Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Noma, Florida

Rules another office applies inside Town of Noma

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Florida Building Code as applied to new construction inside Noma town limits (state code; local enforcing agency applies it)

  • Enforcement, interpretation and regulation are vested in a specified local board or agency under s. 553.73(1)(e); the statute does not name a Noma enforcing agency.
  • Local technical amendments are allowed only under s. 553.73(4)(b) and are not known to exist for Noma; none was found.

  “the commission shall adopt, by rule pursuant to ss. 120.536 (1) and 120.54, the florida building code which shall contain or incorporate by reference all laws and rules which pertain to and govern the design, construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, and demolition of public and private buildings, structures, and facilities”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land use districts that control permitted uses on parcels inside Noma town limits

  • The districts are set in the future land use element of the Holmes County comprehensive plan and mapped on the future land use map; the map was not opened.
  • Only the general rule is confirmed; district names and standards were not extracted.
  • Source is the 2009 LDR.

  “the land use districts defined in the future land use element of the holmes county comprehensive plan and delineated on the future land use map shall be the determinants of permissible activities on any parcel in the unincorporated areas of holmes county and inside the corporate limits of esto, noma, ponce de leon ad westville.”

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage (septic) permitting for land inside Noma town limits, which is in Holmes County

  • Florida Department of Health says Florida DEP now manages septic permitting in Holmes County (16 listed counties) and that it handles permitting and inspections in those counties.
  • Source does not address a town-level septic rule for Noma; the Holmes County LDR says developments on septic must meet rule 10D-6 minimum lot sizes.

  “as of january 2, 2025, the florida department of environmental protection (dep) will manage septic system permitting in 16 counties: bay, calhoun, escambia, franklin, gadsden, gulf, holmes, jackson, jefferson, leon, liberty, okaloosa, santa rosa, wakulla, walton, and washington.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Homes inside Noma town limits (the county LDR applies to the corporate limits of the Town of Noma) served by an individual septic system, when public sanitary sewer is available

  • Connection is required only after written notice from the county or municipality.
  • Connection must be made within one year of receiving that notice.
  • Water connection requirements for Noma were not established.
  • Source is the 2009 Holmes County LDR; amendments (Ordinances 2023-02 and 24-01) were not opened.

  connection deadline after notice: 1 year

  “served by an individual septic tank system or other alternative individual domestic waste treatment system is hereby required, at his expense, to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect directly to the proper public sanitary sewer of the county or its municipalities in accordance with the provisions of this code, within one year of receiving written notice from the county or municipality to do so.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway connections from one- and two-family homes inside Noma town limits to county or municipal rights-of-way

  • One- and two-family residences in Noma are exempt from the driveway plan and cost-estimate submittal items.
  • Driveways connecting to county or municipal rights-of-way still need county permits; the exemption does not waive all permit requirements.
  • Source is the 2009 LDR.

  “one and two-family residences within the municipalities of esto, noma, ponce de leon and westville are exempt from this requirement.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside special flood hazard areas within Noma town limits

  • Applies only to land in special flood hazard areas (1% annual chance flood).
  • Building permits in those areas require the floodplain conditions in section 4.05.02 to be met first.
  • Source is the 2009 LDR.

  “this section shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the unincorporated areas of holmes county and the incorporated areas of the towns of esto, noma, ponce de leon and westville.”

• Permit processPartial

  County development permit review for projects inside Noma town limits

  • Holmes County reviews development applications and sends them to Noma for review and comment.
  • Noma's own application forms and procedure were not found.
  • Source is the 2009 LDR.

  “all development applications for development within the corporate limits of the towns of esto, noma, ponce de leon or westville must be forwarded to said towns for review and comment”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new home construction inside Noma town limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building inside Noma town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Noma town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Noma town limits
• Local zoning — Whether Noma town itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its 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.