8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 8 cities in Harris County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Harris County requires Stormwater Quality (SWQ) permits for all new development in unincorporated areas. The regulations mandate erosion and sediment controls, post-construction stormwater management, and compliance with the county's MS4 general permit from TCEQ.
Harris County requires erosion and sediment control plans for all construction activity in unincorporated areas as part of the Stormwater Quality Permit. Construction sites over 1 acre must also obtain TCEQ SWPPP coverage under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
Harris County is not a coastal county under the Texas Coastal Management Program. There are no county-level coastal development regulations. Properties near Galveston Bay tributaries may be subject to Harris County Flood Control District floodplain regulations instead.
Harris County has some of the most stringent floodplain regulations in Texas. All development in the floodplain requires a Floodplain Development Permit. Finished floor elevation must be at least 18 inches above Base Flood Elevation (BFE). Harris County Flood Control District manages 2,500+ miles of channels.
Harris County requires all new development in unincorporated areas to obtain permits for grading and drainage work. The Harris County Flood Control District and Office of the County Engineer enforce strict stormwater detention and drainage standards to mitigate flooding.
Tex. Local Gov. Code Ch. 232 (County Regulation of Subdivisions)
Sec. 232.003. SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS. By an order adopted and entered in the minutes of the commissioners court, and after a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, the commissioners court may:(1) require a right-of-way on a street or road that functions as a main artery in a subdivision, of a width of not less than 50 feet or more than 100 feet;(2) require a ...
TCEQ Rule 30 Texas Administrative Code 114.512 limits commercial vehicles over 14,000 pounds to five minutes of idling in the eight-county Houston-Galveston-Brazoria nonattainment area, including Harris County. Sleeper berths, emergency response, and traffic delays are exempt. Local enforcement is by Harris County Pollution Control.
Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 382.0191 (Idling of Motor Vehicle — Heavy-Duty Engine Exemption)
Sec. 382.0191. IDLING OF MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) In this section, "idling" means allowing an engine to run while the motor vehicle is not engaged in forward or reverse motion. (b) The commission may not prohibit or limit the idling of any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 pounds that is equipped with a 2008 or subsequent model year heavy-duty diesel engine or liquef...
Harris County has not declared a climate emergency, and Texas has no statewide climate-emergency framework. The county pursues flood resilience under the 2018 bond program and the 2021 Climate Justice Plan goals adopted by Houston. Most countywide climate work remains advisory rather than regulatory.
Harris County has no cool-roof or reflective-roof mandate because Texas counties lack adopted building-code authority for unincorporated areas. The 2015 International Energy Conservation Code, adopted statewide for residential construction under Health and Safety Code chapter 388, encourages but does not mandate reflective roofing.
Texas Health & Safety Code Sec. 388.003 (Energy Code)
Sec. 388.003. ADOPTION OF BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. (a) To achieve energy conservation in single-family residential construction, the energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted as the energy code in this state for single-family residential construction. On September 1, 2016, the energy efficiency chapter of t...
8 cities in Harris County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
12 verified rules • Climate Emergency Mobilization, Coastal Development
5 verified rules • Coastal Development, Erosion Control
9 verified rules • Boat Dock Permits, Coastal Development
9 verified rules • Boat Dock Permits, Coastal Development
1 verified rule • Flood Zones
9 verified rules • Boat Dock Permits, Coastal Development
2 verified rules • Flood Zones, Grading & Drainage
9 verified rules • Boat Dock Permits, Coastal Development
See every category we cover for Harris County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Harris County Ordinance Hub →