In Hardin County, "development" means more than just buildings

People move to land outside Silsbee or Sour Lake expecting that rural acreage comes with no rules at all. Hardin County draws the line wider than most folks expect. Its definition of development isn't limited to buildings; it covers filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling, even storing equipment or materials on the ground. Any of that is supposed to wait until you've pulled a permit.

A residential development permit runs $100 for the first 1,000 square feet and $25 for each additional 100. Commercial and industrial work, subdivisions, and oil-and-gas or pipeline activity each have their own permit and fee. If your tract sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and a lot of low ground near the Neches and Pine Island Bayou does, the work also has to meet the Hardin County Floodplain Ordinance, which is a real constraint on how high you build and how you handle fill.

The person to talk to is the Floodplain Administrator, Alex Parker, whose office is at 225 Crocker Street in Kountze, (409) 246-5250. Calling before you move dirt is cheaper than getting red-tagged after, and a five-minute conversation usually tells you whether your project is a simple slab or a floodplain review.