Frequently Asked Questions

A map that represents a tract of land, showing the boundaries and location of individual properties, streets, easements and other pertinent information. After a plat is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission, it is filed with the county clerk and becomes a legal lot of record for which a building permit can be issued.

Platting is required for any division of land into two or more parcels or development on one or more contiguous parcels not previously platted, or for development that involves the construction of any public improvements to be dedicated to the Town.

A Preliminary Plat is required on all unplatted tracts:

- that are larger than ten acres, or

- that do not conform with tract dimensions shown on Denton Central Appraisal District Maps, or

- the development of which involves dedication or construction of streets, drainage ways, or utilities.

A preliminary plat allows staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the overall layout of the lots and street pattern for the subdivision to ensure that the proposed layout complies with all applicable town requirements. In most cases, a preliminary plat is required for the subdivision of land for the purpose of single-family development.

A Major Subdivision Final Plat involves the creation of new streets, the extension of municipal facilities or the creation or more than four lots. Major subdivision plat may be applicable for residential and non-residential properties. The procedure for approving a major subdivision plat requires an approved preliminary plat.

A Minor Subdivision Plat is a final plat that creates no more than four lots and does not require the creation of a new street or a major extension of municipal facilities. A preliminary plat is not required prior to preparation of a minor subdivision plat. Minor subdivision plats may be approved for residential and nonresidential properties.

An Amending Plat can be filed to correct an error in the real property description on part of all of an officially recorded plat.

A Replat replaces part or all of an officially recorded final plat.

No, a building permit cannot be issued for a property that has not been platted or is not a legal lot of record.

In most cases, the average citizen does not have the experience or professional certification to prepare a plat by themselves and would be required to hire a professional to do the plat for them. A plat must be signed and sealed by a Registered Surveyor in the State of Texas. 

Applications are available at by clicking here. The application must be submitted in accordance with the Town’s established development schedule (click here to see current schedule). Once the application is deemed complete per the development schedule, the plat must be acted upon within 30 days.

Following the application deadline, the proposed plat is distributed to the Development Review Committee for review to determine the plat’s compliance with applicable Town regulations.

Once comments are collected from applicable reviewers, Town Staff shares those comments with the applicant to provide them an opportunity to address those comments.

Town staff then makes a recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission who will then approve, approve with conditions, or deny the plat at its regularly scheduled meeting (within 30 days of the official filing date per the Development Schedule). If the plat is approved with conditions, the applicant must resubmit the documents to meet those conditions, before filing the plat with the county clerk.

Once staff has determined that the revised plat complies with the conditions of approval by the Commission, the applicant can submit the required number of copies to obtain signatures from the Town. Once all the signatures are collected, the applicant will need to file the plat with Denton County.

For minor plats or minor replats, Town Staff has the ability to provide final approval. 

A plat must be filed with the County within two years after approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission or Town Staff, as applicable. After that time, the applicant must submit an application to the Department of Community Development to get their plat re-approved.