The Township Is Not a City: Covenants, the RDRC, and What You Actually Need a Permit For

The Thing Nobody Explains Before You Move In

The Woodlands is not a city. This single fact explains almost everything that confuses new residents.

The Woodlands Township is a special purpose district. It provides municipal-type services — parks and recreation, public safety contracts, transportation — but it cannot pass ordinances or enact laws, and it has no building department and no traditional code enforcement the way a city does. Actual laws are enforced by state, county, and precinct authorities: the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the constables' offices, and Montgomery County Commissioners Court.

So what governs your fence colour, your roof, and the tree in your back yard? Covenants. Legally binding deed restrictions that run with the property.

Covenants, and Where They Came From

Most properties in The Woodlands are subject to covenants originally established by three associations: The Woodlands Community Association (WCA), The Woodlands Association (TWA), and The Woodlands Commercial Owners Association (WCOA).

In 2010, as part of a governance transition, responsibility for administering those covenants was transferred to The Woodlands Township, and they continue to apply today.

This is why the answer to "do I have an HOA?" is awkward. For most properties you don't pay traditional HOA dues — the Township is funded through property taxes and assessments. But you are absolutely bound by covenants, and they are enforced. Some neighbourhoods and gated communities within The Woodlands also have their own separate associations with their own dues and rules — so ask specifically about the property you're buying rather than assuming the general case applies.

Who Decides: RDRC vs DSC

Two committees matter.

The Residential Design Review Committee (RDRC) — each village has one, made up of homeowners elected by the residents of that village. Your RDRC reviews applications for modifications and additions to homes in your village, and typically meets at least once a month.

The Development Standards Committee (DSC) — includes members appointed by the Township Board along with Woodlands Development Company appointees. It adopts and enforces property use and maintenance standards, reviews improvements on existing commercial properties, and is the only committee with the power to grant variances.

Day to day, the Covenant Administration Department (CAD) staffs all this: it administers property standards, issues permits, and supports the committees.

What Needs Approval (More Than You Think)

The Covenants require prior written approval from your RDRC — or its designated staff — for the placement, construction, alteration, or repair of essentially any structure or improvement on a lot with an existing single-family home.

The published list includes, but is not limited to:

• Building additions; interior or exterior remodeling
• Exterior colour changes — and yes, all house repainting
• All roof replacement
• Fences, decks, paving, patio structures, arbors
• Play structures, storage buildings
• New garages and garage conversions
• Satellite antennas, exterior lighting
• Swimming pools and spas, summer kitchens, compost bins

Two that surprise people every year: repainting your house the same colour still needs approval, and replacing your roof needs approval.

Trees: in a community whose founding condition was preserving the forest, tree rules are serious. No tree greater than six inches in diameter may be removed without approval, and the Standards regulate removals and require replanting.

The Deadlines That Actually Matter

Three numbers to write down:

• 45 days — automatic disapproval. If a completed application, with all supporting information, has not been acted on by the RDRC within 45 days of receipt, it is automatically disapproved. Silence is not consent.
• 10 days — your appeal window. If your RDRC turns you down, you (or an affected neighbour) may appeal in writing to the DSC. The appeal must be received within 10 days of notice of the decision.
• Final means final. Decisions of the DSC (and DRC) are final.

Also worth knowing: certain major projects — room additions, attached patio covers, swimming pools — require a refundable compliance deposit, returned on successful completion, plus third-party inspections during construction.

Neighborhood Criteria: The Rule Behind the Rule

Beyond the community-wide Standards, each area has Neighborhood Criteria — more specific requirements covering setbacks, hard-surface area, living area, colours, and materials. They vary from one village to another, and frequently within a village.

The critical principle: where the Criteria conflict with the Standards, the Criteria prevail. So "my friend in Alden Bridge did it" is not a legal argument in Grogan's Mill.

Everyday Rules Residents Trip Over

• Trash cans. Containers must be removed from public view on collection day and may not be stored in public view at other times. (Some summaries quote a specific evening deadline — confirm the current wording with the Township.)
• Fireworks and firearms. The sale and use of fireworks and the discharge of firearms — including hunting — is strictly prohibited on any property in The Woodlands.
• Generators. Portable generators are for temporary use (outages, natural disasters) and must be stored out of public view when not in use. A permanent generator requires a permit and prior approval, must be screened, and kept under six feet.
• Satellite dishes. Must be inconspicuous and black or gray; removing vegetation for signal reception is not allowed. Stricter rules apply above 39 inches.
• Construction-related items (such as dumpsters and portable toilets) are subject to time limits during a project — the Standards set a maximum period, so confirm it for your project type.
• Short-term rentals. Short-term rentals are permitted following Texas Supreme Court litigation on the issue, but the Township has adopted standards requiring an application and approval process. Check the current requirements before listing.

Where to Go

Covenant Administration: (281) 210-3973 Township main line: (281) 210-3800 The Woodlands Township: 2801 Technology Forest Blvd, The Woodlands, TX 77381

The Township has operated more than one office location over the years, so confirm the current address for Covenant Administration on the Township website before driving over with plans.

Application forms and current standards are available at the Service Center and on the Township website. Since standards are revised from time to time, applications are judged against the standards in effect on the date of submission — so get the current version rather than a neighbour's old copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Woodlands a city? No. It's a special purpose district — it can't pass ordinances and has no building department. Laws are enforced by county and state authorities.

Do I have an HOA? For most properties, not in the traditional dues-paying sense — the Township is funded by taxes and assessments. But your property is bound by covenants, administered by the Township since 2010. Note that some neighbourhoods and gated communities do have their own separate associations — verify for your specific address.

Do I need approval to repaint my house? Yes — including exterior colour changes and all repainting. Roof replacement too.

Can I cut down a tree in my yard? Not if it's over six inches in diameter — that requires approval, and replanting may be required.

What if the committee doesn't respond? After 45 days without action, an application is automatically disapproved — not approved.

How do I appeal? In writing to the DSC, within 10 days of the RDRC's decision. DSC decisions are final.

Who do I call? Covenant Administration: (281) 210-3973. Confirm the current office location on the Township website before visiting in person.

The Bottom Line

Move here and you trade a city hall for a covenant regime: no ordinances, no building department, but a committee of your neighbours who must approve your paint colour, your roof, and your fence — and a six-inch tree rule that means business. Call (281) 210-3973 before you hire the contractor, check your village's Neighborhood Criteria rather than your neighbour's precedent, and remember the two deadlines: 45 days to automatic disapproval, 10 days to appeal.

Covenants, standards, and Neighborhood Criteria are revised periodically and vary by village, and the summary above is not exhaustive. This is general information, not legal advice — always confirm the current standard, and the current office location, with Covenant Administration at (281) 210-3973 before starting a project.