Land use
Unincorporated Bell County has no zoning – what that means for buyers
Outside Bell County city limits, there is no zoning, so neighbors can run livestock operations, small businesses, or other uses without getting county approval.
If your property is outside the city limits of Killeen, Temple, Belton, Harker Heights, or any other Bell County city, you are in unincorporated territory. Bell County does not have zoning rules there. Your neighbor could run a livestock operation, open a small business, or use the land in ways you did not expect — all without a zoning permit. Private deed restrictions, if your neighborhood has them, are a separate contract matter between property owners. They are not enforced by the county.
Bell County does control how land is divided and sold. The county updated its Subdivision Regulations in December 2024. Any time a property is split into a tract under ten acres, a plat — an official map filed with the county — is required. Subdivisions must meet road frontage and other engineering standards set by the Bell County Engineer.
If your land is inside a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ — the buffer zone a city claims outside its actual limits — rules are different. The city also reviews plats in that zone. Killeen has a five-mile ETJ, Temple about 3.5 miles, and Belton about one mile. Check bellcountytx.com before buying or building near any of those cities.
Source to confirm: Bell County – Subdivision Regulations