Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Jemison, Alabama

Jemison’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings, signs, and other structures erected, moved, extended, enlarged, or structurally altered inside Jemison city limits.

  • The Building Inspector must issue the permit.
  • The Zoning Officer must first certify conformance with the zoning ordinance and Design and Construction Specifications through Zoning Approval.
  • A permit expires if construction above foundation walls or other foundation support has not commenced within six months; it also expires on sale or transfer to a new owner or a change in building contractor.

  permit commencement deadline: 6 months (Construction work must have commenced above foundation walls or other foundation support.)

  “No building, sign or other structure shall be erected, moved, extended, enlarged, or otherwise structurally altered until the Building Inspector has issued a Building Permit for such work.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted buildings or premises inside Jemison city limits when ready for occupancy or use.

  • The owner or agent must notify the Building Inspector that the building or premises is ready for occupancy or use.
  • Within three days after notice, the Building Inspector, Zoning Officer, and any other appropriate City authority must make the final inspection.
  • The building or premises must conform to the listed zoning, building-code, specifications, application, and rezoning conditions.

  final inspection timing: <= 3 days (Measured after owner or agent notifies the Building Inspector that the building or premises is ready for occupancy or use.)

  “Within three days after the owner or his agent has notified the Building Inspector that such building or premises or part thereof is ready for occupancy or use, it shall be the duty of the Building Inspector, the Zoning Officer, and any other appropriate authority of the City to make a final inspection thereof, and to jointly issue a Certificate of Occupancy for the building, premises or part thereof found to conform to:”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, and structures erected, moved, or altered after issuance of a building permit inside Jemison city limits.

  • The City Building Inspector must issue the certificate.
  • The land, building, structure, or part must conform to the zoning ordinance, City Building Code, and Design and Construction Specifications.

  “No land, building or other structure or part thereof hereafter erected, moved, or altered following issuance of a Building Permit shall be occupied or utilized until the Building Inspector of the City shall have issued a Certificate of Occupancy stating that such land, building, structure or part thereof is found to be in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance, City of Jemison Building Code, and the Design and Construction Specifications.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Jemison city limits.

  • Uses and development must conform to the applicable regulations for the zone in which they are located.
  • Annexed land is initially classified CU until the City assigns a final zoning classification.

  “No building, structure, or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure, or part thereof shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered except in conformity with all of the applicable regulations of this Ordinance for the Zone in which it is located except as otherwise provided herein.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Jemison city limits.

  • District boundaries are delineated on the official Zoning Map retained at Jemison City Hall.
  • Map notations, references, revisions, certifications, and other information are part of the ordinance.

  “The boundaries of each zoning district are delineated on the Zoning Map(s) of the City of Jemison, Alabama, hereinafter referred to as the “Zoning Map”. Said map(s) and all notations, references, revisions, certifications and other information shown thereon shall be considered a part of this Ordinance and shall carry the same force and effect as if fully described therein. Said map(s) shall be retained in the Jemison City Hall.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Future development and subdivision review inside Jemison city limits.

  • Future development must accord with applicable City of Jemison Subdivision Regulations and Design and Construction Specifications.
  • The Council establishes or modifies fees; subdivision review fees are non-refundable, with the listed fee exemptions.

  “All future development of land, buildings, and structures shall further be in accordance with the applicable provisions of the City of Jemison Subdivision Regulations and the City of Jemison Design and Construction Specifications.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Procedures, permits, and applications required under the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and Design and Construction Specifications inside Jemison city limits.

  • Fees and charges are established or modified by the Council.
  • Fees are non-refundable and not conditioned on or related to action on the application.
  • Churches, City properties, projects funded entirely by the City, and the hearing process for assigning initial zoning to annexed properties are exempt from zoning fees.

  “The Council shall, from time to time, establish or modify fees for the following procedures, permits, and/or applications as required by this Ordinance, the Subdivision Regulations and the Design and Construction Specifications.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning approval applications supporting construction inside Jemison city limits.

  • Applications must be filed in writing at Jemison City Hall.
  • A Development Plan must include the listed property, owner, use, dimensioned drawing, water-supply, sewage-disposal, and other required information.
  • Zoning Approval expires 90 days after issuance.

  zoning approval expiration: 90 days (From issuance of approval.)

  “Each application for a Zoning Approval shall be filed in written format at the Jemison City Hall, and shall include a Development Plan with the following requirements:”

Rules another office applies inside Jemison

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the RE Estate Single Family Zone inside Jemison city limits.

  • Subject to applicable Article 5 General Requirements and Article 7 Supplemental Use Regulations.

  one-story minimum floor area: >= 2000 square feet · two-story first-floor minimum area: >= 1600 square feet · two-story total minimum area: >= 2600 square feet

  “Minimum Floor Area 2,000 Sf For One-Story Dwellings Or 1,600 Sf (First Floor) And 2,600 Sf Total For Two-Story Dwellings”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residences in the AG Agricultural Zone inside Jemison city limits.

    “The following regulations govern lot area, setbacks, building size, and density, as subject to the applicable provisions of Article 5: General Requirements and Article 7: Supplemental Use Regulations. | Maximum Building Height | 2 stories | Minimum Floor Area (Residence) | 1100 sf”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the AG Agricultural Zone inside Jemison city limits.

  • Subject to applicable Article 5 General Requirements and Article 7 Supplemental Use Regulations.

  minimum lot size: >= 10 acres

  “Minimum Floor Area (Residence) | 1100 sf | Minimum Lot Size | 10 acres or more | Minimum Lot Width | 200 ft”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the AG Agricultural Zone inside Jemison city limits.

  • Subject to applicable Article 5 General Requirements and Article 7 Supplemental Use Regulations.

  maximum impervious-surface coverage: <= 30 percent

  “Maximum Lot Coverage (Impervious Surfaces) 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the RE Estate Single Family Zone inside Jemison city limits.

    “Maximum Lot Coverage (Impervious Surfaces) 30%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the AG Agricultural Zone inside Jemison city limits.

  • Subject to applicable Article 5 General Requirements and Article 7 Supplemental Use Regulations.

  maximum building height: <= 2 stories

  “The following regulations govern lot area, setbacks, building size, and density, as subject to the applicable provisions of Article 5: General Requirements and Article 7: Supplemental Use Regulations. | Maximum Building Height | 2 stories”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the RE Estate Single Family Zone inside Jemison city limits.

    “The following regulations govern lot area, setbacks, building size, and density, as subject to the applicable provisions of Article 5: General Requirements and Article 7: Supplemental Use Regulations. | Maximum Building Height | 2 Stories”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Jemison city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Jemison city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Jemison city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Jemison city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Jemison 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.