Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cactus, Texas

Cactus’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, constructing, adding to, enlarging, moving, altering, converting, extending, or demolishing a building or structure inside Cactus city limits.

  • For work with labor-and-material value of $100.00 or more, application must be made to the City building inspector before work begins.
  • parameters are subject to the ordinance's separate general permit requirement.

  labor and materials value threshold: >= 100 USD (Before the listed construction, moving, alteration, or repair work is commenced.)

  “No person shal l erect , construct , o r procee d wit h th e erectio n o r constructio n o f any buildin g or structur e o r add to , enlarge , move, alter , convert , exten d o r demolis h any buildin g o r structur e o r cause th e same t o be done, withou t firs t obtainin g a buildin g permi t therefo r fro m th e Buildin g Inspector .”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings for which a certificate of occupancy is sought inside Cactus city limits.

  • The inspection evidence is tied to issuance of a certificate of occupancy; the published ordinance passage does not establish a separate inspection schedule for every construction stage.

  “premises have been inspecte d and foun d i n conformit y wit h th e structura l requirement s and means o f egress require d by thi s Code”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupying or using a new or remodeled building, or changing the occupancy class of an existing building, inside Cactus city limits.

  • The owner or agent must file a written statement with the Building Inspector giving the building location, proposed occupant or lessee, and proposed use.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for part of a building if temporary occupancy or use will not jeopardize life or property.

  “SECTION XVI I - CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY REQUIRED”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cactus city limits, Moore County, Texas.

  • Individual districts have regulations for use, area, and building setbacks.

  “The City of Cactus is sectioned into multiple zoning districts. Each district has specific regulations pertaining to types of use, area regulations, building set-backs, etc.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Cactus city limits.

  • The ordinance adopts a zoning map as part of the ordinance.
  • The map is kept on file with the City Secretary, with duplicates showing changes, amendments, or additions kept with the Building Inspector.

  number of enumerated use districts: 13 districts

  “The Cit y i s hereby divide d int o thirtee n classe s o f use district s termed respectively :”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Dwelling units in the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I zoning districts inside Cactus city limits.

  • Area must be permanently enclosed and roofed.
  • The ordinance states there is no requirement in Zones J and all others.

  A District minimum dwelling area: 900 square feet (Permanently enclosed and roofed.) · B District minimum dwelling area: 700 square feet (Permanently enclosed and roofed.) · C District minimum dwelling area: 500 square feet (Permanently enclosed and roofed.) · D through I District minimum dwelling area: 400 square feet (Permanently enclosed and roofed.)

  “Zone A - 900 s. f . permanentl y enclose d and roofed - Zone B - 700 S. F. permanentl y enclose d and roofed . Zone C - 500 S. F. permanentl y enclose d and roofed . Zones D throug h I - 400 S. F. permanentl y enclose d and roofed . Zones J and al l other s - No requirement ,”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Using a trailer as a residence on any lot inside Cactus city limits.

  • The ordinance's prohibition covers temporary and permanent residential use.

  “No structur e o f a temporal: [Character , trailer , basement, tent , shack, garage, barn , o r othe r outbuildin g shal l be used on any lo t a t any tim e as a residenc e [eithe r temporar y o r permanent.”

• Camping on your landProhibited

  Using a tent as a residence on any lot inside Cactus city limits.

  • The ordinance's prohibition covers temporary and permanent residential use.

  “No structur e o f a temporal: [Character , trailer , basement, tent , shack, garage, barn , o r othe r outbuildin g shal l be used on any lo t a t any tim e as a residenc e [eithe r temporar y o r permanent.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Servants quarters accessory to a principal dwelling in the A Dwelling District inside Cactus city limits.

  • Servants quarters must be at least 80 feet behind the front building line, six feet from the main building, and comply with stated side and rear separations.
  • They may be occupied only by members of the family occupying the main dwelling or the family of a bona fide servant employee spending more than 50 percent of time on the premises.

  minimum distance behind front building line: >= 80 feet (Servants quarters in A Dwelling District.) · minimum distance from main building: >= 6 feet (Servants quarters in A Dwelling District.)

  “The servant s quarter s permitte d under thi s sectio n shal l no t be occupie d by anyone othe r tha n members o f th e famil y occupy - in g th e main dwellin g o r th e famil y o f a bona fid e servan t employee more tha n 50 pe r cen t o f hi s o r he r tim e on th e premises .”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Outside septic tanks serving dwelling units inside Cactus city limits.

  • The City ordinance requires design and installation of an outside septic tank to be approved by the City Health Officer.
  • If a septic tank is used, the sink waste/drainage line must pass through a grease trap before entering the septic tank or drain field.

  “t o a sanitar y sewer, i f javailable , o r t o an outsid e septi c tank , th e desig n and installa - |tio n o f whic h i s approved by th e Cit y Healt h Office r o f th e Cit y f Cactus .”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dwelling-unit sanitation that uses an outside septic tank inside Cactus city limits.

  • An outside septic tank must have design and installation approved by the City Health Officer.
  • If a septic tank is used, sink effluent must pass through a grease trap before entering the septic tank or drain field.

  “I n th e event a septi c tan k i s used, th e waste o r [drainage lin e fro m th e sin k must be so connecte d as t o permi t th e ffluen t fro m such sin k t o be passed throug h a grease tra p befor e nterin g th e septi c tan k o r drai n field .”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Plumbing fixtures in dwelling units constructed, erected, established, or altered inside Cactus city limits.

  • Fixtures must connect to a sanitary sewer if available; otherwise they may connect to an outside septic tank whose design and installation is approved by the City Health Officer.
  • If a septic tank is used, sink effluent must pass through a grease trap before entering the septic tank or drain field.

  “t o a sanitar y sewer, i f javailable , o r t o an outsid e septi c tank , th e desig n and installa - |tio n o f whic h i s approved by th e Cit y Healt h Office r o f th e Cit y f Cactus .”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits issued inside Cactus city limits.

  • The ordinance calculates the fee on total building area measured on each floor of a multistory building or on one-story building-and-basement area.
  • A fee for additional cost is charged when an important plan alteration requires a new permit and increases structure cost.

  building permit fee: 1/2C per square foot of total building area (Measured on each floor for buildings of more than one story, or on one-story building and basement area.)

  “The Cit y Secretar y shal l requir e th e payment o f a fe e o f 1/2C pe r square foo t o f tota l buildin g area ; measured on each floo r”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Cactus city limits.

  • Application must be in writing to the Building Inspector.
  • The application must identify the land, show building use or occupancy and other information reasonably required by the Building Inspector, and state proposed-work valuation.
  • Permit issuance follows inspector approval and payment of the required fee.

  “Any person desirin g a buildin g permi t as require d by thi s code shal l fil e wit h th e Buildin g Inspecto r an applicatio n therefo r i n writin g on a blan k for m t o be furnishe d fo r th e purpose.”

Rules another office applies inside Cactus

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the A Dwelling District inside Cactus city limits.

  • The City Council may expressly approve a plan fixing a lesser minimum average lot width.

  minimum lot area: 7000 square feet · minimum average lot width: 50 feet (Except where City Council has expressly approved a plan fixing a lesser width.)

  “The minimum average widt h o f each lo t shal l be 50 feet , excep t where th e Cit y Comci l has expressl y approved a pla n fixin g a lesse r width . F. LOT AREA - The minimum area o f th e lo t shal l be 7,000 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal dwellings in the A Dwelling District inside Cactus city limits.

  • A front-yard exception applies when a building line has been established by ordinance or when 30 percent or more of block frontage is improved with buildings.
  • Half the width of an alley may be included in computing rear-yard depth.
  • Accessory-building exceptions apply in the rear yard.

  minimum front yard: >= 25 feet (Subject to stated building-line and improved-block-frontage exceptions.) · minimum rear yard: >= 25 feet (Half the width of an alley may be included.) · minimum side yard: >= 5 feet (Otherwise 10 percent of average lot width.)

  “The minimum widt h o f th e sid e yar d shal l be 10 pe r cen t o f th e average lo t widt h bu t i n no case les s tha n 5 feet , al l measirred fro m propert y lines .”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the A Dwelling District inside Cactus city limits.

  • The coverage limit includes the combined area of dwelling and accessory buildings.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent (Combined area of dwelling and accessory buildings.)

  “th e combined are a o f th e dwellin g and accessor y building s shal l no t cove r more tha n 40 pe r cen t o f th e .tota l are a o f th e lot .”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the A Dwelling District inside Cactus city limits.

  • Height may increase up to 10 feet when each side yard is at least 15 feet.
  • A dwelling may not exceed three stories.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (May increase by no more than 10 feet when each side yard is at least 15 feet.) · maximum building stories: <= 2.5 stories (Dwellings may not exceed three stories.)

  “The maximum heigh t o f building s i n "A" Dwellin g distric t shal l no t exceed 2 1/2 storie s o r 35 fee t above average finishe d grade, except th e heigh t may be increase d by no t more tha n 10 fee t when each sid e yar d i s no t les s tha n 15 feet . Such dwellings , however, shal l no t exceed thre e storie s i n height .”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cactus or Moore County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Cactus city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Cactus city limits, Moore County, Texas.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Cactus city limits.
• Septic permit — Outside septic tanks inside Cactus city limits.
• Septic inspection — Outside septic tanks inside Cactus 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.