Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ashville, Alabama

Ashville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New buildings or homes, remodeling, HVAC repair, electrical repair, and plumbing repair inside Ashville city limits.

  • Permit must be purchased through City Hall.

  “If you are constructing a new building or home, remodeling an existing structure, repairing HVAC, Electrical or Plumbing you must purchase a permit thru City Hall.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  A homeowner obtaining a building permit for work inside Ashville city limits.

  • The homeowner must attach an affidavit from the Alabama Homebuilders’ Licensure Board to the permit application.

  “IF HOMEOWNER OBTAINING PERMIT, ATTACH AFFIDAVIT FROM ALABAMA HOMEBUILDERS’ LICENSURE BOARD”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Ashville city limits.

  • Grandfathered homes must comply with current zoning regulations when changed, including removal of an old mobile home or destruction of the current home.

  “The City of Ashville adopted a zoning ordinance in 2000. While a lot of homes are grandfathered in, once you change something (i.e. pull out an old mobile home, your current home is destroyed, etc.) you must adhere to the zoning ordinance and current regulations.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Ashville city limits.

  • The City warns that its online list is not a complete list of ordinances and directs residents to confirm restrictions with City Hall.
  • The posted 2017 amendment identifies R-E, R-1, and R-1 MH residential districts.

  “Article VIII, Section 80.00 “Single Family Residential Estate District (R-E)” within the Residential Districts of the Zoning Ordinance; Article VIII, Section 81.00 “Single Family Residential District (R-1)” within the Residential Districts of the Zoning Ordinance; Article VIII, Section 82.00 “Single Family Residential and Mobile Home District (R1-MH)” within the Residential Districts of the Zoning Ordinance”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Purchase and placement of a new mobile home inside Ashville city limits.

  • A mobile-home permit must be purchased through City Hall.
  • Applicant must confirm with City Hall that the property allows mobile homes before purchase.

  mobile home permit fee: 150 USD

  “If you are purchasing a new mobile home, you must purchase a mobile home permit thru City Hall. The permit is available below and the fee is $150.00. Please contact City Hall to confirm that your property allows mobile homes before purchasing a mobile home.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Use of an on-site septic tank for construction inside Ashville city limits.

  • Applicant must determine whether the property will use sewer or septic.
  • If using septic, applicant must obtain a septic-tank approval letter from the St. Clair County Health Department.

  “Applicant must determine if the property will be on the sewer system or by septic tank. If septic tank, you must obtain a letter of approval for a septic tank from the St. Clair County Health Department (205) 338-3357.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Project site plans and construction plans for land development inside Ashville city limits.

  • Plans must be consistent with the City's zoning and subdivision regulations and applicable State Law.
  • Two copies must be delivered to City Hall for Building Inspector review and signed approval before construction.

  plan copies: 2 copies

  “All project site plans and construction plans must be consistent with the zoning and subdivision regulations of the City of Ashville and applicable State Law. TWO (2) copies must be delivered to City Hall for the Building Inspector's review and signed approval prior to ANY CONSTRUCTION OF ANY TYPE OR FORM.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  A driveway pipe needed for a project inside Ashville city limits.

  • Diameter must be approved by the Building Inspector before installation.

  “IF DRIVEWAY PIPE IS NEEDED, THE DIAMETER MUST BE APPROVED BY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR PRIOR TO INSTALLATION.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land development and construction requiring City review inside Ashville city limits.

  • Contact the Building Inspector’s office before construction.
  • For septic, obtain approval from the St. Clair County Health Department.
  • Submit two copies of site and construction plans to City Hall for Building Inspector review and signed approval before construction.
  • Starting construction before receipt of a permit may result in additional fees, expenses, or denial of permits.
  • Permits are valid one year from issuance unless otherwise specifically stated and approved.

  plan copies: 2 copies · permit validity: 1 year (unless otherwise specifically stated and approved)

  “TWO (2) copies must be delivered to City Hall for the Building Inspector's review and signed approval prior to ANY CONSTRUCTION OF ANY TYPE OR FORM. IF CONSTRUCTION STARTS PRIOR TO RECEIVING A PERMIT, ADDITIONAL FEES, EXPENSES AND/OR DENIAL OF PERMITS MAY OCCUR. Permits are valid for one year from date of issuance unless otherwise specifically stated and approved.”

Rules another office applies inside Ashville

Ashville 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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family residential construction in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Ashville city limits.

  • Except as provided in Section 56.00, Supplemental District Regulations.

  minimum finished first-floor living space: >= 1000 sq ft

  “Minimum square footage of finished living space on the first floor: 1,000 sq. ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family residential construction in the R-E Single Family Residential Estate District inside Ashville city limits.

    “Except as provided in “Section 56.00: Supplemental District Regulations”, the following dimensional standards shall be required: [...] Minimum square footage of finished living area 1,400 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Ashville city limits.

  • Except as provided in Section 56.00, Supplemental District Regulations.
  • Lot-area and lot-width requirement depends on whether the lot has public sewer.

  minimum lot area with public sewer: >= 8000 sq ft · minimum lot area without public sewer: >= 20000 sq ft · minimum lot width with public sewer: >= 65 ft · minimum lot width without public sewer: >= 100 ft

  “Minimum Lot Area: 8,000 square feet 20,000 square feet [...] Minimum Lot Width: 65 feet 100 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the R-E Single Family Residential Estate District inside Ashville city limits.

    “Minimum Lot Area 1 acre • Minimum Lot Width: 150 feet”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Ashville city limits.

  • Except as provided in Section 56.00, Supplemental District Regulations.
  • Required setbacks depend on whether the lot has public sewer.

  minimum front yard with public sewer: >= 30 ft · minimum front yard without public sewer: >= 40 ft · minimum side yard with public sewer: >= 10 ft · minimum side yard without public sewer: >= 15 ft · minimum rear yard with public sewer: >= 20 ft · minimum rear yard without public sewer: >= 25 ft

  “Minimum Front Yard: 30 feet 40 feet [...] Minimum Side Yard: 10 feet 15 feet [...] Minimum Rear Yard: 20 feet 25 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Structures in the R-E Single Family Residential Estate District inside Ashville city limits.

    “Minimum Front Yard: 60 feet • Minimum Side Yard: 20 feet • Minimum Rear Yard: 35 feet”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Ashville city limits.

  • Except as provided in Section 56.00, Supplemental District Regulations.
  • The maximum is the same with or without public sewer.

  maximum building height with public sewer: <= 35 ft · maximum building height without public sewer: <= 35 ft

  “Maximum Building Height: 35 feet 35 feet”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwellings in the Single Family Residential Estate District (R-E) inside Ashville city limits.

  • Requires a conditional-use permit from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
  • Requires appropriate permits under the zoning ordinance.
  • Subject to § 56.01.

  “The following uses shall be permitted subject to a conditional use permit being granted by the Zoning Board of Adjustment and further subject to appropriate permits being issued in accordance with this Ordinance. [...] Residential Uses. • Accessory Dwelling, subject to § 56.01.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic-tank approval for proposed construction inside Ashville city limits.

  • The City building-permit application directs applicants using a septic tank to obtain approval from the St. Clair County Health Department.

  “If septic tank, you must obtain a letter of approval for a septic tank from the St. Clair County Health Department (205) 338-3357.”

• Septic permitRequired

  On-site septic-tank construction proposed inside Ashville city limits.

  • A letter of septic-tank approval from the St. Clair County Health Department is required for the City building-permit process.

  “SEWAGE DISPOSAL: (MUST PROVIDE COPY WITH APPLICATION) ON-SITE: ______ ST. CLAIR CO. HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT #_________________________________________ SEWER: CITY ________”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Ashville or St. Clair County directly.

• Building code adopted — Construction inside Ashville city limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Ashville city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Ashville city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Ashville city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Ashville 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.