DEVELOPMENT PLATS

El Paso City Code tit. 19, art. 1, ch. 19.05

in effect

El Paso City Code § 19.05.010 Purpose and effect.

19.05.010 - Purpose and effect. A. Authority. This section is adopted pursuant to Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 212, Subchapter B, Section 212.041 to 212.050. B. Purpose. The purpose of a development plat is to ensure the adequacy of public facilities needed to serve the intended development and to promote the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the city and the safe, orderly and healthful development of the city. C. Applicability. For purposes of this chapter, the term "development" means new construction or the enlargement of any exterior dimension of any building, structure, or any improvement whether located within the city or within its extraterritorial jurisdiction. A development plat is required for: 1. The development of any tract or parcel of land which has not been platted or replatted prior to the effective date of this ordinance, unless expressly exempted under paragraph D. below; or 2. The development of any parcel or tract of land for which the only access is a private easement or street; or 3. The division of any tract or parcel of land resulting in parcels or lots each of which is greater than five acres in size, and where no public improvement is proposed to be dedicated or constructed and development of the land is proposed. D. Exceptions. A development plat is not required: 1. If a person is required under this title to file a subdivision plat, a development plat is not required in addition to the subdivision plat; or 2. For bona fide agricultural activities; or 3. For construction of agricultural accessory structures and related agricultural development activities; or 4. When an exception is granted in accordance with Section 19.01.010 C.2. or 19.01.030. 5. For water and wastewater utility infrastructure and stormwater facilities constructed by the city. E. Effect. Approval of a development plat shall authorize the subdivider to seek approval of installation of any improvements in public rights-of-way in accordance with approved subdivision improvement plans, seek approval to site preparation, building and other permits for any lot in the subdivision, in accordance with Section 19.08.020. Approval also authorizes the recordation of the development plat in accordance with this title. F. Prohibition on development. No development shall commence, nor shall the city issue any building permit, utility connection permit, electrical connection permit or similar permit for any development until a development plat, or if applicable a subdivision plat, has been approved by the city plan commission and submitted to the city for filing and recorded with the County of El Paso. (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011; Ord. No. 17905, § 2, 11-6-2012)

El Paso City Code § 19.05.020 Application and procedures.

19.05.020 - Application and procedures. A. Responsible official. The city manager, or designee shall be the responsible official for a development plat, and the staff shall be the initial reviewing body for a development plat. B. Application Contents. All applications shall be submitted electronically or on a form supplied by the planning division with the required information as stated on the application form and the administrative submission requirements available in the planning division. Information required shall be the same as required for a final plat. In addition to this information, a development plat shall: 1. Be prepared by a registered professional land surveyor as a boundary survey showing: a. Each existing and/or proposed building, structure, or improvement or proposed modification of the external configuration of the building, structure, or improvement involving a change of the building, structure, or improvement; b. Each easement and right-of-way within or abutting the boundary of the surveyed property; c. The dimensions of each street, sidewalk, alley, square, park, or other part of the property intended to be dedicated to public use or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots fronting on or adjacent to the street, sidewalk, alley, square, park, or other part; and d. Be accompanied by the required number of copies of the development plat, a completed application form, the required submission fee (per the city's current fee schedule), and all related documents meeting the requirements in the development plat submission checklist. A copy of all the above application materials for a development plat shall be simultaneously submitted to the planning division for review in the same manner as for a final plat, or the application shall be deemed incomplete in accordance with Section 19.01.05. C. Procedure. The application and review procedure for a development plat shall be submitted to the city in the same manner as a final plat (see Chapter 19.04). (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011; Ord. No. 19243, § 11, 10-12-2021)

El Paso City Code § 19.05.030 Decision.

19.05.030 - Decision. The city plan commission shall decide whether to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the development plat application in the same manner as a final plat. The action of the commission shall be entered in the minutes of the commission and the applicant shall be notified of the results. Upon approval of the development plat, the applicant shall correct and submit final development plat copies to the city manager or designee so that required signatures can be obtained and the development plat recorded. If any conditions are attached to the commission's approval, the final development plat copies shall be so corrected prior to signature by any city official. (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011)

El Paso City Code § 19.05.040 Criteria for approval.

19.05.040 - Criteria for approval. A. The following criteria shall be used to determine whether the application for a development plat shall be approved, approved with conditions, or denied: 1. The development plat is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan, any applicable zoning requirements for the property, and any approved development agreement; 2. The development plat conforms to the general layout of the approved land study, if any, and is consistent with the phasing plan approved therein; 3. The proposed provision and configuration of roads, water, wastewater, drainage and park and open space facilities are adequate to serve the development and meet the standards of this chapter; 4. Public and/or private (if approved) easements or rights-of-way for all public water, wastewater, roadway and drainage facilities or other public utilities have been designated; 5. The ownership, maintenance, and allowed uses of all designated easements have been stated on the development plat. 6. The development plat complies with the applicable provisions of Article 2 of this title. 7. The development plat where the proposed development is located in whole or in part in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city and in the county meets the requirements in Chapter 19.11 and any County of El Paso standards and is approved by the county. (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011)

El Paso City Code § 19.05.050 Expiration and extension.

19.05.050 - Expiration and extension. The approval of a development plat shall remain in effect for a period of two years from the date of approval by the city plan commission, during which period the applicant shall submit any required revisions required for the recordation of the development plat. If the development plat has not been recorded within the two-year period, the development plat approval, unless extended in accordance with Chapter 19.41, shall expire and the applicable development plat shall be deemed null and void. (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011)

El Paso City Code § 19.05.060 Plat recordation.

19.05.060 - Plat recordation. Procedure. The development plat shall be filed and recorded at the County of El Paso by the city in the same manner as prescribed for a final plat (see Chapter 19.04). (Ord. No. 17561, § 8, 5-17-2011)

Source: City of El Paso, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/el_paso/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT19SUDEPL_ART1PLPR_CH19.05DEPLFetched: 10/28/2026