Rayburn Country Partners Permissions and Variances 

The first of the RCA partners deals with the United States Army Corp of Engineers and the 179′-line flowage easement. The ECC is not allowed to let any project encroach below the 179′-line without written authorization from the USACE. So, if any part of your project is to be past the 179′-line we will deny your project until this is addressed. Please note that it can take 3 to 6 months to get USACE approval.

The RC MUD is our next partner. The first item to be addressed is will any of the project encroach into any of their easements around the property? If the answer to this question is yes, then you will have to contact the MUD to get a written abandonment of the easement which will also be recorded with the county. The ECC will need the written approval from the MUD for that abandonment before you can be allowed to encroach into the easement. The MUD’s last step is to see if the project will be connected to their water and sewer systems. If it does, then the ECC will need the letter given to you from them detailing what services are available.

The last of our partners is the Angelina Neches River Authority. They come into play if you are not in an area that the MUD services with sewer. If you are not in an area that MUD services, a septic system will need to be installed. With this in mind, you will need to get a septic plan along with an approval from the ANRA. Both of these are to be included in your permit application.

The last section we will talk about is Variances. If your project will encroach into any of the setbacks (front, sides or rear) you will need to fill out a Variance Request. On the request you will need to request the number of feet into the setbacks along with a written rationale why it is needed. The ECC will look at what is presented, see if it’s reasonable and if it will work before it is granted. If it’s not granted, the ECC will come up with some suggestions, talk with the homeowner and try to figure something out that might work for your lot and project. The ECC recommends that if your project is within 1′ of the setbacks you ask for a variance. (This is to avoid any issues that may arise during a pre-pour inspection when the inspector could discover an encroachment into one of the setbacks thus holding up your project while a variance is submitted and approved.)

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. The ECC is here to assist our community and answer any questions that you as a homeowner may have during the permit approval process.

Thank you,

The ECC Members