Richardson, TX Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- 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
- Carve-out
- Doesn't affect ch. 9 or Rowlett Creek Res. 86-4
Summary
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.
(a)The city council, having reviewed the provisions of the Storm Drainage Design Manual of 1989, prepared by Shimek, Jacobs and Finklea, Consulting Engineers, finds the provisions of such Storm Drainage Design Manual to be proper and necessary in order to promote and protect the health, safety and general welfare of the city and its citizens, and the same is hereby approved and adopted by the city council. A current copy of the Storm Drainage Design Manual shall be kept on file in the office of the city engineer and in the office of the city secretary.(b)Where a conflict exists between the Storm Drainage Design Manual and this chapter, the Storm Drainage Design Manual shall control.(c)The Storm Drainage Design Manual shall take precedence over and be controlling over all other city ordinances, resolutions and policies which pertain to storm drainage design.(d)The Storm Drainage Design Manual shall apply to all subdivisions of land within the limits of the city and within its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and shall also apply to all developments and all proposed drainage improvements within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 20-6(a) records that the city council reviewed the Storm Drainage Design Manual of 1989 and found its provisions proper and necessary to promote and protect health, safety and general welfare, then approved and adopted it; a current copy is kept on file in the offices of the city engineer and the city secretary. Subsection (b) provides that where the manual conflicts with chapter 20, the manual controls. Subsection (c) goes further, stating that the manual takes precedence over and is controlling over all other city ordinances, resolutions and policies pertaining to storm drainage design, not just chapter 20.
Subsection (d) extends the manual's reach to all subdivisions of land within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and to all developments and proposed drainage improvements within both areas. Subsection (e) carves out an exception: the section does not affect chapter 9 or Resolution No. 86-4, the Rowlett Creek resolution. Section 20-4 assigns enforcement of chapter 20, including the drainage standards adopted here, to the city engineer. The manual was adopted by Ordinance No. 2767-A, sections 1 through 5, on November 27, 1989.
Violations & Fines
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What storm drainage standard does Richardson require for new development?
Does Richardson's storm drainage manual apply outside the city limits?
Who enforces Richardson's storm drainage design standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richardson
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