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.

Zoning establishes the types of land uses permitted on a specific tract of land. Zoning also regulates the size, intensity, and height of development, as well as landscaping, screening, and parking related to development.

Argyle has 17 established zoning districts, which are broadly grouped into residential, non-residential and mixed-use, and overlay districts. Specific information regarding each district can be obtained in the Town Development Standards.

The zoning on a specific piece of property can change only through a public hearing process. This process allows public participation from the applicant, interested citizens, and decision makers. The process requires public notification, public hearings, and final approval by the Town Council.

An applicant may seek a change to establish a use not permitted in the current zoning district. The applicant may use the zoning process to request rezoning to a district that will permit the use outright, or by a Specific Use Permit.

Specific Use Permits are permitted exclusively by specific permit approval by the Council. Fees and processing of an SUP are similar to a zoning case.

Anyone may apply for a zoning change; however, permission of the property owner is required. A place is provided on the zoning application for the owner's signature, whether a single owner or a corporation. In all cases, the owner's notarized signature must be on the application.

During the public hearings of the zoning case at Planning and Zoning Commission and/or Town Council, the applicant and people in favor of or opposed to the request may present their views.

In addition to speaking at the public hearing, you may also send letters to the Commission and Council either directly or through the Department of Community Development, or you may discuss the case with the Planning and Zoning Commissioners or Council Members.

A petition is a more formal process of registering your support for or opposition to a request. A petition becomes a permanent part of the case and must be filed with the Town Secretary. 

Regardless of the type of petition, there is no legal effect on the Planning and Zoning Commission's vote. A simple majority vote recommending approval or denial of a zoning request is all that is required of the Commission. However, the Commission's decision may be influenced by petitions of support or opposition.

Petitions of support may influence final Council action, but they have no legal effect. Petitions of opposition (individual form, group form) submitted to the Town Secretary, that are properly notarized and meet state and local criteria will invoke a required three-fourths vote of approval to permit a change. In order to invoke the mandatory three-fourths approval, the petition must be signed by the owners of at least 20 percent of either:

• the land area covered by the proposed change; or,
• the land area within 200 feet of the subject property.

Only one vote per lot in support or opposition per owner is permitted. The "owner" is the owner shown on the most recently approved Town tax roll. For example, if John Doe appears as the owner on the tax rolls, then the signature on the petition should be John Doe. If joint ownership appears on the tax rolls, i.e., John and Mary Doe, then John Doe and/or Mary Doe should sign the petition. 

A Planned Development is a custom zoning district. The general purpose of the Planned Development to accommodate unique and creative developments, which the regulations on the Town’s established zoning districts cannot provide.

All Planned Developments have one or more base zoning districts, and then certain exceptions or enhancements to those regulations are specifically codified for the Planned Development.

Waterbrook, Lakes of Argyle, Argyle Landing, and 5T Ranch are some examples of existing Planned Developments within the Town.