Definitions.

Houston Code of Ordinances § 47-383

in effect

Sec. 47-383. - Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms and phrases shall have the following meanings: (1) Assessment means the determination of the amount of the maximum water impact fee per service unit that may be imposed on new development pursuant to this article, which determination occurs at the time specified in section 47-391. (2) Building permit means: a. With respect to buildings or premises within the corporate limits of the city, the general permit required by the Construction Code; or b. With respect to buildings or premises outside the corporate limits of the city or for which a general permit under the Construction Code is not required, a plumbing permit under the Construction Code or under section 47-14 of this chapter. (3) City-constructed water facility means a water facility paid for wholly or partially by the city, a water facility that has been acquired by the city upon assumption of obligations or debts for the construction costs thereof or by operation of law, a water facility paid for by any other person, firm, corporation or governmental subdivision that has been purchased or otherwise acquired by the city and water facilities paid for partly by the city and partly by others when connection thereto is to be made from property to be served thereby and the owners of such property did not contribute their proportionate share of the cost for the intended land use. (4) Credit means the amount determined under this article by which a water impact fee is reduced as the result of a payment of a connection charge for city-constructed water facilities imposed pursuant city ordinances referenced in section 47-42 or payment of equivalent charges to a district providing such facilities within the city's water benefit area, prior to June 20, 1990. Credit shall not include payment of a connection fee prior to June 20, 1990, or a payment of charges that are imposed to reimburse a property owner for the cost of extending a water main. (5) Reserved. (6) Final plat recordation means the filing of the final plat with the county clerk in the county in which the property platted is located, following compliance with all conditions for plat approval pursuant to chapter 42 of this Code. (7) Improved lot means a lot on a tract of land on which there is located a complete permanent building capable of being occupied as a dwelling place or place of business. (8) Land use equivalency table means the table approved by city council converting utilization of water capacity required by various land uses to numbers of service units. (9) New development means a project involving the construction, reconstruction, redevelopment, conversion, structural alteration, relocation or enlargement of any structure; or any use or extension of the use of land; any of which has the effect of increasing the requirement for water capital improvements, measured by the number of service units to be generated by such activity, and that requires either the approval of a plat pursuant to the city's subdivision regulations, the issuance of a building permit, or connection to the city's water system and which has not been exempted from compliance with these regulations by provisions herein. (10) Offset means the amount of the reduction of a water impact fee, determined under this article or pursuant to administrative guidelines, that is equal to the value of a water facility or portion thereof included in the water capital improvements plan, that is constructed or financed by a property owner. (11) Plat means the plan or map for the subdivision to be filed for record with the county clerk in the county in which the property is located. Plat includes replat, but excludes development plat. (12) Property owner means the owner in fee of a tract or parcel of land upon which new development is to be located, or his authorized representative. (13) Service unit means a standardized measure of consumption of treated water system capacity which is equal to the average flow rate for a single-family dwelling unit in the Houston area. (14) Water benefit area means the area within the city and the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction within which water impact fees for water capital improvements will be collected for new development occurring within such area and within which fees so collected will be expended for those improvements identified in the water capital improvements plan applicable to the benefit area. (15) Water capital improvement means a water facility with a life expectancy of three or more years, to be owned or operated by or on behalf of the city. (16) Water capital improvements plan means the plan adopted by city council, as may be amended from time to time, that identifies the water facilities and their associated costs which are necessitated by and which are attributable to new development, for a period not to exceed ten years, and which are to be financed in whole or in part through the imposition of water impact fees pursuant to this article. (17) Water connection means authorization to connect a new development to the city's treated water system. (18) Water facility means a facility designed or utilized for the purpose of producing, collecting, supplying, storing, pumping or conveying water, including an existing facility, the capacity of which has been expanded to service new development. "Water facility" includes land, easements or structures and all appurtenances associated with such facilities. "Water facility" excludes those water lines or mains or portions thereof that are constructed by property owners, the costs of which are reimbursed from charges paid by subsequent users of the facilities. (19) Water impact fee means a fee established by the city council for water facilities imposed on new development pursuant to this article in order to generate revenue to fund or recoup the costs of capital improvements necessitated by and attributable to such new development. Water impact fees do not include requirements for the dedication of rights-of-way or easements for such facilities, or for the construction of such improvements. Water impact fees also do not include payment of connection charges by persons receiving service from a water main, which charges are imposed to reimburse a property owner for the costs of extending such main. (Ord. No. 90-676, § 1, 6-6-90; Ord. No. 93-514, § 128, 5-5-93; Ord. No. 02-399, § 93, 5-15-02)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH47WASE_ARTXWAIMFE_DIV1GEPR_S47-383DEFetched: 10/26/2026