Zoning, building permits and septic rules in East Tawakoni, Texas

East Tawakoni’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building any building within East Tawakoni city limits

  • Outside of structures must be completed within six months of permit date
  • Fees must be paid before construction begins
  • Applicant must provide 2 sets of blue line construction documents

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct or erect any building upon any land within the city limits without first having obtained a permit from the city”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings and structures inside East Tawakoni city limits

  • Adopted save and except portions deleted, modified or amended
  • Code 1987 section; amended 1-12-2018
  • Chapter 18 also lists adoption of electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy conservation and property maintenance codes

  International Building Code edition: 2015

  “there is adopted by the city for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition, equipment, use and occupancy, location and maintenance of buildings and structures, including permits and penalties, that certain building code known as the international building code 2015 edition”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside East Tawakoni city limits

  • Chapter 70 also creates a board of adjustment

  “except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no building or structure shall be erected, altered or converted for any use permitted in the district in which it is located unless it is in conformity with all”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings inside East Tawakoni city

  • Exclusive of garages, breezeways and porches
  • Whether it varies by district was not confirmed

  minimum floor area: >= 1200 square feet (exclusive of garages, breezeways, and porches)

  “the minimum floor area of any single- family dwelling shall be 1,200 square feet, exclusive of garages, breezeways, and porches.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential lots inside East Tawakoni city, by zoning district

  • Numeric schedule table was not captured in the page text
  • Lots of record before adoption may be used for a one-family dwelling

  “the minimum residential lot area for the various districts shall be in accordance with the schedule set forth in this section”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Rear yard for accessory buildings in residential districts inside East Tawakoni city; main-building front and side yards are by district and were not captured

  • Front and side yard schedules by district were not read
  • Garages must be set back not less than 20 feet from any street or alley line on which they face

  rear yard, no alley: >= 10 feet (3 feet where an alley exists)

  “there shall be a rear yard not less than three feet from any lot line, alley line or easement line, except that if no alley exists, the rear yard shall not be less than ten feet”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivision inside East Tawakoni city

  • City has a separate Chapter 54 Subdivisions, not opened

  “private streets and alleys may be established only under the terms of the subdivision ordinance.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside East Tawakoni city

  • Fee schedule not seen online; kept at the city secretary's office

  “a schedule of current fees is on file in the office of the city secretary.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside East Tawakoni city

  • Remainder of the document list was not read

  “1) you must provide 2 sets of blue line construction documents including foundation framing plumbing electrical hvac-r door and window schedule site plan with setbacks”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask East Tawakoni or Rains County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside East Tawakoni city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside East Tawakoni city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside East Tawakoni city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside East Tawakoni city
• Building height — Building height inside East Tawakoni 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.