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Helpful Tools / FAQs
For more detailed information on the development process - including annexation, zoning, subdivision, and site development - refer to the Development Services Guide (PDF).
- How do I get an address?
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Addresses are assigned by GIS after a subdivision plat has been recorded. The property must be a legal lot or legal tract before any address can be assigned.
- What is the difference between a legal lot and legal tract?
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A legal lot is a parcel of land which has been subdivided with a subdivision plat approved by the governmental agency within which jurisdiction the subdivision falls. A legal tract is a parcel of land created by a metes and bounds survey and recorded in the county deed records prior to the date when a subdivision ordinance became effective for that parcel. For instance, if a parcel was deeded by metes and bounds on January 4, 1972, and the first subdivision ordinance for that area was not adopted until December 9, 1974, the parcel is a legal tract by virtue of the fact that it was created prior to the first applicable subdivision ordinance for that area. A term that is frequently used is that the parcel is "grandfathered" from the subdivision ordinance.
Some common "grandfather" dates for local governmental jurisdictions are as follows:
- City of Cedar Park - December 9, 1974
- Williamson County - February 21, 1985
- Travis County - September 1, 1983
- Austin extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) released to Cedar Park - May 12, 1977 or November 15, 1984 (depending on location)
Grandfather dates can be affected by the date a parcel of land was annexed into the ETJ of the City. It is necessary to consult the City or County in whose jurisdiction the parcel falls to determine the appropriate grandfather date. If the parcel is a legal lot or legal tract, the owner may apply for construction permits. If the parcel is not a legal lot or legal tract, the owner may not apply for construction permits until a subdivision plat is approved and recorded for the parcel.
- Why can't I get an address before the plat is recorded?
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It is not a legal lot/tract until/unless the plat is recorded.
- Who do I contact for addressing questions?
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You can email the Addressing Contact of the Development Services Department.
- How long does it take to get a building permit?
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The time it takes to get a building permit depends on the type of permit. Generally residential permits are issued in 5 to 7 business days. Commercial projects take a little more time. The typical time frame is 10 business days for the initial review and 10 business days for a re-review.
- How long is my building permit valid?
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Permit applications along with issued permits will expire if a permit has not been issued or if work has not been started within 180 days after its issuance, or if the work is suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days after the time the work is started.
- Do I need to post my permit?
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No, keep it for your records.
- May I, as a homeowner, act as my own general or subcontractor?
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In many cases yes. Nothing is needed to act as the General Contractor, however for an owner to be added to an Electrical, Mechanical, or Plumbing permit, you must show proof of your Homestead Exemption on file with the Central Appraisal District.
- What do I do if my building permit expires?
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Another application and permitting fee must be submitted to the Building Inspection Division. If there are changes to the original scope of work, a new set of drawings must be submitted and an additional plan review will be performed. We strongly recommend requesting an extension prior to the expiration date. All extension requests can be requested by email.
- How may I apply for a building permit?
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Apply online through MyGovernmentOnline and attach all supporting documentation as PDFs to the submittal for review. For commercial submittals, the deadline to apply is by noon on Monday, with the exception of holidays, the deadline will then default to the following day.
- Where is the Building Inspection Division located?
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Our office is located at the Cedar Park City Hall Campus, 450 Cypress Creek Road, Building 1.
- How do I schedule a building inspection?
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Once your building permit is issued you will be able to schedule an inspection through MyGovernmentOnline. Inspections scheduled before 4 pm will be listed on the following business day's schedule. We cannot guarantee same day inspections. If the inspection is not completed the day it is scheduled, it will automatically roll to the next business day.
If the permit was issued for a gas leak repair or emergency electrical service repair, the Building Inspection Division will dispatch an inspector once we are notified that the work has been completed.
- How do I know if my building inspection has passed?
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The inspector performing the inspection will leave a copy of the inspection tag on the job site and notifications of results will be sent to via email and/or phone call, according to the contact information you shared in your MyGovernmentOnline account.
You may also log into your MyGovernmentOnline account to see your inspection results. After clicking on "View Permit," the results will be located under Inspections History. Please click on the printer icon to print any inspection notes the inspector may have documented.
- Where may I find the City Ordinances and Building Code?
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View The City of Cedar Park Code of Ordinances online. When you click on the link to enter Franklin Legal site, see the navigation menu on the left, where you will find the Building Code within Chapter 3: Building Regulations.
The Building Inspection Division has printed copies of the International Building Codes for the public to view. You may also view the International Building Codes online.
- How do I apply for a permit?
- Do I need a permit?
- How do I search for a issued permit / submit for a public information request?
- What do I do if I need help printing a permit or adding a permit to my account?
- How do I find zoning for a property?
- Where can I find information on permit fees?
- How do I find information on required inspections?
- Where can I find the City Code of Ordinances?
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- What are the common complaints that the Code Compliance Officers investigate?
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Overgrown lots, junk vehicles and other hazardous conditions.
- How can I make a complaint?
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There are a number of ways you can report a Code Compliance issue:
- Visit our Report It page (this method puts your complaint directly into our work order system and allows you to track the progress of our resolution of your complaint)
- Email Code Compliance
- Call Code Compliance at 512-401-5208
- Come to City Hall Campus and speak with a Code Compliance Officer or drop off a written complaint; we are located at:
450 Cypress Creek Road
Building One
Cedar Park, TX 78613 - Mail your written complain to us at:
The City of Cedar Park
Attn.: Code Compliance
450 Cypress Creek Road
Building One
Cedar Park, TX 78613
- How will I find out what happens to my complaint?
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By utilizing the Report It portal, your complaint goes directly into our work order system and is routed to the correct staff. If you share your contact information, you will receive updates as staff work to reach a resolution to the issue reported and you will be notified when the work order is resolved and closed. However, if you choose not to leave your contact information we have no way of sending you status updates.
- How long does it take for the Code Compliance Officers to investigate my complaint?
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Our Code Compliance Officers typically perform an initial investigation within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, of receiving your complaint. Complaints are prioritized in order of health and safety risk to the community.
- What if I want to remain anonymous?
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When you use the Report It portal, you may choose to stay anonymous. However, if you choose not to leave your contact information we have no way of sending you status updates regarding the resolution or outcome of your complaint. Whether you identify yourself or choose to remain anonymous, please rest assured that our professional staff never share a complainant’s information.
- How can I get my HOA (or POA or COA) covenants, conditions and restrictions (CCRs) enforced by the City?
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The City can only enforce the City Code of Ordinances. Only your HOA (or POA or COA) and/or Property Manager can enforce your homeowners, property owners or condo owners association's deed restrictions. This covenant is between you, the developer and your neighboring owners and the City is not a party to the contract.
- What can I do if I disagree with a City Ordinance?
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If you feel that a City Ordinance needs to be changed, please send your suggestion to City Staff via email or you may also email City Council Members.
- How do Code Compliance Officers work to enforce city ordinances?
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- When a complaint is investigated and found to be valid, they first attempt to make personal contact with the property owner.
- If no one is home, they will leave a door hanger notifying the owner/occupant of the violation, giving a time frame in which to remediate the problem and making themselves available for questions.
- In the case of vacant property, a phone call is attempted before a letter notifying the property owner of the violation.
- After the initial period indicated on the door hanger, the officers will re-inspect the property. If the problem has not been rectified but some effort has been made to improve the situation, the officers will extend the time.
- If no efforts have been made, they will then send formal notices of violation to the property owners. If no efforts to fix the problem are subsequently made, the officers can file charges in municipal court and in some instances can use City funds to abate the problem.
- If the city abates a problem on my property, who is responsible for payment?
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Usually when the City is forced to abate a nuisance or problem on private property, the bill will be sent to the property owner. If payment has not been received or a payment plan has not been authorized, the City may file a lien on the property.
- Is the city allowed to enter my property and abate a problem without my permission?
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Yes, under certain circumstances the City may enter your property to abate a problem or hazard. If the problem or hazard poses an immediate fire or safety issue, you could be sent a bill for the abatement performed with no other notice. If you have been notified of a problem, hazard or other violation and you choose not to abate it yourself, you will be noticed that the City may enter your property and abate the problem once a specified date has elapsed.
- What is the fine for failing to abate a nuisance or hazard, or for violating a City Code?
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The amount of fine depends upon the violation. The minimum fine a judge can assess is $1 per violation. The maximum can be up to $500 for most violations but can go up to $2,000 for a health and safety violation.
- May the Code Compliance Officers file the same complaint on me more than once?
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In most instances, each new day that the violation exists following the initial complaint is considered a new violation. Therefore, it is possible that you can be filed upon every day that a violation is not abated.
- May the Code Compliance Officers enter my property without my permission?
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Whether the Code Compliance Officers are allowed to enter your property depends upon the purpose of the visit and the location of the violation. The area that is located from the street curb to ten feet into a yard is City right-of-way and open to all. In some instances, City Codes give Code Compliance Officers the authority to enter your property to examine for certain violations, and to obtain a search warrant if necessary.
- Do the Code Compliance Officers have the authority to enforce City Codes outside of the city limits?
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Code Compliance Officers have authority to enforce City Codes outside of the City, limited to enforcement of Codes concerning building regulations and signage.
- Who approves my subdivision application?
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When the subdivision is within the City limits of Cedar Park, the Cedar Park Planning and Zoning Commission approves the subdivision. If the subdivision is outside the City limits but within the City's extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Cedar Park, both the Cedar Park Planning and Zoning Commission and the County Commissioner's Court approves the subdivision plat. Most of the Cedar Park ETJ is within Williamson County. The far western part of the ETJ is within Travis County.
- Who prepares a subdivision plat?
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The owner of the property to be subdivided is required to hire a surveyor to prepare the plat.
- What areas are included within the subdivision jurisdiction of the City?
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Areas within the Cedar Park City limits and extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) are within the subdivision jurisdiction of the City of Cedar Park. For more information, refer to the City Limits/ETJ Map on the CPAtlas Map Library.
- What is my property zoned as?
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To find the zoning for your property, refer to the Zoning Maps on CPAtlas. The maps show the zoning use district assigned to each parcel in the City. Development Services staff are also available for questions regarding individual parcels. For more information, call 512-401-5000.
- I am planning to open a new business in town. What are the parking requirements?
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For information on parking requirements, refer to Sec. 14.05.005 (j) (2). You may also email Development Services.
- What are the building setbacks on my lot?
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When inside the City, building setbacks are controlled by the zoning ordinance. When outside the City, building setbacks are controlled by the subdivision plat that includes your lot. For more information, refer to Article 11.03 Development and Design Standards.
- How do I change the zoning of my property?
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If you are looking to change the zoning of your property you will need to fill out a Zoning, Planned Development, and Special Use Permit Checklist and Application (PDF). To verify what your current zoning is, refer to question 1 of this section.
- When does the Planning and Zoning Commission meet?
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Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission Meetings are generally held the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm, subject to change as needed to accommodate for holidays, scheduling conflicts and special-called meetings. The agenda for a P&Z Commission Meeting must be posted a minimum of 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
- When does the City Council meet?
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City Council Meetings are generally held the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6 pm, subject to change as needed to accommodate for holidays, scheduling conflicts, workshops and special-called meetings. The agenda for a City Council Meeting must be posted a minimum of 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
- When will my property be annexed?
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Resolution 99-025 was approved by City Council on December 16, 1999 and applies to involuntary annexations. Each year the City reviews land located in its extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and prepares an annexation plan. If the land is located in a Municipal Utility District (MUD), the City evaluates whether it will be feasible for its taxpayers to assume the MUD's debt.
- What is the current and projected population of Cedar Park?
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Refer to the population estimates and forecasts on the Demographics and Data page.
- How can I get the dimensions of a lot?
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Subdivision plats with lot dimensions can be found at the County Clerk's Records webpage:
- What is the extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ)?
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The extra-territorial jurisdiction is the area surrounding the City where the City has authority to review subdivisions for compliance with the subdivision ordinance of the City and authority to issue building permits to ensure compliance with the building code. This authority helps to ensure that growth surrounding the City will be consistent with the standards of the City which helps to ensure orderly and compatible growth. There is no zoning in the ETJ. Land included in the Cedar Park ETJ may only be annexed by the City of Cedar Park.