Land / What you can build

What you can build out here.

Here's another Texas surprise. Outside city limits, there's often very little telling you what you can build. But 'unrestricted' doesn't mean 'anything goes.'

How land use actually works in Texas

• -Cities can zone; counties generally cannot. Texas cities have broad zoning power inside their limits (districts, setbacks, heights, permitted uses). Texas counties have no general power to zone. They can control subdivision (platting) and some safety items. A few narrow exceptions apply near certain lakes and on Padre Island.
• -Houston has no conventional zoning, but subdivision rules, building requirements, and enforceable deed restrictions still shape development.
• -Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is unincorporated land around a city where the city has limited authority, mainly over platting. City zoning generally does not extend there; other specifically authorized regulations can. Local Government Code chapter 42 provides petition and election routes for releasing eligible land from an ETJ, with exceptions and required procedures. Ask the city planning office for the parcel's current ETJ status and applicable rules; release does not remove private deed restrictions or county requirements.
• -Deed restrictions (restrictive covenants) are private rules recorded against the property. Neighbors or an HOA can enforce them whether or not you're in a city. They often control building type, size, use, and looks. They may bar manufactured homes, RVs, short-term rentals, or businesses. Always read the recorded restrictions before you buy.
• -No zoning does not mean no construction rules. Counties that adopt Local Government Code chapter 233's residential standards require covered new homes and major additions to meet the specified code and inspection requirements; that provision itself does not create a general preconstruction permit. Separate subdivision, septic, floodplain, driveway, and fire-safety requirements may apply. Before buying plans, give the city or county the parcel and proposed use and ask which permits, inspections, utility arrangements, and coastal windstorm certifications it needs.