Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Amity, Arkansas

Rules another office applies inside Amity

Amity 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 septicState (with conditions)

  Onsite wastewater systems inside Amity city limits.

  • A Department Authorized Agent may administer functions where designated.

  “A completed Onsite Wastewater System Permit Application and detailed plans and specifications following the requirements found in Appendix F for the collection, treatment and/or renovation facilities for all wastes of a domestic nature, containing a predominance of human excreta and exclusive of industrial wastes shall be submitted to and receive the approval of the Arkansas Department of Health or its Authorized Agent, prior to construction of a building or residence.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, or extension of an onsite wastewater system inside Amity city limits.

  • Permit is issued by the Department or its Authorized Agent.
  • Emergency repairs may proceed without prior notification if a permit is obtained within ten working days.

  “Permit requirement. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, municipality, or governmental agency to begin construction, alteration, repair, or extension of any onsite wastewater system, owned by any other person, firm, corporation, association, municipality or governmental agency until the owner first obtains a valid Permit for Construction issued by the Department or its Authorized Agent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Operation of an onsite wastewater system inside Amity city limits.

  • The system may not be operated until inspected and approved by the Department or its Authorized Agent and a Permit for Operation is obtained.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, municipality or governmental agency to begin operation of any onsite wastewater system until such system has been inspected and approved by the Department or its Authorized Agent and the owner has first obtained a Permit for Operation issued by the Department or its Authorized Agent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sanitation using an onsite wastewater system inside Amity city limits.

  • It is barred where the statutory sewer-availability condition applies.
  • A valid construction permit is required before covered system work begins.

  “All premises shall be connected to a sanitary sewer when within 300 feet from the point where the sewer exits a building on the property owner’s property and available to said premises when connection can be made without crossing another person's property. No privies, onsite wastewater systems or other receptacles for human excreta shall be constructed, maintained, or used on the premises.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Premises inside Amity city limits that are within the stated distance of, and can connect to, an available sanitary sewer.

  • The sewer must be within 300 feet from the point where it exits the building on the owner's property.
  • Connection must be possible without crossing another person's property.
  • At covered premises, no privy, onsite wastewater system, or other receptacle for human excreta may be constructed, maintained, or used.

  sewer distance: <= 300 feet (Measured from the point where the sewer exits a building on the property owner's property; connection must be available without crossing another person's property.)

  “All premises shall be connected to a sanitary sewer when within 300 feet from the point where the sewer exits a building on the property owner’s property and available to said premises when connection can be made without crossing another person's property. No privies, onsite wastewater systems or other receptacles for human excreta shall be constructed, maintained, or used on the premises.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  A subdivision inside Amity city limits proposed to use standard onsite wastewater systems for all or part of its lots or tracts.

  • Submission is to the local health unit and includes the stated soil, topographic, and other information.
  • This claim concerns only the statewide onsite-wastewater subdivision review; it does not establish that Amity regulates all subdivision plats.

  plan review fee: >= 100 USD (One lot, plus $25 for each following lot, capped at $1,500.)

  “All subdivision plans, which are proposed to utilize standard onsite wastewater systems as a method of wastewater treatment for all or part of the lots or tracts in said subdivision, shall be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health for review and approval of the overall plan for the utilization of onsite wastewater systems.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Individual onsite-wastewater permit applications for structures inside Amity city limits.

  • The fee is paid before issuance of Part 1 of the Permit Application.
  • The quoted fees are for individual onsite-wastewater permit review, not a general municipal building-permit fee.

  review fee for structures 1,500 square feet or less: 30 USD · review fee for structures more than 1,500 and up to 2,000 square feet: 45 USD · review fee for structures more than 2,000 and up to 3,000 square feet: 90 USD

  “For structures one thousand five hundred square feet (1,500 sq. ft.) or less, the fee to review a permit application is thirty dollars ($30.00);”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Onsite-wastewater systems inside Amity city limits.

  • Part I is completed by a Designated Representative and approved before construction.
  • No changes or alterations may be made before or during construction without prior Authorized Agent approval.

  “completed by a Designated Representative”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Amity city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Amity city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Amity city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Amity city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Amity 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.