Start Residential Building Questions With the County Planning Office

Outside city limits, a contractor and a meter request are not the whole job. Hidalgo County Planning is the first stop for many home projects in unincorporated areas. The office reviews light and water certificates, site plans, setbacks, and subdivision-rule questions.

The exact address decides which checks apply. A homesite may need review for setbacks, floodplain status, septic, or plat notes before utilities are cleared. It is cheaper to find that out before the slab goes in.

Bring the legal description, address or parcel number, and any plat or deed limits to the Permitting Division. Book a permit appointment before work starts. First ask whether a city, an ETJ, or the county controls the next step.