Bexar County, TX Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Specific Plans Overview (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning statute
- TX Local Govt 240
- Subdivision statute
- TX Local Govt 232
- Recharge zone
- Public Works review
- Plan
- SA Tomorrow regional
Summary
Bexar County has only narrow zoning power under Texas Local Government Code 240. Most land-use control in unincorporated areas runs through subdivision platting, the Unified Development Code's regional pieces, and Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone rules, not full zoning.
Sec. 232.003. SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS. By an order adopted and entered in the minutes of the commissioners court, and after a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, the commissioners court may:(1) require a right-of-way on a street or road that functions as a main artery in a subdivision, of a width of not less than 50 feet or more than 100 feet;(2) require a right-of-way on any other street or road in a subdivision of not less than 40 feet or more than 70 feet;(3) require that the shoulder-to-shoulder width on collectors or main arteries within the right-of-way be not less than 32 feet or more than 56 feet, and that the shoulder-to-shoulder width on any other street or road be not less than 25 feet or more than 35 feet;(4) adopt, based on the amoun
Full Breakdown
Texas counties cannot zone the way cities do. Texas Local Government Code 240 grants narrow zoning authority for specific topics like flood plains, certain border counties, and limited unincorporated tracts. Bexar County instead controls land use through subdivision regulations under Local Government Code 232, building inspection in some areas, and the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone development rules administered by Public Works. Master plan documents like the SA Tomorrow regional plan inform decisions but do not carry binding districting force outside city limits. Most large-scale land-use decisions in unincorporated Bexar County happen through plat approval at Commissioners Court.
Violations & Fines
Improper subdivision or development outside platted authority can void plats, halt utility connections, and trigger Local Government Code 232 enforcement actions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the county zone unincorporated land?
What rules apply over the recharge zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bexar County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Bexar County to another location·View the Texas zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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