Unincorporated Ellis County has no zoning — but it has some rules

Texas counties cannot zone land the way cities do. In rural Ellis County — outside city limits — there are no residential or commercial zone labels. That means your neighbor could open a business near your property without asking anyone first.

But the county still has rules. It controls how land is divided. It sets standards for roads and drainage. Septic permits are required. These are called OSSF permits. The county's subdivision rules apply to new developments. There is one more thing to know. A city's ETJ is the zone just outside city limits where the city can set rules before it annexes land. If your property sits in a city's ETJ, that city's rules may apply to you too. Check with the Ellis County Department of Development and the nearest city before you assume your land has no rules at all.