Pop. 77,595 · Williamson County
Cedar Park Code of Ordinances Article 8.08 (Noise Regulations) sets objective decibel limits at the property line of the noise source. Residential daytime (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) caps are 70 dBA / 80 dBC; nighttime (10 p.m.-7 a.m.) caps drop to 50 dBA / 60 dBC every day.
Cedar Park classifies a continuously barking dog as a 'public nuisance animal' under the Animal Control chapter of its Code of Ordinances. Animal Control investigates complaints; sworn citizen testimony in Municipal Court is required to convict.
Amplified music in Cedar Park is held to Article 8.08's property-line decibel caps - 70 dBA / 80 dBC daytime residential, 75 dBA / 85 dBC nonresidential, with stricter nighttime caps. Outdoor amplified events require a Special Noise Exception submitted 60+ days ahead and approved by City Council.
Article 8.08 allows construction activity within 600 feet of an occupied dwelling only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Outside that window construction noise must comply with the residential decibel caps (50 dBA / 60 dBC at night).
Cedar Park has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Gas and electric blowers are allowed citywide; they must simply stay under Article 8.08's residential decibel caps (70 dBA / 80 dBC daytime, 50 dBA / 60 dBC nighttime) measured at the source property line.
Cedar Park does not (and legally cannot) regulate aircraft-in-flight noise; airspace and aircraft noise are exclusively governed by the FAA under federal law. No local Cedar Park ordinance addresses overflight noise.
Cedar Park sets a citywide objective standard of 85 dBA between 7am and 10pm and 70 dBA between 10pm and 7am (Fri/Sat nighttime period begins at 11pm), enforced as a Class C misdemeanor.
Texas Transportation Code §547.604 requires every motor vehicle to have a muffler in good working order and prohibits muffler cutouts. Cedar Park Article 8.08 exempts a properly-mufflered engine but DOES regulate amplified sound equipment in or attached to vehicles under the 85/70 dBA limits.
Cedar Park Article 8.08 caps industrial and commercial noise at 85 dBA during the day (7am–10pm) and 70 dBA at night (10pm–7am, extended to 11pm–7am on Fri/Sat), measured at the property line of the receiving property.
Outdoor amplified music must stay under the 85/70 dBA day/night limits of Article 8.08. Events exceeding those limits require a $50 Special Noise Exception application filed at least 60 days in advance and approved by City Council.
Cedar Park does not require a host or property manager to be present on-site or in town during a short-term rental stay. Unhosted (whole-home) rentals are allowed.
Cedar Park imposes a 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax on STR stays under 30 days (Article 10.03) and, starting October 1, 2026, will require all STR owners to register with the city and pay a $100 annual fee.
Cedar Park City Council approved an ordinance on April 23, 2026 requiring all short-term rental owners to register with the city. Registration becomes mandatory on October 1, 2026; the fee is $100 per property per year.
Every short-term rental property in Cedar Park must register with the city beginning October 1, 2026. Registration is per-property (not per-owner) and renews annually at $100.
Cedar Park's adopted STR registration ordinance does not set a guest-occupancy cap; the operative ceiling is Texas Property Code §92.010, which allows up to three adults per bedroom in any residential dwelling.
Cedar Park does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights an STR may be rented; the city's October 2026 registration ordinance regulates registration and HOT collection, not nights booked.
Cedar Park does not limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied (whole-home) STRs are allowed, subject only to registration and Hotel Occupancy Tax compliance.
Cedar Park's short-term rental ordinance and Hotel Occupancy Tax apply only to rentals of 30 consecutive days or fewer. Longer 'extended home-share' or month-plus stays are treated as ordinary residential tenancies, not STRs.
Cedar Park's STR registration ordinance does not require operators to carry liability insurance. Coverage is left to the operator and any platform-provided host protection (e.g., Airbnb AirCover, VRBO Liability Insurance).
STR guests in Cedar Park must comply with Article 8.08 of the Code: nighttime quiet hours run 10 PM-7 AM in residential zones, with limits of 50 dB(A)/60 dB(C) at night and 70 dB(A)/80 dB(C) by day.
Cedar Park Code §17.04.005 prohibits parking on public roadways and right-of-way within residential subdivisions, so STR guests must park in the driveway or garage. Vehicles left over 48 hours on a city street are deemed abandoned.
Open outdoor burning is prohibited inside Cedar Park city limits except in Rural Agricultural (RA) zoned areas, and even there requires a $35 permit from the Cedar Park Fire Marshal. Williamson County burn bans automatically apply.
Recreational fires and fire pits are allowed under the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted by Cedar Park (Article 5.01), but open burning of yard debris within city limits requires a Fire Marshal permit and is generally prohibited except in RA-zoned areas.
Cedar Park requires property owners to maintain landscape areas free of weeds, brush, and dead vegetation. Weeds over 48 inches are treated as an immediate safety hazard by Code Compliance, and the Fire Department recommends a 30-foot defensible space around structures.
Propane and LPG storage in Cedar Park is regulated under the 2021 International Fire Code (Chapter 61, adopted via Article 5.01) and the Texas LP-Gas Safety Rules. Tank installation requires a Fire Marshal permit with tank and line pressure testing fees of $90 and $60.
Cedar Park bans the sale, possession, storage, use, or discharge of any fireworks within the city limits and within 5,000 feet of the corporate limits under Article 5.05 of the Code of Ordinances. The maximum fine is $2,000.
Cedar Park has not adopted the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC), and there are no mapped WUI zones with mandatory hardening requirements. Wildfire mitigation is voluntary under the City's Firewise/Ember Aware program.
Cedar Park requires driveway access design and off-street parking under Article 14.05, and prohibits on-street parking within 5–20 feet of any driveway under Article 17.04. Front-yard parking requires a pervious courtyard.
Cedar Park Code Art. 8.05 declares junked vehicles a public nuisance, adopting time triggers (72 hrs public, 30 days private) and a 10-day abatement order, consistent with Tex. Transp. Code Ch. 683 Subchapter E.
Cedar Park regulates on-street parking under Code Article 17.04, prohibiting parking in signed/marked no-parking zones, near driveways, and adopting Texas Transportation Code definitions. Violations are Class C misdemeanors.
Cedar Park Code §17.04 bans on-street overnight parking (10:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m.) for recreational vehicles, trailers, and any vehicle over 1.5 tons or 21 feet, and prohibits inhabiting any vehicle parked in the right-of-way.
Cedar Park has no city-specific EV-charging ordinance. EV chargers are regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under Tex. Occ. Code Ch. 2310, and electrical installations follow the adopted National Electrical Code via the city's building-code adoption.
Cedar Park Code Article 17.04 makes it unlawful to park any recreational vehicle, boat, boat trailer, or trailer on a public roadway or right-of-way in any residential subdivision at any time. A short-term permit allows up to 7 consecutive days, capped at 15 days per calendar year.
Cedar Park Code §17.04.005 prohibits parking any vehicle with a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity over 1-1/2 tons or longer than 21 feet on a public roadway or right-of-way in a residential subdivision at any time. A separate citywide nighttime ban (10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.) applies to these vehicles on any public roadway.
Cedar Park requires every dog off its owner's property to be physically restrained by a leash, chain, or similar device; voice control alone is not enough. At-large dogs are a separate offense and are subject to impoundment.
Cedar Park prohibits keeping fowl (including chickens) and livestock within the city except in Equestrian Suburban (ES), Suburban Residential (SR), and Rural Agricultural (RA) zoning districts on lots one acre or greater. Most single-family residential lots are not eligible.
Cedar Park's Chapter 2 (Animal Control) does not contain a beekeeping ordinance. Backyard beekeeping is therefore governed by Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131 (Bees and Honey) and the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS); registration with TAIS is voluntary unless performing bee removal commercially.
Cedar Park does not have an ordinance specifically prohibiting feeding of wildlife on private property. The city actively discourages the practice via its Wildlife Awareness program, and chronic wildlife feeding that attracts nuisance animals can be cited as a public-nuisance animal violation under §2.03.
Cedar Park has no breed-specific ban or restriction — Texas Health & Safety Code §822.047 preempts cities and counties from regulating dogs by breed. The city regulates dangerous dogs by behavior under Article 2.09 instead.
Cedar Park Code Article 2.01 prohibits ownership of "dangerous wild animals" within the city, including big cats, bears, primates, venomous reptiles, and large constricting snakes. State law (Tex. Health & Safety Code §822.101 et seq.) imposes additional registration and $100,000 liability insurance requirements where state-listed dangerous wild animals are otherwise permitted.
Cedar Park does not impose a numerical limit on dogs or cats per household — a proposed seven-pet cap was withdrawn during the 2017 ordinance rewrite. Hoarding situations are addressed through the cruelty provisions in Article 2.07 and the public-nuisance provisions in §2.03, backed by Texas Penal Code §42.092 (cruelty to non-livestock animals).
Above-ground pools in Cedar Park require a building permit and must meet the same 48-inch barrier rule under the 2021 ISPSC; the pool wall itself can serve as part of the barrier if at least 48 inches tall and any ladder is removable or secured.
Hot tubs and spas in Cedar Park require a permit but are exempted from the standard pool barrier rules if equipped with a listed, lockable safety cover that meets ASTM F1346.
Residential pools must meet ISPSC entrapment, alarm, and barrier rules; conduct at city pools and public water playscapes is governed by Article 8.03 of the Code of Ordinances and Parks Department rules.
Cedar Park requires a building permit for any in-ground or above-ground pool and spa, reviewed under the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) adopted by Article 3.01 of the City Code.
Residential pool barriers in Cedar Park must comply with the 2021 ISPSC (adopted under Article 3.01) — at least 48 inches tall, self-closing/self-latching gates, with no openings allowing a 4-inch sphere to pass.
Cedar Park is in Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Plan (as of April 2026), limiting outdoor irrigation to two assigned days per week before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. The plan is codified in the Code of Ordinances and escalates to Stage 3 or higher during severe drought.
Under Texas Health & Safety Code §342.004 and the Cedar Park Code, owners must keep property clear of weeds, brush, rubbish, and public nuisances. The City may mow, lien the property, and prosecute repeat violators as Class C misdemeanors.
Cedar Park's Tree & Landscape Requirements (Code of Ordinances Article 14.07) protect trees 8 caliper inches and larger and designate heritage trees at 26 inches or more. Removal of protected trees requires city review and mitigation; fees-in-lieu range from $150 to $450 per inch.
Cedar Park property owners must keep grass and weeds maintained. Under Texas HSC §342.008, the city may abate without notice weeds taller than 48 inches that pose an immediate health/safety danger; the City lists weeds over 48 inches as an immediate safety concern in its Common Violations page.
Cedar Park encourages rainwater harvesting. The City offers a rain barrel credit of $0.50 per gallon of storage (up to $100) for residential water customers, and HOAs may not prohibit rain barrels under Tex. Property Code §202.007.
Cedar Park's Code of Ordinances does not prohibit artificial turf on residential property. Installations must comply with Article 14.07 landscape requirements (minimum live-plant ground cover for regulated sites) and any drainage rules in Chapter 13. HOAs may regulate but not flatly ban artificial turf under Tex. Property Code §202.007's drought-resistant landscaping protections, where the turf qualifies.
Cedar Park actively promotes native and drought-tolerant landscaping through its 'Water Thrifty' program and LCRA WaterSmart rebates (up to $2,000 for turf-to-native conversion). Texas Property Code §202.007 also limits HOAs from banning drought-resistant landscaping.
Privacy fences on single-family lots may not exceed 6 feet, while rear-yard duplex fences may reach 8 feet. Front-yard ornamental metal fencing is capped at 4 feet above sidewalk.
Cedar Park's design standards restrict front-yard fencing to ornamental metal; privacy fences in side and rear yards are typically wood or masonry. Chain link is generally limited or prohibited on residential frontages.
Retaining walls in front yards may not exceed 4 feet in height above sidewalk per Cedar Park design standards; engineering and a building permit are required for taller walls under the adopted 2021 IRC.
Cedar Park's zoning code does not require neighbor consent for a fence, but the Texas Property Code and common law govern shared-fence cost-sharing and boundary disputes.
Cedar Park requires pool barriers at least 48 inches tall with self-closing, self-latching gates per the adopted 2021 ISPSC and Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 757.
Building an ADU in Cedar Park requires a two-step approval: (1) a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council under Article 11.02 Division 4, and (2) a residential building permit under Article 3.02. Detached accessory buildings over 80 sq ft always require a building permit.
Cedar Park requires that the ADU and principal dwelling be owned by the same person(s), occupied by members of the same immediate family (or authorized employees), and share a single address and mailbox. This is an absolute owner-occupancy/common-ownership rule, not a discretionary one.
Cedar Park assesses water and wastewater impact fees per Living Unit Equivalent (LUE) at the time of building permit issuance under Article 8.000. Because Article 11.04 Division 2 prohibits separate utility service to ADUs, an ADU typically does not trigger an additional LUE-based impact fee — it is served by the principal dwelling's existing connection.
Cedar Park bans temporary, pre-assembled, and field-assembled carports outright in every zoning district. Permanent permitted carports and porte-cocheres are capped at one story or 20 feet, whichever is less, under Chapter 11, Article 11.04, Division 6.
Cedar Park permits accessory dwelling units (ADUs) only as a conditional use in four large-lot residential districts and only for use by the principal-dwelling owner's immediate family or authorized employees. Detached ADUs must be 400-650 gross sq ft; attached ADUs may not exceed 200 sq ft or 25% of the conditioned area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less.
Cedar Park flatly prohibits renting, subletting, or separately selling an ADU. Under Article 11.04 Division 2, the ADU and principal dwelling must remain under common ownership and may only be occupied by the property owner's immediate family or authorized employees on the premises.
Cedar Park allows detached storage sheds up to 80 sq ft without a building permit, but anything larger requires a permit and must meet setback, size, and lot-coverage limits in Chapter 11 (Zoning), Article 11.04, Division 6 (Accessory Use, Building, and Structure Standards).
Cedar Park has no separate 'tiny home' permitting track. A tiny dwelling on a permanent foundation must meet the city's minimum dwelling size (450 sq ft) and full IRC building code; tiny homes on wheels (RVs/THOWs) are treated as recreational vehicles and cannot be used as a permanent residence on a residential lot.
Cedar Park requires a building permit for any garage conversion, and the city's zoning code expressly prohibits placing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) inside a converted detached garage. Conversions must meet residential building, egress, and parking standards under Chapter 11.
Home occupations are allowed as an accessory to a residential dwelling under City Code Chapter 11 (Zoning), subject to accessory-use standards that protect the residential character of the neighborhood.
A Cedar Park home occupation cannot generate customer-related vehicular traffic in excess of three vehicle trips per 24-hour day, and no direct selling of merchandise may occur on the premises (direct marketing is permitted).
Cedar Park follows Texas Human Resources Code Chapter 42 for in-home childcare. State law requires listing (1-3 children), registration (4-12), or licensing (13+) with DFPS and treats family homes as residential use for zoning purposes.
Cedar Park's sign code limits signs at a single-family or duplex residence to 6 square feet total and does not authorize commercial signage for a home occupation. Political and other noncommercial signs follow Reed v. Gilbert content-neutral standards.
Cedar Park does not regulate cottage food operations beyond the home-occupation standards. State law (Tex. Health & Safety Code §437.0193) governs and preempts local permitting, licensing, and inspection of cottage food producers.
Cedar Park requires a construction or site development permit before removing any tree on public right-of-way or any protected tree (8-caliper-inch or larger) on a development site under Article 14.07 of the Code of Ordinances.
Cedar Park requires developers to mitigate removed protected trees by replanting on-site, on public property, or paying a tiered fee-in-lieu ranging from $150 to $450 per diameter inch under Article 14.07.
Cedar Park's 2019 revised tree ordinance defines heritage trees as those 26 inches or more in diameter measured one foot above the ground, and assesses the highest mitigation fee tier ($450 per diameter inch) for their removal.
Cedar Park requires a construction permit from the chief building official before removing any tree in the public right-of-way, and allows abutting landowners to landscape the nonpaved parkway strip subject to the Transportation Criteria Manual visibility rules.
Cedar Park does not designate specific species as 'protected' but applies its 50% retention requirement to trees on the city's preferred plant list (built from the Austin Grow Green Guide and LCRA list), which includes native oaks, cedar elm, and bald cypress.
Cedar Park operates an MS4 under TPDES General Permit TXR040000 and prohibits sweeping, dumping, or discharging anything other than uncontaminated stormwater into the storm sewer system or waterways.
All development inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area requires a Floodplain Development Permit; the City enforces FIRMs adopted from the Williamson County FIS (9/6/2008) and Travis County FIS (1/6/2016).
Site plans must show temporary and permanent erosion controls; controls must be installed before fill or grading begins and maintained until the site is revegetated.
No local coastal development ordinance — Cedar Park is an inland Central Texas city in Williamson and Travis Counties, roughly 165 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and outside the jurisdiction of the Texas Open Beaches Act and the Coastal Management Program.
Fill or grading requires a Site Fill/Grading Permit from the Engineering Department; all drainage design must comply with the City of Austin Drainage Criteria Manual as adopted by Cedar Park.
Political signs are allowed on private property with the owner's permission, may not exceed 32 square feet, and must be removed within 7 days after the election. Placement in public rights-of-way is prohibited.
Garage sale signs do not require a permit but cannot exceed 4 square feet, may be displayed for a maximum of 72 consecutive hours no more than twice per calendar year, and must be set back at least 25 ft from intersections and 10 ft from the curb.
Cedar Park does not regulate residential holiday lighting or seasonal decorations as 'signs' under its sign code. Flags and de minimis displays under 1 sq ft are exempt from sign permitting, and the only constraints are general nuisance, electrical, and parking rules.
Recreational drone flying in Cedar Park is governed primarily by FAA Part 107 and the FAA Recreational Flyer rules; the City's only local restriction prohibits operating an unmanned aircraft system over a permitted special event without a city permit (Code of Ordinances Art. 8.11).
Cedar Park has no blanket ban on drones in city parks, but operating a drone over any permitted special event held in a park or other public property — or within 5,000 feet of it — without a Parks and Recreation permit is a Class C misdemeanor under Code Art. 8.11.
Commercial drone work in Cedar Park requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and, if the operation is over a city-permitted special event or within 5,000 ft of one, a city permit from the Parks and Recreation Director under Code Art. 8.11.
Cedar Park currently requires a Mobile Food Establishment (MFE) permit under Code Art. 6.06, but Texas HB 2844 (the Mobile Food Vendor Regulatory Consistency Act, effective July 1, 2026) shifts permitting to a single statewide DSHS process and largely preempts local food-truck permitting.
Under Code Art. 6.06, mobile food vendors may operate as 'semi-stationary' units on private property with the owner's written permission or as itinerant vendors, subject to zoning and the 5-ft sidewalk-clearance and right-of-way restrictions; HB 2844 limits how the City can restrict vending locations after July 1, 2026.
Cedar Park does not have a dedicated sidewalk-vending ordinance; sidewalk sales must comply with the Peddlers and Solicitors rules (Code Art. 6.04), Mobile Food Establishment rules (Art. 6.06), and right-of-way obstruction prohibitions.
Republic Services requires Cedar Park carts at the curb by 7 a.m., with wheels facing the curb, spaced at least 3 feet apart, and weighing no more than 75 pounds each.
Cedar Park contracts solid waste collection through a non-exclusive franchise (Republic Services). Trash is collected weekly and recycling every other week; carts must be set out by 7 a.m. on collection day.
Republic Services collects up to 7 bulk items or extra bags per household per week on the normal trash day. Bundled tree/brush trimmings must be no more than 4 feet long, 4 inches in diameter, and 40 pounds.
Recycling is collected every other week in the 95-gallon blue cart. Cedar Park prohibits plastic bags, Styrofoam, pizza boxes, shredded paper, wet cardboard, and food-soiled items from the recycling stream.
Yard trimmings are recycled only during a 6-week spring window and a 2-week fall window; outside those dates they go to landfill as bulk. Trimmings must be in brown paper yard-waste bags or bundles (4 ft x 4 in, 40 lb max).
Dumping refuse, yard waste, or litter on streets, sidewalks, or others' property is prohibited under Cedar Park Code Sec. 8.06.006(b) and is also a state offense under Tex. Health & Safety Code §365.012, with penalties scaling from Class C misdemeanor up to state-jail felony based on weight or volume.
Cedar Park Code Art. 6.04 requires a city-issued permit for any peddler or solicitor; applications are filed online through MyGovernmentOnline with a 72-hour minimum review by the Director of Development Services.
Under Code Art. 6.04, it is unlawful for any peddler or solicitor to enter property displaying a posted 'No Solicitation,' 'No Peddlers,' 'No Trespassing,' or similar sign of at least 3 by 4 inches near the main entrance; Cedar Park enforces sign-based opt-out rather than a citywide no-knock registry.
Cedar Park city parks are closed to vehicles and the public after posted hours; vehicles remaining in the park after closure are subject to towing. Park-hours rules apply to all users regardless of age and are not affected by the HB 1819 juvenile-curfew preemption.
Cedar Park has no juvenile curfew. The city's prior curfew ordinance was repealed in full by Ordinance CO28.23.09.14.E1 on September 14, 2023, after Texas HB 1819 (codified at Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §370.008) preempted all city juvenile-curfew enforcement effective September 1, 2023.
Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 487 limits cannabis dispensing to a small number of state-licensed Compassionate Use Program providers. There are no recreational dispensaries anywhere in Texas, and cities cannot license additional ones.
Texas Health & Safety Code 481.121 makes it a crime to possess or grow marijuana anywhere in the state. Home cultivation is illegal in every Texas city and county regardless of plant count or medical status.
Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 expressly preempts municipal and county minimum wage ordinances. The state minimum wage equals the federal floor of $7.25 per hour, and political subdivisions cannot require private employers to pay more, except for their own contracts.
Texas appellate courts have struck down municipal paid sick leave ordinances in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio as preempted under the Texas Minimum Wage Act. HB 2127 (2023) further codifies preemption by barring local regulation of employment benefits and leave policies.
HB 2127 (2023), the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, preempts municipal predictive or fair workweek scheduling ordinances. Texas cities cannot require employers to provide advance schedule notice, predictability pay, or rest periods between shifts beyond state law.
Texas authorizes License to Carry (LTC) holders to carry concealed handguns statewide under Government Code Chapter 411. Since 2021, permitless constitutional carry under HB 1927 also allows most adults 21 and older to carry without a license, with municipalities preempted from added restrictions.
Texas Local Government Code Section 229.001 broadly preempts municipal regulation of firearms, ammunition, knives, and related accessories. Cities cannot adopt or enforce ordinances regulating the transfer, ownership, possession, transport, or discharge of firearms beyond narrow exceptions for discharge in densely populated areas.
Texas authorizes open carry of holstered handguns statewide for adults 21 and older under Penal Code 46.02 and HB 910 (2015). Long guns may be openly carried subject to disorderly conduct limits. Municipalities cannot impose additional open carry restrictions.
Texas Penal Code 46.02(a-1) lets any non-prohibited adult lawfully carry a handgun inside a personally-owned or leased motor vehicle or watercraft without a License to Carry, provided the firearm is not in plain view and the person is not engaged in criminal activity or gang membership.
Texas Government Code Chapter 673 requires every state agency and any business that contracts with a state agency to register for and use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the work eligibility of new employees. Private-sector E-Verify use is generally voluntary statewide.
Texas Government Code Chapter 752, enacted by Senate Bill 4 in 2017, prohibits any local entity, campus police department, or jail from adopting sanctuary policies. Local officials must honor federal immigration detainer requests and may not bar officers from inquiring about immigration status.
Texas Property Code Chapter 24 sets the exclusive procedure for residential evictions statewide. Cities cannot require landlords to show 'just cause' to terminate a month-to-month tenancy or refuse renewal, beyond the state's notice rules.
Texas Local Government Code 214.902 forbids cities from adopting rent control ordinances except in narrow disaster-related circumstances approved by the governor. Statewide, no Texas city can cap residential rent increases or set base rents.
Texas Local Government Code 214.902 caps rental registration and inspection programs, and Property Code Chapter 92 sets statewide landlord-tenant disclosure and habitability rules. Texas cities may register rental units only within state limits, and tenant protections apply universally.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 212 and Agriculture Code Chapter 251 limit municipal authority to zone or regulate land qualified for agricultural use appraisal. Counties have no general zoning authority, and cities face restrictions on annexing or imposing land use rules on established farms.
The Texas Right to Farm Act, Agriculture Code Chapter 251, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits and local regulations after one year of operation. SB 1421 (2023) significantly strengthened protections, preempting municipal ordinances that restrict generally accepted agricultural practices.
The Texas Supreme Court in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) held that Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 preempts municipal plastic bag bans. Cities and counties cannot prohibit or restrict retail use of plastic checkout bags as containers or packages.
Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 also preempts municipal bans on polystyrene foam containers used for food service. The same statute that struck down plastic bag bans prevents Texas cities from prohibiting expanded polystyrene cups, plates, and takeout packaging.
Plastic straw bans by Texas municipalities are preempted under Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 and reinforced by HB 2127 (2023). Cities cannot prohibit or restrict food service businesses from offering single-use plastic straws to customers.