Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Mount Pleasant, Texas

Mount Pleasant’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Site construction inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • A permit submitted with a final plat will not be released until the plat is approved and filed with the County.

  “Building permits are required before commencing site construction.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Structures within Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The city page lists the 2024 International Building and Residential Codes, International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, International Gas Code, and 2023 National Electrical Code.

  building and residential code edition: 2024 · electrical code edition: 2023

  “CURRENT CODES: Building Codes Title: International Building and International Residential Code Edition: 2024 Edition”

• InspectionsRequired

  Residential and commercial projects within Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The city describes inspections as part of comprehensive review of all residential and commercial projects.

  “Through the issuance of building permits and certificates of occupancy, the Building and Development Department ensures that all structures within the City of Mount Pleasant conform to adopted and accepted building codes and standards, ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the public through comprehensive reviews and inspections of all residential and commercial projects.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Facilities following construction activities inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • Issued upon application and inspection to the business following construction activities; it must issue before occupancy.

  “A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is issued upon application and inspection to the business following the conclusion of your construction activities, and must be issued before the facility can be occupied.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The municipal code identifies Chapter 155 as the Zoning Code.

  “CHAPTER 155: ZONING CODE CHAPTER 155: ZONING CODE”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The current code publishes FD, SF-1, SF-2, TF, MF, MH, NS, GR, CB, C, LI, HI, PD, and FP district sections.

  “155.20 FD - Future Development District 155.21 SF-1 - Single-Family Residential District 155.22 SF-2 - Single-Family Residential District 155.23 TF - Two-Family Residential District 155.24 MF - Multi-Family Residential District 155.25 MH - Mobile Home District 155.26 NS - Neighborhood Service District 155.27 GR - General Retail District 155.28 CB - Central Business District 155.29 C - Commercial District 155.30 LI - Light Industrial District 155.31 HI - Heavy Industrial District 155.32 PD - Planned Development District 155.33 FP - Flood Plain District”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Septic systems inside incorporated Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • A septic system is allowed only where sewer connection is not feasible or cost prohibitive, must conform to state law, and must be approved by the Plumbing Inspector.

  “when connection to the city’s sewer system is impossible or impractical at any time, the construction, maintenance and use of a dry or chemical toilet or septic tank constructed in conformity to state law and approved by the Plumbing Inspector may be permitted until such time as connection to the city’s sewer system may be made.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dry toilets, chemical toilets, and septic tanks inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The exception applies only when city sewer connection is impossible or impractical; systems must conform to state law and be approved by the Plumbing Inspector; permission lasts only until sewer connection can be made.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct, dig, maintain or use any dry toilet, surface privy, cesspool or septic tank within the city; provided, however, when connection to the city’s sewer system is impossible or impractical at any time, the construction, maintenance and use of a dry or chemical toilet or septic tank constructed in conformity to state law and approved by the Plumbing Inspector may be permitted until such time as connection to the city’s sewer system may be made.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings or structures used or occupied by any person within incorporated Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • Septic is permitted only where city sewer connection is not feasible or cost prohibitive, and only under the conditions in § 51.02.

  “All owners or occupants of any building(s) or structure(s) used or occupied by any person situated within the incorporated city limits of Mount Pleasant, are required to connect to the sanitary sewer system in the manner provided in the code. Where connection to the sanitary sewer system is not feasible or cost prohibitive, the owner or occupant of such building(s) or structure(s) shall be permitted to construct a septic system in conformity with § 51.02.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Proposed subdivisions in Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • A final plat must be City Council-approved under the regulations and filed with the Titus County Clerk and Recorder before transfer or sale; metes-and-bounds subdivision for development is prohibited except as state law provides.

  “No owner, or agent of the owner, of any parcel of the land located in a proposed subdivision shall transfer or sell any part of the parcel before a final plat of the subdivision has been approved by the City Council in accordance with the provisions of the regulations and filed with the Clerk and Recorder of Titus County. (3) The subdivision of any lot or any parcel of land by the use of metes and bounds description for the purpose of development is prohibited except as provided by state law.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Floodplain development governed by Chapter 152 inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • The permit is required to ensure conformity with Chapter 152.

  “A Floodplain Development Permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Permit and zoning applications administered by Mount Pleasant.

  • Single-family new construction is charged per square foot; single-family alterations/additions have a stated minimum; commercial fees follow Table 1A.

  new single-family building permit: per 0.5 USD per square foot · single-family alteration/addition permit: per 0.3 USD per square foot (Minimum $75) · accessory building permit: 50 USD

  “1. Residential a. Accessory Buildings $50.00 b. Single Family – New .50 per sq. ft. c. Single Family – Alteration / Addition .30 per sq. ft.- Minimum $75”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Development and building-permit process inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • A preconstruction conference with staff and the general contractor is required before building permits issue; a permit may be reviewed with a final plat but is not released until the plat is approved and filed.

  building permit process time: 30 days

  “PRECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE TIME: As Scheduled Prior to commencing construction, a preconstruction conference with staff and the general contractor is required before building permits are issued. [...] BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS TIME: 30 Days Building permits are required before commencing site construction. A building permit may be submitted simultaneously with a final plat for review; however, the building permit will not be released until the plat is approved and filed with the County.”

Rules another office applies inside Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant 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

  Dwelling units in the SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  minimum floor space per dwelling unit: >= 1200 square feet

  “Minimum floor space per dwelling unit: 1,200 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 70 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet

  “Lot requirements. (Minimum figures) (a) Lot area: At least 10,000 square feet; (b) Lot width: 70 feet; (c) Lot depth: 100 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Yards in the SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  • Side-yard minimum varies between interior and exterior lots.

  front yard: >= 25 feet · interior side yard: >= 7 feet (Interior lot) · exterior side yard: >= 10 feet (Exterior lot) · rear yard: >= 25 feet

  “Yard requirements. (Minimum figures) (a) Front yard: 25 feet; (b) Side yard: 1. Interior lot: 7 feet; 2. Exterior lot: 10 feet; (c) Rear yard: 25 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Mount Pleasant city limits.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “Height requirements. Maximum building height: 35 feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Mount Pleasant or Titus County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Mount Pleasant city limits.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Mount Pleasant city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Mount Pleasant city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Mount Pleasant city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Mount Pleasant 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.