Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas

Dalworthington Gardens’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential construction inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • The adopted code is subject to additions, insertions, deletions, and changes prescribed by the city code.

  residential code edition: 2015 International Residential Code (Includes regional amendments and interpretations recommended by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.)

  “The 2015 International Residential Code and the regional amendments and interpretations thereto recommended by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (herein called the “IRC”) is hereby adopted as the official residential code of the city and is fully incorporated by reference as though copied into this section in its entirety.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • Land use remains subject to the city zoning chapter and applicable district provisions.

  “Chapter 14 Zoning (§ 14.02.001 – § 14.02.703)”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Improved property inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits that can feasibly connect to city sewer and has city water in an abutting street, alley, public way, or water right-of-way.

  • Where city sanitary sewer later becomes available but sewage disposal is a nuisance, connection is required within one year.
  • After notice, an owner or occupant at a building with city sewer and sufficient city water service who fails to connect within 60 days commits a misdemeanor.
  • Connections are subject to applicable then-current city charges.

  post-notice sewer connection deadline: 60 days (Applies where sanitary sewer has been laid and sufficient city water service exists.) · later-availability connection deadline: 1 year (Applies where sewage disposal is a nuisance as defined by the ordinance.)

  “It shall be the duty of any persons owning or occupying improved property within the city which can be feasibly connected to the city sewer system to connect such property and the improvements thereon with the city water services if the same exist in the street, alley, or other public way or water right-or-way abutting the premises.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural divisions of land inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • The division must be for agricultural purposes, be in parcels or tracts of five acres or more, and not involve a new street, alley, or easement of access.

  minimum agricultural tract size: >= 5 acres (The division also must not involve any new street, alley, or easement of access.)

  “Subdivision includes resubdivision, but it does not include the division of land for agricultural purposes in parcels or tracts of five acres or more and not involving any new street, alley or easement of access.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • A plat is not a condition precedent to a building permit only where every exception listed in § 10.02.004 applies, including an existing permitted single-family structure, qualifying alteration/remodel/enlargement or permitted accessory structure, compliance with applicable ordinances, and an addition no greater than 50% of the preexisting structure.

  “No person, firm, association or corporation shall subdivide land in the city except by platting of the same in compliance with chapter 212 of the Texas Local Government Code and the rules and regulations provided in this article.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in areas of special flood hazard within Dalworthington Gardens city jurisdiction.

  • The article applies to all areas of special flood hazard within city jurisdiction.
  • No structure or land may be located, altered, or have its use changed without full compliance with the article and other applicable regulations.

  “A floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this article.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  City licenses, permits, and services for which a fee is incident to the application inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • Fees may be increased, decreased, added, or eliminated by city-council resolution.
  • The official schedule is maintained by the city secretary and must be publicly available.

  “The city council shall adopt the official fee schedule of the city from time-to-time by resolution and the fee schedule shall be maintained in the office of the city secretary.”

• Permit processPartial

  Applications for city licenses, permits, or other city services inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.

  • An applicant must pay an incident application fee where one is prescribed in the official city fee schedule.

  “All persons, firms or corporations applying for licenses, permits or other city services that by their nature require the applicant to pay a fee incident to such application shall pay the fees as prescribed in the official fee schedule of the city.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Dalworthington Gardens or Tarrant County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building construction inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Dalworthington Gardens city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Dalworthington Gardens 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Dalworthington Gardens means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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