Buda, Texas - City Development Fees
City of Buda | Hays County | Central Texas | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA | I-35 corridor
Buda is an incorporated home rule city in Hays County subject to Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 requirements for development fee assessment. The City of Buda administers water and wastewater impact fees, planning and platting application fees, site plan review fees, and water and wastewater connection fees through its Development Services Department.
Recent Fee Changes
FY 2025 Fee Schedule effective October 1, 2024 (City of Buda; the schedule's page header bears "EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024" on every page). The 21-page consolidated document covers Building & Development (Article A4), Water/Wastewater Impact Fees (Article A4(aaa)), and Utilities connection and meter charges (Article A11 sections p, q, r).
Water and wastewater impact fee amounts adopted by Ordinance 2017-12; the FY 2025 Fee Schedule is the current republication. Utility connection fees adopted by Ordinance 2017-10 (Exhibit B, adopted September 19, 2017). Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 requires a 5-year update cycle for impact fee programs.
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Impact Fee (5/8" - 3/4" meter base) | Confirmed | $3,595 per LUE (full meter-size table to 12 inch published) | Oct. 1, 2024 (FY 2025 Schedule; Ord. 2017-12) |
| Wastewater Impact Fee (5/8" - 3/4" meter base) | Confirmed | $3,515 per LUE (full meter-size table to 12 inch published) | Oct. 1, 2024 (FY 2025 Schedule; Ord. 2017-12) |
| Roadway / Transportation Impact Fee | Not adopted | Buda has no codified roadway impact fee program (closed-search across full FY 2025 Fee Schedule) | - |
| Zoning / Plat / Site Plan Application Fees | Confirmed | Zoning Change $2,000 + $150/acre; SUP $2,000 + $150/acre; Plats $1,000 to $3,500 + per-lot/acre; Site Plan $1,500 to $2,500 + impervious cover | Oct. 1, 2024 (FY 2025 Schedule) |
| Utility Connection (Tap) and Meter Fees | Confirmed | Water connection $400 to $625 + meter cost; Wastewater connection $450 to $1,625; New meter cost $350 to $9,000 | Oct. 1, 2024 (FY 2025 Schedule; Ord. 2017-10) |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Texas does not use proffer agreements | - |
| Special District Fees (city-administered) | Application charge only | PID/MUD/TIRZ Application $25,000 + escrow + 5% third-party costs (under zoning fees) | Oct. 1, 2024 |
Water and Wastewater Impact Fees
Buda assesses water and wastewater impact fees under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395, codified in the FY 2025 Fee Schedule Article A4(aaa) and adopted by Ordinance 2017-12. The fee is calculated on a per-Living-Unit-Equivalent (LUE) basis with multipliers by meter size. Buda has no codified roadway/transportation impact fee program: a full search of the 21-page FY 2025 Fee Schedule surfaces only water and wastewater impact fees.
Water and Wastewater Impact Fees by Meter Size
| Meter Size | Water Impact Fee | Wastewater Impact Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch (base, 1 LUE) | $3,595.00 | $3,515.00 |
| 1 inch | $5,752.00 | $5,624.00 |
| 1.5 inch | $7,190.00 | $7,030.00 |
| 2 inch | $23,008.00 | $22,496.00 |
| 3 inch | $46,016.00 | $44,992.00 |
| 4 inch | $71,900.00 | $70,300.00 |
| 6 inch | $201,320.00 | $196,840.00 |
The full meter-size table extends to 12 inch meters in the source document; representative larger sizes are extracted above. Contact City of Buda Development Services to confirm the applicable meter size and LUE count for a specific project.
Zoning, Plat, and Site Plan Application Fees
Zoning, subdivision, and site plan fees are published in the FY 2025 Fee Schedule Article A4 (Building & Development), effective October 1, 2024. Administered by: City of Buda Development Services.
Zoning Application Fees
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning change | $2,000.00 + $150.00/acre + publication + personal notice + escrow |
| Zoning verification letter | $250.00 |
| PD district or amendment | $3,500.00 + $300.00/acre + publication + personal notice + escrow |
| Specific Use Permit (SUP) | $2,000.00 + $150.00/acre + publication + personal notice |
| SUP minor amendment (administrative) | $500.00 |
| SUP major amendment (with hearings) | $1,000.00 + $50.00/acre + publication + personal notice |
| Comprehensive Plan Amendment under 5 acres | $2,500.00 |
| Comprehensive Plan Amendment 5 to 25 acres | $3,000.00 |
| Comprehensive Plan Amendment 25 to 50 acres | $4,000.00 |
| Comprehensive Plan Amendment 50 acres and over | $5,000.00 + $15.00/acre |
| Variance / Special Exception / Alternative Compliance (outside site/plat case) | $1,500.00 base + $300/each add'l + publication + personal notice |
| Variance (as part of Site/Plat case) | $750.00 + $150/each add'l + publication + personal notice |
| Annexation petition | $1,000.00 + publication fee |
Subdivision and Plat Application Fees
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Preliminary plat (new or revised) | $3,500.00 + greater of $75/lot or $75/acre |
| Final plat | $2,000.00 + greater of $75/lot or $75/acre |
| Replat (P&Z / Council) | $2,000.00 + greater of $75/lot or $75/acre + publication + personal notice |
| Amending or administrative replat | $1,000.00 + greater of $75/lot or $75/acre |
| Plat vacation | $1,000.00 + greater of $75/lot or $75/acre |
Site Plan and Engineering Review Fees
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building Site Plan / Development Review (under 1 acre) | $1,500.00 + $0.05/sf impervious cover |
| Building Site Plan / Development Review (over 1 acre) | $2,500.00 + $0.05/sf impervious + $250/page |
| Site Plan correction / revision (under 1 acre) | $300.00 + $100.00/revised page |
| Site Plan correction / revision (over 1 acre) | $750.00 + $100.00/revised page |
| Administrative Exception or Appeal | $1,000.00 per exception |
| Vested Rights Determination | $2,500.00 + escrow |
| PID / MUD / TIRZ Special District Application fee | $25,000.00 + publication + personal notice + escrow + 5% on third-party costs |
| Technology / GIS Fee (annexation, zoning, plats, SUP, site plan) | $250.00 |
| Online Permit Fee (MyPermitNow) | $20.00 (all applications) |
Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Review Fees
| Daily Trips | TIA Review Fee |
|---|---|
| Under 2,000 trips/day | $3,000.00 |
| 2,000 to 5,000 trips/day | $5,000.00 |
| 5,001 to 10,000 trips/day | $7,500.00 |
| 10,001 to 15,000 trips/day | $10,000.00 |
| 15,001 trips/day and over | $15,000.00 |
Source: City of Buda FY 2025 Fee Schedule (DocumentCenter View 12641), Article A4 Building & Development. Demolition permit ($500), Certificate of Occupancy ($250), and other minor procedural fees are present in the source but omitted from this summary for brevity. Parkland Dedication Fee-in-Lieu (Article A4(ss): $2,000 per unit dedication + $1,500 per unit improvement) is captured in the source as a developer-side contribution and is reported here under impact-fee-adjacent context.
Water and Wastewater Connection (Tap) and Meter Fees
One-time water and wastewater connection fees and new meter costs are published in the FY 2025 Fee Schedule Article A11 (Utilities), sections (p), (q), and (r), adopted by Ordinance 2017-10 (Exhibit B, adopted September 19, 2017). Administered by: City of Buda Utilities. These are developer-side one-time charges separate from recurring monthly retail water and wastewater service rates and separate from the Article A4(aaa) impact fees above.
Water Connection Fees (Article A11(p))
| Service Type | Inside City | Outside City |
|---|---|---|
| Water connection 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch | $400.00 + cost of meter | $500.00 + cost of meter |
| Water connection 1 inch or larger | $500.00 + cost of meter | $625.00 + cost of meter |
Wastewater Connection Fees (Article A11(q))
| Pipe Size | Inside City | Outside City |
|---|---|---|
| 4 inch | $450.00 | $562.00 |
| 6 inch | $550.00 | $688.00 |
| 8 inch | $1,050.00 | $1,313.00 |
| 10 inch and larger | $1,300.00 | $1,625.00 |
New Meter Cost (Article A11(r))
| Meter Size | Cost |
|---|---|
| 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch | $350.00 |
| 1 inch | $528.00 |
| 1.5 inch | $965.00 |
| 2 inch | $1,130.00 |
| 3 inch Mag | $3,598.00 |
| 4 inch Mag | $3,860.00 |
| 8 inch compound | $9,000.00 |
Per resolved ZoneFee scope, this section covers developer-side one-time connection and meter charges only. Recurring monthly water base fees, water consumption rates, recycled water rates, wastewater rates, sanitation rates, and customer deposits (Article A11 sections s through x in the source document) are out of scope for this jurisdiction master and are not included here.
Special Districts and County Overlap
Buda sits within Hays County. The FY 2025 Fee Schedule includes a city-level PID/MUD/TIRZ Special District Application Fee of $25,000 (Article A4(yy)) but does not enumerate any sub-district WCID, MUD, or PID rate schedules adopted or republished by the City of Buda.
Specific Hays County WCID, MUD, or PID overlap with Buda city limits is not currently inventoried by ZoneFee. Within-district fees (if any) charged by overlapping WCIDs, MUDs, or PIDs are administered by each district board and are not on a verified Buda .gov source. Property owners or developers operating within a specifically-named special district should confirm applicable rates directly with the relevant district board or with Hays County.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| City of Buda Development Services | Zoning, plat, site plan, building permit, impact fees, utility connection fees | budatx.gov/297/Permits-Fees |
| City of Buda - Permits & Fees | Permits & Fees landing page (canonical FY 2025 Fee Schedule access) | budatx.gov/297/Permits-Fees |
| City of Buda Utilities | Water and wastewater connection (tap) fees, meter installation, recurring rates (out of ZoneFee scope) | budatx.gov |
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2024; 21 pages) | City of Buda, TX | 2026-05-05 |
| Permits & Fees landing page | City of Buda, TX | 2026-05-04 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-05-05. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the City of Buda before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from official City of Buda documents as of the last-verified date above. ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. Water and wastewater impact fees are codified in the FY 2025 Fee Schedule Article A4(aaa) and adopted by Ordinance 2017-12; Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 requires a 5-year update cycle. Buda does not currently have a codified roadway impact fee program (closed-search across the full 21-page FY 2025 Fee Schedule). Zoning, plat, and site plan application fees are from Article A4 of the same FY 2025 Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2024). Utility connection fees are from Article A11 sections (p), (q), and (r), adopted by Ordinance 2017-10 (Exhibit B). Recurring monthly retail water and wastewater service rates are out of ZoneFee scope (recurring operating costs are not development fees). Within-district WCID, MUD, or PID fees are administered by each district board and are not on a verified Buda .gov source. Verify all current rates with City of Buda Development Services or Utilities before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.