FAQs & Helpful Links
Commercial Development
A site plan, drainage plan and detention volume calculations prepared by a Texas Licensed Professional Engineer will be required for all commercial building permits. Please call or visit the Engineering Department for a complete list of requirements and additional information.
If the driveway or sidewalk to be installed is on a State Road, you will apply for a permit with TxDOT. Permits for driveways or sidewalks on City Streets may be acquired with the Public Works Department located at 1015 E. Ferguson Ave (FM 495), Pharr, TX. Driveways and sidewalks must comply with and be built to meet City of Pharr standards (City Streets) and TxDOT standards (State Roads).
FEMA Flood Zones
You can call the City’s Engineering Department or go to www.Floodsmart.gov and fill out the Flood Risk Profile to find your flood zone and risk.
Flood zones are land areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each flood zone describes that land area in terms of its risk of flooding. Everyone lives in a flood zone–it’s just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high risk area.
A FIRM is a map created by the NFIP for floodplain management and insurance purposes. Digital versions of these maps are called DFIRMs. A FIRM will generally show a community’s base flood elevations, flood zones, and floodplain boundaries. As a property owner/renter, you can use this map to get a reliable indication of what flood zone you’re in. However, maps are constantly being updated due to changes in geography, construction and mitigation activities, and meteorological events. Therefore, for a truly accurate determination, contact your insurance agent or company, or your community floodplain manager.
Speed Cushions
Complete the Speed Cushion PDF and submit it to the Engineering department for review.
For a speed bump request to be eligible the street segment must meet the following criteria:
- The street segment must be primarily a public residential street that provides direct access to abutting low-density residential properties.
- The street segment must have only one moving lane of traffic in each direction of travel.
- The street segment must be classified as Local in the City’s Thoroughfare Plan.
- The street segment must have a posted or prima facie speed not exceeding 30 miles per hour.
- Measured vehicle speeds must be at least 35 miles per hour as determined by the 85th percentile speed.
If the request is eligible, a speed study will be conducted.
If the speed study determines there is a need for a speed cushion, signatures from the surrounding affected residents will be needed. The Engineering department will provide a list of these residents. Gathering signatures before the speed study is NOT recommended.
The Engineering department will contact the requester with the status of the request.
Internships
The Engineering department Internship is a great hands-on learning opportunity for students with an interest in Civil Engineering. Interns will learn about Project Management, Construction, Design and GIS. Internships usually last about 3 – 4 weeks, or until students reach the number of hours assigned by their school.
Complete the following PDF and submit to the Engineering department for review.
How to become a Civil Engineer?
