Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Corning, Arkansas

Corning’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Fabrication, erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, and repair of buildings or structures inside Corning city limits.

  • Other applicable state and city building codes may also apply.

  “All fabrication, erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repairs of buildings or structures shall meet the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code or other applicable state and city building codes.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings, structures, and land uses regulated by Corning's Zoning Code.

  • Inspections are conducted as necessary to determine compliance with the Zoning Code.

  “Conduct inspections of buildings, structures, and use of land as is necessary to determine compliance with the regulations of this Code.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building erected or structurally altered inside Corning city limits, before use, occupancy, or change in use.

  • The Administrative Official must issue the certificate stating compliance; a certificate may be revoked for nonconforming use or conditions.

  “No building erected or structurally altered shall be used, occupied or changed in use until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Administrative Official, stating that the building or proposed use of a building or premises complies with the provisions of these regulations.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Corning city corporate limits.

  “These regulations apply within the corporate limits of the City of Corning.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family, two-family, three/four-family, apartment, and manufactured dwellings outside a manufactured-home park inside Corning city limits.

  • The stated residential-design standards exclude manufactured homes within a manufactured-home park.

  minimum dwelling length or width: >= 20 feet (On any side.)

  “Dwellings shall have a minimum length or width of twenty (20) feet on any side.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camping or travel trailers inside Corning incorporated limits.

  • Permanent occupancy is prohibited; temporary occupancy is allowed only in a designated, permitted RV travel park or when expressly approved for a construction site.

  “A camping or travel trailer shall not be occupied: Permanently at any time while it is parked or stored in any area within the incorporated limits; Or temporarily unless it is parked in a designated and permitted recreational vehicle travel park or as expressly approved for a construction site.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary occupancy in a camping or travel trailer inside Corning incorporated limits.

  • Allowed only in a designated and permitted recreational-vehicle travel park or where expressly approved for a construction site.

  “Or temporarily unless it is parked in a designated and permitted recreational vehicle travel park or as expressly approved for a construction site.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Corning city limits.

  • Conditional-use approval is required; only lots with an existing single-family residence qualify; the owner must permanently occupy a principal or accessory unit; one ADU per lot; one-family occupancy; applicable size, setback, location, design, and parking standards apply.

  maximum gross floor area: <= 800 square feet (Also less than 40% of the main structure, whichever is less.) · minimum gross floor area: >= 400 square feet

  “All Accessory Dwelling Units shall be approved through the Conditional Use Process and shall only be approved on lots where there is an existing single-family residence,”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways used for ingress and egress inside Corning city limits.

  • The wider forty-foot maximum applies in C-2 and I-1 zones.

  maximum driveway width: <= 25 feet (Exclusive of curb returns; may be 40 feet in C-2 and I-1 zones.) · maximum driveway width in C-2 and I-1: <= 40 feet (Exclusive of curb returns.)

  “Driveways used for ingress and egress shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet in width, exclusive of curb returns, except that the width may be increased to forty (40) feet in the C-2 and 1-1 zones.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Items covered by Corning's Zoning Code.

  • Fees are set according to a schedule adopted by City Council; the actual current schedule was not located in opened official material.

  “The City of Corning shall impose fees for items covered by the Zoning Code according to a schedule adopted by the City Council.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for City building permits inside Corning city limits.

  • The application must include two scale plot-plan copies showing building size and location, perimeter setbacks, proposed off-street parking, and other necessary information; City may not issue a permit for a parcel subdivided or sold in violation of the regulations.

  plot-plan copies: 2 copies

  “All applications for building permits shall be accompanied by a plot plan, submitted in two (2) copies, drawn to scale, showing the size and location of the building to be constructed, indicating the setbacks from perimeter property boundary lines, proposed off-street parking, and such other information as may be necessary to provide for the proper administration of these regulations.”

Rules another office applies inside Corning

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Corning R-1 Low Density Residential district.

  • Existing recorded lots that do not meet district minimums may be used subject to Section 4.09.0.

  minimum lot area: >= 6750 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

  “R-1 Single-Family: 6,750 sq. ft. Single-Family: 50 ft. 20 ft.* 10 ft. 15 ft.* 20 ft. 48 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Corning R-1 Low Density Residential district.

  • Where a majority of structures on a block face fail front or side-street setbacks, the code permits a calculated average setback under its stated conditions.

  front setback: >= 20 feet (Subject to the asterisked block-face setback provision.) · side setback: >= 10 feet · side-street setback: >= 15 feet (Subject to the asterisked block-face setback provision.) · rear setback: >= 20 feet

  “R-1 Single-Family: 6,750 sq. ft. Single-Family: 50 ft. 20 ft.* 10 ft. 15 ft.* 20 ft. 48 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Corning R-1 Low Density Residential district.

  • Listed mechanical and architectural appurtenances are not subject to the height requirements.

  maximum height: <= 48 feet (The code exempts chimneys, cooling or water towers, elevators, bulkheads, fire towers, monuments, stacks, storage towers, tanks, spires, church steeples, radio towers, and necessary mechanical apparatus.)

  “R-1 Single-Family: 6,750 sq. ft. Single-Family: 50 ft. 20 ft.* 10 ft. 15 ft.* 20 ft. 48 ft.”

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Onsite wastewater systems inside Corning city limits when an onsite system is proposed.

  • The Department's Authorized Agent is the Environmental Health Specialist assigned to the county or business unit.

  “Authorized Agent. The Environmental Health Specialist assigned to the County, or Business Unit by the Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

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

  • The valid Permit for Construction must be issued by the Department or its Authorized Agent before work begins.

  “Permits for construction and operation of onsite wastewater systems shall be obtained in accordance with the RULES PERTAINING TO ONSITE WASTEWATER SYSTEMS prior to the construction, installation or modification of the Onsite Wastewater System.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Operation of an onsite wastewater system inside Corning city limits.

  • The system must be inspected and approved and the owner must obtain a Permit for Operation before operation begins.

  “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.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Each manufactured-home space in a Corning manufactured-home park.

  • Services must be provided as required by Corning codes and must conform to City subdivision regulations.

  “Utilities: Each manufactured home space shall be provided with sanitary sewer and water service as required by the Codes of the City of Corning.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction and renovation inside Corning city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Corning city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Corning city limits.
• Well permit — Private water wells inside Corning city limits.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or land uses inside Corning 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.