Life on the Lake in Horseshoe Bay | Rules & Stuff to Remember Posted

MAny owners of homes on the waters at Horseshoe Bay are unaware of restrictions that affect access and use of their waterfront, such as where they can moor and how they can enjoy their water.

Lake life at Horseshoe Bay appears hassle-free from the patio. Anchoring in the boat slip, watching the sunset cross Lake LBJ, possibly a serene cove and a golf cart parked in the driveway. What buyers don't always recognize is that owning waterfront here isn't a simple matter, either. It can involve ordinances, a POA, potentially another, smaller HOA within that POA, ACC design rules, and LCRA regulations that affect the lake itself.

That's important because the rule controlling your land is typically the most restrictive. Whether you purchase a lake house expecting to construct a dock, change the color of the exterior, rent it out on weekends, trim a shrub to maintain a waterfront view, or relocate a fence line closer to the water, all of these can cause you to be caught off guard quickly.

Here's what you need to look for before you purchase or before you begin making adjustments.

Homes in Horseshoe Bay are located within a POA and are subject to that POA's 
Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. There are some neighborhoods with a HOA and its CC&Rs to also keep you in line. Then there are local rules and ordinances enacted by the city, plus permits required by the city and Lake LCRA for water-centric properties.
That's the bad news. The good news is that it's kind of that way on purpose. There's a lot more going on here than you'd get in a typical lake community.

The real point here, however, is simply this, for a buyer: Don't stop at the seller's disclosure or even a brief reading of the MLS comments. Grab the subdivision docs, the ACC standards, the city regulations, and the standards for any associated waterfront use of the lot.

Changes to the outside must be approved before doing a thing.

Horseshoe Bay: Outside projects are not a "just hire a contractor and go" in Horseshoe Bay Custom Home Builder. Approvals are required for far more than new construction. In many parts of Horseshoe Bay, approval is necessary prior to disturbing ground or vegetation, and prior to enhancements such as additions, remodels, pool installs, irrigation, fences, retaining walls, exterior repaints, solar installations, boathouses, and boat slips.

This is confusing. People assume you need ACC review to build a custom home. You don't.

Questions to ask when shopping for an older waterfront home and considering updates:
Are the improvements being made to what was authorised?

Will the ACC require revisions to the submitted plans? – Remodel projects: Will the ACC require revisions to the submitted plans?

Are there any constraints for this section, in terms of material, color, height or design?
Will CITY need licenses after ACC approves?

Both steps matter. ACC approval does not exclude city permit, city permit does not exclude ACC restrictions.

Open expanses of docks, boathouses and shoreline improvements are not a free-for-all.
Living on the water is not a free-for-all. You do still have to get approval for boat docks and boathouses, and even structures at the lake need to follow safety standards outlined by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) for the Highland Lakes.

Here are the LCRA rules for Lake LBJ residential docks The LCRA states residential docks should be safe, secure, accessible and friendly to the environment, with adequate lighting, and it should be properly anchored and built at the appropriate distance from the shoreline. No LCRA permit is necessary for residential docks of 1,500 square feet or less. But that doesn't mean it can be built any way you want! No floating habitable structures.

That point bears looking at for just a moment. A dock is a dock. A floating, liveaboard is an entirely different thing, and it's not treated kindly by the rules.

LCRA has similar advice for docks on Lake LBJ, which all must be a specified distance from land. That becomes an issue in a drought when owners seek to reach out to deeper water. It may provide a solution to one problem, while causing two others if the vessel falls into a channel, encroaches on other property or becomes a safety issue in a flood.
It's a large problem to figure out a shoreline setback.

Many buyers pay attention to the house and practically ignore the lot diagram. When it's a waterfront lot, that can be a mistake.

The Horseshoe Bay declaration prohibits the construction of fences, walls and hedges within 30 feet of the 825 contour of Lake LBJ on specific communities. The same declaration states that there shall be no structure on a waterfront lot closer than 30 feet to the 825 contour unless approved by the committee with the exception of a dock or boathouse at or over the water.

It impacts more than just new homes. It can impact patios, accessory structures, storage and how you think about usable yard space along the lake.

Some homebuyers buy for the water views and discover later that their buildable envelope is less than they hoped.

Flood danger is genuine, even on Lake LBJ

When people hear "constant-level lake," they often think flood risks are minimal. That's not the case.

Burnet County states there is a permit for development within the floodplain including new construction, filling, grading, and paving. If the structure is substantially damaged or substantially improved and the cost of work is 50% or more of the structure's market value, it can trigger additional building requirements, similar to those for new construction. The county requires new and substantially improved structures in the floodplain to be freeboard.

Yes, a buyer should be looking at floodplain maps, elevation concerns and insurance requirements before closing. Not after the first really heavy rain. Basic homeowner's insurance doesn't cover flooding. That detail is overlooked more often than not.
Lake LBJ is also "race horses" in flood mode. LCRA cautions that fixed and recessed docks on pass through lakes like LBJ can be subject to debris impact and additional stress forces. Receding-water adjustments and flood protection come with the territory of owning a dock here.

Short-term rentals are regulated in the city

To many buyers, the first thought when they see the water is 24/7/365 family holidays, part-time usage - and rent when I am out of town. Well, that plan deserves a rules check.
Horseshoe Bay, Texas: City-owned golf courses short-term rentals permit Separate Short-Term Rental (STR) Permitting applications are required for each STR, registration fee is $600, fee is nontransferable, and the STR owner or an authorized representative should be reachable within 1 hour of a complaint. The city has warned that unregistered properties could face daily fines.

And then the second layer. Even if the city permits a STR with a license, the POA or HOA for that neighborhood might be more restrictive. This occurs constantly in resort markets. The buyer who is looking for flexibility should check for written rental limitations before closing, rather than what "generally happens" in the neighborhood.