Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Vilonia, Arkansas

Vilonia’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residences, manufactured homes, additions and commercial buildings inside Vilonia city limits

  • Permit must be issued before work begins; sign permits are a separate permit type ($25.00).
  • Commercial projects also need site plan review by the Planning Commission (per the city's permit page).

  “no work will be performed until permits have been issued.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Vilonia city limits

  • The codified text names the 'southern building code'; the edition and whether that code is still the current adopted code were not confirmed.
  • Code enforcement officer enforces the building code under the direction of the mayor and city council.

  “the city code enforcement officer shall be empowered to enforce all provisions of southern building code and city ordinances no. 89-2, 95-6, 97-13, 98-3, 99-6 and 2001-3 and all of its amendments under the direction of the mayor and city council.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building modification inside Vilonia city limits

  • Inspections are performed by the city code enforcement department; inspection stages for new construction were not captured.

  “the city of vilonia code enforcement department is responsible for the enforcement of all city ordinances pertaining to building modification and property maintenance, including performing inspections to ensure all building codes are being met.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Vilonia city limits

  • The zoning ordinance text is codified inside the city's municipal code PDF; district sections include 5.1.5 Manufactured Home Park (MHP).
  • Zoning ordinance adoption date and whether ordinance 2024-1 (zoning amendment) changed the text were not verified.

  “c. explain requirements of zoning ordinance for city of vilonia, arkansas, and southern building code to property owners, building contractors, and other interested parties.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Residential use of recreational vehicles inside the Manufactured Home Park (MHP) district of Vilonia city only

  • Applies only in the MHP district; RV occupancy in other districts not established.

  “recreational vehicles shall not be set up for residential use in the mhp district.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Single-family manufactured homes in the Manufactured Home Park (MHP) district of Vilonia city

  • MHP district is a land-lease subdivision; new MHP districts under two acres are not allowed unless appended to an existing MHP district under the same ownership.
  • Conditional uses in MHP: planned residential developments (section 7.6).

  minimum MHP district size for new districts: >= 2 acres (unless appended to an existing MHP district under the same ownership)

  “permitted uses within the mhp district shall include the following: manufactured homes – single family, community center,”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private wastewater disposal work under a city permit inside Vilonia city (scope of 'the work' taken from section 10.08.03)

  • Applicant must notify the superintendent when work is ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered; the superintendent inspects within 48 hours of notice.

  inspection response time: <= 48 hours

  “the applicant for the permit shall notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered. the inspection shall be made within 48 hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal (septic or other non-public system) on lots inside Vilonia city where public sewer is not available

  • Private systems must follow Arkansas Department of Health recommendations.
  • No septic tank may discharge to any natural outlet.
  • Owner must operate and maintain private facilities at owner's expense; where public sewer later becomes available, connection is required within 60 days.

  “no septic tank shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  A house or building inside Vilonia city that abuts a street, alley or right-of-way with a public city sanitary sewer

  • Connection is required only when the public sewer is within 300 feet of the building.
  • Connection must be made within 60 days after official notice.
  • Water connection requirement was not established; water connection status is unknown.

  distance to public sewer: <= 300 feet (applies only when the public sewer is within this distance of the building) · connection deadline after notice: <= 60 days

  “provided that the public sewer is within three hundred (300) feet of the building.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Sewer (with conditions) — Improved lots inside the Manufactured Home Park (MHP) zoning district of Vilonia city

    “all improved lots within the mhp district shall be connected to the city of vilonia sewer system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Vilonia city limits

  • Subdivision and plat procedures apply under the city's control of development and subdivision of land regulations (revision adopted November 20, 2012).

  “control of development and subdivision of land regulations vilonia, arkansas initially adopted september, 13, 1997 amended june 14, 1998 this revision adopted by the vilonia city council november 20, 2012”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Residential and commercial building permits inside Vilonia city; sign permit fee is listed separately

  • Fee list on the city permits page is undated; confirm current schedule with city hall before relying on it.
  • Commercial site plan review is a separate fee.

  new residence building permit fee: 300 USD · residential addition building permit fee: 100 USD · manufactured home building permit fee: 200 USD · commercial building permit fee: 500 USD (plus $0.50 per $1,000 construction cost, $1,000.00 cap) · commercial site plan review fee: 100 USD (plus $.02 per square foot of building space)

  “residential building permit fees are as follows: new residence - $300.00 addition (garage, room addition, carport, etc.) - $100.00 manufactured home - $200.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process inside Vilonia city

  • Applications are filed at Vilonia City Hall, 18 Bise Drive; preferred payment is by check.
  • Forms are linked from the permits page; form contents not opened.

  “payments for permits must be made at the time the application is submitted. preferred payment is by check. no work will be performed until permits have been issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit eligibility inside Vilonia city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Vilonia city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Vilonia city single-family districts
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for single-family homes in Vilonia city
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in Vilonia city zoning districts

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.