Land near San Juan.

San Juan subdivision drainage, jurisdiction and development-fee checks

For land in San Juan, drainage due diligence starts with the legal description and the project type. The City’s January 13, 2026 subdivision-review form calls for an approved Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 (HCDD No. 1) drainage report and a copy of the District review-fee receipt. San Juan Planning & Zoning also links to the City Storm Drainage Master Plan, plan maps, subdivision design guide and an interactive GIS for zoning and city-limit screening. These resources help identify the right questions; they are not parcel-specific engineering, jurisdiction or approval determinations.

There is a fee discrepancy worth resolving before you model a subdivision. The January 2026 City form lists $300 plus $50 per acre for application, plan review and processing and lists a 2% inspection fee plus an additional 2% before Notice to Proceed. The City code’s Planning Department schedule, amended by Ordinance 2026-33 on September 8, 2026, lists $350 plus $60 per acre for preliminary and final subdivision applications, a 3% new-subdivision infrastructure inspection fee, and a separate stormwater inspection fee equal to 5% of building-permit value. Ask the City for a written project-specific estimate and which items apply; do not assume either set applies to every tract or project.

The City form requires a receipt for the HCDD No. 1 drainage review but does not state that District fee amount. Request the applicable fee, report scope and review path from HCDD No. 1 and the project engineer. The City’s public stormwater page is an education and reporting resource; the sources reviewed do not establish a uniform recurring drainage assessment for every San Juan property. Confirm any ongoing charge separately with the correct taxing, district or utility authority.

Facts to help plan the next check

• The City of San Juan Planning & Zoning page links to the City Storm Drainage Master Plan, its maps, and the Subdivision Standard Design Guide. These are starting points; they do not establish drainage capacity or development approval for a particular tract.
• The City-hosted subdivision application is revised January 13, 2026. It calls for an approved Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 drainage report and a copy of the drainage-review-fee receipt for subdivision review.
• The January 2026 application lists $300 plus $50 per acre for application, plan review and processing, and a 2% inspection fee plus an additional 2% before the City issues a Notice to Proceed.
• The City code fee schedule records Ordinance 2026-33, adopted September 8, 2026. Its current text lists preliminary and final subdivision applications at $350 plus $60 per acre, new subdivision infrastructure inspections at 3% of value, and a stormwater inspection fee at 5% of building-permit value.
• The January 2026 form and the later codified fee schedule therefore show different figures for subdivision application and inspection items. Ask San Juan Planning & Zoning for a written, project-specific current fee estimate before underwriting development costs.
• The subdivision application requires an HCDD No. 1 drainage-review receipt but does not state the District review fee amount. Request that amount and the applicable review scope directly from the District or project engineer.
• San Juan’s interactive GIS is described by the City as a way to review zoning details and city limits and to help identify possible permit or utility questions. A map screen is not a parcel-specific jurisdiction letter or service commitment.
• Hidalgo County identifies HCDD No. 1 as the custodian for records on maintenance and operations within the District’s jurisdiction, District projects and general District questions.
• San Juan’s public Stormwater Management page provides municipal stormwater education and a reporting route. The sources reviewed do not establish a uniform recurring stormwater assessment for every property in San Juan.
• Drainage review, City subdivision fees, building-permit-related inspection fees and any recurring property charge are different questions. Identify the fee trigger, payer, calculation basis and reviewing authority for the proposed work.

Parcel-specific next checks

1. Get the parcel’s legal description, survey, account number and proposed use. Use the City GIS and official parcel records to ask the City to confirm whether the tract is inside City limits, in an ETJ, or outside the City’s jurisdiction.
2. Ask San Juan Planning & Zoning which current subdivision, zoning, building and drainage-review requirements apply to this tract and project type. Request a written checklist tied to the legal description.
3. Before estimating costs, ask the City to reconcile the January 13, 2026 application amounts with the fee schedule amended by Ordinance 2026-33 on September 8, 2026. Obtain a current written estimate rather than relying on the older form figures.
4. Ask the City which inspection fees apply, their calculation bases, when each is due, and whether engineering review charges or re-inspections are separate line items.
5. For a subdivision requiring drainage review, obtain the HCDD No. 1 report requirements, current review-fee amount, submission path, expected turnaround and written receipt requirements before setting a feasibility budget.
6. Open the City’s Drainage Master Plan and map layers with the engineer, then check the specific parcel’s outfalls, drainage easements, detention needs and known constraints. Treat plan maps as planning context, not an engineering conclusion.
7. Confirm whether the tract lies in HCDD No. 1 jurisdiction and request relevant drainage-project or maintenance records from the District. A San Juan postal address alone does not resolve District jurisdiction.
8. Separate one-time plat, engineering, construction, inspection and permit costs from any ongoing utility bill or special assessment. Verify each recurring charge with the named taxing or billing authority.
9. Keep the fee schedule version, City and District emails, drainage report, map layers and engineer’s assumptions together. Recheck them before an offer, plat submission or construction start because amounts and requirements can change.

Sources

• City of San Juan Planning & Zoning — drainage master plan, subdivision design guide, GIS and jurisdiction resources ↗
• City of San Juan — Subdivision Plat Review application revised January 13, 2026, including drainage report and fee receipt requirements ↗
• City of San Juan Code of Ordinances, Article 1.05 — current Planning Department fee schedule, Ordinance 2026-33 adopted September 8, 2026 ↗
• City of San Juan Stormwater Management — municipal stormwater education and reporting resource, not a parcel fee determination ↗
• Hidalgo County — records FAQ for HCDD No. 1 maintenance, operations and project questions ↗
• City of San Juan Interactive GIS Map — screening for zoning, city limits and possible permit or utility questions ↗

Research checked 2026-11-08. Confirm current details for the exact parcel.

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