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Leander's noise ordinance (Article 8.04, adopted Feb. 2024) sets a nighttime 'night' window of 10:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. with lower sound caps, and treats amplified sound as a noise disturbance per se from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weeknights and 11:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekends.
Under Article 8.04.002(g), operating construction, demolition, or maintenance equipment that causes a noise disturbance between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is a prima facie noise violation in Leander. The time exemption does not waive the dBA cap for the zone; concrete-pour waivers require city engineer or council approval.
Leander regulates barking dogs primarily through its Animal Control chapter (Chapter 2, Article 2.04), which defines a 'nuisance animal' as one making continued and repeated barking, howling, or similar noises in an excessive or unreasonable fashion. The general noise-disturbance standard in Article 8.04 can also apply to animal noise.
Leander has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Yard and lawn equipment is governed by the general noise rules in Article 8.04: equipment must stay under the zone's decibel cap (65 dBA day in residential areas) and must not cause a noise disturbance, and lawn-care work in the construction/maintenance category is restricted between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Section 8.04.002(c) makes playing radios, instruments, loudspeakers, and sound amplifiers a 'noise disturbance per se' between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Friday-Saturday. Stationary loudspeakers that disturb neighbors are also restricted, with a narrow exception for brief religious use.
Leander's 2024 noise ordinance sets objective dBA caps at the property line: residential 65 dBA day / 55 dBA night, commercial/mixed-use 70 / 60 dBA, and industrial 75 / 65 dBA, or 10 dBA above background by day and 5 dBA above by night, whichever is lower. School events, entertainment zones, and special-event permits allow up to 85 dBA.
Section 8.04.002(d) prohibits continued or frequent horn use except as a warning, blowing stationary steam whistles, discharging engine exhaust except through a working muffler, and using compressed-air mechanical devices unless effectively muffled. Vehicle noise must also stay within the zone's decibel limits.
Outdoor and live music in Leander must stay within the property-line decibel caps (65 dBA day / 55 dBA night residential; 70/60 commercial) and counts as a noise disturbance per se after 10:00 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Council-adopted entertainment zones and special-event permits allow up to 85 dBA.
Leander does not regulate aircraft noise; aviation noise is governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and local rules on aircraft-in-flight noise are largely federally preempted. Leander's noise ordinance (Article 8.04) addresses ground-based sources and does not set aircraft overflight limits.
Industrial-zoned property in Leander has the highest noise allowance: 75 dBA during the day and 65 dBA at night at the property line, or 10 dBA above background by day and 5 dBA above by night, whichever is lower. Steam whistles, unmuffled exhaust, and compressed-air devices are separately restricted under Article 8.04.
The City of Leander has not adopted a standalone short-term rental permit ordinance. There is no dedicated STR license, and the city's Forms/Permits page lists only a Hotel Occupancy Tax report form. Because the city treats transient lodging as a hotel use, a vacation rental must satisfy hotel-use zoning, building, and Hotel Occupancy Tax rules instead.
Leander does not operate a short-term rental registration program; there is no STR registry to enroll in. The one registration-type obligation that clearly applies is Hotel Occupancy Tax: operators of transient lodging must report and remit the city's 7% tax to the Finance Director under Code Chapter 11, Article 11.04, filing quarterly even when no tax is due.
Short-term rentals in Leander owe Hotel Occupancy Tax. The city levies a 7% local hotel tax under Code Chapter 11, Article 11.04, on top of the 6% Texas state tax, for a combined 13%. The city tax applies where lodging costs two dollars or more per day and is filed quarterly with the Finance Director.
Leander has no short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap (no per-bedroom guest formula in a dedicated STR ordinance). Occupancy of a transient-lodging use is instead governed by the building and fire codes that apply to its hotel-use classification, plus general nuisance and noise rules. There is no published city limit such as 'two guests per bedroom plus two.'
Leander has no short-term-rental-specific parking requirement (no dedicated STR ordinance mandating off-street spaces per bedroom). Parking is governed by the off-street parking standards in the zoning code for the property's use, plus general traffic and nuisance rules. There is no published 'one space per bedroom' STR mandate.
Leander has no STR-specific noise rule, but its general noise ordinance fully applies to vacation rentals. Under Code of Ordinances Chapter 8, Article 8.04, amplified sound, loud music, and other disturbances - particularly between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. - that annoy persons of ordinary sensibilities are prohibited and enforced by Leander Code Enforcement and Police.
Leander does not impose a primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals; there is no city rule that an STR must be the operator's homestead. The relevant constraint is the opposite kind: Leander treats short-term lodging as a hotel use, which is generally directed to commercial zoning rather than allowed by right in single-family residential districts.
Leander imposes no annual night cap or limit on how many nights a property may be rented short-term. With no dedicated STR ordinance, there is no cap on rental nights or bookings per year. The only duration-related line is the tax distinction: stays of 30 or more consecutive days are exempt from hotel occupancy tax as permanent-resident stays.
Leander has no host-presence or local-contact requirement for short-term rentals. The city has not adopted an STR ordinance, so there is no rule that a host must live on-site, be present during stays, or designate a 24-hour responsible agent. Whole-home, unhosted rentals are not separately regulated, though general nuisance, noise, and zoning rules still apply.
Leander has no short-term-rental insurance requirement. With no dedicated STR ordinance, the city does not mandate liability coverage, a minimum policy limit, or proof of insurance to operate a vacation rental. Any insurance obligation comes from a platform, mortgage lender, or homeowners-association rules - not from City of Leander code.
Fireworks are illegal inside Leander city limits. City Code sec. 5.04.004 bars any person from possessing, storing, selling, giving away, using, transporting or manufacturing explosives or fireworks within the city's fire limits. Violations are a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $2,000. Consumer fireworks remain legal only in unincorporated Williamson County.
Outdoor burning, including open recreational fire pits, is prohibited within Leander city limits under Ordinance 13-038-00 (Chapter 5, Article 5.05). Only outdoor cooking in a covered grill or smoker is recognized inside the city. Open campfires, bonfires and brush fires are allowed only outside city limits with fire department authorization and no active burn ban.
Leander has no standalone brush-clearance mandate published online, but outdoor burning of cleared brush is prohibited inside city limits under Ordinance 13-038-00 (Article 5.05). Brush from land clearing may be burned only outside the city, when no practical alternative exists, with fire department authorization and no active burn ban. The city promotes Firewise defensible-space practices given its wildfire history.
Outdoor burning is prohibited within Leander city limits under Ordinance 13-038-00 (Article 5.05). Certain materials, including plastics, treated lumber, heavy oils, asphalt products, rubber and chemical wastes, can never be burned anywhere, and burning domestic waste is barred where trash service is available. Burning is allowed only outside city limits with authorization and no active burn ban.
Open backyard fires are prohibited inside Leander under Ordinance 13-038-00 (Article 5.05), which bans outdoor burning within city limits. The city's rules recognize only contained outdoor cooking in a covered grill or smoker. Open campfires and bonfires are allowed solely outside the city in unincorporated areas, with fire department authorization and no active burn ban.
Leander has no standalone smoke-alarm ordinance published online, but new construction follows the 2021 International Fire Code the city adopted. Rentals statewide must have working alarms under Texas Property Code Chapter 92, Subchapter F, reinforced by Health and Safety Code Chapter 766. Landlords must install and maintain alarms in each bedroom and on each level.
Leander regulates propane and LP-gas under the 2021 International Fire Code it has adopted. IFC Chapter 61 and NFPA 58 govern storage, handling and installation of LP-gas containers, with fire-marshal permits required for larger installations. Distributors may not fill a permit-required container until an installation permit is issued. Statewide LP-gas safety is overseen by the Texas Railroad Commission.
Leander sits in the Hill Country wildland-urban interface and experienced three major 2011 wildfires that destroyed dozens of homes. The city has no separately published WUI overlay ordinance, but adopts the 2021 International Fire Code and promotes Firewise and Ready, Set, Go! defensible-space programs. Williamson County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan guides regional fuels reduction and ignition-resistant practices.
Leander directly bans storing RVs, campers, and trailers on public streets. Under Code Sec. 12.04.010 it is unlawful to leave standing on any public street, right-of-way, or alley a recreational vehicle, bus, or truck rated 10,000 pounds GVWR or more, or any trailer or camper. Violations are a nuisance fined $50 to $500 per day.
On most Leander streets a parked vehicle must sit parallel and within 12 inches of the curb (Code Sec. 12.04.009); Main Street and Grand Avenue in the business district use 45-degree angle parking. Leander adopts state traffic law (Sec. 12.01.001), so Texas Transportation Code 545.302 distance rules also apply.
Leander's code has no blanket ban on overnight passenger-car parking on residential streets, so an ordinary car parked overnight is generally allowed if legally positioned. However, RVs, trailers, campers, and trucks 10,000 lb GVWR or more may never be left standing on public ways (Sec. 12.04.010), and commercial trucks face a state overnight limit.
Leander Code Sec. 12.04.010 prohibits parking or leaving standing on any public street, right-of-way, or alley any bus, truck, tractor, semi-tractor, or other vehicle rated 10,000 pounds GVWR or more, plus any trailer. Pickups and deliveries are exempt. State law (Transp. Code 545.307) adds an overnight ban on commercial trucks near homes.
Leander's traffic chapter has no standalone abandoned-vehicle article, so abandoned and junked vehicles are handled under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683 and city code enforcement. State law treats a vehicle left on a public right-of-way 48 hours as abandoned, and a wrecked or long-inoperable vehicle as a junked-vehicle public nuisance subject to removal.
Leander Code Sec. 12.04.002 makes it unlawful to leave any vehicle parked so as to block or obstruct any public street, sidewalk, or alley. The city also adopts state law (Sec. 12.01.001), and Texas Transportation Code 545.302 prohibits stopping, standing, or parking in front of any public or private driveway except momentarily to load passengers.
Leander's code has no ordinance reserving parking spaces for electric vehicles or penalizing non-EVs parked at chargers. Public charging comes from private and retail locations, not a city space-reservation program. A vehicle at a charger on a public street still follows Leander's ordinary parking rules and adopted state traffic law.
Leander Code Sec. 12.04.010 prohibits parking or leaving standing on any public street, right-of-way, or alley any vehicle rated 10,000 pounds GVWR or more, plus any trailer (mounted or unmounted) and any camper or canopy. The only exception is active pickups and deliveries. Each violation is a nuisance fined $50 to $500 per day.
Leander Code Sec. 12.04.007 bars leaving a vehicle standing at the curb in bus stops, in police-designated loading/unloading zones, or in any other no-parking zone. Backing to the curb is allowed only while actually loading or unloading and no longer (Sec. 12.04.006). Stopping to load or unload passengers is permitted briefly.
In Leander, parking-zone limits are marked by official white lines the police department paints, and no vehicle may park beyond that line (Code Sec. 12.04.003). All traffic-control markings, including curb markings, must conform to the state manual (Sec. 12.02.001), so only the city sets enforceable curb markings - residents may not paint curbs to reserve parking.
Leander's zoning ordinance caps fences along a common property boundary at eight feet. Front-yard fences in single-family and two-family districts are limited to three feet, and a sight-triangle rule restricts fences near street intersections.
Leander's zoning ordinance exempts fence construction from a site development permit, and fences not over seven feet are exempt from a building permit under the adopted 2021 IRC. A retaining wall, however, is not exempt and requires review.
Leander's zoning ordinance governs fences on common property boundaries (eight-foot max) and finished-side orientation, but cost-sharing and ownership disputes between neighbors are matters of Texas civil law, not a city ordinance.
Unlike fences, retaining walls in Leander are not exempt from permit review. A retaining wall four feet or higher is treated as a structure, and the adopted 2021 building codes require a permit and guardrails for taller walls.
Leander requires all fences to be structurally sound, set on concrete post footings, maintained in good condition, and installed with the finished side facing public rights-of-way, under Article VI, Section 16 of the zoning ordinance.
Leander does not publish an exhaustive approved-materials list for fences, but Article VI, Section 16 sets specific material rules: no residential barbed wire (with exceptions), coated chain link for non-single-family uses, and structurally sound construction on concrete footings.
Leander prohibits barbed wire fencing in residential districts (with exceptions) and requires chain link fencing for non-single-family uses to be black or green vinyl coated, under Article VI, Section 16 of the zoning ordinance.
Leander allows backyard chickens and fowl but caps them at 10 birds, requires all fowl to be kept in a coop or hutch (a fenced yard does not qualify), and prohibits roosters in a backyard coop on lots under 3 acres. Coops must also keep a setback from neighboring residences.
Leander requires dogs to be restrained on a leash, chain, or cord attached to a collar or harness when off the owner's property, or confined by a fence at home. An invisible fence alone does not satisfy restraint. Dogs in city parks must be leashed unless inside a posted designated off-leash area.
Leander has no breed-specific ban. Texas law (Health & Safety Code 822.047) prohibits cities from adopting breed-specific dog regulations, so pit bulls and other breeds are legal. Restrictions in Leander are behavior-based, applying to any dog declared 'dangerous' under state law regardless of breed.
Leander's animal code defines 'exotic species' as animals native outside the continental U.S. and adopts the state definition of 'dangerous wild animal.' Dangerous wild animals (big cats, bears, primates, and similar) are governed by Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 822, Subchapter E, which requires a state certificate of registration, caging standards, and liability insurance.
Leander's animal code regulates beehive placement, prohibiting a hive within 500 feet of any residence other than the owner's without the consent of all affected occupants. Hives are generally allowed on tracts of 3 acres or more. Texas regulates bee health and registration through the Agriculture Code and the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.
Texas has no statewide rule on keeping livestock inside city limits, so Leander's ordinances control. Small mammals and fowl must be kept in a coop or hutch (a fenced yard does not qualify), with setbacks from neighboring homes. In closed-range counties, owners must fence livestock to keep them from roaming.
Leander limits households to five total dogs and cats; anyone keeping five or more is a 'multi-pet owner.' A household may keep up to seven dogs and cats if all are registered, spayed/neutered, and kept in separate kennels. Animals under four months and documented foster animals are not counted.
Leander does not require cats to be leashed but does require a rabies vaccination and tag. Vaccinated, tagged cats are exempt from the at-large prohibition. Feral cats that are ear-tipped through a trap-neuter-release program have an affirmative defense to identification rules, and releasing organizations must report releases to Animal Services.
Leander Animal Services advises residents not to feed wildlife or leave pet food outdoors, especially because coyotes are not captured or relocated. The city code bans steel-jawed leg-hold traps and prohibits residents from trapping high-rabies-risk wildlife (raccoon, fox, coyote, skunk); citizen feral-cat trapping must be coordinated with Animal Services or a feral cat group.
Leander addresses hoarding through its multi-pet limits and welfare-investigation authority. Anyone with five or more dogs/cats is a 'multi-pet owner,' and officers with reasonable cause may enter a backyard to safeguard an animal or public health. Cruelty and failure to provide food, water, care, or shelter are prosecuted under Texas Penal Code 42.092.
Leander code enforcement treats tall grass and weeds as a nuisance and can order abatement of overgrown yards. The city derives this authority from Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 342, which lets municipalities require owners to keep property free of weeds and brush.
Leander does not impose a general permit requirement for routine trimming of healthy trees on private residential property. The city's tree rules focus on preservation and removal of Significant and Heritage Trees during development, and on maintaining clear visibility at street intersections.
Leander protects Significant Trees (8+ caliper inches) and Heritage Trees through its Site Standards. Removing protected trees, especially during development, triggers preservation requirements, mitigation at set caliper-inch ratios, and fees. A separate Tree Removal Request process applies.
Leander Code Enforcement treats rank weeds and overgrown vegetation as a nuisance subject to abatement. The city's power comes from Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 342, which authorizes municipalities to require owners to keep property free of weeds and brush.
Leander enforces a Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan with year-round and stage-based limits. Phase 2 caps landscape irrigation at one day a week, midnight-7 a.m. or 7 p.m.-midnight, on a day set by the address's ending digit. Code Enforcement issues warnings then citations.
Rainwater harvesting is encouraged and legally protected in Leander. Texas Property Code 580.004 bars cities from denying a building permit solely because a project uses rainwater harvesting, and Property Code 202.007 stops HOAs from banning rain barrels and rainwater systems.
Leander actively favors native and drought-tolerant landscaping. The city's Site Standards require new plantings to be drought-tolerant and native to Texas and point to the Grow Green plant guide. Texas Property Code 202.007 also blocks HOAs from banning drought-resistant landscaping.
Leander's Site Standards prohibit synthetic or artificial lawns or plants from being used in lieu of required plantings. Artificial turf may be considered for non-residential projects if drainage is evaluated during site-development permit review, but it cannot replace required live landscaping.
Composting is encouraged in Leander. The city offers water-efficiency rebates up to $1,000 for compost and mulch, and Texas Property Code 202.007 prohibits HOAs from banning composting of yard vegetation or leaving grass clippings on the lawn.
Leander requires a building permit for any swimming pool, reviewed by Development Services under the City's adopted 2021 codes (IRC, IECC, ISPSC) and 2023 NEC. Plans go through plan review, fees are paid, then Building and Fire Final inspections are scheduled.
Leander Code Sec. 3.03.042 requires every outdoor pool to be enclosed by a device at least 4 feet (48 inches) high with no opening passing a 6-inch sphere, and self-closing/self-latching gates. Chain-link is prohibited for new pool enclosures built after Jan 1, 1994. The submittal packet specifies a 54-inch self-latching gate.
Beyond the barrier, Leander requires audible alarms on any house door leading to the pool (separate from the home security system), self-closing/self-latching gates, and compliance with the 2021 ISPSC. Pools must be located to the rear of the residence and pool equipment screened from view.
Above-ground pools in Leander require a building permit and the same safety barrier as in-ground pools: a minimum 4-foot fence, a 54-inch self-latching gate, and alarms on doors leading from the house to the pool. Plans showing the pool's location to property lines and PUEs must be submitted.
Leander regulates hot tubs and spas under its adopted 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and 2021 IRC Appendix G (Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas). Spas are addressed within the pool submittal process; electrical work follows the 2023 NEC, and barrier rules in Sec. 3.03.042 apply to outdoor pools.
Leander prohibits all signage for home occupations. Article IV, Section 8(d) of the Composite Zoning Ordinance states a home occupation shall have no exterior advertisement, sign or display, on or off the premises, and Section 8(e) bars any exterior indication that the home is used for anything other than a dwelling.
Leander permits home occupations in all use components under Article IV, Section 8 of the Composite Zoning Ordinance. The business must be incidental to the residence, conducted entirely indoors by a family member, occupy no more than 25% of the dwelling, and not change the residential character of the lot.
Leander's Composite Zoning Ordinance permits home occupations in all districts by right, subject to the Article IV, Section 8 standards, and does not establish a separate home-occupation permit or license within the zoning ordinance. Operators must still comply with all use limits and may need a certificate of occupancy or building permit for any related work.
Cottage food in Leander is governed by Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 437, not a separate city ordinance. The City and Williamson County health authorities cannot require a license, permit or fee to produce cottage foods sold directly to consumers; operators must follow state labeling and food-handler training rules.
Leander's Composite Zoning Ordinance permits in-home day care for a limited number of children in residential districts; larger day care centers are licensed by the State of Texas and allowed in office/commercial components. State child-care licensing is handled by Texas Health and Human Services / DFPS, not the City.
Leander's Composite Zoning Ordinance allows an accessory dwelling with a minimum of 400 square feet and a maximum of 900 square feet of living area, or 40% of the primary dwelling, whichever is greater. On lots over three acres there is no size cap. Whether an ADU is allowed depends on the lot's site component.
Leander's zoning ordinance (Article IV, Section 5) exempts accessory buildings 120 square feet or smaller from a building permit. Enclosed accessory buildings are barred from the front and side of the main house, the rear setback may be reduced to 5 feet, and structures must sit at least 3 feet from any other building. Height is capped near 15 feet.
In Leander's zoning ordinance, an enclosed garage is treated as part of the primary building even if detached. Converting a garage alters the main dwelling and must keep the lot's required garage-enclosed parking. If the converted space becomes a separate living unit with a kitchen, it is regulated as an accessory dwelling (400-900 sq ft) and needs a building permit.
Leander's zoning ordinance treats carports as unenclosed canopies. In residential districts, an unenclosed canopy (including a carport) that covers a paved parking surface may be located to the side or rear of the main building. Carports must follow accessory-structure placement and spacing rules, and structures over 120 square feet require a building permit.
Leander is unusual in having a dedicated 'TH – Tiny House' zoning use component. A tiny house must be 140 to 700 square feet of living area, be a permanent structure on a permanent foundation, and connect to city water and wastewater. One tiny house is allowed per lot, with multiples up to 8 units per acre in tiny-house zoning.
Outdoor cooking is allowed in Leander, but the city's outdoor burning rules require cooking on private property to be done in a covered grill or smoker designed to protect against fire spread. Propane grill cylinders fall under the adopted 2021 International Fire Code and NFPA 58. Small barbecue cylinders need no permit, and the open-burning ban allows contained cooking.
Smokers are allowed in Leander. The city's outdoor burning rules expressly require outdoor cooking on private property to be done in a covered grill or smoker designed to protect against the spread of fire, so a contained wood or pellet smoker is a recognized cooking method even though open outdoor burning is banned in city limits under Article 5.05.
Leander sets minimum building setbacks by zoning use component in Article VI, Section 6. Standard single-family (SFR) lots require a 25-foot front, 7-foot side, 15-foot street-side, and 15-foot rear setback, with smaller setbacks for compact lot types.
Leander caps building and structure height at 35 feet under Article VIII, Section 8 of the zoning ordinance. Schools, hospitals, and churches may exceed this, and non-residential/multifamily heights are stepped back from single-family districts.
Leander's zoning ordinance does not set a single fixed building lot-coverage percentage for all districts; instead, lot intensity is controlled through setbacks, a 50 percent landscaping/non-plant-material limit on single-family lots, and impervious-cover thresholds that trigger development review.
Leander's code enforcement program treats blight conditions such as overgrown yards, accumulated trash and debris, inoperable vehicles, and unsafe or unsecured vacant structures as nuisances the city may abate. Owners get a voluntary compliance period after written or on-site notice; unresolved violations can carry fines of up to $2,000 per day.
Leander residential service provides a 95-gallon garbage cart, plus up to five extra 30-pound bags outside the cart, and a recycling cart collected every other week. Carts should be at the curb before the 7 a.m. start of collection. Carts left visible or stored improperly can trigger property-maintenance enforcement.
Vacant lots and structures in Leander must be kept free of overgrowth, trash, and debris and, when applicable, secured. The city's code enforcement is authorized to clean overgrown yards, remove debris, and secure vacant structures. Texas law lets the city abate uncut weeds/rubbish on a lot after notice and recover costs by lien.
Leander's code enforcement treats overgrown yards as a nuisance and can require owners to mow and clear weeds. Enforcement is grounded in the city's Chapter 6 (Health, Safety & Sanitation), Article 6.06 on rubbish and weeds, and Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 342, which allows abatement after notice. Fines can reach $2,000 per day.
Leander requires a garage sale permit (no fee). The city's packet limits a sale to no more than three consecutive days, excluding holidays, and no more than three sales per location each calendar year. Signs may be posted only Thursday through Sunday and removed by midnight of the last day or Sunday, whichever comes first.
Leander garbage is collected once a week, Monday through Friday, by Al Clawson Disposal (ACDI), with recycling collected every other week. Service includes a 95-gallon cart plus up to five 30-pound bags. Collection starts at 7 a.m., and pickups skip New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, resuming the next calendar day.
Leander residents place garbage and recycling carts at the curb before collection begins at 7 a.m. on their scheduled day. The 95-gallon cart plus up to five 30-pound bags is the residential allowance. Brush must be cut to 4 feet and bundled to 35 pounds or less. The city does not publish a separate fine schedule for cart placement.
In Leander, bulky waste that doesn't fit in the cart — washers, dryers, water heaters, furniture and similar items — is handled case by case by Al Clawson Disposal (ACDI) for an additional fee, arranged by calling 512-930-5490. The city also references a Bag Tag Program for scheduling pickups. Brush has separate cut-and-bundle rules.
Leander provides curbside recycling every other week through Al Clawson Disposal. Accepted items include food-free paper and cardboard, rinsed plastics #1-7 (lids removed), rinsed metal cans and aluminum, and rinsed glass. Plastic bags, light bulbs, ceramics, mirrors, batteries, electronics, and motor oil cans are not accepted.
Dumping solid waste anywhere other than an approved site is illegal in Texas under Health & Safety Code Sec. 365.012, which Leander also pursues locally. Penalties scale with the amount dumped, from a Class C misdemeanor for 5 pounds or less up to a state jail felony for 1,000 pounds or 200 cubic feet or more.
Leander's Sign Ordinance allows political signs on private property without a permit, mirroring Texas Election Code Chapter 259. A private-property political sign may be up to 36 square feet and 8 feet tall, cannot be illuminated or have moving elements, and needs the owner's consent. Signs in the public right-of-way are largely prohibited except near polling locations.
Leander's Sign Ordinance lists garage sale signs as exempt from a sign permit (Section 3.08.009). The exemption sets no specific size or duration for them, but they must still meet the article's general rules — most importantly, no signs in the public right-of-way or attached to utility poles, traffic signs, trees, or other public structures.
Leander's zoning ordinance (Article VI, Section 12) sets Dark Sky-compliant outdoor lighting standards. All permanent exterior lighting must be non-flashing and shielded so the light source is not visible from the public right-of-way or adjacent residential uses at the property line. Site lighting may not exceed 2 foot-candles measured at 3 feet at the property line.
Leander limits light spillover through Article VI, Section 12 of its zoning ordinance. Site lighting must be shielded so the light source is not visible from the public right-of-way or adjacent residential uses at the property line, and may not exceed 2 foot-candles there. Residential lighting must not create a nuisance for adjoining owners.
Leander city park grounds and facilities are open to the public from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; the Mason Homestead is available from 8 a.m. to midnight daily. Being in a park outside posted hours is prohibited. Violators may be removed from park grounds and fined up to $500 for each day the violation exists, under City Ordinance 15-061-00.
Texas HB 1819 (88th Legislature, 2023), codified at Local Government Code 341.906 / 351.906 / 370.004, prohibits all Texas municipalities and counties from adopting or enforcing juvenile curfew ordinances. Existing local curfews expired automatically and are unenforceable across Texas.
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 Labor Code Section 62.0515 expressly preempts municipal and county minimum wage ordinances. The state minimum wage equals the federal floor of $7.25 per hour, and political subdivisions cannot require private employers to pay more, except for their own contracts.
Texas appellate courts have struck down municipal paid sick leave ordinances in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio as preempted under the Texas Minimum Wage Act. HB 2127 (2023) further codifies preemption by barring local regulation of employment benefits and leave policies.
HB 2127 (2023), the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, preempts municipal predictive or fair workweek scheduling ordinances. Texas cities cannot require employers to provide advance schedule notice, predictability pay, or rest periods between shifts beyond state law.
Texas authorizes License to Carry (LTC) holders to carry concealed handguns statewide under Government Code Chapter 411. Since 2021, permitless constitutional carry under HB 1927 also allows most adults 21 and older to carry without a license, with municipalities preempted from added restrictions.
Texas Local Government Code Section 229.001 broadly preempts municipal regulation of firearms, ammunition, knives, and related accessories. Cities cannot adopt or enforce ordinances regulating the transfer, ownership, possession, transport, or discharge of firearms beyond narrow exceptions for discharge in densely populated areas.
Texas authorizes open carry of holstered handguns statewide for adults 21 and older under Penal Code 46.02 and HB 910 (2015). Long guns may be openly carried subject to disorderly conduct limits. Municipalities cannot impose additional open carry restrictions.
Texas Penal Code 46.02(a-1) lets any non-prohibited adult lawfully carry a handgun inside a personally-owned or leased motor vehicle or watercraft without a License to Carry, provided the firearm is not in plain view and the person is not engaged in criminal activity or gang membership.
Texas Government Code Chapter 673 requires every state agency and any business that contracts with a state agency to register for and use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the work eligibility of new employees. Private-sector E-Verify use is generally voluntary statewide.
Texas Government Code Chapter 752, enacted by Senate Bill 4 in 2017, prohibits any local entity, campus police department, or jail from adopting sanctuary policies. Local officials must honor federal immigration detainer requests and may not bar officers from inquiring about immigration status.
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.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 212 and Agriculture Code Chapter 251 limit municipal authority to zone or regulate land qualified for agricultural use appraisal. Counties have no general zoning authority, and cities face restrictions on annexing or imposing land use rules on established farms.
The Texas Right to Farm Act, Agriculture Code Chapter 251, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits and local regulations after one year of operation. SB 1421 (2023) significantly strengthened protections, preempting municipal ordinances that restrict generally accepted agricultural practices.
The Texas Supreme Court in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) held that Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 preempts municipal plastic bag bans. Cities and counties cannot prohibit or restrict retail use of plastic checkout bags as containers or packages.
Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 also preempts municipal bans on polystyrene foam containers used for food service. The same statute that struck down plastic bag bans prevents Texas cities from prohibiting expanded polystyrene cups, plates, and takeout packaging.
Plastic straw bans by Texas municipalities are preempted under Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 and reinforced by HB 2127 (2023). Cities cannot prohibit or restrict food service businesses from offering single-use plastic straws to customers.