Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Centreville, Alabama

Centreville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential and commercial construction inside Centreville city limits.

  • Major renovations, remodeling, additions, and swimming-pool additions require a permit.
  • Historic-district changes have a specific procedure before permit issuance.
  • Contractors performing these projects must be licensed.

  “A Building Permit is required for all residential or commercial construction. Major renovations, remodeling, add on construction, and swimming pool additions require a permit.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings, structures, or land erected, moved, or altered inside Centreville city limits.

  • The Building Inspector makes the final inspection within five working days after the owner or agent notifies the Inspector that the building or premises is ready for occupancy or use.
  • The inspection determines conformity with the zoning ordinance.

  inspection deadline after notice: <= 5 working days (After the owner or agent notifies the Building Inspector that the building or premises is ready for occupancy or use.)

  “Within five (5) working days after the owner or his agent has notified the Building Inspector that a building or premises or part thereof is ready for occupancy or use, it shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to make a final inspection thereof, and to issue a Certificate of Final Inspection if the building or premises or part thereof is found in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance, and to stating any refusal and cause in writing.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Centreville city limits, Bibb County, Alabama.

  • The ordinance is titled the 2014 Zoning Ordinance and incorporates the City zoning map.
  • The ordinance states its regulations apply unless pre-empted, overridden, or in conflict with state or federal law, statute, code, or regulation.

  “Pursuant to the authority granted by Code of Alabama (1975) §11-52-1, the Council of the City of Centreville, Alabama, hereby repeals the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Centreville, Ala., Articles I thru VIII (June 2, 1981) and enacts this Zoning Ordinance of the City of Centreville, Articles I thru XXIII (May 20, 2014) as set out herein.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured or mobile homes in the R2 Residential District inside Centreville city limits.

  • Only one structure may be located on each lot.
  • All lot and yard restrictions applying to single-family homes must be met.
  • A manufactured or mobile home added to a residential site requires an additional 4,000-square-foot minimum lot area.

  additional minimum lot size for added manufactured or mobile home: 4000 square feet (In addition to the minimum lot size for the principal residence.)

  “Manufactured or Mobile Homes, provided that only one structure is located on each lot and that all lot and yard restrictions applying to single family homes are met (Article IX).”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  A single-family dwelling with one attached or detached apartment unit in the R2 Residential District inside Centreville city limits.

  • All lot and yard restrictions applying to duplex units and manufactured or mobile homes must be met.

  “Single family dwelling with one attached or detached apartment unit or one manufactured or mobile home unit provided that all lot and yard restrictions applying to duplex units and manufactured or mobile homes are met.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Septic sanitation serving manufactured-housing or mobile-home parks inside Centreville city limits.

  • A septic-system alternative must be approved by the County Health Department.

  “All home sites shall be adequately serviced by individually metered water and sanitary sewer lines or a septic system approved by the County Health Department.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Manufactured-housing or mobile-home parks inside Centreville city limits.

  • Every home site must have individually metered water and sanitary-sewer lines, unless served by a septic system approved by the County Health Department.

  “All home sites shall be adequately serviced by individually metered water and sanitary sewer lines or a septic system approved by the County Health Department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats inside Centreville city limits.

  • Each preliminary plat is presented to the Zoning Administrator for approval.
  • The ordinance specifies preliminary-plat contents, plans and profiles, and final-plat requirements.

  “Each Preliminary Plat presented to the Zoning Administrator for approval shall contain the following information:”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Home sites in manufactured-housing or mobile-home parks inside Centreville city limits.

  • The requirement applies to all home sites in the park.

  minimum all-weather surfaced driveway width: >= 18 feet

  “All home sites shall abut upon an all-weather surfaced driveway of at least eighteen (18) feet in width.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-related building-permit applications inside Centreville city limits.

  • The Mayor or Zoning Administrator must approve applications for building, constructing, or altering before building-permit issuance for zoning compliance.
  • Residential site plans must include the information required in §19.5; commercial site plans must include the information required in §19.6.
  • No permit is issued unless plans, specifications, and intended use conform to the ordinance, and prescribed fees are paid.

  “The Mayor or Zoning Administrator shall approve all applications for building, constructing, or altering any building, structure, or use prior to the issuance of a building permit for compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside Centreville

Centreville does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the RR Rural Residential District inside Centreville city limits.

  • Subject to the zoning ordinance's general exceptions for lots of record.

  minimum lot area: 22500 square feet

  “RR None 22,500 22,500 100 45 40 20 15 30”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in the RR Rural Residential District inside Centreville city limits.

  • Street-side yards must correspond to front-yard ordinances on adjoining lots or be 25 feet, whichever is greater.
  • A reduced-front-yard exception applies where the specified developed-front-yard conditions are met.

  front yard: 40 feet · rear yard: 20 feet · interior side yard: 15 feet · street side yard: 30 feet

  “RR None 22,500 22,500 100 45 40 20 15 30”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems serving manufactured-housing or mobile-home parks inside Centreville city limits.

  • The City ordinance permits a septic-system alternative only when approved by the County Health Department.
  • This source does not establish the authority for all other onsite systems in the city.

  “All home sites shall be adequately serviced by individually metered water and sanitary sewer lines or a septic system approved by the County Health Department.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Centreville or Bibb County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Centreville city limits.
• Building code adopted — Buildings inside Centreville city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Centreville city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Centreville city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Centreville city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.