Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Payne Springs, Texas

Town of Payne Springs’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building projects inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Applies to additions, remodels adding or removing walls, decks, porches, roofing, fences, concrete work, pools, demolition and new buildings including accessory buildings
  • Storable pools are exempt
  • Submit PDF plans by email to the city permit address
  • Older Chapter 3 text says no building permits will be required by the city; the current city page was treated as controlling and the conflict is noted

  “permits are required on the following projects: additions to a structure (residential or commercial)”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New residential builds inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Required on most new residential builds
  • Fee is $100 when approved; no phone payments
  • Older Chapter 3 repealed the UBC certificate-of-occupancy section; the current city page was treated as controlling

  certificate of occupancy fee: 100 USD

  “these are required on most new residential builds. the fee for this when approved is $100.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Ordinance No. 20 (adopted November 20, 1972) zones all land residential except parts then occupied by businesses, zoned commercial
  • Using a residential lot as a business lot is deemed a violation

  “all of the land within the city limits of payne springs, texas, shall be zoned residential except those parts that a.re presently occupied by businesses”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Code establishes only two zones: residential and commercial
  • City's zoning map was listed as coming soon; not verified

  “all of the land within the city limits of payne springs, texas, shall be zoned residential except those parts that a.re presently occupied by businesses”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots to be built on inside Payne Springs town limits (no district named by the city page)

  • Smaller lots need a variance request heard by council
  • Council meets the third Tuesday of each month; request due 72 hours before
  • Subdivisions (Delmar, Southwood Shores) may have own rules

  minimum lot size: >= 5000 sq ft (variance by city council)

  “the property that you are wanting to build on must be no less than 5000 sq feet lot size.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Building lines on lots inside Payne Springs town limits not set by a plat or other city ordinance

  • Under Ordinance 1988-3-06-00 the council determines the front line before a permit is issued where not established by plat or other ordinance
  • Corner lots need 15 feet on the side fronting the two streets
  • Subdivisions may have their own setbacks

  front setback: >= 25 ft · rear setback: >= 10 ft · side setback: >= 5 ft (corner lot street side 15 ft)

  “the minimum building setback lines shall be 25 feet in front, 10 feet in rear and 5 feet on each side.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Culverts at driveways inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Owner may have the city install the culvert at owner cost for materials or install it themselves
  • Culvert pipe may not extend more than 50 feet without a 5 foot break
  • Concrete work including driveways needs a permit

  culvert diameter: 15 in

  “all culverts in the city limits shall be 15 inches in diameter”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Payne Springs town limits

  • Contractors must register with the city
  • Subdivision approval needed in Delmar or Southwood Shores
  • Permits get a 24 hour city review hold
  • Docks and piers go through Tarrant Regional Water District

  “all information must be submitted in pdf form via email permits@paynespringstx.com.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Payne Springs or Henderson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Payne Springs town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Payne Springs town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Payne Springs town limits
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Payne Springs town limits
• Building height — Building height inside Payne Springs town 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.