Zoning, building permits and septic rules in McCamey, Texas

McCamey’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction costing more than $100, and specified structural alteration or remodeling, inside McCamey city limits.

  • Fences are excluded.
  • Alteration or remodeling is covered when it changes bearing walls, beams, supports, or the roof.
  • A permit must be secured before the work and work must comply with the permit and article.

  construction-cost threshold: > 100 USD (Fence excluded)

  “It shall be unlawful to construct any building or structure, other than a fence, in the city where the cost of such construction exceeds one hundred dollars ($100.00) [...] without having first secured a permit therefor”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction of buildings and other structures inside McCamey city limits.

  • The adopted code is the 1985 Standard Building Code, including 1988 revisions and appendices.
  • The City's building official means the building commissioner or another City Council-designated officer.

  “The regulations of the 1985 edition of the Standard Building Code promulgated by the Southern Building Code Congress, including 1988 revisions and appendices, published in book form, are hereby adopted as the regulations governing the construction of buildings and other structures in the city”

• InspectionsLimited

  Premises or buildings subject to the City's licensing or permit requirements.

  • The rule concerns an examination requested by the building commissioner in connection with licensing or permit requirements.

  “It shall be unlawful for the owner or person in control of premises or building to refuse a building commissioner’s request to see and examine any such premises or building”

• SetbacksSpecified

  All new buildings inside McCamey city limits.

  • Measurement is from the street curbline.

  street-curbline setback: >= 15 feet

  “All new buildings that are built shall be set back at least fifteen feet from the curbline of the street.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Vacation travel trailer parks inside McCamey city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

  • The rule applies to waste from showers, bathtubs, water closets, and lavatories in vacation travel trailers.
  • A private disposal system must be approved by the City when public services are unavailable.

  “In the event public services are not available, such waste shall be discharged into a private disposal system approved by the city.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Residential developments with tracts of five acres or less inside McCamey city limits.

  • The City adopted model subdivision rules under Texas Water Code § 16.342 and Local Government Code Chapter 212.

  tract size: <= 5 acres (Residential developments)

  “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MCCAMEY, TEXAS ADOPTING MODEL SUBDIVISION RULES APPLICABLE TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH TRACTS OF FIVE ACRES OR LESS”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  City building permits for new construction, additions, and carports inside McCamey city limits.

  • Other ordinance fees may also be assessed.
  • The listed fee provision concerns new construction, additions, and carports.

  building permit fee: per 0.15 USD per square foot (New construction, additions, carports) · minimum permit fee: 25 USD

  “Building permit: New construction, additions, carports, per square foot | $0.15 Minimum permit fee | $25.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Construction permits inside McCamey city limits.

  • The application-material requirement applies to construction, remodeling, specified repairs, and moving a building onto premises.
  • The building commissioner issues permits.

  “All permits shall be issued by the building commissioner.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask McCamey or Upton County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside McCamey city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside McCamey city limits.
• Local zoning — Land inside McCamey city limits.
• Zoning districts — Land inside McCamey city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside McCamey 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 McCamey 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.

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