Land Platting Company

Land Platting Services

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Overview

We have the perfect team of land Professionals, consultants and land planning experts to help take all your pre-construction and development ideas to the finish line! From helping local land owners, and companies – we help individuals thrive in Houston!

land platting services - Land Development Services

Land Platting company

Land Platting Services

Platting is an extremely important step in a development process because they can have significant requirements, coordination, fees, and timelines that can have an adverse effect on the development process if it is not managed efficiently. New Era’s employs a team of platting experts that specialize in the processing of subdivision plat applications, re-zoning applications, special exceptions, variances, and public hearings in Southeast Texas and across the state. From commercial, industrial and residential plats, at New Era we provide all the land platting services needed to help our clients succeed with their land development projects anywhere in Houston.

What is Platting for Land Development?

Platting property involves the process of subdividing land into individual lots or parcels. The platting process is governed by local regulations and ordinances, and in Houston, it typically falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Houston Planning and Development Department. A plat provides for the subdivision of land that can be legally defined (i.e. Lot 29, block 19 of the Happy Trails subdivision). Subdivision plats are required to show how land will be subdivided. The plat must reflect adequate streets and right-of-way for the project.

The plat is checked to assure it abides by all development rules as established by the City of Houston’s Chapter 42, the City’s land development ordinance. By law, the Planning Commission is required to approve plats that meet the requirements of Chapter 42. Undeveloped land must be platted before development occurs. Plats must be considered and either approved or disapproved within 30 days or state law mandates that the plat is automatically approved if no action is taken.

Plats can be deferred twice but action must be taken within the 30 days. Residents who were notified of a public hearing or variance will not receive a second notice if the item is deferred at Planning Commission. The item will automatically come up at the next Planning Commission meeting. The Commission’s authority on platting does not extend to land use and therefore cannot disapprove a plat because of the intended use of the property.
 

Other issues applicable to land development such as adequate water, sewer and drainage are handled by other agencies and are not part of the Commission’s authority regarding plat approval. A plat must be prepared by a licensed surveyor, land planner and/or engineer and a licensed surveyor or engineer must sign the plat. If the property is located within Fort Bend County, a licensed engineer must sign the plat in addition to a licensed surveyor.

Platting for Land Development

Types of Land Platting Services

Class I Plat

Class I Plat is only for residential and either amends a previous plat or: 1. Creates no more than four (4) lots, each fronting on an existing street; 2. Does not require or propose the creation of any new street; 3. Does not require or propose the dedication of any easement for public water, wastewater collection or storm sewer lines; and 4. Is not a replat. There is a one time submittal process for class I plats. Class I plats are not very common.

Class II Plat

Class II Plat is a subdivision plat that: 1. Does not require or propose the creation of any new street; 2. Does not require or propose the dedication of any easement for public water, wastewater collection or storm sewer lines; and 3. Can be a replat but does not require notification of adjacent property owners for replatting purposes. There is a one-time submittal process. A variance or a special exception may be sought with a Class II plat. All variance or special exception applications within the city limits of Houston require notification of adjacent property owners.

Class III Plat

Class III Plat is required for subdivisions that require or propose the creation of any new street or the dedication of any easement for public water, wastewater collection or storm sewer lines. A class III plat is also required for a vacating plat. A Class III plat requires two submittals: a preliminary and a final. A variance or a special exception may be sought with a Class III preliminary plat and all variance or special exception applications within the city limits require notification of adjacent property owners. Objections from adjacent property owners should be raised during the preliminary platting process. A preliminary plat application can be filed on land that is being considered for purchase. In many cases, final purchase may depend on the outcome of the plat submittal.
a. Requiring A Public Hearing
b. Variance Application

Platting Submission Process

After all the right documents & forms are gathered and completed, and we have taken into account all the necessary elements, the property plat is ready for submission! The government protocols are followed and the regular sequence of events for land platting services takes place. Take a look below to see a brief recap of what the platting process is like.

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Plat Preparation

Combining survey information with dedicatory and jurisdictional requirements. (Legal information, ownership information, deeds, lien holders, title reports).
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Plat Submittal

Plat submitted to the Planning and Development Department.
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Plat Review

Planning staff along with related agencies review the submitted plat for errors and code violations.
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Plat Recording

Staff makes recommendations for Planning Commission approval, and the plat is set for recording.

Counties We Serve

Harris | Liberty | Chambers | Galveston | Brazoria | Waller | Montgomery | Fort Bend

We take your project to the finish line

New Era produces top tier, professional results for all types of pre-construction services such as land platting and re-platting. Our Planners are dedicated to serve you and provide you with best platting and replatting services on Houston, Texas!
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Other Land Services We Offer

Project Feasibility

Land Surveying & Research

Land Planning and Design

Platting

Land Development Regulatory

Replatting

Land and Construction Legal Documents

Land & Construction Legal Documents

Public Hearings, Variances & Special Exceptions

Public Hearings, Variances & Special Exceptions

Plat Application FAQ’s

These frequently asked questions and answers about plat applications can help you get a better understanding about subdivision platting and the City of Houston’s land planning and development regulations.

What is a plat?

A plat is a map document based on a survey that shows land subdivision, land classification, or a change in property boundaries and is required before building permitting. A plat’s name provides a legal description for the land, such as “Lot 29, Block 19, Happy Trails” subdivision. See Chapter 42 ordinance.

How do I obtain a plat?

A plat, or replat, is filed at Harris County Records Office after approval and after recordation by the landowner. You may request a copy from Harris County via email CCO.CCInfo@hctx.net or by phone 713-274-6390.

How do I look up a plat application?

You can view plat applications using the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) research app tools, Houston Map Viewer or Houston Plat Tracker Plats, by entering an address or zooming in to the location.

How are plats prepared and how do I submit one?

Professional consultants are hired by property owners to advise them and create plat maps to prepare land for development and building, if the land is not properly platted. A plat must be signed by a licensed surveyor and/or a civil engineer. Consultants submit applications on the Plat Tracker online portal for consideration by the Planning Commission, which operates on a two-week cycle.

When does the Planning Commission meet and how can I get information about the agenda?

The Commission meets biweekly on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. See Planning Commission and Plat Tracker webpage for the posted agenda and in-person and virtual meeting options. The posted agenda serves as public notification of the items being considered by the Planning Commission, in addition to notification letters and signs that are required only for certain types of plat applications.

What considerations are made at a Planning Commission meeting?

The appointed Planning Commission is the body that approves, defers, or disapproves an application. If the plat meets all the rules under Chapter 42, the Commission shall approve the plat. Conditions related to a specific variance request may be imposed. A deferred application will be considered at the next Commission meeting. Issues such as water, sewer and drainage, flood mitigation, traffic flow, and types of buildings, do not fall under the purview of the Planning Department, and therefore, are not handled by the Planning Commission.

What are the types of plat classifications?

See Chapter 42- 23 for classes of plats. To prepare for building development in Houston, land is usually subdivided and classified into residential lots; or reserves for other purposes, such as commercial or any other unrestricted purpose.

What else is considered in preparing a plat?

Consultants can advise the property owner on considerations such as the project’s feasibility, conceptual plans, market conditions, application specifics, timing, costs, fees; and Chapter 42 plat factors, such as street circulation and block lengths, building lines and easements, plat drawing details, and more.

What is a variance and what types are available?

A variance is a Commission-approved deviation to a proposed land development, according to Chapter 42 standards. If there is a hardship or unusual physical characteristics, a consultant may help landowners seek a subdivision or development plat variance according to the Ch. 42 provisions. Variances are the exception rather than the rule. See variance guidelines for more details.

What is the difference between a short plat and a final plat?

The main differences between a short plat and a final plat lie in their purposes, complexity of the process, requirements, and impacts on land development. Short plats are generally used for small-scale divisions, while final plats are for larger subdivisions that require comprehensive planning and infrastructure development.

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Reliable Land Platting Company IN HOUSTON

Trusted Land Platting Services in Houston

New Era land platting services supports Houston and surrounding areas in various counties, cherishing each opportunity to serve a variety of clients across a wide spectrum of needs and industries: from local land owners that have been saving Pinterest pictures for building a dream home to enterprise companies who are ready to spread their wings in H town, our talent is endless in the City with No Limits. Get the most trusted and reliable land platting services in Houston From New Era today!…
 
Discover the cost to replat land or get a new plat cost analysis for your specific project by reaching out and letting our land platting services know about your exciting land development plans so that we know how to best support you and boost your chances for success. With a dream land platting services team of attorneys, lawyers, developers and consultants all in one place offering not only land platting services but a wide variety of related pre-development land services to streamline the pre-construction phase, the possibilities are easy to reach!
 
Our land platting services team commitment to helping our clients extends beyond clerical tasks as we also assist with consciously evaluating new plat designs with the planet’s natural resources and the future in mind, to help clients establish their personal or professional legacy in a way that contributes to the greater good of all for generations to come. Along with New Era’s land platting services team commitment to ethics & harmony with the environment via conscientious platting skills, we also offer other reliable land pre-development services, talk to us today, we got what it takes to help you achieve land development project success with ease.

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