Thinking about splitting acreage or creating new lots in Georgetown? If you are a builder, investor, or landowner, platting is the step that turns raw land into legally recognized parcels you can finance and sell. It can feel technical at first, especially with city, county, and utility rules in play. In this guide, you will learn what platting is, which rules apply in Georgetown and Williamson County, how the process works, and how it affects your timeline and cashflow. Let’s dive in.
What platting means
Platting is the legal process that divides land into lots and shows public improvements like streets, easements, and utilities. The final plat is the recorded document that creates the lots you can sell. Until a final plat is recorded with the County Clerk, you generally cannot sell new lots.
In Texas, cities regulate platting inside city limits and in their extraterritorial jurisdiction, known as the ETJ. Counties regulate subdivision in unincorporated areas outside municipal ETJs. Your path depends on where your land sits.
Who approves plats here
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 212 gives cities authority to regulate plats in city limits and ETJs. The City of Georgetown reviews plats in those areas. Williamson County handles plats in unincorporated county areas that are not inside a city’s ETJ.
Expect coordination with several entities during review. In Georgetown, Planning and Development staff, the Planning Commission, the City Engineer, Fire Marshal, and Georgetown Utility Systems are your main contacts. In the county, you will work with Development Services and the County Engineer. Other agencies can come into play, such as TxDOT for state road access, local emergency services for addressing, and TCEQ for on-site sewage if public sewer is not available.
City limits vs ETJ vs county
Start by confirming your property location against city limit and ETJ maps. This sets the rulebook and the reviewers. If your tract is in Georgetown city limits or ETJ, follow city subdivision rules. If it is outside a city ETJ in Williamson County, follow county subdivision regulations. This one step prevents costly surprises.
Common plat types
Different plat types serve different purposes. Here are the most common ones you will see in Georgetown and Williamson County:
- Preliminary plat: A concept-level layout used to test feasibility of lot patterns, streets, drainage, and utilities. Often required before engineering.
- Final plat: The engineered, record-ready document with dedications and signatures. You record this with the County Clerk to create lots.
- Minor or administrative plat: A simplified process for small subdivisions that meet specific criteria.
- Replat or amending plat: Used to combine or reconfigure recorded lots, or fix minor errors.
- Plat vacation: Removes an existing plat or a portion of it.
- Condominium plat: Shows units and common elements when units are divided by air space instead of land.
What to submit
Most submittals include a mix of applications, surveys, plans, and supporting studies. Plan for these items early:
- Completed application and fees for the city or county
- Boundary or ALTA survey by a Texas licensed surveyor
- Title commitment or owner’s affidavit
- Preliminary or final plat drawings, depending on stage
- Civil construction plans for streets, drainage, water, sewer, and grading
- Drainage study and stormwater quality plan
- Utility capacity letters or extension plans
- Floodplain analysis and elevation information if needed
- TxDOT driveway or access permit if you front a state highway
- Draft easement documents and any HOA or restrictive covenants for shared spaces
- Required certificates on the plat for owner, surveyor, city or county approval, and utility acceptance
The review path
While each project is unique, most plats follow a predictable cycle. Getting the sequence right helps you budget time and money.
Pre-application meeting
Schedule a concept meeting with the City of Georgetown or Williamson County before you start detailed engineering. Bring a sketch plan, topography, known utilities, and proposed access points. This step uncovers deal-breakers and reduces resubmittals.
Staff review and comments
Your first formal submittal triggers intake and technical reviews. Planning, engineering, utilities, and fire staff issue consolidated comments. You revise the plans and resubmit. Each resubmittal usually goes through another review cycle.
Commission or court approval
Preliminary plats often go to the Planning Commission in the city or to the County Commissioners Court. Public hearings or notices may be required for certain changes. Final plats require signatures from the reviewing bodies and designated officials.
Improvements and acceptance
Public improvements must be built to local standards or secured with a performance bond or letter of credit. The city or county inspects and accepts the improvements, or accepts your financial security when allowed.
Recordation
Once approved and signed, the final plat is recorded with the Williamson County Clerk. At recordation, the lots legally exist and may be sold, subject to any other restrictions.
Timelines you can expect
Timeframes vary by submittal quality, staffing, and site conditions. These ranges are typical for the Georgetown and Williamson County area:
- Pre-application meeting: 1 to 4 weeks to schedule
- Preliminary plat review: 4 to 8 weeks for a single cycle, more if resubmittals are needed
- Construction plan approval: 4 to 12 weeks depending on complexity
- Public improvements construction: weeks for simple tie-ins to many months for full street and utility work
- Final plat review and recordation: 2 to 8 weeks after improvements are accepted or secured
A small-lot plat with minimal infrastructure can move from concept to recordation in about 3 to 6 months. Full residential subdivisions with grading, streets, drainage, and multiple review cycles often take 6 to 18 months. Larger or phased projects can take longer.
Common conditions to plan for
Review bodies often attach standard conditions to protect public health, safety, and infrastructure. Plan for these early:
- Right-of-way and utility or drainage easement dedications
- Street construction to local standards, or a performance bond if deferring work
- Drainage improvements, detention or retention, and water quality controls
- Floodplain compliance and finished floor elevation requirements where needed
- Utility extensions and proof of capacity for water and wastewater
- Fire access, hydrant spacing, and fire flow confirmation
- Landscaping, tree preservation, and parkland dedication or fees where applicable
- Off-site easements or access agreements if the site lacks direct access
- Traffic impact analysis and mitigation for larger plats
Regional red flags to watch
Georgetown and Williamson County growth brings some common technical pitfalls. Address these early to avoid delays:
- Survey and legal description errors that require correction
- Drainage studies that miss downstream impacts
- Utility design conflicts or missing utility capacity from Georgetown Utility Systems
- Missing approval certificates or unclear dedication language on plats
- Delays in third-party approvals, such as TxDOT driveway permits
- Title encumbrances or liens that require lienholder consent for dedications
Site conditions also matter. Parts of Central Texas sit on limestone and karst features. This can affect drainage and geotechnical design. Tracts near creeks or lakes may face added floodplain or water quality scrutiny. Traffic and utility capacity can be tight in fast-growing areas, which may add conditions or phasing limits.
Sales, lenders, and risk
Lenders and title companies usually require a recorded final plat before they finance or insure lot sales. If public improvements are not complete, you may need to post a performance bond, letter of credit, or use escrow agreements to protect buyers and the city or county. These tools can help you close earlier, but they require careful coordination.
Your path to revenue is driven by two gates: approval to record the final plat, and acceptance or security of public improvements. Each extra review cycle or unexpected study adds time and carrying costs. Many developers manage risk by phasing. Recording a first phase with completed streets and utilities allows early sales while later phases move through review and construction.
A practical Georgetown checklist
Use this quick checklist to de-risk your first steps:
- Confirm jurisdiction. Verify city limits, ETJ, or county status with City of Georgetown Planning or Williamson County Development Services.
- Book a pre-application meeting. Share a sketch plan, topography, utilities, and access. Ask about traffic, drainage, and utility capacity expectations.
- Order survey and title. Get an ALTA-level boundary survey and a current title commitment to surface liens and encumbrances.
- Check utilities. Request early capacity confirmation from Georgetown Utility Systems for water and sewer. Plan for extensions if needed.
- Evaluate drainage and floodplain. Run initial drainage concepts and check FEMA mapping. Identify detention and downstream impacts early.
- Review access. If you front a state highway, confirm TxDOT driveway and access requirements.
- Build your team. Engage a Texas surveyor, civil engineer, and a real estate attorney or title professional for dedication language and consents.
- Plan deliverables and phasing. Map the sequence from concept to recordation, including performance security if you want to record before full buildout.
How we support your plat
You want fewer surprises and faster timelines. That starts with complete submittals, tight coordination with reviewers, and lender-ready documentation. With an integrated approach, you can move from raw acreage to financeable lots with fewer handoffs.
At Land Homes Texas, you can bundle brokerage, feasibility, civil engineering, entitlement coordination, and project management under one team. We package surveys, title, utility capacity checks, drainage strategy, and performance security pathways so your final plat is recordable and lender friendly. If you want a predictable lot pipeline or a clean exit on a larger tract, we help you plan phasing, align with city or county standards, and prepare clear documentation for lenders and title.
Ready to scope your site, timeline, and budget with confidence? Request a Feasibility Review with Land Homes Texas.
FAQs
What is platting in Georgetown?
- Platting is the legal process that divides land into lots and shows easements and public improvements. The recorded final plat creates the lots you can sell.
Who regulates plats in Williamson County?
- The City of Georgetown regulates plats in city limits and its ETJ under state law. Williamson County regulates plats in unincorporated areas outside city ETJs.
When can I sell new lots?
- You can typically sell new lots after the final plat is approved, signed, and recorded with the County Clerk. Lenders often also require acceptance or security for public improvements.
How long does plat approval take?
- Simple projects can reach recordation in 3 to 6 months. Subdivisions with streets, drainage, and multiple review cycles often take 6 to 18 months.
What are common plat submittals?
- Expect a survey, title commitment, plat drawings, civil plans, drainage study, utility capacity letters, floodplain analysis if needed, and approval certificates.
What conditions are typical on plats?
- Common conditions include right-of-way and easement dedications, street and drainage improvements, utility extensions, fire access, and sometimes parkland or traffic mitigation.
Do I need TxDOT approval for access?
- If your site fronts a state highway, you will likely need a TxDOT driveway or access permit as part of your platting and construction plan approvals.
How can I reduce review cycles?
- Hold a pre-application meeting, confirm jurisdiction early, secure utility capacity letters, coordinate drainage and access, and submit complete, coordinated plans.
