House Site Selection

There are many things to consider when deciding to build a house in the Ranchlands.

The first thing is location.

Does your site comply with the setbacks and other requirements specifically called out in the CC&Rs? Very important factors. But after that, there are other important issues to consider.

Water is where it is. Not where we wish it was.

If there is an existing well, this may not be much of an issue. Depending on where the well is located. But whether there is an existing well or you have to have one drilled, the farther the well is from your house site, the more of a problem you will have getting water there.

If you need to have a well drilled, you should be aware:
    1. The Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District requires only a 50’ setback from the property line. There is a restriction included in the Plats requiring a 150’ setback from any property line.
    2. A permit is required from the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District located in Kerrville.
    3. Your septic system, required by the State and administered by the county, must be at least 150’ from the well. (Other restrictions may apply.)
    4. While not a requirement, it is a good idea to plan on a three (3) or four (4) ring holding tank for your water. Not all wells are strong and you will want to have a water supply if your well requires repair.
    5. If you elect to have a storage tank, it is a good idea to have it up hill from your house and plummed so that you can have water in case of a prolonged power failure.

Your driveway.

There is nothing in the CC&Rs that prohibits a straight driveway. However there are restrictions on having your house visible from the road. A winding driveway will help to hide your house and provide for your privacy.

Electric power.

Your Right of Way agreement with the power company is just as important as your driveway. It is a 20 ft wide path to where ever you need the power. Try to have a dogleg in your power Right of Way. It will hide you house from the road. It is also a good idea to have the power come to a point about 75 to 100 ft from your site. Preferably to a blank side of your house. You probably don’t want to spend the rest of your life looking down a power cut from your living room.

Your home site.

People have various reasons for selecting a location for their house. Some things to consider when evaluating your site:

    1. The view.
      Chances are that your view is on someone else’s property. You can’t control what they put in ‘YOUR’ view. Give this one a lot of thought.

    2. That delightful live oak grove.
      Will you destroy it by building at that spot?

    3. Can you add on later without a variance?

Construction supervision.

If you are not going to personally oversee the construction of your home, it is a good idea to make sure that the person who is doing the job understands exactly what you want and understands what you consider important.

It is also important that they understand some parts of the CC&Rs that can create a problem for you.

An example:

Many people in this area, including many of our neighbors, consider cedar to be trash. They will feel that they are doing you a favor by dozing down as much of it as they can.

If your house is now exposed to the road, you will have to correct the problem at your expense.

If your construction has not started and you do not want to correct the problem, you may have to find a new site.
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