Development Process - Home

The Planning & Zoning division ensures that the Subdivision Ordinance and Zoning Ordinance adopted by the City are enforced.  Development Review Committee meetings hosted by the department provide owners and developers with valuable information regarding the steps to develop or build on their properties.  This division also works with the Planning & Zoning Commission and oversees the platting and zone change processes .

Developer's Guide (pdf)

Current Planning & Zoning Submittal and Meeting Dates

Land development within the City of Friendswood, depending on the size and nature of the project, involves several steps. When a landowner desires to develop property within the City, the first step of the process should be to arrange a meeting with the Development Review Committee (DRC).
This informal meeting allows the developer to gather information pertinent to the proposed development and to discuss the City's development process. Staff can assist by discussing the process requirements for the specific type of development, identifying any required applications or fees to be submitted and by providing input that can potentially expedite the overall process. The staff can also provide an overall timeline for each step in the process, which depends largely on when the process starts and what steps are needed.

DRC Meetings are held on Wednesday mornings at 9am, 10am and 11am.  To schedule a DRC Meeting or check for availability, call 281-996-3280.

Zoning regulates and restricts the use, size, height and density of buildings and other structures; the percentage of lots that may be occupied; the size of the yards, courts and other open spaces; the density of population; and the location and use of the buildings, structures, and land for trade, industry, residences, and other purposes.
 
Listed below are zoning districts adopted byt he City of Friendswood.  For more detailed information on these districts, refer to the City's Zoning Ordinance.
 

Commercial Regulation Matrix- once link opens, scroll to Section 7.Q.
Residential Regulation Matrix - once link opens, scroll to Section 7.Q.
Permitted Use Table - once link opens, scroll to Section 7.P.
Zone Change Process Flow Chart

Fees and Applications

A subdivision is defined as the subdividing of any lot, tract, or parcel of land into two or more lots or sites for the purpose of sale or development, whether immediate or future, including resubdividing of existing lots in lawfully platted land, or the combining of two or more lots into the same number or fewer lots with different boundaries.

A subdivision must meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance (Appendix C, Friendswood Code of Ordinances) and of the Subdivision Ordinance (Appendix B, Friendswood Code of Ordinances). 

Platting Process Flow Chart

Fees and Applications

The site plan review process with the City of Friendswood is a two-step process. The first step in the process includes the review and approval of the proposed plan by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The second step in the site plan process includes the review by the Building Official at the time of permitting. This step is detailed in the Building Inspections Section.

The purpose of the first step in the site plan process is to determine whether a proposed development complies with the codes and ordinances of the City of Friendswood. The site plan drawing in this step depicts the density, height, and setbacks of a proposed project relative to the site itself, along with preliminary information on drainage, utilities, landscaping, sidewalk, parking, driveways, accessibility of the site to emergency vehicles and other aesthetic and functional site issues. Engineering specifications for site work are detailed in the Design Criteria Manual.

The second part of the process includes the review of the detailed construction plans for the building, the site and any associated public and/or private improvements by various City departments for compliance with building codes and other related building and site specific regulations. With the completion of this review process, building permits can be issued and construction started.

Site Plan Process Flow Chart

Fees and Applications

Specific Use Permits (SUP) are for uses that generally have unusual nuisance characteristics or are of a public or semipublic character often essential or desirable for the general convenience and welare of the community.  Because of the nature of the use, the importance of the user's relationship to the comprehensive plan, or possible adverse impact on neighboring properties of the use, review, evaluation and exercise of the planning judgement relative to the location and site plan of the proposed use are required.

Fees and Applications

Any time a new tenant moves into a commercial lease space, a new tenant takes over a commercial building, ownership changes, or the existing tenant changes use, a Certificate of Occupancy shall be required.

The purpose is to ensure that the proposed business is allowed in the zoning category in which it operates and that the building or lease space meets the minimum requirements of the current zoning ordinance and building codes, as well as fire and life safety codes.  Once the required inspections are approved, the City of Friendswood will issue a Certificate of Occupancy to the tenant.

The business shall not operate without a Certificate of Occupancy.

Fees and Applications

Requests for appeals, variances and special exceptions require a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment and must meet the specifications outlined on the application.

2011 Zoning Board of Adjustment Schedule and Submittal Deadlines

Fees and Applications

A personal care facility is defined as any establishment that furnishes food and shelter to four or more persons who are unrelated to the proprietor of the establishment and provides personal care services as as that term is defined in V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code Sec. 247.002, and as further provided for in V.T.C.A, Human Resources Code Sec. 123.004.

Personal care facilities shall be subject to the requirements listed on the application at the time the first permit, certificate of occupancy, or zoning compliance requested is submitted.

Fees and Applications

Notice – Section 3 Contracting and Employment Opportunities

The City of Friendswood has upcoming construction projects that will be subject to Section 3 requirements. 

Section 3 Business Concerns

The City will maintain a list of certified Section 3 Business Concerns and notify them about specific Section 3 bid opportunities.  Section 3 Business Concerns interested in being included on this list are invited to complete and submit the Section 3 Business Concern Certification Form along with required documentation to the City’s Section 3 Coordinator, Nick Haby, at 910 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546 or nhaby@ci.friendswood.tx.us.

Section 3 Business Concerns:

• Owned by 51% or more by Section 3 Residents; or

• Employ at least 30% of employees who qualify as Section 3 Residents (or within 3 years of the date of first employment with the business concern were Section 3 Residents); or

• Commit to subcontract in excess of 25% of the dollar award of all subcontracts to be awarded to business concerns that meet one of the first two qualifications above.

Section 3 Workers

Any job openings related to these construction projects will be posted by the contractors on WorkInTexas.com.  Section 3 Residents interested in employment opportunities should register as a job seeker with WorkInTexas.com or contact their local Workforce Solutions office for assistance.  Section 3 Residents seeking Section 3 hiring preference may also complete and submit a Section 3 Resident Certification Form to the City’s Section 3 Coordinator, Nick Haby, at 910 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546 or nhaby@ci.friendswood.tx.us. A list of Section 3 Residents will be maintained for contractors to use in their hiring processes.

Section 3 Residents are either:

• Public housing residents including persons with disabilities;

• Low-income or very-low-income person(s) who live in the metropolitan statistical area or non?metro county area of the project;

• HUD Youthbuild program participants;

• Homeless, defined under McKinney Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.).

Persons are considered low-income if their household incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area.  Persons are considered very-low income if their household incomes do not exceed 50 percent of the median income for the area. Refer to the Section 3 Resident Certification form for income limits by household size for Harris and Galveston Counties.

Searching for Section 3 Job Vacancies
Section 3 Business Concern Certification Form Friendswood
Section 3 Resident Certification Form Friendswood

Friendswood Code of Ordinances
City of Friendswood Zoning Ordinance
City of Friendswood Subdivision Ordinance
City of Friendswood Sign Ordinance
Galveston County Clerk
Harris County Clerk
Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District
2010 U.S. Census
Galveston County Health District
 

Monday - Thursday         7:30am - 5:30pm
Friday                                8am - 5pm

910 S. Friendswood Drive
Friendswood, Texas 77546
2nd Floor in City Hall