Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Hot Springs city limits

  • Zoning Code is Title 16, Chapter 2; historic districts may add regulations

  “All structures must meet the dimensional requirements of the district in which the structure is located.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Residential districts R-R, R-S, RN-1 to RN-6 and AFC district in Hot Springs city

  “Table 4-1: Residential District Dimensional Standards establishes the dimensional standards for the residential districts.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-R, R-S, RN-1, RN-2 (single-family) in Hot Springs city; RN-3 to RN-6 differ by use

  • Nonresidential in RN-1/RN-2 is 10,000 sf
  • Historic districts may add rules

  R-R: >= 43560 sq ft · R-S: >= 20000 sq ft · RN-1: >= 10000 sq ft · RN-2: >= 7000 sq ft

  “Minimum Lot Area 43,560 sf 20,000 sf 10,000 sf 7,000 sf”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AFC Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation District in Hot Springs city

    “Minimum Lot Area 1 acre Minimum Lot Width 100' Maximum Building Height 35' Minimum Front Setback 35'”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-R, R-S, RN-1, RN-2 in Hot Springs city

  • Interior side setbacks 15', 15', 12', 7.5'
  • Rear setbacks 35', 30', 20', 15'; 20' along Lake Hamilton waterfront
  • RN-2 front is 20' or average of two adjacent lots, whichever is less

  front R-R/R-S/RN-1: 25'/25'/20'

  “Minimum Front Setback 25' 25' 20' 20' or average setback of two adjacent lots, whichever is less”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AFC District in Hot Springs city

    “Minimum Lot Area 1 acre Minimum Lot Width 100' Maximum Building Height 35' Minimum Front Setback 35'”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts R-R, R-S, RN-1, RN-2 in Hot Springs city

  • Impervious surface max 55%, 60%, 60%, 60%
  • Nonresidential in RN-1/RN-2 up to 50% building coverage

  max building coverage R-R/R-S/RN-1/RN-2: 35%/40%/40%/40%

  “Maximum Building Height 35' 35' 35' 35' Maximum Building Coverage 35% 40% 40% 40%”

• Building heightSpecified

  AFC District in Hot Springs city

  • Height limit does not apply to structures ancillary and integral to active agricultural or forestry operations

  max height: <= 35 ft (agricultural/forestry ancillary structures unlimited)

  “Minimum Lot Area 1 acre Minimum Lot Width 100' Maximum Building Height 35' Minimum Front Setback 35'”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Residential districts R-R, R-S, RN-1, RN-2 in Hot Springs city

    “Maximum Building Height 35' 35' 35' 35' Maximum Building Coverage 35% 40% 40% 40%”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Recreational vehicles on lots in all districts inside Hot Springs city

  • RVs must be maintained in mobile condition
  • Campground/RV park is a separately defined use in the zoning code

  “No recreational vehicle may be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes in any district and may not be hooked up to any public utilities.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  City transportation plaza public parking and city-owned property in special flood hazard areas

  • Private-land camping rules not found beyond the RV living ban
  • Campground/RV park is a defined zoning use

  “Prohibiting camping on city-owned property within special flood hazard areas.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured home parks inside Hot Springs city; overlay zones and subdivisions also regulated in Chapter 16-3

  • Conditional use permit required
  • Minimum five acres
  • Served by city utilities
  • Park lots at least 40 ft by 120 ft; setbacks front 25 ft, side 10 ft, rear 10 ft

  minimum park size: >= 5 acres

  “Manufactured home parks shall be allowed as a conditional use and served by city utilities and protected from commercial and industrial activity.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on single-family lots inside Hot Springs city

  • One ADU per lot
  • Same owner; same lot as principal dwelling
  • Max size 75% of the dwelling's floor area or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less
  • Detached ADU in rear yard with principal-structure setbacks and height
  • Separate entrance required
  • RVs prohibited as ADU

  max ADU size: <= 1000 sq ft (or 75% of principal dwelling gross floor area, whichever is less)

  “ADUs are allowed as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling. ADUs must be located on the same lot as the principal dwelling.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Individual well and septic development inside Hot Springs city

  • Minimum lot area 20,000 sf
  • New structures with plumbing must still comply with Title IX connection requirements

  minimum lot area on well and septic: >= 20000 sq ft

  “The minimum lot area requirement for development of lots on individual wells and septic tanks is 20,000 square feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New structures with plumbing inside Hot Springs city

  • Must comply with Title IX Municipal Utilities requirements; the distance/availability rule is in Title IX, not opened
  • Lots on individual wells and septic tanks need at least 20,000 sf

  minimum lot area on well and septic: >= 20000 sq ft

  “New structures with plumbing must comply with all requirements of title IX, Municipal Utilities, of the City of Hot Springs Code of Ordinances, and other applicable regulations, for connections to city water and sewer service.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions in Hot Springs city and its planning area

  • Plats reviewed by planning commission
  • Lots on septic need state health department approval certification at preliminary plat

  “The minimum lot dimensions for residential subdivisions shall conform to the requirements of the applicable zoning district regulations”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hot Springs or Garland County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Hot Springs city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Hot Springs city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Hot Springs city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Hot Springs city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Hot Springs 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.