Bolthole Index

Tarrant County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Edgecliff Village, Texas

The Town of Edgecliff Village, Texas (Tarrant County) has its own zoning ordinance1 and requires town permits for new construction, additions, alterations and repairs2. That is the opposite of unincorporated Tarrant County, where no county zoning applies3. We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside town limits, so ask the town permit clerk before you plan one.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: the town has its own zoning ordinance and zoning map14
Building permit
Required from the town for new construction, additions, alterations and repairs2
Building codes
Town code amended by Ordinance 372-25 (August 14, 2025)5
Minimum home size (E1 district)
2,400 sq ft of livable floor space6
Dwellings per lot
One, except where the zoning ordinance provides otherwise7
Septic
Not confirmed inside town limits; ask the town permit clerk8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Edgecliff Village, Permit Clerk (City Hall)

Building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fence and driveway approach permits, plan review and inspection scheduling inside Edgecliff Village

(817)293-4313

1605 Edgecliff Rd.

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Edgecliff Village means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Edgecliff Village, Texas have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Edgecliff Village adopted its own Zoning Ordinance, administered and interpreted by a Zoning Administrator1. Land inside town limits is divided into districts labeled E1, E2, E3, E4, D, MF, CF, O, C, I and PD, shown on the adopted zoning map4.

Rules differ by district. In the E1 Estate District 1, each residence must have at least 2,400 square feet of livable floor space, not counting garages, porches and breezeways6. Buildings and driveways together may cover no more than 50 percent of the lot9, and buildings may not exceed two stories10. Across the town, no lot may hold more than one dwelling unless the ordinance provides otherwise7.

We could not confirm what the ordinance says about living in an RV, a tiny home or a manufactured home, so ask the town before you count on any of them.

Do you need a building permit in Edgecliff Village, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Edgecliff Village states that permits are required for new construction, additions, alterations or repairs, both residential and commercial2. Contractors must register with the town and submit an application for each building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fence and driveway approach or curb-cut permit2. The permit clerk at City Hall handles applications and inspection scheduling2.

The town adopted amendments to its technical and construction codes by Ordinance 372-25 on August 14, 20255. Town permit fees are published in the town code's fee schedule, in the article on building and construction permits11. Some projects have extra steps: a nonresidential use or multiple-family dwelling next to certain residential districts needs an approved landscape plan before the town issues a building permit12.

How do septic permits work inside Edgecliff Village?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for land inside Edgecliff Village. Tarrant County's septic program covers unincorporated land and a list of named contract cities8, and the town does not appear on that list. Texas allows a city to run its own program only with state approval, and the state environmental agency permits septic systems where no local program exists13.

Before you buy a lot that would need a septic system, ask the Edgecliff Village permit clerk whether public sewer serves the address and, if not, who permits an on-site system. A septic permit and approved plan are required across Texas14.

Building a home in Edgecliff Village: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district on the town's zoning map and read that district's rules in the Zoning Ordinance4.
  2. Ask the permit clerk about sewer or septic for the address, since we could not confirm the septic authority2.
  3. Make sure your general contractor and every subcontractor are registered with the town2.
  4. Submit the building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and any fence or driveway approach applications at City Hall2.
  5. Allow time for plan review: the town says the building and fire official may require as much as 10 business days2.
  6. Call the permit clerk to schedule inspections, which need a day's notice2.
  7. Finish required landscaping and screening before the certificate of occupancy, where those rules apply to your project15.

What stays with Tarrant County, and what to check before you buy?

The Tarrant County rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside Edgecliff Village. Outside city limits, Tarrant County does not issue building permits for residential homes16; inside the town, the town's own permit rules govern instead. The county's guide to rural land is on the Tarrant County page.

For property costs, Tarrant County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%17. Also ask the town about floodplain rules, private wells and driveway approvals for your specific address; we could not confirm those provisions. A driveway onto a state highway needs a TxDOT permit using Form 105818.

Watch-outs

  • Do not use the county's unincorporated-land answers inside town limits: Tarrant County's statement that it issues no residential building permits covers only unincorporated land16.
  • We could not confirm who permits septic systems, private wells, floodplain development or short-term rentals inside Edgecliff Village, so ask the town permit clerk at City Hall.2
  • The town's zoning rules vary by district, so confirm a lot's district on the zoning map before you rely on any figure for home size, coverage or height4.

Sources

  1. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Edgecliff Village, Permit Clerk (City Hall) (evgov.org)
  3. Guidelines for Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Tarrant County, quoted and re-checked
  4. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  5. ARTICLE 3.02 Technical and Construction Codes and Standards - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  6. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  7. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  8. On-Site Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  9. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  10. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  11. Appendix A Fee Schedule - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  12. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  13. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Edgecliff Village, TX (Town of Edgecliff Village), quoted and re-checked
  16. Guidelines for Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Tarrant County, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Town of Edgecliff Village

Town of Edgecliff Village’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    A nonresidential use or multiple-family dwelling adjacent to specified residential districts inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • Applies when Zoning Ordinance §18.3 landscaping and screening requirements apply.
    • A landscape plan must be submitted and approved before the building permit is issued.
    • Planning and Zoning Commission reviews the plan; Board of Aldermen has final authority.
    “When this section applies, no building permit may be issued until a landscape plan is submitted and approved.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • The code page reports that Ordinance 372-25 was adopted August 14, 2025 and amended technical and construction codes and standards.
    “Ordinance 372-25 pdf 2025-08-14 Amends Building Regulations: Technical and Construction Codes and Standards”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Developments subject to Zoning Ordinance §18.3 landscaping and screening requirements inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • Required landscaping must be installed before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
    • For seasonal delay, the applicant may make fiscal arrangements satisfactory to the Zoning Administrator by bond, escrow deposit, or letter of credit.
    • The fiscal amount must cover installation and irrigation plus a 10% contingency.

    landscape contingency: 10 percent (Added to fiscal arrangements for seasonal landscaping delay.)

    “All plantings, screening, berms, or other requirements of this ordinance shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • Zoning Administrator administers and interprets the ordinance.
    “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the “Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Edgecliff Village, Texas.””
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • District boundaries are shown on the adopted zoning map.
    • The source lists E1, E2, E3, E4, D, MF, CF, O, C, I, and PD districts.
    “The districts aforesaid, and the boundaries of such districts, shall be as hereinafter described, and as shown upon the map attached hereto as Exhibit “A,” and made a part of this Ordinance, said map being designated “Zoning Map of the Town of Edgecliff Village, Texas” and said map and all notations, references and other information shown thereon shall be a part of this Ordinance the same as if all such matters and information were fully described herein.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Additional dwellings on a lot inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • More than one dwelling is allowed only where otherwise provided in the zoning ordinance.

    dwellings per lot: 1 dwelling (Except as otherwise provided in the ordinance.)

    “In no case shall there be more than one dwelling on a lot except as otherwise provided in this ordinance.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town building and construction permits inside Edgecliff Village town limits.

    • The published fee schedule was amended by Ordinance 391-24, adopted November 14, 2024.
    “ARTICLE A2.000 BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION PERMITS”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Edgecliff Village

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Each residence in Edgecliff Village E1 Estate District 1.

    • Excludes garages, porches, and breezeways.

    minimum livable floor space: >= 2400 square feet (Exclusive of garages, porches, and breezeways.)

    “Each residence shall contain a minimum of 2,400 square feet of livable floor space, exclusive of garages, porches, and breezeways.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in Edgecliff Village E1 Estate District 1.

    • Limit includes buildings, structures, and driveways.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent of lot area (Includes all buildings, structures, and driveways.)

    “The total coverage for all buildings, structures, and driveways shall not exceed 50 percent of the lot area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in Edgecliff Village E1 Estate District 1.

    maximum building height: <= 2 stories

    “The building height shall not exceed two stories.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Edgecliff Village or Tarrant County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Edgecliff Village town limits.
  • Inspections — Residential construction inside Edgecliff Village town limits.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land inside Edgecliff Village town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Edgecliff Village town limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Edgecliff Village town limits.
11 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • 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

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 Town of Edgecliff Village publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tarrant County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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