Pop. 26,064 · Fort Bend County
Katy treats carports as accessory structures requiring a building permit, with placement governed by the same setback and height rules as other detached accessory buildings.
Katy requires a permit for storage sheds and other detached accessory buildings, with setback and height limits set by the city zoning ordinance and building code.
Katy declares any livestock, fowl, or animal kept in conditions that disturb neighbors or create unsanitary conditions a public nuisance, allowing animal control to investigate and abate hoarding-type situations.
Katy property owners must keep lots free of rubbish, brush, and other debris under Chapter 6 (Ordinance 01023). Weeds taller than nine inches, or any vegetation harboring rodents and pests, are declared a nuisance subject to abatement.
Katy bans construction or use of any barbecue pit or open flame within 10 feet of a multifamily building wall, or beneath a balcony, porch, roof overhang, or veranda. The rule was adopted under Ordinance 3123 amending the 2021 International Fire Code.
Katy prohibits the manufacture, sale, possession, and discharge of all fireworks inside city limits under Article 5.07 of its Code of Ordinances. Violators face fines from $25 to $200 per offense and the Fire Marshal will seize and destroy any fireworks found.
Fort Bend County enforces TCEQ outdoor burning rules and the county Fire Code, with Commissioners Court burn bans triggered during drought conditions.
Fort Bend County adopts the International Fire Code with local amendments, requiring Fire Marshal permits for LPG and propane storage in unincorporated areas.
Katy's zoning ordinance bars home occupations from creating noxious impacts including vibration, noise, odor, dust, smoke, gas, or unsightly appearance, effectively limiting customer traffic on residential streets.
Katy's zoning ordinance separates commercial daycare from residential uses, classifying "Commercial Daycare, Pre-School, Childcare, Nursery" as a distinct category requiring proper zoning and compliance certificates.
Katy regulates signs through Article 3.06 of Chapter 3, restricting moving and intermittent lights and prohibiting unpermitted off-premises signs in residential districts where home occupations operate.
Katy's zoning ordinance permits limited home occupations as a secondary residential use, restricting allowed activities to specific professional and craft trades while prohibiting retail and noxious operations.
The Texas Cottage Food Law (Health & Safety Code Chapter 437, Subchapter A) authorizes home-based production and sale of certain non-potentially-hazardous foods statewide. Cities and counties cannot prohibit cottage food operations or require permits for them.
Katy prohibits grass and weeds growing taller than nine inches on any improved or unimproved lot within the city limits.
Removing or destroying a tree on Katy public property without the public works director's permission is a misdemeanor with fines up to $200 per tree.
Katy requires the public works director's approval before trimming, pruning, or otherwise altering any tree on city property, easements, or rights-of-way.
Katy enforces a multi-stage drought plan with mandatory twice-weekly outdoor watering windows tied to address numbers and land use.
Katy treats uncultivated vegetation over nine inches, or any growth harboring rodents or vermin, as a public nuisance regardless of height.
Texas Property Code 202.007 prohibits HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting systems, and Health & Safety Code 341.042 sets statewide standards for harvested rainwater used as a potable supply. Rainwater harvesting is broadly protected and encouraged in every Texas city and county.
Katy bans loudspeakers cast onto public streets for advertising and prohibits radios, stereos, and amplifiers loud enough to disturb neighbors, with a strict 11 p.m.-7 a.m. audibility threshold.
Katy declares it a nuisance for an animal to bark, howl, whine, or otherwise disturb neighbors, and requires the complainant to give the owner prior written notice before filing.
Katy does not ban leaf blowers but requires noise-creating blowers, power fans, and internal combustion engines to be muffled enough to deaden the noise they produce.
Katy's noise ordinance creates a prima facie nighttime quiet period from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. for amplified sound and prohibits any noise that disturbs neighbors at any hour.
Aircraft noise in flight is regulated exclusively by the FAA under federal law (49 U.S.C. 40103, 14 CFR Part 36, 91, 150). Texas cities and counties cannot impose noise limits on aircraft operations, though they may regulate ground-based airport activities through Texas Transportation Code Chapter 22.
Katy's nuisance code requires owners to keep property free of junked vehicles and authorizes police to impound abandoned vehicles, with a 45-day inoperability test and mandatory abatement orders.
Katy prohibits parking commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds gross weight on any city street, right-of-way, or alley for longer than one hour, with exceptions only for active deliveries.
Katy's zoning ordinance restricts where recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers may be parked in residential districts, generally requiring storage in the side or rear yard rather than the front yard or public street.
Katy's parking article designates specific no-parking zones along Franz Road and Katy-Hockley Road and authorizes posted tow-away signs, with violations punishable as misdemeanors.
Texas Property Code 202.019 prevents HOAs from prohibiting electric vehicle charging stations at a homeowner's dwelling. Owners across Texas may install Level 2 chargers in their garages or driveways subject only to reasonable conditions.
Katy requires every permitted short-term rental to maintain qualifying general liability insurance and provide proof of coverage during the application and renewal process.
Katy requires every short-term rental operator to obtain a city-issued permit before listing or renting a dwelling for periods of less than thirty consecutive days.
Katy imposes a 7% city hotel occupancy tax on short-term rentals, in addition to the 6% state HOT, with monthly reporting required from operators.
Above-ground pools in Katy must obtain the same building permit and meet the same 2021 ISPSC standards as in-ground residential pools.
Hot tubs and spas in Katy fall under the same adopted International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, with permit and safety cover or barrier requirements.
Katy requires a building permit before construction or installation of any in-ground or above-ground residential swimming pool within city limits.
Public and semi-public pools in unincorporated Fort Bend County must be enclosed by barriers meeting county construction standards, on top of the statewide Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 757 yard enclosure requirements.
Operators of public and semi-public pools must comply with Fort Bend County safety rules covering posted depth markings, lifesaving equipment, water quality, supervision signage, and proper drain covers compliant with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act.
Katy's R-1 single-family district requires a 25-foot front yard, side yard adjacent to streets on corner lots, and a minimum 15-foot rear yard depth measured from any structure.
Katy zoning limits residential structures to 32 feet measured from the highest natural grade under the slab, excluding chimneys, attic ventilators, and plumbing vent stacks from the height calculation.
The City of Katy enforces nighttime and daytime juvenile curfews under Chapter 8, prohibiting minors from being in public during specified hours absent statutory exceptions.
City of Katy parks operate under park rules that limit access to posted hours, with the dog park open dawn to dusk and other facilities generally closed late at night.
Katy requires erosion and sediment controls as part of the SWPPP for one-acre construction sites and incorporates Harris County PCPM design standards for stable channels and detention ponds.
Katy's flood damage prevention article requires anchoring, flood-resistant construction, and floodplain administrator approval for all new construction and substantial improvements in special and moderate flood hazard areas.
Katy's minimum construction standards require storm sewers to contain a two-year storm without surcharging at minimum 0.1% gradient using Class III concrete pipe and follow Harris County PCPM hydrology standards.
Katy requires a stormwater pollution prevention plan and TPDES coverage for any construction site disturbing one or more acres, including post-construction BMPs maintained by the property owner.
Katy requires every food truck and mobile food unit to obtain a city Mobile Food Vendor permit under Ordinance 3086, valid for one year. Operators must also display a current Harris County or Fort Bend County health permit before selling food in the city.
Katy limits stationary food truck operation to the M industrial district, with additional accessory-use allowances in the OKD Old Katy district. No more than two mobile food establishments may share a single location, and OKD trucks must sit behind a building and stay 300 feet from other vending sites.
Katy treats high weeds, accumulated rubbish, and unsanitary conditions as nuisances when weeds exceed nine inches or harbor pests.
Katy requires trash containers to be marked with owner contact information, kept covered, and used only by the property they belong to.
Owners of vacant lots in Katy must keep weeds under nine inches and prevent rubbish, stagnant water, or pest harborage on the parcel.
Katy prohibits posting garage sale signs and other bandit signs in public rights-of-way, on utility poles, traffic signs, or attached to public infrastructure.
Christmas displays and similar non-advertising holiday decorations are expressly exempt from Katy's sign regulations but must comply with fire safety rules.
Texas Election Code Chapter 259 and Property Code 202.009 protect the display of political signs on private residential property. Cities, counties, and HOAs cannot prohibit residents from displaying political signs subject only to narrow time, size, and safety limits.
Katy Ordinance No. 2243 lets residents block solicitors by posting a weatherproof no-solicitation sign at least one inch tall in bold print near the main entrance, making any further solicitation a code violation.
Under Ordinance No. 2243, anyone engaged in home solicitation, charitable solicitation, or itinerant peddling in Katy must obtain a permit and register with the Katy Police Department before knocking on doors.
Katy requires carts placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day, and commercial dumpsters must sit on a screened, all-weather pad except when stored fully inside.
Katy residents receive weekly bulk pickup of up to three bulky items plus quarterly Super Heavy Trash collection, with strict limits on prohibited materials.
The City of Katy contracts with Texas Pride Disposal for residential trash and recycling collection, with set-out times, container standards, and routes governed by city ordinance.
Katy provides single-stream curbside recycling through Texas Pride Disposal, with accepted materials including paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass, and plastic bottles and jugs.
Katy makes it a misdemeanor to damage, cut, or remove vegetation on public parks, easements, rights-of-way, or other city property, with fines up to $200 per violation.
Katy requires two replacement trees for every living tree removed during development and obligates owners to replace dead landscaping within 60 days of city notice.
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 Government Code Chapter 423 preempts local commercial drone rules and FAA Part 107 governs commercial flight nationwide. Texas cities cannot require their own drone permits or fees for Part 107 operators delivering or surveying.
Texas Government Code Chapter 423 occupies the field of unmanned aircraft regulation. Cities and counties cannot adopt their own recreational drone ordinances, though limited municipal rules over takeoff and landing on public property remain.
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.