Tarrant County, TX Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

Tarrant County has no coastline, so the Texas Open Beaches Act (Tex. Nat. Res. Code Ch. 61) and General Land Office coastal-construction rules do not apply. The relevant inland equivalent is FEMA-administered floodplain regulation under the National Flood Insurance Program and Texas Water Code Ch. 16. As an NFIP participant, Tarrant County requires a Floodplain Development Permit for any work — including grading, fill, structures, fences, or accessory buildings — in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area in unincorporated areas. The permit is free; supporting documents may include an Elevation Certificate, topographic survey, no-rise certification, or a CLOMR/LOMR. Lake-specific rules add another layer: Tarrant Regional Water District manages shoreline construction (docks, bulkheads, marinas) on Eagle Mountain Lake, Lake Worth, and Lake Bridgeport, requiring its own permits and easements. Lake Arlington is administered by the City of Arlington, and Lake Grapevine and Joe Pool Lake are USACE reservoirs requiring federal shoreline-use permits. Inside city limits, the city's floodplain administrator, not the county, issues permits.