(a)

Basic Criteria. Every structure must be located upon a building site meeting all of the following criteria:

(1)

The entire site must be contiguous and under common fee-simple ownership.

(2)

The site must consist of one or more whole subdivided lots, excluding only: (i) common use areas and (ii) areas lost because of public acquisition, adverse possession, discrepancies in boundaries or similar causes.

(3)

Common-use areas are excluded.

(4)

The site may not include any area within another building site.

(5)

The site must have the minimum dimensions prescribed by Table 7A-7 for Single-Family Residential Uses, Table 76- 7 for Non-Single-Family Residential Uses, Table 7C-7 for Commercial Uses, and Table 7D-7 for Planned Development Districts, and this Article.

Exception: If, after the 1987 effective date, the Z&PC approves a plan, plat or replat establishing a building site with smaller dimensions, the smaller dimensions do not violate this Ordinance. Building sites containing existing lots platted with smaller dimensions shall comply with the requirements of this section.

(6)

The site must have a common boundary with a street area containing a constructed roadway approved and accepted by the city, or, in a QMDS, with a private street or other platted accessway.

(b)

Certain Exceptions. This section does not apply to: (i) fences, playground equipment or landscaping structures, or (iii non-building structures lawfully occupying street areas, easements or similar areas.

(Ord. No. 1949, § 1(exh. A), 9-26-2011; Ord. No. 2030, § 1(Att. A), 2-27-2017; Ord. No. 3066, § 4, 4-22-2024)

(a)

Owner's Action. An owner or an owner's agent may designate a building site by submitting a permit application, plat, or legal description with the required city document to the Administrative Official showing a building site meeting the applicable criteria in effect at the time of the designation.

(b)

Administrative Official's Action. The administrative official shall designate building sites for existing structures per the criteria in effect at the time the structures were built and under the apparent intent of the owners. Still, the administrative official may not combine two or more subdivided lots into one building site unless (i) the configuration of the existing structures requires the combination, or (ii) the owner consents on a form designated by the Administrative Official.

(c)

Approved site designation forms shall be filed in the Administrative Official's Office and the Harris County Real Property Records when two or more building sites are merged or divided.

(Ord. No. 3066, § 4, 4-22-2024)

(a)

Owner's Action. An owner or an owner's agent may designate a building site by submitting a permit application, plat, or legal description with the required city document to the Administrative Official showing a building site meeting the applicable criteria in effect at the time of the designation.

(b)

Administrative Official's Action. The administrative official shall designate building sites for existing structures per the criteria in effect at the time the structures were built and with following the apparent intent of the owners. Still, the administrative official may not combine two or more subdivided lots into one building site unless (i) the configuration of the existing structures requires the combination, or (ii) the owner consents on a form designated by the Administrative Official.

Note 1. 4,500 Square Foot Exception. A structure may be located on an old building site with at least 40 feet of width and at least 4,500 square feet of total area, if the building site: (i) was improved with a principal building in existence on the 1987 effective date or for any period of twenty consecutive years prior to the 1987 effective date, under circumstances where there was no additional land used for the building site, and (ii) was created by subdivision plat and not made smaller thereafter except to provide public right of way or to accommodate physical encroachments, or as specifically allowed by Article 5.

Note 2. 4,300 Square Foot Exception. A structure may be located on an old building site with at least 40 feet of width and at least 4,300 square feet of total area, if the building site: (i) was created by subdivision plat approved by the city council or the Z&PC, (ii) has not been made smaller thereafter for any reason.

Note 3. Certain Re-Subdivisions After October 24, 1987. A subdivided lot in the SF (but not within the OBSOD) or GR-1 District may be further subdivided to produce a building site with less than seventy-five (75) feet of width or less than one hundred ten (110) feet of depth if all applicable procedures under state law and the City's ordinances, rules and regulations are followed and one of the following three sets of circumstances is present: (A) All portions of the subdivided lots are added to adjoining subdivided lots. (B) The number of lots is not increased, and all resulting lots have: (i) a depth greater than or equal to the depth of the shallowest lot before the re-subdivision, and (ii) a width greater than or equal to the width of the narrowest lot before the re-subdivision; provided that no resulting lot is irregularly shaped (unless it was so shaped before the re-subdivision). (C) A portion of the subdivided lot is needed for City use or utility or service use.

Note 4. Width & Depth in GR-1 and GR-2 Districts. Minimum widths and depths do not apply to single-family uses (attached or detached).

Note 5. Area in GR-1 and GR-2 Districts. Minimum area is 2,000 sq. ft. for single-family uses (attached or detached).

(Ord. No. 2030, § 1(Att. A), 2-27-2017; Ord. No. 3066, § 4, 4-22-2024)