Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Valley, Alabama

Valley’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  A building or structure inside Valley city seeking connection to water, electricity, natural gas, sewerage, or telephone service.

  • The owner must present a valid building permit signed by the city clerk before the utility may connect service.
  • This evidence does not establish whether permits are required for every type of construction independently of utility connection.

  “shall not connect utilities to a building or structure until the property owner shall present a valid building permit”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories inside Valley city.

  • The adopted Valley Residential Code is the 2021 International Residential Code including Appendix.
  • The listed scope is limited to dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories with separate means of ingress and egress.

  adopted code edition: 2021 International Residential Code (Including Appendix.)

  “The council adopts as the Valley Residential Code the 2021 Edition of the International Residential Code, including Appendix”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and activities inside the corporate limits of the City of Valley, Alabama.

  • The cited provision addresses a fireworks-sales location and requires that location to meet all city zoning ordinances; it does not identify the applicable district or general use standards.

  “the location from which such fireworks are to be sold meets all city zoning ordinances”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  A mobile or manufactured home occupied as a dwelling inside Valley city and seeking utility service.

  • The owner or lessee must present a valid mobile-home permit signed by the city clerk before a public or private utility may connect, initiate, or furnish utility service.
  • The cited provision does not establish which zoning districts allow a manufactured home.

  “shall not connect utilities, begin service, turn on water, electricity or gas, or in any way furnish service to a mobile home or manufactured home”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Utility connection to a building or structure inside Valley city.

  • A utility may not connect water, electricity, natural gas, sewerage, or telephone service until the owner presents a valid building permit signed by the city clerk.
  • The provision does not require a new home to connect to public water or sewer when available.

  “shall not connect utilities to a building or structure until the property owner shall present a valid building permit”

• Permit processPartial

  Residential construction governed by the Valley Residential Code inside Valley city.

  • The ordinance states that the adopted code provides for issuance of permits and collection of fees.
  • The supplied official provision does not set out a complete application, review, inspection, or appeal process.

  “provide for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefore.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Valley city.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Valley city.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for structures inside Valley city.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Valley city.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Valley 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.