Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lake City, Arkansas

Lake City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New single-family and multiple-family residences, commercial and manufacturing buildings, storage sheds, storm cellars, workshops, swimming pools, playhouses, garages, fences, dog pens, and additions, alterations or modifications of these structures, inside Lake City city limits

  • Permit is issued by the city building inspector (11.08.04); construction may proceed after the permit is obtained.
  • Fee schedule for building permits (11.08.06) was not reviewed.

  “the owner or tenant of any property situated within the incorporated limits of the city of lake city, arkansas, shall neither construct nor allow construction or placement, on such property or any building or structure of a type set forth in sub-paragraphs below, without having obtained a building permit from the city of lake city, arkansas, for such construction of placement.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Lake City city limits

  • Adopted editions are 1997 editions of the standard codes; the adoption ordinance is Ord. No. 2002-188 per the code text.
  • Standard Residential or IRC-type codes not shown in the adoption list; only the codes enumerated in 11.04.01 are adopted by this text.
  • Conflicting city ordinances prevail over the adopted codes per 11.04.02.

  standard building code edition: 1997

  “the following codes are hereby adopted by reference as though they were copied herein fully: standard amusement device code 1997 edition standard building code 1997 edition”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Lake City city limits

  • Inspections are made by the city building inspector, an office re-established by 11.08.02.
  • Inspection frequency and final-inspection requirements not stated in the text read.

  “he shall examine the premises for which permits have been issued and shall make necessary inspections to see that the provisions of law are complied with.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Lake City city limits (Craighead County, Arkansas): the city's own zoning regulation

  • The codified Title 14 adopts a zoning regulation by reference (14.04.01) but the regulation text itself is not in the codified file; the codification states copies are on file with the city clerk.
  • Text of the 1981 zoning regulation and any amendments were not available to this research; dimensional and district answers are therefore unknown.
  • Codification is dated September 2008 per the code's own preface; later amendments not verified.

  “the zoning regulation for the city of lake city, arkansas, prepared by the lake city planning commission and adopted by it on october 26, 1981, after public hearing held october 22, 1981, are hereby adopted.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in special flood hazard areas shown on the flood insurance rate map, inside Lake City city limits

  • Applies only to land in an area of special flood hazard (shown on the FIRM enumerated in 14.08.03); other land is not covered by this quoted rule.
  • Permit is issued by the local administrator (planning and zoning commission designee) under 14.08.04.

  “it shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the flood insurance rate map enumerated in 14.08.03 (3.2), without a valid floodplain development”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Floodplain development permit applications inside Lake City city limits (fee published in code; building-permit fee schedule not yet reviewed)

  • Applicant also reimburses the city for additional review, inspection and approval costs; administrator may require a deposit of no more than $500.00.
  • Building-permit application fee in 11.08.06 was not opened.

  floodplain development permit application fee: 20 USD (plus reimbursement of additional review, inspection and approval costs; deposit up to $500.00)

  “all applications for a floodplain development permit shall be accompanied by an application fee of twenty dollars ($20.00).”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit intake and issuance inside Lake City city limits

  • Building inspector receives applications and issues permits; the codified text does not give step-by-step intake, plan-review or timing rules.
  • Floodplain development permit application contents are listed in 14.08.04(d) and were only partly read.

  “he shall receive applications for permits, issue permits and furnish the prescribed certificates.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lake City or Craighead County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Lake City city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new buildings inside Lake City city limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Lake City city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Lake City city limits
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district inside Lake City 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.