Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Goshen, Arkansas

Town of Goshen’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Goshen town limits

  “In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, the City is hereby divided into the zoning districts listed below:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts NR, R1, RR, B1, B2 inside Goshen town

  • Districts: NR Natural resources, R1 Residential, RR Rural residential, B1 Neighborhood commercial, B2 General commercial

  “In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, the City is hereby divided into the zoning districts listed below:”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R1 Residential district inside Goshen town (minimum dimension, not floor area)

  • Only one dwelling unit per lot
  • No minimum floor area stated for site-built homes in R1; manufactured residential-design units must have 1,150 sq ft

  minimum dimension on each side of principal structure: >= 24 feet

  “Each principal structure shall have a minimum total dimension on each side of twenty-four (24) feet, and the entire twenty-four (24) feet shall be finished on a permanent foundation.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RR Rural residential district inside Goshen town (minimum dimension, not floor area)

    “Each structure shall have a minimum total dimension on each side of twenty-four (24) feet, and the entire twenty-four (24) feet shall be finished on a permanent foundation.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 Residential district inside Goshen town

  minimum area: 2 acres · minimum width at building line: 120 feet

  “Minimum area 2 acres Minimum width at building line 120 feet Minimum front setback 30 feet Minimum side setback 20 feet (street side 30') Minimum rear setback 30 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RR Rural residential district inside Goshen town

    “Minimum area 2 acres Minimum width at building line 120 feet Minimum front setback 30 feet Minimum side setback 20 feet Minimum rear setback 30 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1 Residential district inside Goshen town

  • Street side setback 30 feet

  front setback: 30 feet · side setback: 20 feet (street side 30 feet) · rear setback: 30 feet

  “Minimum front setback 30 feet Minimum side setback 20 feet (street side 30') Minimum rear setback 30 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RR Rural residential district inside Goshen town

    “Minimum front setback 30 feet Minimum side setback 20 feet Minimum rear setback 30 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  R1 and RR districts (also NR) inside Goshen town

  • Same 35 foot limit appears in NR, R1 and RR districts

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “No building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Residential-design manufactured dwellings inside Goshen town; listed as permitted use in RR district

  • Minimum width 24 feet
  • Length not more than 4 times width
  • Minimum 1,150 sq ft enclosed heated living area
  • Roof pitch 4:12, permanent foundation, running gear removed
  • Not listed as a permitted use in R1 or NR in the district text opened
  • A 100-day moratorium chapter on placing manufactured homes exists in code; its current status was not determined

  minimum area: >= 1150 sq ft

  “A residential design manufactured dwelling unit shall have a minimum area of one thousand one hundred fifty (1,150) square feet (enclosed and heated living area).”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Goshen town

  • By right in RR only with 2 additional acres beyond the 2 acres for main residence
  • Unit at least 40 feet from main residence
  • Conditional use approval in other residential districts
  • Not for general rental purposes

  additional acreage in RR: >= 2 acres · distance from main residence: >= 40 feet

  “Accessory dwelling units shall be allowed by right in RR districts provided such unit is situated on at least two acres (2) in addition to the two (2) acres required for the main residence.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionConditional

  Residential accessory buildings inside Goshen town

  • Accessory building may not occupy more than 20 percent of lot area
  • Must meet accessory setback rules (rear 5 feet minimum)

  size threshold: <= 400 sq ft (or materials cost under $3,500)

  “No building permit shall be required for any accessory building which is four hundred (400) square feet or less or which cost less than three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500.00) for materials.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions inside Goshen town

  • Preliminary plat approval by Planning Commission
  • Minor subdivisions exempt from the landscaping section

  “Applicants seeking approval of proposed subdivisions shall submit a landscape plan prepared by a registered landscape architect for preliminary plat approval.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Goshen

Town of Goshen does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  On-site sanitary facilities for RR-district lots platted before the zoning chapter, inside Goshen town

  • Only the RR platted-lot provision names the State Health Department; no general septic rule was opened

  “provided adequate on-site sanitary facilities (approved by the State Health Department) are approved.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Goshen or Washington County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Goshen town
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Goshen town
• Inspections — Inspections inside Goshen town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Goshen town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Goshen town

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.