DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The following is a summary of the development process for the City of Rockwall.

PRE-APPLICATION MEETING           TIME: One (1) Day

A Pre-Application meeting is typical the starting point for all projects and is strongly recommended prior to submitting a development application.  These meetings are held on Thursday mornings from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and require a written request to be submitted one (1) week prior to the meeting date.   The Pre-Application Meeting Request form can be accessed above.

ZONING/SPECIFIC USE PERMIT   TIME: 60 Days

A requirement for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) or a change in zoning may be necessary to accommodate a proposed land use or development.  It is recommended that an applicant consult with City staff to obtain any information concerning a zoning or SUP request.  A zoning or SUP request typically takes about 45-days from the submission of an application to the final reading of an ordinance, but this timing can vary on a case-by-case basis.

MASTER PLAT/PRELIMINARY PLAT    TIME: 30 Days

The purpose of a master plat is to delineate the sequence and timing of a development within a proposed subdivision.  Additionally, master plats determine compliance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and the availability and capacity of public improvements needed to serve a development.  A preliminary plat is intended to provide sufficient information to evaluate and review the general design of a development and to ensure compliance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Unified Development Code, Thoroughfare Plan, and the Subdivision Ordinance.  Additionally, when a master plat is required, the preliminary plat must conform to the approved master plat.  Master and preliminary plat requests typically take 30-days, and in some cases can be submitted simultaneously.

SITE PLAN TIME: 30 Days

Generally, site plan approval is required for all new non‐residential, multi‐family developments, parking lots, expansions of an existing buildings' footprint and/or parking areas by more than 50%, and on some residential developments.  Site plans will be reviewed for conformance with all zoning, subdivision and development regulations of the City and typically take 30-days for approval.  Variances associated with site plans will take an additional week for approval.  

CIVIL ENGINEERING TIME: 45 Days

Once a project has an approved site plan the project engineer may submit engineering plans to the Engineering Department. After the submission of engineering plans, the staff will prepare comments and relay these comments to the project engineer.  Once all staff comments have been adequately addressed and plans have been revised to reflect these changes the plans will be released.  Approval for the engineering process is dependent on how quickly a project engineer can address all comments but is typically around 45-days for approval.

FINAL PLAT TIME: 30 Days

After the engineering plans have been approved, a final plat can be prepared and filed.  The typical time for final plat approval is 30-days but can vary depending on the applicant's surveyor.  Staff is responsible for the filing of all plats with the County. 

BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS TIME: 30 Days

Building permits are required before commencing site construction.  A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is issued to the business following the conclusion of your construction activities and must be issued before the facility is occupied.