Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cherokee Village, Arkansas

Cherokee Village’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Solar panel systems installed inside Cherokee Village city limits (solar-specific; no general residential building-permit rule was verified)

  • Solar systems must meet state, city and federal codes and be installed only after a building permit is issued.
  • Residential roof systems also need site-plan approval by the Planning and Zoning Department.
  • Ground-mounted systems must be approved by the city inspector before installation.

  “a. solar panel system shall meet all applicable state, city, federal codes, and ordinances and shall be installed only after issuance of a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building provisions inside Cherokee Village city limits

  • Ordinance 2007-02 is indexed as adopting various technical codes for inspection and enforcement of building provisions. The index does not mark it repealed.
  • The ordinance text was not opened, so the named code editions are unknown; the index also cites earlier technical-code ordinances (99-03 and 2004-05).

  “2007-02 a to amend and ordinance to adopt various techinicl codes relating to inspection and enforcement of building provisions as provided in said codes within cherokee village, fulton and sharp counties”

• InspectionsLimited

  Commercial CP-1, CP-2 and CP-3 districts in Cherokee Village city, and ground-mounted solar systems

  • Commercial exterior materials are reviewed and approved by the building inspector or a design review committee.
  • Ground-mounted solar systems must be approved by the city inspector before installation.
  • Residential inspection requirements are not verified in this research pass.

  “exterior building materials shall be submitted for review and approval by the building inspector or a design review committee”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cherokee Village city limits (the city lies in Sharp and Fulton counties, Arkansas). Zoning districts and uses apply only inside the city limits.

  • The city's own zoning code (Cherokee Village zoning code adopted by Ordinance 2017-06A, November 2017) exists and is amended by Ordinance 2024-01, per the city's ordinance page and the 2024-01 text.
  • The full 2017-06A code text was not reachable in this research pass; the city's ordinance index lists the code under 2017-04 and 2017-06A, so the exact adopting ordinance number should be confirmed.
  • Adoption day is not stated in the sources (month and year only), so effective_at is left null.

  “the cherokee village zoning code adopted by ordinance 2017- 06a, november 2017, be amended as follows”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Cherokee Village city limits

  • Ordinance 2024-01 amends the text of these districts: R-1 Standard Single-Family Residential, RMP manufactured home district, R-1MH standard single-family and manufactured home residential district, and CP-1, CP-2 and CP-3 business districts.
  • A complete zoning district map and the full district list were not located; the district list here is partial.

  “district r- 1 standard single- family residential district is amended by adding the following language”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Partial — Commercial zoning districts CP-1, CP-2 and CP-3 inside Cherokee Village city limits

    “district cp- 1 local business district is amended by adding the following language”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory storage buildings and detached garages on single residential lots in Cherokee Village city (not the main dwelling height)

  • Portable building or shed: limited to 13 feet in height and 12 ft x 20 ft, located in rear or side yard, not forward of the residence.
  • Detached garage: 25 feet maximum height, not to exceed 1,200 sq ft or 12% of lot size, in rear or side yard.
  • Main dwelling and district height limits were not verified; Ordinance 2024-01 refers to 'the maximum height permitted within the zoning district' for rooftop solar.
  • Cherokee Acres subdivision has a modified garage allowance under the 2024-01 text.

  maximum height, portable building or shed: <= 13 feet (accessory storage only, single residential lot) · maximum height, detached garage: <= 25 feet (accessory garage; not to exceed 1,200 sq ft or 12% of lot size)

  “on a single residential lot where a residence is located, one portable building or shed, not exceeding twelve feet by twenty feet (12' x20') in dimension and not exceeding thirteen feet (13') in height”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  New manufactured home installations in the R-1MH standard single-family and manufactured home residential district of Cherokee Village city

  • Applies to new installations as of January 1, 2024; a permit must be obtained.
  • Structural requirements are in the R-1MH district text (section 12a, item d) as amended.

  maximum age of new installation: <= 10 years (measured from the time the permit is obtained; applies as of January 1, 2024)

  “as of january 1 ", 2024, no new installation may be more than 10 years old from the time the permit is obtained.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Manufactured homes in the RMP manufactured home district of Cherokee Village city limits

    “a manufactured home may be permitted in the city only in an approved district”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions inside Cherokee Village city limits

  • Ordinance 2010-11 adopts a city subdivision code by reference; the adopted code text was not opened.
  • The index does not mark 2010-11 as repealed.
  • Private bills of assurance also restrict some subdivisions and were not reviewed.

  “2010-11 adopt a city subdivision code by reference;”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term residential rentals (29 days or less per rental) inside Cherokee Village city limits

  • Requires a Cherokee Village privilege (business) license for each short-term rental; the owner must obtain it from the city.
  • License fee is set by separate council resolution (not located).
  • Each rental unit requires proof of paid solid waste fees; listing ads must show the license number; violations are fined $100 to $500, with each day a separate offense.
  • License may be revoked for nuisance factors (criminal activity, repeated loud-noise complaints, trash, improper parking) and the owner may appeal to the council.
  • Index title '2020-04 Short term Residential Rentals Controls'; the PDF text header is garbled, so the match is by title and body text.

  minimum fine per violation: >= 100 USD (each day of continued operation is a separate offense) · maximum fine per violation: <= 500 USD (each day of continued operation is a separate offense)

  “it shall be illegal to operate any type of short- term residential rental business in the city of cherokee village without a privilege license.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fee schedule for Cherokee Village city

  • The city's Planning & Zoning page links a current permit fee schedule file; the file itself was not opened, so amounts are not reported here.
  • The 2011 fee schedule (Ordinance R2011-9) is indexed as repealed by Ordinance 2017-01R (building permit fees and penalties, 2/16/2017); its amounts must not be used as current.
  • The schedule may be altered by the Planning & Zoning Commission and needs council approval, per the 2011 ordinance text.

  “new home building application/ permit fee schedule building permits zoning codes”

• Permit processPartial

  Planning and zoning permit process inside Cherokee Village city limits

  • Contact for questions: [email protected], (870) 257-5522; mailing address PO Box 129, Cherokee Village, AR 72525.
  • The page links a new-home building application, building permit forms and zoning codes; these were not opened, so the step-by-step process is not verified.

  “questions regarding planning and zoning please contact angela: [email protected] (870) 257- 5522 information page”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cherokee Village or Fulton County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Cherokee Village city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Cherokee Village city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-1 standard single-family district of Cherokee Village city
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the R-1 standard single-family district and any rural district in Cherokee Village city
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks in the R-1 standard single-family district of Cherokee Village city

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.