Palestinia Code Update Affects Commercial Permitting

CapRock Roofing & Construction, a veteran-owned contractor serving Palestine and the I-45 Corridor, has detailed the permitting steps required for commercial construction projects following the recent code update in Palestine. The city adopted the 2021 International Building Code, the 2021 International Fire Code, the 2021 International Existing Building Code, and the 2021 editions of the mechanical, plumbing, fuel gas, and property maintenance codes, along with the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code. The city’s Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously in February 2026 to adopt these codes with local amendments, excluding the 2021 energy code, and scheduled a public hearing for May 26, 2026.

For business owners, ranchers, and investors planning commercial construction in Anderson County and the surrounding region, these changes are a reminder that the permit process often shapes a project’s timeline as much as the construction itself. CapRock Roofing & Construction, founded in 2021 by owner Jeremy Waters, provides roof replacement, commercial roofing services, concrete slabs, land clearing and site preparation, and metal buildings and red iron shops for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers.

The company’s work often touches several phases of the same project, from clearing and grading a site to pouring a slab, erecting a metal building, and installing its roof.

The City of Palestine’s posted commercial building permit procedure separates new construction and additions from remodels and repairs. For new commercial construction and additions, the city’s procedure calls for a completed building permit application and a stamped, engineered site plan. This site plan must show property lines and public right-of-way, existing and proposed buildings, measurements from property lines and between buildings, existing and proposed easements, utility service lines, drainage and stormwater runoff calculations, driveway and parking locations, and required landscaping under the city’s Development Code.

Applicants are also asked for a detailed written narrative of the proposed work and a floor plan. Unless a pre-development meeting determines otherwise, the procedure calls for stamped drawings that include engineered foundation details, framing details, insulation details, and roofing details such as construction type, elevations, and surfaces. The city specifically notes that metal structures require a stamped design, a point that applies directly to the pre-engineered and red iron buildings common across East Texas.

Several additional items appear on the city’s list. An energy compliance report, such as COMcheck, is required for conditioned spaces in new construction. An asbestos survey is required for additions and remodels to commercial buildings and for demolitions. A commercial structure must sit on a single platted lot, and the city may require plat verification or a property survey to confirm property lines. Applications and supporting documents are submitted digitally to the permit office, and questions can be directed to Development Services at (903) 731-8435.

For remodels and repairs of existing commercial buildings, the procedure asks for a detailed narrative, an overall building plan, detailed drawings of the remodel, and an asbestos survey, with energy compliance documentation possibly required for conditioned spaces.

The state accessibility registration requirement, administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), applies to projects with a total estimated construction cost of $50,000 or more. For a project between $50,000 and $200,000, the published schedule lists a $175 project filing fee, a $250 plan review fee, and a $350 inspection fee when those services are performed by the department. Registered Accessibility Specialists set and collect their own fees for the reviews and inspections they perform. The rules also include a $300 late project filing fee for construction documents submitted after construction is complete.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulates stormwater discharges from construction activity through its Construction General Permit, TXR150000. The current version of the permit took effect March 5, 2023, and is scheduled to expire March 5, 2028. Under that permit, sites that disturb at least one acre but less than five acres are treated as small construction sites, and sites that disturb five acres or more are treated as large construction sites. A smaller disturbance can also fall under the permit when it is part of a larger common plan of development.

CapRock Roofing & Construction’s Palestine business address is 324 E. Palestine Ave., Suite D2, Palestine, TX 75801, and it can be reached at (903) 388-5633 or online at caprockroofingtx.com.