits, business permits and inspections for Horizon City2. Call the department at (915) 852-10462.

El Paso County does not issue building permits or certificates of occupancy, so the county's unincorporated-land rules do not replace the city's process inside Horizon City11. The city's own permit ordinance text, fee schedule and any owner-builder exemption could not be confirmed; ask Building Services before you start.

How do septic permits work inside Horizon City?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for addresses inside Horizon City limits. El Paso County runs the on-site sewage facility program for unincorporated areas12, and the county notes that municipalities may have separate requirements and authorities9.

Call Horizon City Building Services at (915) 852-10462 first, then El Paso County Planning and Development at 915-273-333013 to confirm which office permits a system at your address. Where public sewer is available, the county's guidance for unincorporated land is to verify it before planning a septic system14.

Can you live in an RV, trailer or tiny home in Horizon City?

Plan on no for a trailer or tent used as a residence. The zoning ordinance states that no structure of a temporary character, trailer, tent, shack, barn, garage, sales stand or other outbuilding may be used on any lot as storage or residence, temporarily or permanently, a rule we confirmed for the R-MH-A district15. Rules for other districts were not confirmed.

Manufactured homes are limited to R-MH mobile home subdivisions where public utilities are available, on a permanent foundation approved by FHA, VA or HUD8. Horizon City's tiny-home and accessory-dwelling rules were not found; ask the Building Services Department before buying land for either.

What are the steps to build a home in Horizon City, Texas?

  1. Look up your parcel's zoning district on the city zoning map and confirm lot size, setbacks and minimum home size for that district4.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect city subdivision regulation16.
  3. Apply for the residential building permit through Horizon City Building Services at (915) 852-10462.
  4. Confirm the septic or sewer arrangement for your address with the city and El Paso County Planning and Development13.
  5. Schedule inspections through Building Services, which handles inspections for the city2.

What stays with El Paso County, and what should you check before buying land near Horizon City?

Land outside Horizon City limits falls under El Paso County rules. In unincorporated areas the county has no zoning authority and does not issue building permits3, though it does require notice of construction and third-party inspections for new homes17. Zoning applies only near the Fabens Airport or the Historic Mission Trail18.

The county also requires a driveway permit for access onto county roads19 and a floodplain development permit in a county-adopted flood hazard area20. Confirm whether your parcel is inside city limits before you rely on either set of rules. El Paso County's effective property tax rate is 2.1%21.

Watch-outs

  • The city's building code is stated on its page as the IRC 2009 for inspections, so confirm the current code edition with Building Services before you design2.
  • County rules for unincorporated land, including the county's no-zoning answer, do not apply inside Horizon City limits3.
  • Septic authority, owner-builder rules, permit fees and certificate of occupancy requirements inside the city were not confirmed; call Building Services at (915) 852-10462.

Sources

  1. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 3: Use Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Horizon City Building Services Department (horizoncity.org)
  3. Permits | El Paso County, TX, quoted and re-checked
  4. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 3: Use Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  9. Permits | El Paso County, TX, quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  11. El Paso County Planning and Development Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), quoted and re-checked
  12. Permits | El Paso County, TX, quoted and re-checked
  13. El Paso County Planning and Development Department (epcounty.com)
  14. El Paso County Planning and Development Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  15. Zoning Ordinance Chapter 4: Residential Districts (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Horizon City, TX Code of Ordinances (table of contents) (Horizon City), quoted and re-checked
  17. Permits, quoted and re-checked
  18. El Paso County Planning and Development Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  19. El Paso County Right-of-Way Access Management Policies & Procedures Order, quoted and re-checked
  20. El Paso County Planning and Development Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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 Horizon City

Horizon City’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Horizon City limits

    • Ordinance amends Ordinance No. 0102; zoning map adopted May 8, 2001 and amended since.
    “the following zoning districts are established for zoning and rezoning of properties after the adoption of this ordinance amending ordinance no. 0102 (february 24, 2015)”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Horizon City limits

    • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-PD, R-MH, A-1, A-2, C-1, C-2, M-1, M-2, S-1 (per § 301.1, as listed).
    “r-l single-family dwelling r-2 single-family dwelling r-3 single-family dwelling r-4 duplex r-pd residential - planned development r-mh mobile home single-family dwelling a-1 apartments multifamily dwellings a-2 townhouses multifamily dwellings c-1 light commercial c-2 heavy commercial m-l light industrial m-2 heavy industrial s-1 open space/parks”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings by residential district inside Horizon City

    • Excludes garages, carports, porches and patios.
    • R-3: 1,000 sq ft one story, 800 more than one story; R-R-MH 728 sq ft.

    R-1 one story: >= 2000 sq ft (1,500 sq ft for more than 1 story) · R-2 one story: >= 1250 sq ft (800 sq ft for more than 1 story)

    “dwelling size standards, in minimum square feet, excluding garages, carports, porches and patios, are as follows: square feet (minimum) r-1 single-family dwelling 2,000 1 story 1,500 more than 1 story* r-2 single-family dwelling 1,250 1 story 800 more than 1 story* r-3 single-family dwelling 1,000 1 story 800 more than 1 story*”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Horizon City

    • R-2 6,000 sq ft; R-3 5,500; R-4 8,000 for duplexes; R-PD 6,000; R-MH unspecified; other permitted uses 9,000.
    • R-PD developments of 5+ acres may use reduced standards with approved site development plan.

    minimum lot area R-1: >= 9000 sq ft · minimum average lot width R-1: >= 60 ft · minimum lot depth R-1: >= 120 ft

    “min. lot areas (square feet) min. average lot width (feet) min. lot depth (feet) r-1 9,000 60 120 r-2 6,000 50 100 r-3 5,500 45 90 r-4 8,000 for duplexes 50 100”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1 district (and R-2/R-3/R-4) inside Horizon City

    • R-1: front 20 ft, side abutting street 15 ft, side 10 ft, rear 20 ft.
    • R-2, R-3, R-4: front 20 ft, street side 10 ft, side 5 ft, rear 20 ft.
    • R-MH front 20-30 ft, street side 15 ft, side 5 ft, rear 20 ft.
    • R-PD site development plans may reduce setbacks.

    R-1 front: >= 20 ft · R-1 side: >= 10 ft · R-1 rear: >= 20 ft

    “r-1 20 feet 15 feet 10 feet 20 feet r-2, r-3, r-4 20 feet 10 feet 5 feet 20 feet r-pd 20 feet 10 feet 5 feet 20 feet r-mh 20-30 feet 15 feet 5 feet 20 feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures in residential zones other than R-MH inside Horizon City

    • R-MH structures limited to 20 feet.

    max height: <= 35 ft (or 2-1/2 stories, whichever is less)

    “no structure within a residential zone, other than a r-mh zone, shall have a height greater than 2-1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less. structures in a r-mh zone are limited to a height of 20 feet.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Trailers and temporary structures as residence on lots in the R-MH-A district inside Horizon City

    • Applies in R-MH-A district; other districts not verified.
    “no structure of a temporary character, trailer, tent, shack, barn, garage, sales stand or other outbuilding shall be used on any lot at any time as storage or residence either temporarily or permanently.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes inside Horizon City, in R-MH districts

    • Mobile home subdivisions where public utilities are available.
    • Must be on permanent foundation approved by FHA, VA or HUD.
    • Construction of residence within 180 days of plans; HUD standards apply.
    “the purpose of this zoning designation is to provide for needed, properly planned and well-designed mobile home subdivisions in areas where public utilities are available”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land subdivision inside Horizon City

    • Details in Chapter 10 and Exhibit 10A not opened.
    “chapter 10 subdivision regulation (§ 10.02.001) exhibit 10a subdivision ordinance”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Horizon City or El Paso County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Horizon City
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Horizon City
  • Building code adopted — Building codes inside Horizon City
  • Inspections — Building inspection inside Horizon City
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Horizon City
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Horizon City publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. El Paso County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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