Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Greenville, Alabama

Greenville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Greenville city limits

  • Alteration requires permit only if cost exceeds $500; repairs not changing character of structure excepted
  • Permit invalid if work not commenced within 6 months or suspended 1 year

  “it shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for or the construction of any building or other structure, including accessory structures and signs,”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction within Greenville city corporate limits

  • All appendices excluded
  • 2015 IRC excludes Section R313.2 automated fire sprinkler system for single-family dwellings
  • Also 2015 IBC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, Existing Building Code, NFPA 101, NEC

  “2015 international building code, except all appendices.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of lots and new or altered buildings inside Greenville city

  • No CO unless lot/building complies with the zoning ordinance
  • Septic installation must be approved by county health officer before backfilling where required

  “a certificate of occupancy issued by the building inspector is required in advance of the use or occupancy of:”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Greenville city limits

  • Administered by the planning commission; building inspector is zoning administrator.

  “it shall be the duty of the building inspector and he is hereby given the authority to administer and enforce the provisions of this ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts R-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-TH, C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2 inside Greenville city

  • Official zoning map not opened

  “the city of greenville, alabama, is hereby divided into eleven (11) zones or districts, designated as follows: r-a residential-agricultural district r-1 low-density residential district r-2 medium-density residential district r-3 high-density (multifamily) residential district r-4 high-density (general) residential district r-th residential townhouse/patio-garden home district c-1 neighborhood commercial district c-2 general commercial district c-3 highway commercial district m-1 light industrial district m-2 general industrial district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 residential district, inside Greenville city

  • For lots not served by public sewer, Butler County Health Department may specify larger lot size

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 90 ft

  “r-1 10,000 1 10,000 90 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-A residential-agricultural district, inside Greenville city

    “r-a 12,000 1 12,000 100 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 district, inside Greenville city

  • Front setback measured from street right-of-way
  • Averaging and corner-lot adjustments in Sec. 1102, never under 15 ft

  front yard, major street: >= 35 ft · front yard, other streets: >= 35 ft · side yard: 10 ft each with total of 25 ft

  “r-1 10,000 1 10,000 90 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-A district, inside Greenville city

    “r-a 12,000 1 12,000 100 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 district, inside Greenville city

  maximum height: <= 35 ft

  “r-1 10,000 1 10,000 90 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-A district, inside Greenville city

    “r-a 12,000 1 12,000 100 35 35 10 with a total of 25 35”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers/RVs on residential lots inside Greenville city

  • Max one travel trailer per dwelling unit stored on premises
  • Not serviced by utilities
  • Travel trailer parks are a permitted use in C-3 Highway Commercial (603.23)
  • Chapter 11 mobile home rules do not apply to RVs; in mobile home parks RVs park in a separate designated area

  “provided that no more than one (1) travel trailer per dwelling unit shall be stored on the premises; and further provided that said travel trailer shall not be serviced by utilities and shall not be temporarily or permanently occupied as a dwelling unit;”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile/manufactured homes on single lots or in parks inside Greenville city

  • Mobile home parks only in districts where zoning ordinance provides
  • Park requires permit with planning commission, building inspector and health officer approval
  • Unit without independent testing lab seal is subject to inspection like other structures

  “mobile homes placed on a single lot or in a mobile home park shall comply with the city's building code.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Building permit applications inside Greenville city where public sewer is unavailable

  • Only when public sewerage is not available
  • Certificate is a building-permit application requirement; a separate health department permit was not verified

  “(h) a certificate from the butler county health department approving the proposed location of the septic tank and field lines, provided public sewerage is not available;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats and development plans inside Greenville city

  • Reviewed by the Planning Commission under Appendix B

  “no subdivision plat of land within the subdivision jurisdiction, as defined in article ii, shall be filed or recorded until it shall have been submitted to and approved by the planning commission of the city,”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Greenville city

  • Plans must show lot dimensions, building size/height/location, setbacks, parking
  • Certificate from waterworks and sewer board and, absent public sewer, county health department
  • Rejection stated in writing

  “if the application is rejected, the building inspector will state in writing on the application the reason for rejection.”

Rules another office applies inside Greenville

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic tank and field line location inside Greenville city where public sewerage is unavailable

  • Applies only where public sewerage is not available

  “(h) a certificate from the butler county health department approving the proposed location of the septic tank and field lines, provided public sewerage is not available;”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic installations inside Greenville city when required

  • Written approval must be presented to building inspector before certificate of occupancy

  “the installation of the septic tanks and field lines, when said facilities are required, shall be approved by the county health officer before backfilling. written approval of said installation shall then be presented to the building inspector before a certificate of occupancy may be issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Greenville city
• Inspections — Inspections inside Greenville city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Greenville city
• Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Greenville city
• Camping on your land — Camping on private land inside Greenville city

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.