Richardson's Environmental Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles environmental rules a little differently. In Richardson, Texas, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Flood Zones

Richardson requires new construction and substantial improvements to residential structures in a special flood hazard area to sit with the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated two feet above the base flood elevation. A licensed engineer or land surveyor must certify the elevation on a FEMA certificate, and floodways bar new fill or building outright unless engineering proves no rise in flood levels.

Key details: Elevation standard: Lowest floor 2 ft above base flood elevation. Certification: FEMA elevation certificate from licensed engineer or surveyor. Floodway: New fill or construction barred without no-rise study. Accessory structures: Capped at 600 sq ft, one-story two-car garage. RV exemption: Under 180 consecutive days or licensed for highway.

Chapter 9 sets no floodplain-specific fine schedule, so violations default to the citywide general penalty in Section 1-8: a fine of up to $500 per offense, rising to $2,000 for offenses touching zoning, fire safety, or public health and sanitation, with every day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. The city engineer enforces compliance under Section 9-9, and the city council can condition or deny variances if construction departs from approved plans.

Erosion Control

Richardson makes every property owner and every contractor personally responsible for stopping silt, earth and topsoil from washing off a site onto city streets, sidewalks, storm drains or drainage easements, and the city can withhold permits, plats and certificates of occupancy until an uncontrolled site is stabilized.

Key details: Owner duty: Must control silt runoff onto streets, drains (§23-280). Contractor duty: Liable for job-site erosion damage (§23-281). City leverage: Permits, CO withheld until site stabilized (§23-282). Adopted: Ord. No. 3217-A, March 22, 1999. General fine: Up to $500, or $2,000 for health/sanitation (§1-8).

Richardson's leverage here is administrative, not a citation book: Section 23-282 lets the city refuse permits, plat approval, inspections and certificates of occupancy on a site with uncontrolled siltation, which can stall a project indefinitely. Because the article carries no standalone fine schedule, a prosecuted violation falls back on the Code's general penalty, Section 1-8, which caps fines at $500.00 per offense generally and $2,000.00 per offense for violations touching public health and sanitation, with each continuing day treated as a separate offense.

Flood Elevation Requirements

In Richardson's FEMA special flood hazard areas, any new or substantially improved residential structure must have its lowest floor, including basement, elevated a full two feet above the base flood elevation, verified by a FEMA elevation certificate.

Key details: Freeboard required: Two feet above BFE. Governing section: Code sec. 9-67(a). Applies to: FEMA special flood hazard areas. Proof required: FEMA elevation certificate. Administrator: City engineer.

Building below the two-foot standard, or without the required FEMA elevation certificate, violates Chapter 9. Enforced by the city engineer as floodplain administrator; punishable under the section 1-8 general penalty, each day a separate offense.

Stormwater Management

Richardson has adopted the 1989 Storm Drainage Design Manual, prepared by Shimek, Jacobs and Finklea, as the city's controlling storm drainage standard. The manual overrides any conflicting city ordinance, resolution or policy on storm drainage design and applies to every subdivision, development and drainage improvement inside the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Key details: Adopted manual: 1989 Storm Drainage Design Manual. Applies to: All subdivisions/developments citywide and in ETJ. Precedence: Overrides conflicting city ordinances and policies. Enforcement: City engineer, § 20-4. Adopted by: Ord. No. 2767-A, Nov. 27, 1989.

Chapter 20 enforces storm drainage design through the city engineer's plan review and permitting authority under section 20-4 rather than a standalone drainage fine: a subdivision plat or development application that does not conform to the Storm Drainage Design Manual is not approved. Because the manual controls over conflicting ordinances and policies under section 20-6(c), noncompliant drainage plans cannot proceed to permit until they are revised to meet the manual's design requirements.

The Bottom Line

Richardson's environmental rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Richardson is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Richardson's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.