How To Improve A Development Rezone Change
Updated: 6 hours ago
Why Choose JRH Engineering
Why Developers, Contractors & Property Owners Choose JRH
Most engineering firms talk about technical capability.
We focus on what actually matters to your project: speed, cost, communication, and results.
Faster Project Turnaround
Our streamlined processes and efficient team structure mean shorter design and permitting timelines — without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
Clear & Responsive Communication
You work directly with engineers who keep you informed.
No long delays or unanswered emails — just straightforward updates and quick responses.
Proven Results Across Three States
We have successfully delivered civil, structural, and land development projects for developers, contractors, and owners throughout Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.
Check out JRH’s case studies.
Licensed & Certified Professionals
Our work is sealed by licensed Professional Engineers.
JRH Engineering is also a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB / WBE) and HUB eligible.
Why Drainage Comes Up at Every Rezoning Hearing
At planning and zoning hearings, neighbors often ask whether a new development will make flooding worse.
Since Hurricane Harvey, that concern is understandable across the Houston region.
A clear drainage plan, explained early and plainly, often moves a rezone request forward.
Jennifer Henrichs, President of JRH Engineering, serves on a city Planning and Zoning Commission and has also served on a Drainage Bond Committee.
That view from both sides of the table shapes how JRH approaches drainage for new development.
JRH Engineering is a Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer and Land Development firm serving Texas, North Carolina and Florida.
JRH guiding principles are: Engineering Excellence. Delivered on Time. Built on Value.
Why Older Neighborhoods Flood
Many established neighborhoods were built before today’s drainage rules. Common issues include:
Storm sewers sized for smaller storms
Homes with finished floors below today’s FEMA base flood elevations
Little or no detention pond storage
Cities have more drainage needs than funding, so fixes take time.
Rainfall Estimates Have Changed
NOAA Atlas 14 updated Texas rainfall estimates.
In parts of the Houston area, the 100-year, 24-hour storm rose from about 13 inches to roughly 17 inches.
New development is designed to the updated numbers; many older systems were not.
How New Development Drainage Protects Neighbors
Detention ponds: store runoff and release it through a restrictor at or below the site’s undeveloped rate
Local criteria: Houston’s IDMS-2025-01 sets detention pond volumes of 0.8 acre-feet per acre for many non-single-family tracts of 20 acres or less
Overflow paths: streets and swales carry extreme storms without sending water into homes
Finished floor elevations: set above required flood levels
No adverse impact: Texas Water Code Section 11.086 prohibits diverting water onto another property in a way that damages it
Building Trust at the Hearing
Meet with HOAs and neighbors before the public hearing.
Show where water goes today and where it will go after development.
Explain the detention pond and outfall in simple terms.
Project: Martha’s Vineyard Section 2, Alvin, TX
103-lot residential neighborhood in Alvin, Brazoria County
Read the full Martha’s Vineyard Section 2 case study
Challenges
Section 2 had to tie into Section 1’s approved infrastructure
New major drainage structures would have added cost and approvals
Objectives
Extend Section 1’s systems to serve Section 2.
Keep the second phase moving.
Solutions JRH Engineering Provided
Civil engineering and land development design for the 103-lot section
The 100-year overflow path extended along Section 1 roadways
Coordination with the MUD engineer
Results:
No new major drainage structures required
Section 2 approvals supported by Section 1’s approved infrastructure
Drainage Resources for Texas, North Carolina and Florida
Texas
See Houston IDMS-2025-01 and NOAA Atlas 14.
North Carolina
See G.S. 113A-57.
Florida
See FDEP’s Environmental Resource Permitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a new development make my neighborhood flood?
New development is designed to hold runoff and release it at or below undeveloped rates.
What does a detention pond do?
It stores stormwater and releases it slowly through a restrictor.
Why do older neighborhoods flood more?
Many were built before current drainage rules and rainfall estimates.
What is NOAA Atlas 14?
NOAA’s updated rainfall estimates used to size drainage systems.
Can a developer drain onto a neighbor’s property in Texas?
Not in a way that damages it; Texas Water Code Section 11.086 prohibits that.
Does JRH Engineering obtain building permits?
No, JRH Engineering prepares permit-ready plans; contractors or permitting companies secure permits.
Want More Information on this Topic?
Call JRH Engineering at (800) 227-9635
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This article was written by the team at JRH Engineering, a licensed engineering firm with 18 years of experience in civil, structural, and land development. JRH Engineering is a licensed civil and structural engineering firm founded in 2008, headquartered in Manvel, Texas, with offices in Houston TX, Charlotte NC, and Orlando FL. Certified WBE, WOSB, and HUB-eligible. Phone: (800) 227-9635 | sales@jrhengineering.net | jrhengineering.net. Texas PE license is F-10385. North Carolina PE license is P-3118. Florida license is 38516.
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