Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clinton, Arkansas

Clinton’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any building, construction, significant alteration or remodel inside Clinton city limits

  • Application is in writing to the city clerk or the official the mayor designates; the 11.04.02 application must include applicant data, building type, site location, dimensions, materials, anchorage, first-floor height, and construction start date.
  • Permit is reviewed by the city building inspector and presented to city council for approval; no permit may be issued for construction that violates any city ordinance.
  • Commercial/industrial and new construction or remodeling also route through the zoning official per chapter 11.05 (certificate of occupancy section).

  “any person, firm or corporation desiring to build, construct or significantly after or remodel any building or portion thereof located in the city of clinton, arkansas shall first make application in writing with the clerk”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Clinton city limits (city of Clinton, Arkansas, Van Buren County). Not the county's unincorporated area.

  • The city's Title 14 Zoning ordinance divides the city into zones and prescribes height, bulk, location and use of buildings within them.
  • Administered through the city Zoning Commission and zoning official/code enforcement.
  • Code is the city's municipal code as posted on the city website; the posted version is stated to be a reissue (as of 2019) and the city website says the code book is the most current version.

  “this ordinance is enacted to ensure the coordinated, adjusted, and the harmonious development of the city of clinton, arkansas. it divides the city into zones and within these zones it prescribes the height, bulk, location, and use of buildings”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Clinton city limits

  • The table of contents lists a zoning districts section within chapter 14.04; the individual district names and boundaries were not captured in the opened text, so this claim does not list them.
  • District-by-district dimensional rules appear in the district schedule of the Title 14 PDF; see the district-specific claims.

  “14.04.03 zoning districts 3-1 residential zone r-1”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling lot inside Clinton city limits in the residential zone whose schedule reads 'minimum lot area: a. single-family – 15,000 sq. ft.' (district name not captured in the opened text)

  • Churches in the same zone: one platted city block or 300 ft square, or 3 acres if land is not platted.
  • Minimum lot width for single-family is 75 feet at building line (see separate claim).

  minimum lot area, single-family: >= 15000 sq ft

  “minimum lot area: a. single-family – 15,000 sq. ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling lot inside Clinton city limits in the residential zone whose schedule reads 'minimum lot area: a. single-family – 9,000 sq. ft.' (district name not captured in the opened text)

    “minimum lot area: a. single-family – 9,000 sq. ft. b. two-family structure 10,000 sq. ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family lot inside Clinton city limits in the residential zone with the 15,000 sq ft single-family minimum (district name not captured)

  • Corner-lot side yard requirement is cut off in the captured text and was not recorded.
  • Rear yard not captured in the opened windows.

  minimum front yard: >= 25 ft (or 55 ft from centerline of existing right-of-way, whichever is greater) · minimum side yard (interior lot line): >= 10 ft (each interior property line)

  “minimum front yard: twenty-five (25) feet from property line or fifty-five (55) feet from centerline of existing right-of-way, whichever is greater.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family lot inside Clinton city limits in the residential zone with the 15,000 sq ft single-family minimum (district name not captured)

  • Non-residential uses in the same zone may not cover more than 15 percent of the lot area.

  maximum lot coverage, corner lots: <= 35 percent · maximum lot coverage, interior lots: <= 40 percent

  “maximum lot coverage: a. corner lots – 35% b. interior lots - 40% c. non-residential uses shall not cover more than fifteen (15) percent of the lot area”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lot inside Clinton city limits in the residential zone with the 9,000 sq ft single-family minimum (district name not captured)

    “the combined area of the principle building and any accessory building shall not cover more than forty (40) percent of the development lot area, except that row dwelling may cover up to sixty (60) percent of the individual lot.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile/manufactured home parks inside Clinton city limits (R-3 district per the ordinance text); individual single-lot placement not confirmed

  • Park must be at least five acres; each space at least 4,000 sq ft and 40 ft wide.
  • Park must front on a driveway at least 30 ft wide connected to a minor arterial or collector street.
  • Permitting clause preceding the development standards was not fully captured.

  minimum park size: >= 5 acres · minimum space area: >= 4000 sq ft (per mobile/manufactured home space) · minimum space width: >= 40 ft

  “minimum park size the minimum area for a mobile/manufactured home park shall be five (5) acres.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Clinton city limits

  • Subdivision regulations are codified separately as Title 15; the Title 15 PDF was not opened, so approval steps and lot-split rules are not recorded.

  “title 15: subdivision regulations online page download pdf”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in mapped flood zones inside Clinton city limits

  • Building permits are granted only if not in violation of the city flood zone ordinance.
  • The city's zoning official is also its certified floodplain manager.
  • The flood zone ordinance itself was not opened, so its permit or elevation requirements are not recorded.

  “in each case the permit shall be granted unless found to be in violation of any flood zone ordinance or other ordinance heretofore or hereinafter adopted by the city.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside Clinton city limits

  • Fee schedule is set by city council resolution and is not reproduced in the code text captured; the residential/commercial fee lines in the PDF are garbled and were not relied on.
  • Sign permits, moving and demolition fees are set separately in chapter 11.28.
  • The fee schedule referenced by the code may have been amended; the current city fee schedule was not located.

  building permit application deposit: 25 USD (returned if application is denied) · building moving permit fee: 10 USD · building demolition permit fee: 4 USD

  “a fee according to a schedule established by the city council will be charged for each building permit issued.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process inside Clinton city limits

  • Permit is valid for 90 days from issue and becomes void if construction has not begun in that period unless renewed within it.
  • Application is reviewed by the city building inspector, then presented to council; council approval is required before issuance.
  • Plumbing permits route to the Clinton water and sewer department (501-745-4320).

  permit validity period: 90 days (void if construction not begun within period unless renewed)

  “any building permit issued under the provisions of this chapter will remain valid only for a period of ninety (90) days from its date of issue, and become void if construction has not begun within that period, or unless it is renewed within that period.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clinton or Van Buren County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits inside Clinton city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Clinton city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Clinton city limits
• Building height — Maximum building height for the main single-family residential district inside Clinton city limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Clinton 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.