§ 33.203 — DEFINITIONS.

Texas § 33.203

• Jurisdiction: Texas
• Code NR: Natural Resources Code

Text

Sec. 33.203. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coastal natural resource areas" means:
(A) coastal barriers;
(B) coastal historic areas;
(C) coastal preserves;
(D) coastal shore areas;
(E) coastal wetlands;
(F) critical dune areas;
(G) critical erosion areas;
(H) gulf beaches;
(I) hard substrate reefs;
(J) oyster reefs;
(K) submerged land;
(L) special hazard areas;
(M) submerged aquatic vegetation;
(N) tidal sand or mud flats;
(O) water of the open Gulf of Mexico; and
(P) water under tidal influence.
(2) "Coastal barrier" means an undeveloped area on a barrier island, peninsula, or other protected area, as designated by United States Fish and Wildlife Service maps.
(3) "Coastal historic area" means a site that is specially identified in rules adopted by the Texas Historical Commission or the Antiquities Committee as being coastal in character and that is:
(A) a site on the National Register of Historic Places, designated under 16 U.S.C. Section 470a and 36 CFR Part 63, Chapter 1 ; or
(B) a state archaeological landmark, as defined by Subchapter D , Chapter 191 .
(4) "Coastal preserve" means any land, including a park or wildlife management area, that is owned by the state and that is:
(A) subject to Chapter 26 , Parks and Wildlife Code, because it is a park, recreation area, scientific area, wildlife refuge, or historic site; and
(B) designated by the Parks and Wildlife Commission as being coastal in character.
(5) "Coastal shore area" means an area within 100 feet landward of the highwater mark on submerged land.
(6) "Coastal waters" means waters under tidal influence and waters of the open Gulf of Mexico.
(7) "Coastal wetlands" means wetlands, as the term is defined by Section 11.502 , Water Code, located:
(A) seaward of the coastal facility designation line established by rules adopted under Chapter 40;
(B) within rivers and streams, to the extent of tidal influence, as shown on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's stream segment maps, excluding the portion of the Trinity River located in Liberty County;
(C) within one mile of the mean high tide of the portion of river and stream described by Paragraph (B), except as provided by Paragraphs (D) and (E);
(D) in the case of wetlands bordering the portion of the Trinity River to which Paragraph (B) applies:
(i) within the area located between the mean high tide line on the western shoreline of that portion of the river and Farm-to-Market Road 565 and Farm-to-Market Road 1409; or
(ii) within the area located between the mean high tide line on the eastern shoreline of that portion of the river and Farm-to-Market Road 563; or
(E) in the case of wetlands bordering the portion of the Neches River described by Paragraph (B):
(i) within one mile from the mean high tide line of the western shoreline of that portion of the river described by Paragraph (B); or
(ii) within the area located between the mean high tide line on the eastern shoreline of that portion of the river and Farm-to-Market Road 105.
(8) "Critical area" means a coastal wetland, an oyster reef, a hard substrate reef, submerged aquatic vegetation, or a tidal sand or mud flat.
(9) "Critical dune area" means a protected sand dune complex on the Gulf shoreline within 1,000 feet of mean high tide designated by the land commissioner under Section 63.121 .
(10) "Critical erosion area" has the meaning assigned to the term "critical coastal erosion area" by Section 33.601 (4).
(11) "Gulf beach" means a beach bordering the Gulf of Mexico that is:
(A) located inland from the mean low tide line to the natural line of vegetation bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico; or
(B) part of a contiguous beach area to which the public has a right of use or easement:
(i) continuously held by the public; or
(ii) acquired by the public by prescription, dedication, or estoppel.
(12) "Hard substrate reef" means a naturally occurring hard substrate formation, including a rock outcrop or serpulid worm reef, living or dead, in an intertidal or subtidal area.
(13) "Oyster reef" means a natural or artificial formation that is:
(A) composed of oyster shell, live oysters, and other living or dead organisms;
(B) discrete, contiguous, and clearly distinguishable from scattered oyster shell or oysters; and
(C) located in an intertidal or subtidal area.
(14) "Special hazard area" means an area designated under 42 U.S.C. Section 4001 et seq. as having special flood, mudslide or mudflow, or flood-related erosion hazards and shown on a flood hazard boundary map or flood insurance rate map as Zone A, AO, A1-30, AE, A99, AH, VO, V1-30, VE, V, M, or E.
(15) "Submerged land" means land located under waters under tidal influence or under waters of the open Gulf of Mexico, without regard to whether the land is owned by the state or a person other than the state.
(16) "Submerged aquatic vegetation" means rooted aquatic vegetation growing in permanently inundated areas in estuarine and marine systems.
(17) "Tidal sand or mud flat" means a silt, clay, or sand substrate, without regard to whether it is vegetated by algal mats, that occur in intertidal areas and that are regularly or intermittently exposed and flooded by tides, including tides induced by weather.
(18) "Water of the open Gulf of Mexico" means water in this state, as defined by Section 26.001 (5), Water Code, that is part of the open water of the Gulf of Mexico and that is within the territorial limits of the state.
(19) "Water under tidal influence" means water in this state, as defined by Section 26.001 (5), Water Code, that is subject to tidal influence according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's stream segment map. The term includes coastal wetlands.
(20) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 96, Sec. 19(3), eff. September 1, 2011.
(21) "Agency or subdivision" means any state agency, department, board, or commission or political subdivision of the state.
(22) "Coastal management program " means an ongoing, comprehensive program containing the elements required for approval of a program under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. Section 1451 et seq.) that is designed to coordinate agencies' management of activities that may adversely affect coastal natural resource areas for the purpose of continually making management of those activities more efficient and effective.
(23) "Agency or subdivision action" means an action described by Section 33.2051 or 33.2053 .
(24) "Federal agency activity" means a function performed by or for a federal agency in the exercise of its statutory responsibility, including financial assistance, the planning, construction, modification, or removal of a public work, facility, or any other structure, and the acquisition, use, or disposal of land or water resources. The term does not include the issuance of a federal license or permit.
(25) "Federal agency action" means a license or permit that a federal agency may issue that represents the proposed federal authorization, approval, or certification needed by the applicant to begin an activity.
(26) "Proposed action" means an agency or subdivision action under consideration by the agency or subdivision, but with respect to which the agency or subdivision has not made a final decision.
(27) "Outer continental shelf plan" means a plan for the exploration or development of, or production from, an area leased under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. Section 1331 et seq.) and the rules adopted under that Act that is submitted to the secretary of the United States Department of the Interior after federal approval of the coastal management program.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 1991, ch. 785, Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 1979. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 295, Sec. 37, eff. June 7, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 11.264, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 416, Sec. 4, eff. June 8, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 396, Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 508, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 70, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 96 (S.B. 656 ), Sec. 19(3), eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 986 (S.B. 766 ), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2025.