Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Chatom, Alabama

Town of Chatom’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, specified repairs, moving, alteration, and accessory structures inside Chatom town limits.

  • The rule excepts painting, wallpapering, replacement of appliances, and temporary emergency repairs such as holes in walls or roofs caused by natural acts from the stated over-$1,500 repair category.
  • Other repairs that change a structure's character require a permit regardless of cost.
  • Plans must be inspected and found conforming with the zoning ordinance and other applicable development regulations before issuance.
  • A permit becomes invalid unless work begins within six months or is diligently pursued; a twelve-consecutive-month lapse invalidates it.

  repair-cost threshold: > 1500 USD (Repairs exceeding this cost require a permit unless within the listed exceptions; character-changing repairs require a permit regardless of cost.)

  “It shall be unlawful to: i) commence excavation or construction of any building or other structure, including accessory structures; ii) store building materials; iii) erect temporary field offices; iv) commence the moving, alteration, or repairs exceeding $1,500.00 in costs (except painting; wall papering, replacement of appliances and temporary emergency repairs such as holes in walls or roof caused by natural acts); or v) other repairs, regardless of cost, that change the character of any structure, including accessory structures until the Building Official has issued a building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Chatom town limits.

  • Land later annexed is designated A-O until zoned under the ordinance's amendment procedures.

  “This Zoning Ordinance and Map shall govern and regulate all land within the City limits of Chatom, Alabama.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Chatom town limits.

  • District boundaries are established on the adopted Zoning Map.

  published districts: A-O, R-1, R-2, R-3, C, I

  “For the purpose of this Zoning Ordinance the Town of Chatom is divided using the following designated districts.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 low-density residential district inside Chatom town limits.

  front-yard depth: 40 feet · rear-yard depth: 35 feet · side-yard width: 12 feet

  “B. Minimum depth of front yard - 40 feet C. Minimum depth of rear yard - 35 feet. [...] D. Minimum width of side yard - 12 feet”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 low-density residential district inside Chatom town limits.

  • Impervious-coverage maximum varies by slope.
  • A larger lot area may be required by the Health Department for soil percolation of a septic tank.

  maximum impervious coverage at 0 to 14.99% slope: <= 25 percent · maximum impervious coverage at 15.0 to 24.99% slope: <= 20 percent · maximum impervious coverage at 25 to 50% slope: <= 15 percent

  “Maximum Percent Impervious Coverage 25 20 15”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 low-density residential district inside Chatom town limits.

  • The quoted maximum is the R-1 district standard.

  maximum structure height: <= 35 feet (Two and one-half stories maximum.)

  “F. Maximum height of structure - 2-1/2 stories or 35 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel-trailer/RV parks inside Chatom town limits.

  • Such parks are permitted only in R-3 and C districts.
  • A park requires a valid Town permit and Planning Board-approved plans before construction, alteration, or extension.
  • The ordinance defines a travel-trailer park/RV park as three or more spaces for transient dwelling purposes.

  “Travel trailer and RV parks must be located within a zoning district approved for such usage. In Chatom, only the R-3 district and the “C” district permit such development.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Proposed travel-trailer/RV parks inside Chatom town limits.

  • The Town Building Official, Washington County Department of Health, and Alabama Department of Health may inspect for compliance.
  • The rule applies to a proposed travel-trailer park permit.

  “The Town Building Official, the Washington County Department of Health, and the Alabama Department of Health are authorized to refuse a permit, or to revoke a permit whenever upon inspection they find that the proposed travel trailer park does not comply with these regulations.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Independent travel-trailer spaces in Chatom travel-trailer/RV parks.

  • The space must provide a gas- and watertight sewage-disposal connection.
  • The connection must discharge to a public or private disposal system.

  “Every independent travel trailer space shall provide a gas and watertight connection for sewage disposal which shall be connected to an underground sewage collection system discharging into a public or private disposal system.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural land uses without buildings or structures in the A-O district inside Chatom town limits.

  • The rule applies only to open-space agricultural uses without buildings or structures.
  • Agricultural uses with buildings and structures are governed separately by A-O district standards.

  minimum lot area or width: none (For open-space agricultural uses of land without buildings or structures and gardens.)

  “There is no minimum- lot area or width requirement for open space, agricultural uses of land without buildings -or structures and gardens.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Buildings or structures on land subject to inundation or periodic flooding inside Chatom town limits.

  • Plans must comply with applicable flood-hazard-area requirements before the building or structure is located, erected, or altered.

  “No building or other structure, either in part or whole, shall be located, erected or altered where the land is subject to inundation or periodic flooding until the plans comply with applicable requirements for flood hazard areas.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Travel-trailer/RV parks inside Chatom town limits.

  • The annual fee applies per designated travel-trailer/RV space whether used or not.
  • The separate building-permit cost for a proposed trailer park is based on estimated project cost including land development and facilities construction.

  annual travel-trailer/RV-park fee: per 25 USD per designated space (Whether used or not.)

  “An annual fee for any travel trailer / RV park shall be $25.00 per designated space to be occupied by a travel trailer or RV, whether used or not.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Chatom town limits.

  • Application must be made to the Building Official on Town-provided forms.
  • It must be supplemented with maps, plans, documents, calculations, and data as required by the City of Chatom.
  • Applicant must provide enough detail for compliance determination.

  “Application for a building permit shall be made to the Building Official on forms provided for that purpose. The application shall be supplemented with maps, plans, documents, calculations and data as required by the City of Chatom.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Chatom or Washington County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Chatom town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Chatom town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Chatom town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Chatom town limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Chatom town 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.