Zoning, building permits and septic rules in San Elizario, Texas

San Elizario’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential building inside San Elizario city limits

  • Separate permits also required for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
  • Fees must be paid before permit issued

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to build residential buildings or structures within the city without first applying for and receiving a permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside San Elizario city limits

  • Adopts 2009 IRC, 2009 IBC, 2008 NEC, 2009 IPC, 2009 IMC, 2009 IECC, 2009 IFGC
  • Ordinance dated February 10, 2015; later updates not checked

  “adopting the 2009 international residential code for one and two family dwellings, the 2009 international building code, the 2008 national electrical code”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings erected or structurally altered inside San Elizario city

  • Certificate becomes null and void if zoning ordinance is violated

  “no building hereafter erected or structurally altered shall be used, occupied or changed in use until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the city”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside San Elizario city limits

  • Ordinance enforced by the zoning administrator
  • Mission Trail historic overlay has additional regulations

  “city of san elizario, texas zoning ordinance adopted may 24, 2016”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  San Elizario city zoning districts

  • Districts: SF, MF, M, C-1, C-2, I, HD overlay, AG, PO overlay, P, PUD

  “single-family residential district (sf) 14 multifamily residential district (mf) 15 manufactured home district (m) 16 commercial 1 district (c-1) 17”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential (SF) district inside San Elizario city

  • Manufactured home (M) district minimum is 600 square feet

  minimum dwelling unit size, SF: >= 800 square feet · minimum dwelling unit size, M: >= 600 square feet

  “minimum rear yard minimum dwelling unit size maximum lot coverage maximum structure height 10,000 square feet 85 feet 110 feet 25 feet 10 feet 10 feet 25 feet 800 square feet 60 percent (60%) two stories”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential (SF) district inside San Elizario city

  • AG district lists no minimum lot area

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 85 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 110 feet

  “minimum rear yard minimum dwelling unit size maximum lot coverage maximum structure height 10,000 square feet 85 feet 110 feet 25 feet 10 feet 10 feet 25 feet 800 square feet 60 percent (60%) two stories”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family residential (SF) district inside San Elizario city

  • AG district: front yard 35 feet for SF, 60 feet for accessory structures, side 10 feet, rear 25 feet

  front yard: >= 25 feet · side yard: >= 10 feet · side yard adjacent to street: >= 10 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet

  “minimum rear yard minimum dwelling unit size maximum lot coverage maximum structure height 10,000 square feet 85 feet 110 feet 25 feet 10 feet 10 feet 25 feet 800 square feet 60 percent (60%) two stories”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family residential (SF) district inside San Elizario city

  • AG and M districts also 60 percent

  maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent

  “minimum rear yard minimum dwelling unit size maximum lot coverage maximum structure height 10,000 square feet 85 feet 110 feet 25 feet 10 feet 10 feet 25 feet 800 square feet 60 percent (60%) two stories”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family residential (SF) district inside San Elizario city

  • AG district maximum 65 feet; M district 1 story

  maximum structure height: two stories

  “minimum rear yard minimum dwelling unit size maximum lot coverage maximum structure height 10,000 square feet 85 feet 110 feet 25 feet 10 feet 10 feet 25 feet 800 square feet 60 percent (60%) two stories”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs on residential lots inside San Elizario city

  • Parking only on approved front-yard parking area, not on street right-of-way
  • No extended utility connection

  “no such vehicle shall be used for any form of extended habitation on a residential lot and no such vehicle may be connected to a private or public utility for an extended period of time.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the Manufactured Home (M) district inside San Elizario city

  • Development site not less than two acres
  • Units must meet HUD standards

  minimum site: >= 2 acres

  “a manufactured housing development shall occupy a site of not less than two acres in size and subdivision standards shall meet the city's subdivision regulations.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments in single-family zoning districts inside San Elizario city

  • Conditional use approval required
  • Principal dwelling must be occupied
  • Must have a bathroom

  minimum floor area: >= 450 square feet

  “one accessory apartment may be maintained within a single-family detached dwelling in the single-family zoning districts, contingent upon approval as a conditional use”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in special flood hazard areas inside San Elizario city

  • Areas of special flood hazard per FEMA FIRM and FIS dated September 4, 1991 and revisions

  “a floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside San Elizario city
• Inspections — Inspections inside San Elizario city
• Camping on your land — Camping inside San Elizario city
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside San Elizario city
• Who permits septic — Septic systems inside San Elizario city

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.