Building In Simonton

Important requirements regarding New Residential buildings in Simonton:

• City builds to 2018 IRC building code.
• Effective Immediately, Council has passed a fee schedule that includes a Contractor Registration Fee of $150.
• For culvert projects, black corrugated pipes are preferred in the city.  Size of culvert will be determined by Fort Bend County Road and Bridge and they will install all culverts as well.

        FBC Road and Bridge Driveway Fees

Elevation of structure
For residential structures, the lowest floor (including basement) must be elevated to 116.4 feet above mean sea level (which is two feet above the base flood elevation) as determined by the flood insurance rate maps (FIRM) or 24” above the nearest road surface, whichever is higher.

Permittee will inform the administrator when construction of lowest floor is completed. Permittee must submit elevation certificate from a registered professional engineer, architect, or land surveyor to the administrator within seven (7) calendar days of completion of the lowest floor, verifying the specified elevation.

Proper Venting
Fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement and which are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of flood waters. A minimum of two (2) openings having a total net area of not less than one (1) square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot above grade.

Did You Know?
NO FILL DIRT IS ALLOWED IN THE CITY LIMITS WITHOUT PROPER PERMITTING FROM OUR FLOOD PLAIN ADMINISTRATOR. WE REQUIRE A CERTIFIED ENGINEER TO PROVIDE A “NO RISE” CERTIFICATE TO VERIFY THAT ANY GRADING AND/OR ADDITION OF DIRT WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ADJACENT PROPERTIES.

ARTICLE IV. – Flood Damage Prevention
Sec. 8-125. – Establishment of development permit.

A floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this article. It shall be unlawful for any person to commence new construction, substantial improvements, or another development within an area of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of the city without having first received a development permit therefore issued in accordance with this article, to ensure conformance with the provisions of this article.*

Development means any manmade change to improved and unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.*

*The information provided above can be found on the city website under government>ordinances or by clicking here. All of the city ordinances are in a searchable database for ease of access for our residents.

Building Permits are Required for ALL Construction in Simonton

Click HERE to review the City Ordinances.

Building Permits Are Required
Building Permit Department Hours are Monday-Thursday 8am-12pm, 1pm-5pm

The City of Simonton strictly enforces its building code ordinance. ALL structures within the City of Simonton, must be permitted.  The fees vary for new residential construction, additions, accessory structures and commercial projects. The fee is based on the square footage of the individual project.

Residential, Commercial, and Accessory Structure Permitting:

• Submit a building permit application (residential, commercial, or accessory structure) with the necessary building documentation. Click here to review the Permit Applications.
• To see a list of the requirements needed when submitting a particular building permit please see Residential New Home Plan Review Checklist Commercial Plan Review Checklist.
• Building permit fees are due upon submission of application and can be paid by check or credit card.
• Once the building plan review and flood plain review are approved, your permit will be emailed to you. The permit must be posted onto a location near the project that can be seen from the right-of-way before beginning project.
• Upon completion of the build, when applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy permit application will need to be applied for and permitted before a Certificate of Occupancy letter is issued.

Flood Plain Development Permits Are Required
Flood Plain Development Permits are required to satisfy the requirements for FEMA Flood Insurance. This has been a requirement since Simonton joined the National Flood Insurance Program.

Much of the land area in the City of Simonton lies within the 100-year flood plain as defined on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. In the very near future FEMA will formally adopt new Fort Bend County flood maps. These maps will place virtually all properties in Simonton  within the 100-year flood plain. For Simonton’s best interest, should ever a flooding disaster occur, FEMA requires all structures to be review for compliance.

To review the elevations of property in Simonton, CLICK HERE to use Fort Bend County’s Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM).

ALL STRUCTURES must obtain a Floodplain Permit. The process involves review by the City’s Flood Plain Administrator.

Flood Plain Building Permit Application

Flood Plain Review for Driveways
If you are building a driveway which is effectively at grade level, no flood plain review is needed.

Building in Valley Lodge?
Along with City of Simonton’s Building Permits, it is our understanding that an architectural review is required by the Valley Lodge Property Owner’s Association. For the convenience of the community, we are pleased to provide this link to the CIA Services website which may help.