Moving to Rowlett, TX?

Rowlett's noise ordinance (Code of Ordinances Chapter 22, Article V) sets lower nighttime sound limits from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. In residential areas the cap drops from 65 dBA (daytime, L10) to 60 dBA at night, and outdoor power equipment is banned in residential zones between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. on Sundays).

Rowlett regulates construction noise through Sec. 22-205(6): commercial construction, blasting, repair, alteration, or demolition equipment may not exceed the industrial sound limit (85 dBA L10) measured at the receiving property line, or otherwise unreasonably disturb neighbors. Home repair and lawn equipment are exempt only between 7:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. Sundays) and 10:00 p.m.

Rowlett's noise ordinance, Sec. 22-205(1), prohibits owning, keeping, possessing, or harboring any animal or fowl that by frequent or habitual noise-making violates the Sec. 22-204 sound levels or unreasonably disturbs the peace, comfort, and repose of neighbors of ordinary sensibilities. The rule expressly reaches animal shelters and commercial kennels.

Rowlett does not single out leaf blowers, but they fall under the noise ordinance as lawn maintenance and power equipment. Sec. 22-206(9) exempts lawn maintenance equipment from the decibel limits only between 7:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. on Sundays) and 10:00 p.m. Outside those hours, Sec. 22-205(7) bans outdoor power equipment in residential zones.

Rowlett's Sec. 22-205(2) prohibits operating any radio, musical instrument, television, phonograph, drum, or other sound-reproducing device so as to violate the Sec. 22-204 sound limits or unreasonably disturb neighbors. Sec. 22-205(3) covers loudspeakers and sound-amplifying equipment in streets, parks, and public places.

Sec. 22-205(4) bars vehicles in poor repair that make loud and raucous noise, requires a working exhaust system with tailpipe and resonator, and prohibits squealing or screeching tires and unnecessary horn use. Sec. 22-205(11) bans vehicle sound systems audible 50 feet or more from the vehicle.

Rowlett sets enforceable decibel caps in Sec. 22-204 measured five feet inside the receiving property line: residential 65 dBA (L10) day / 60 dBA night; commercial/agricultural 72 day / 67 night; industrial 85 dBA at all times. Companion L90 limits run 10 dBA lower, and exceeding any limit by 20 dBA is a violation at any time.

Outdoor music in Rowlett is limited by the Sec. 22-204 sound caps and the device and loudspeaker rules in Sec. 22-205(2) and (3). Sec. 22-206(8) exempts occasional outdoor gatherings, public dances, parades, shows, and sporting and entertainment events from the noise standards when conducted under a city-issued permit or license.

Sec. 22-204 caps industrial-district stationary sound at 85 dBA (L10) and 75 dBA (L90) both day and night, measured five feet inside the receiving property line. Sec. 22-205(8) prohibits vibration above the perception threshold at the property boundary, and Sec. 22-205(6) limits construction and demolition noise to the industrial level.

Rowlett's noise ordinance does not regulate aircraft noise. Sec. 22-206(5) expressly exempts aircraft operations from the city's noise standards. Aircraft and airspace noise is controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration under federal law, not by the City of Rowlett.

Rowlett STRs pay a city hotel occupancy tax of 7% on room receipts, remitted quarterly directly to the city (booking platforms do not collect Rowlett's local tax). The annual STR permit fee is $2,000 per property. Texas state HOT of 6% applies on top.

Rowlett requires an annual short-term rental permit before any STR is occupied or advertised. The rules live in the Rental Housing article (Ord. No. 007-23), Division 4, Sec. 10-425. No permit, no listing, no guests, and the permit is not transferable.

Rowlett caps STR occupancy by a formula: two persons per bedroom plus two more, but never more than 12 persons total including children, regardless of bedroom count. The cap is defined as the 'maximum occupancy rate' in Sec. 10-401 and enforced under Sec. 10-427.

Rowlett's STR registration runs through Sec. 10-425. Owners file a city application with a floor plan, parking plan, and evacuation plan, notify neighbors within 200 feet, pass inspection, and include the permit number in every listing. Permits renew annually and expire January 31.

Rowlett limits STR guest parking to four vehicles within the garage and driveway, on improved surfaces, with no on-street parking for guests. The rule is in Sec. 10-427(a), and a parking plan must be filed with the permit application.

Rowlett STRs must comply with the city's noise restrictions: Sec. 10-427(c) bars any violation of city noise rules, and the guest safety sheet sets quiet hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday. A local contact must respond to complaints within 30 minutes.

Rowlett does NOT require an STR to be the owner's primary residence. Non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed and permitted. The ordinance only distinguishes owner-occupied homes for a narrow on-street parking allowance (Sec. 10-427(a)).

Rowlett does not require the host to be physically present, but Sec. 10-427(b) requires a designated 24-hour local point of contact who must respond to complaints within 30 minutes or less. The contact's name, address, and phone go on the application and the posted guest safety sheet.

Rowlett does NOT cap the number of nights or days an STR may be rented per year. The defining threshold is the 30-day rental period: any stay under 30 consecutive days is a short-term rental. There is no annual booking-night limit in the ordinance.

Rowlett requires STR owners to carry host-protection or comparable liability insurance of up to $1 million per occurrence, with a certificate of insurance on file and proof at application; cancellation must be reported within 30 days. The codified ordinance also mandates working smoke, CO, and fire-extinguisher safety equipment.

Fireworks are banned in Rowlett. The City states plainly that it is illegal to sell, possess, or discharge fireworks within the city limits. As an incorporated Texas municipality, Rowlett uses its home-rule authority (preserved by Texas Occupations Code Sec. 2154.004) to prohibit consumer fireworks citywide; legal retail sale occurs only in unincorporated county areas.

Rowlett allows fire pits only at one- and two-family homes. Under its adopted fire code, a permanently installed outdoor fire pit must sit at least 10 feet from any structure or combustible material (Sec. 307.4.4), and a portable outdoor fireplace or chiminea must be operated at least 15 feet away (Sec. 307.4.3). Both are prohibited at apartments and townhomes.

Open burning is banned in Rowlett. The City's adopted fire code, Section 307.1.1, prohibits 'burning of refuse, debris and yard waste in the city limits,' and bans any fire that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke. This is stricter than the statewide TCEQ outdoor-burning rules (30 TAC Chapter 111), which a developed city is permitted to override.

Rowlett is a fully developed Dallas County suburb on Lake Ray Hubbard and does not impose California-style wildfire defensible-space brush clearance. Vegetation control is handled through the City's fire-pit clearance rules (10-15 feet around fires) plus general nuisance and weed/high-grass ordinances. Open burning of cleared brush is prohibited (Sec. 307.1.1).

Backyard recreational fires are allowed in Rowlett only at one- and two-family homes, using a fire pit or portable outdoor fireplace that keeps the required clearance (10 ft permanent, 15 ft portable). Burning yard waste, refuse, or debris is banned (Sec. 307.1.1), and the fire cannot create offensive or hazardous smoke. Apartments and townhomes may not have these fires.

Rowlett enforces smoke-alarm requirements through its adopted International codes and the Texas-amended residential code. Smoke alarms are required in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every story of a dwelling. Rowlett also adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, requiring working smoke alarms in existing dwellings, enforced by Rowlett Fire Rescue and Building Inspections.

Rowlett is a fully developed Dallas County suburb on Lake Ray Hubbard and has no designated wildfire hazard or wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone imposing special building or vegetation requirements. Fire-spread risk is managed through the City's recreational-fire clearance rules and its open-burning ban (Sec. 307.1.1), plus county burn bans honored during dry conditions.

Rowlett's adopted fire code limits residential propane. At one- and two-family dwellings, each LP-gas container is limited to 50 pounds water capacity and an aggregate not over 100 pounds (Sec. 308.1.4). At apartments and townhomes (3+ units or 2+ stories), grills and LP-gas devices are barred from balconies and patios unless permanently mounted 10 feet away.

Rowlett's Development Code (Sec. 22-263) limits residential lots to one recreational vehicle, requires it be parked behind the front of the house, and mandates hard, dustless surfaces for RVs, boats and hauling trailers.

Rowlett regulates on-street parking through its Traffic and Vehicles code (Chapter 66) and posted signs, layered on top of Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.302, which bans stopping or parking on sidewalks, in intersections, in crosswalks and within set distances of hydrants and crossings.

Rowlett does not appear to impose a general citywide ban on overnight on-street parking; the clearest overnight rule comes from Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.307, which restricts overnight parking of commercial motor vehicles (10 p.m.-6 a.m.) on signed residential streets.

Rowlett prohibits keeping junk or inoperable vehicles under Code Sections 22-81 through 22-87, and a vehicle left on public property generally becomes 'abandoned' under Texas Transportation Code Sec. 683.002 after 48 hours, allowing removal.

Commercial trucks and trailers in Rowlett are limited mainly by Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.307, which bans overnight parking (10 p.m.-6 a.m.) of commercial motor vehicles on signed residential streets, plus Rowlett's Development Code surface rules for any vehicle stored on a residential lot.

Rowlett's Development Code (Sec. 22-263) requires all residential vehicles to be parked on an approved, dustless surface (concrete for motor vehicles), and Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.302 bars blocking a driveway in the public right-of-way.

Oversized vehicles like RVs, large trailers and motorhomes are limited on Rowlett residential lots by Development Code Sec. 22-263 (one RV, behind the front, on an approved surface, 3 ft from the rear line), while large commercial vehicles fall under Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.307.

Texas has no statewide law penalizing parking a non-electric vehicle in an EV charging space (a 2023 bill, HB2144, died in committee), and no specific Rowlett EV parking ordinance was found; the state instead regulates the charging equipment itself through TDLR.

Loading zones in Rowlett are established by the city under its authority in Texas Transportation Code Sec. 542.202 and marked by signs or curb paint; state law (Sec. 545.302) allows parking in restricted spots only for temporary loading and unloading.

Curb markings in Rowlett are official traffic-control devices placed by the city under Texas Transportation Code Sec. 542.202; Texas has no single statewide curb-color statute, so painted-curb meanings are set by the city, and residents may not paint public curbs themselves.

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(c) limits fences in a required front yard to 36 inches (three feet) in height, while fences in a required side or rear yard may be up to eight feet. Key lots are limited to 36 inches in both front yards. The zoning ordinance can modify these limits.

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(a) makes it unlawful to install, alter, add to, or change a fence without first obtaining a permit from the building inspection department. The only exception is for repairs that do not exceed 25 percent of the area of the fence. Permit fees are set by city council resolution.

Rowlett's fence ordinance (Sec. 78-313) sets height, material, and visibility standards but does NOT impose a 'finished side out' rule or require neighbors to share fence costs. Boundary-fence ownership, cost-sharing, and maintenance between neighbors are governed by Texas property/case law and private agreements, not by a Rowlett city ordinance.

Rowlett treats retaining walls as permitted structures: the city's fence/retaining-wall permit application covers both, and the building department requires engineered (sealed) plans for any retaining wall that totals four feet or more measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall at any point. The fence ordinance itself (Ch. 78, Art. X) does not set a separate retaining-wall height limit.

Rowlett requires a permit for fences (Sec. 78-313(a)) and sets standards for materials, height, corner-lot visibility, and upkeep. Corner lots where a street and alley intersect must keep an eight-foot visibility triangle (Sec. 78-313(d)). Pools, spas, and hot tubs require an enclosing barrier at least 48 inches high (Sec. 78-311).

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(b) lists the only approved fencing materials (chain link, brick, stone, stucco, wrought iron, wood pickets, or PVC) and restricts hazardous types: barbed wire and electric fences may be used only to fence large livestock, electric chargers must be testing-lab approved, and razor wire is prohibited.

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(b)(1) names the approved fence materials: chain link, brick, stone, stucco, wrought iron, wood pickets, and PVC (plastic fence). These cover the common residential choices. Barbed wire and electric fences are reserved for large livestock, and razor wire is banned.

Rowlett limits residentially-zoned properties to no more than two hens, kept at least 50 feet from the nearest inhabited dwelling other than the owner's. Loud fowl such as roosters, ducks, turkeys, geese, peacocks and guineas are banned within 150 feet of any residence, business or school. All fowl must be kept in a secure pen, coop or enclosure.

Rowlett prohibits owners from letting any animal other than a cat run at large. Dogs must be controlled and confined to the owner's property or restrained when off it. Animal control or police officers may impound animals running at large, and may impound a cat if it causes a nuisance or hazard.

Rowlett has no breed-specific dog ban, and Texas law forbids cities from adopting one. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 822.047, any additional local rules on dangerous dogs cannot single out a breed. Pit bulls, Rottweilers and similar breeds are legal in Rowlett; restrictions are behavior-based and apply to any dog declared dangerous.

Rowlett allows beekeeping with colony limits tied to lot size: two colonies on lots of one-half acre or less, four colonies on lots over one-half but under one acre, and no limit where every hive sits at least 100 feet from all property lines. Hives must be Langstroth-type with removable frames and marked with the beekeeper's contact information.

Rowlett's Animal Code separates ordinary household pets from wild and exotic animals, and dangerous wild animals are governed mainly by Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822, Subchapter E. The state requires registration, caging and liability insurance for dangerous wild animals such as big cats and bears, and cities may prohibit or further regulate them by ordinance.

Texas has no statewide law on keeping livestock inside city limits, so the City of Rowlett's Animal Code controls. Rowlett's code includes livestock and farm animals within its keeping-of-animals provisions and requires all animals to be securely confined so they cannot run at large. Recently annexed acreage receives a temporary exemption from some fowl-and-livestock rules.

Rowlett caps the number of adult dogs and cats that may be kept on residential property near other homes. It is unlawful to keep four or more adult dogs, four or more adult cats, or any combination exceeding three adult dogs and three adult cats, on residential property within 100 feet of another building used for human habitation.

Cats are treated more leniently than dogs in Rowlett. They are exempt from the general running-at-large prohibition, but a cat may be impounded if a complaint shows it causes a nuisance or hazard. Cats must still be registered annually and kept currently vaccinated against rabies, and the household pet-count limit applies to adult cats.

Rowlett does not publish a specific ordinance section banning the feeding of wild animals. The city's Wildlife Information guidance strongly discourages it, advising residents not to hand-feed wild animals or keep them as pets and to remove food sources such as pet food and bird feeders to avoid attracting coyotes, raccoons and other wildlife.

Rowlett's Animal Code includes a dedicated animal-hoarding provision at Section 6-283. It works alongside the city's per-household animal-count limit (Sec. 6-76) and Texas state cruelty law, which together address keeping animals in numbers or conditions that endanger their health and welfare.

In Rowlett, grass and weeds 12 inches or higher are a code violation. The City's Neighborhood Services enforces this under the Rowlett Code of Ordinances (Sec. 22-121(a) and 22-122) and the International Property Maintenance Code. Uncut lawns can be mowed by the City and billed to the owner.

Rowlett requires that trees, shrubs, and plants not obstruct sidewalks, streets, or alleys or block the view of any traffic sign or intersection. This 'Overhanging Vegetation/Obstruction' rule is a life-safety code violation under Rowlett Code (ORD-015-21, IPMC Subsection 302.11). Routine pruning of your own yard tree needs no permit.

Rowlett protects trees with an 8-inch caliper or larger trunk (measured at DBH, 4.5 feet above ground) that are not invasive species. Removing a protected tree is regulated under the Development Code (Sec. 77-504), and removal generally triggers replacement planting or a fee-in-lieu of $121.67 per caliper inch paid to the City Reforestation Fund.

Rowlett is a North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) member city with year-round watering rules. From November 1 to March 31 residents may water a maximum of once per week; the rest of the year (typical Stage 2) watering is allowed up to twice a week with no sprinkler watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Rowlett requires owners to keep property free of high weeds, brush, trash, and other nuisances. Weeds 12 inches or higher are prohibited (Sec. 22-121(a) and 122(1)), and trash, rubbish, and stagnant water are nuisances under Sec. 22-123. The City enforces under its Code of Ordinances and Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 342.

Rainwater harvesting is allowed in Rowlett and encouraged by NTMWD. Texas law protects it: Local Government Code Sec. 580.004 bars cities from denying a permit solely for rainwater harvesting, and Property Code Sec. 202.007 prevents HOAs from banning rain barrels. Systems over 500 gallons connected to a public supply need backflow protection.

Rowlett's landscape standards favor native and adapted plants: required plant material must be native to or adaptable to the North Central Texas environment under the Development Code (Sec. 77-504) and the City's Approved Plant List. Statewide, Texas Property Code Sec. 202.007 stops HOAs from banning drought-resistant landscaping.

Rowlett's published code does not specifically prohibit artificial turf on residential property, but the Development Code's landscape standards (Sec. 77-504) emphasize live, native/adapted plant material, so synthetic turf generally cannot satisfy required landscape areas on regulated sites. For HOA-governed yards, Texas Property Code Sec. 202.007 limits bans where the turf qualifies as water-conserving landscaping.

Rowlett does not prohibit backyard composting, and Texas law protects it: Property Code Sec. 202.007 voids any HOA rule banning composting of vegetation such as grass clippings, leaves, or brush. Compost must still be managed so it does not create a nuisance (odors, vermin, or stagnant water) under Rowlett Code Chapter 22.

Rowlett prohibits home occupation signage entirely. Subchapter 77-303D states there shall be no advertising devices on the property, or other signs of the home occupation, visible from outside the dwelling or accessory building. The business must cause no change in the external appearance of the property.

Home occupations are allowed as an accessory use in Rowlett's residential districts under Development Code subchapter 77-303D. The business must stay inside the dwelling or accessory building, use no more than 20% of the floor area or 500 square feet (whichever is less), and cause no detectable off-site impacts.

Home occupations are permitted by right in Rowlett's residential districts, not by discretionary permit, but the city requires home-based businesses to be registered with the City. The use must continuously comply with the subchapter 77-303D standards.

Rowlett has no special cottage food ordinance; cottage food operations are governed by the Texas Cottage Food Law (Health & Safety Code Ch. 437). The city cannot require a permit, fee or inspection. Operators may earn up to $150,000 in annual gross income selling allowed non-hazardous foods, with state labeling rules.

Rowlett's Development Code permits a residential 'family home' caring for up to six children (plus six after-school) as an accessory use in residential districts. Larger or more formal child care is regulated as a Day Care use, and all home child care must hold the appropriate Texas HHSC child care home permit.

Rowlett requires a building permit before constructing any in-ground or above-ground pool, spa or hot tub. Permit fees are $300 in-ground, $125 above-ground and $125 spa/hot tub. Permits expire 180 days after issuance with no automatic extension.

Rowlett's own ordinance (Sec. 78-311) requires every swimming pool, spa or hot tub to be completely surrounded by a fence or wall at least 48 inches high with no gaps larger than 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates. The permanent barrier must pass inspection before water is added.

Rowlett pool safety combines Sec. 78-311 barrier rules with the adopted 2021 ISPSC/IRC and the city's inspection checklist. A temporary fence is required during construction; GFCI-protected receptacles, electrical bonding, safety glazing near the pool and approved barriers are verified before final approval.

Above-ground pools in Rowlett require a $125 building permit but are exempt from the Oncor-stamped plan. The barrier may be the pool wall itself or mounted on top of the pool structure (max 4-inch clearance). Pools and spas of 1,000 gallons or less skip the P-trap/backwash requirement.

Spas and hot tubs in Rowlett require a $125 permit and fall under Sec. 78-311. Where only a spa or hot tub is on the property, a sturdy lockable cover may replace the surrounding fence. They are also built to the adopted 2021 ISPSC.

Texas has no statewide ADU mandate, so accessory dwelling units in Rowlett are governed entirely by the Rowlett Development Code. The City's accessory building regulations expressly state that no accessory structure, or any portion of one, may be used as a dwelling, so a backyard accessory building cannot lawfully be a separate living unit.

Rowlett requires a permit for all accessory buildings, including storage sheds. Sheds count toward the lot's maximum coverage (or 35 percent of the rear yard, whichever is less), cannot exceed the height of the main house, and a rear-yard shed needs at least a three-foot side setback. Enclosed structures over 500 square feet require a Special Use Permit.

Converting a garage in Rowlett is an alteration of an existing structure and requires a building permit. The Zoning & Development Handbook confirms a building permit is required before any alteration, remodel, or expansion of an existing structure, and accessory structures cannot be used as separate dwellings, so a conversion cannot create an independent rental unit.

Carports are accessory structures in Rowlett and require a permit. They follow the same Section 77-303 rules as other accessory buildings, including setbacks and the 35-percent rear-yard coverage cap. Carport posts must be set in concrete piers and anchored to resist a 115 mph wind load.

Rowlett effectively bars tiny homes in standard single-family districts through minimum dwelling-size rules. Even the smallest district, SF-5, requires a 1,500-square-foot minimum dwelling, and larger districts require up to 2,400 square feet. Accessory structures also may not be used as dwellings under Section 77-303.

Rowlett allows backyard BBQ and propane grilling at one- and two-family homes, with LP-gas limited to 50 pounds per container and 100 pounds aggregate (Sec. 308.1.4). At apartments and townhomes (3+ units or 2+ stories), charcoal, open-flame, and LP-gas grills are prohibited on balconies and patios, except a permanently mounted device located 10 feet from the building.

Rowlett has no smoker-specific ordinance; smokers are treated as grills/open-flame cooking devices under the fire code. Backyard smoking is allowed at one- and two-family homes within the propane limits (Sec. 308.1.4). At apartments and townhomes (3+ units or 2+ stories), charcoal, wood, pellet, and propane smokers are barred from balconies and patios unless permanently mounted 10 feet from the building.

Political signs on private property in Rowlett are protected by Texas state law. Under Texas Election Code Section 259.003, a city cannot require a permit, charge a fee, or restrict the size of a political sign on private property with the owner's consent, if it is 36 square feet or less, no more than 8 feet high, unlit, and has no moving parts.

Rowlett allows garage sale signs on your own property or on private property with the owner's permission, but not on public property. Signs cannot go in street rights-of-way or on medians, trees, or utility poles, and all signs must be removed within 48 hours after the sale ends. No permit is required for the sale itself.

Rowlett enforces the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (adopted by Ordinance ORD-015-21) together with its own Code of Ordinances. Neighborhood Services targets open storage, junk vehicles, overgrown grass, trash and debris, graffiti, and missing address numbers, working toward voluntary compliance before citation or city abatement.

Rowlett restricts when carts may sit at the collection point. Under Code of Ordinances Chapter 50, Sec. 50-2, no poly carts or recycling bins may remain at the collection point before 12:00 p.m. the day before collection or after 12:00 p.m. the day after collection. Carts are provided by the city's hauler, Republic Services.

Rowlett requires lots to be kept free of grass and weeds over 12 inches and clear of trash, debris, and stagnant water, applying the same standards to vacant parcels. Unmaintained property can be abated by the city under Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 342, with costs charged back as an abatement lien.

Rowlett prohibits grass and/or weeds 12 inches or higher on a property, and bars cut grass, weeds, or leaves from being left on sidewalks, streets, or alleys. The standard is cited to IPMC Sec. 302.4 and Code Sec. 22-121(a) and 22-122(1). The city can mow non-compliant lots and bill the owner.

Rowlett does not require a permit for garage sales. Residents may hold up to three sales in a 12-month period, each lasting up to three consecutive calendar days, limited to personal property. Signs may go on private property only, not in the public right-of-way, and must be removed within 48 hours after the sale ends.

Rowlett is not a designated Dark Sky community and is not near a major astronomical observatory, so Texas's observatory-protection lighting statute does not apply. Outdoor lighting is reviewed locally through Rowlett's site-plan process, which evaluates lighting as part of development review rather than under a dedicated dark-sky ordinance.

Rowlett does not publish a standalone residential light-trespass ordinance. For commercial and multi-family projects, lighting is evaluated during the City's site-plan review for compatibility with neighboring properties. Some zoning districts also require that glare from operations be confined within the property.

Rowlett's residential trash and recycling is a city-contracted service provided by Republic Services (since September 2024). Trash and recycling are collected weekly on the same assigned day. Trash collection starts at 6 a.m. and recycling carts should be out by 7 a.m. Service is delayed one day for seven major holidays.

Rowlett uses automated trucks, so cart spacing is essential. Trash carts should be out by 6 a.m. and recycling carts by 7 a.m. on collection day, with the lid closed and trash fitting inside. Brush and bulk go at the front of the property, not in the alley. Carts may not sit at the collection point outside the day-before-to-day-after window (Code Sec. 50-2).

Republic Services collects brush and bulky items in Rowlett with up to 2 cubic yards per week included; extra volume is charged per cubic yard. Items must be neatly stacked out front (no alley pickups) by 7 a.m. on the regular collection day. Appliances, furniture, and remodeling debris are accepted; dirt, concrete, tires, and hazardous materials are not.

Republic Services collects single-stream recycling weekly in Rowlett, on the same day as trash, in a poly cart that should be out by 7 a.m. Accepted items include metal/aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, newspaper, mixed paper, and chipboard. Foam, plastic bags, aluminum foil, ceramics, and broken glass are not accepted.

Rowlett prohibits dumping trash, debris, and stagnant matter on property (Code Sec. 22-123) and treats accumulated debris as a code violation. Illegal dumping is also a Texas crime under Health & Safety Code Sec. 365.012, ranging from a Class C misdemeanor (5 lbs/5 gal or less) up to a state jail felony (1,000 lbs or 200 cubic feet or more).

Rowlett city parks are open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Being in a park outside those hours is not allowed. Park rules also prohibit alcohol, glass containers, swimming in the lakes, and off-leash pets near playgrounds. Note that Texas now bans juvenile curfews citywide, so park hours apply to everyone, not minors specifically.

Rowlett building setbacks are set by the Development Code dimensional tables in Sec. 77-401 and vary by zoning district. For single-family districts the front setback ranges from 50 ft (SF-40) to 35 ft or less (smaller lots), the side setback is generally the greater of 10% of lot width or 7.5 ft, and the rear setback is 25 ft or a percentage-of-depth formula. Setbacks are minimum distances from the property line.

Maximum building height in Rowlett is set by the Development Code dimensional tables in Sec. 77-401 and varies by district. In single-family districts the cap is generally 35 feet or 2.5 stories, with SF-40 (the largest-lot district) allowing 40 feet or 3 stories. Height is measured and applied under the Development Code, and pool barriers, fences, and accessory structures have their own separate height rules.

Maximum lot coverage in Rowlett is set by the Development Code dimensional tables in Sec. 77-401 and varies by single-family district. Larger-lot districts have no maximum coverage (SF-40 is 'None'), while smaller-lot districts are capped (for example 45% in SF-20, 30% in SF-15, 25% in SF-10). The limit tightens as lot size decreases.

Rowlett requires City review/approval to remove 'protected trees' (8-inch caliper or larger at DBH, non-invasive) under Development Code Sec. 77-504. The City uses a Vegetation Removal/Pruning Permit process; removal triggers replacement planting or a fee-in-lieu of $121.67 per caliper inch to the Reforestation Fund.