Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Williston, Florida

Williston’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building operations inside Williston city

  • Permit issued by the city building official only after land development regulations administrator certifies conformity with the land development regulations.
  • Permit expires if work not commenced within six months of issuance or suspended/abandoned for six months; extensions up to 90 days each, in writing.
  • Survey and site plan by a registered surveyor or engineer required with application.

  “No owner, contractor, workman or any other person shall perform any building operations of any kind unless a building permit covering such operation has been displayed”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Williston city limits

  • Zoning is administered through the city's land development regulations (Chapter 60).

  “No building permit shall be issued by the building official except in conformity with the provisions of these land development regulations”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  New homes in R-1, R-1-A and RM-1-A residential single-family districts inside Williston city

  • Applies to units permitted after May 30, 2002.
  • Also roof pitch at least 3 in 12 and solid continuous foundation perimeter.
  • Agricultural district minimum dwelling size not found.

  minimum floor area: >= 900 square feet

  “residential units in r-1, r-1-a, rm-1-a districts that are permitted after may 30, 2002, must meet the following minimum requirements: (1) each home shall have a floor area of at least 900 square feet;”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in RSF districts (R-1, R-1-A, RM-1-A) inside Williston city

  • R-1: 10,000 sq ft with city water and sewer; 11,000 with city water and septic; 22,000 with well and septic; width 100 ft.
  • R-1-A and RM-1-A: 8,712 sq ft with city water and sewer; 11,000 with city water and septic; 22,000 with well and septic; width 66 ft.

  R-1 min lot area (city water and sewer): >= 10000 square feet · R-1-A min lot area (city water and sewer): >= 8712 square feet

  “r-1: minimum lot area: 10,000 square feet (with city water and city sewer). minimum lot area: 11,000 square feet (with city water and septic tank). minimum lot area: 22,000 square feet (with individual well and septic tank). minimum lot width: 100 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings and mobile homes in the Agricultural (A) district inside Williston city

    “minimum lot requirements for area and width in the agricultural district shall be as follows: (1) single-family dwellings, mobile homes, and group living facilities: a. minimum lot area: one acre. b. minimum lot width: 200 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural (A) district inside Williston city

  • Front 30 ft, side 25 ft, rear 25 ft, for all permitted uses unless otherwise specified.

  front: >= 30 feet · side: >= 25 feet · rear: >= 25 feet

  “shall be as follows for all permitted uses and structures (unless otherwise specified): (1) front: 30 feet. (2) side: 25 feet. (3) rear: 25 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings in RSF districts inside Williston city

    “1. single-family dwellings: r-1: front: 35 feet. side: 15 feet for each side yard. rear: 20 feet. r-1-a: front: 30 feet. side: 10 feet for each side yard. rear: 20 feet. rm-1-a: front: 30 feet. side: 10 feet for each side yard. rear: 20 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV living on a lot in a residential district inside Williston city

  • Living in an RV is limited to 14 days in a 30-day period outside approved locations.
  • RVs may be parked in rear or side yard, not required front yard; up to 24 hours anywhere during loading/unloading.
  • RV parks (RVP district) intended for temporary accommodation, minimum 8 acres (Sec. 60-530).

  max days of living use in residential district: <= 14 days per 30-day period (locations approved for such use)

  “no major recreational equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a lot in a residential district, or in any other location not approved for such use for more than 14 days in a 30-day period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping inside Williston city

  • Public camping or sleeping on public property is banned (Ord. 2025-740, 4-8-2025); recreational camping on property designated for such purposes is excluded from the definition.
  • On private residential lots, living in major recreational equipment is limited to 14 days in a 30-day period.

  “No person may engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property, including, but not limited to, any public building or its grounds or any public right-of-way.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in flood hazard areas inside Williston city

  • Chapter 62 (Ord. 640, 8-5-2014) requires floodplain development permits/approvals; development is inspected by the floodplain administrator.
  • Manufactured homes in flood hazard areas need permanent reinforced foundations and elevation per FBC R322.2.

  “Development for which a floodplain development permit or approval is required shall be subject to inspection.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Williston city

  • Two copies of plat and construction plans, plus survey and site plan, with property stakes in place.
  • Land development regulations administrator must certify conformity before issuance.
  • Permit invalid if work not commenced within six months.

  “applications for building permits required by the building code of the city shall be accompanied by two copies of the plat and construction plans”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Williston or Levy County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Williston city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Williston city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Williston city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Williston city
• Building height — Building height in RSF and A districts inside Williston 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.