Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Georgetown, Idaho

Georgetown’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, additions, alterations and repairs inside Georgetown city limits

  • Requirement is stated on the city permits page; the permit ordinance itself was not opened.
  • A permit is granted upon approval of the application after a site inspection; construction may proceed after permit issuance.

  “a permit will be granted upon approval of the application. the permit fee is paid, and the permit must be posted in plain view of the public right-of-way.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New construction inside Georgetown city limits

  • Site inspection is by the designated city official before permit approval; no building-code inspection schedule was found.

  “new construction must be staked and flagged at the corners of construction prior to inspection. a site inspection will be made by the designated city official.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Georgetown city limits, Bear Lake County, Idaho: the city's own Zoning Ordinance #27 (districts R-1, R-2, C-1, C-2, M-1)

  • Ordinance 27 was passed in 1957 and amended only by Ordinance 77 (2009) per the city's own recital; Ordinance 110 (2023) states the zoning ordinance still governs annexed land.
  • The zoning map referenced in Ordinance 27 was not opened; district boundaries not verified.
  • Ordinance 61 places the Bear Lake County land use ordinances on the unincorporated area of impact, which is outside city limits and not covered by this claim.

  “section i title: this ordinance shall be known as the zoning ordinance of georgetown, idaho.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Georgetown city limits

  • Districts named in the ordinance text: R-1, R-2 residential; C-1, C-2 commercial; M-1 industrial. The zoning map referenced by the ordinance was not located or opened, so boundaries are unverified.

  “section ii establishment of districts: the five (5) districts established by this ordinance are as follows: r-1 residential district r-2 residential district c-1 commercial district c-2 commercial district m-1 industrial district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 residential district inside Georgetown city limits (single-family dwellings)

  • Exception: where a lot has less area or width and was held under separate ownership and of record before the ordinance took effect, the rule does not operate.

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 square feet (separate-ownership lots of record before ordinance took effect) · minimum lot width at building setback line: >= 70 feet (separate-ownership lots of record before ordinance took effect)

  “required lot area: each one-family dwelling together with its accessory buildings, hereafter erected shall be located on a lot having an area of not less than eight thousand (8000) square feet and a minimum width of seventy (70) feet at the building setback line.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 residential district inside Georgetown city limits (one-family dwelling; multiple dwellings add area)

    “the minimum lot area shall be not less than eight thousand (8000) square feet for each one-family dwelling, with one thousand (1000) square feet additional for each additional dwelling unit in a building having more than one dwelling unit.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 residential district inside Georgetown city limits

  • Corner lots: the side yard facing a street must be not less than thirty (30) feet for both main and accessory buildings.
  • Rear yard limited to a maximum required depth of thirty (30) feet.

  front yard minimum: >= 30 feet · side yard minimum each side: >= 8 feet (total of the two side yards not less than 18 feet) · rear yard: >= 20 percent of lot depth (maximum required depth 30 feet)

  “on corner lots, the side yard which faces on a street shall be not less than thirty (30) feet for both main and accessory buildings.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 residential district inside Georgetown city limits

    “4. yard and height regulations same as for r-1 except side yard of corner lots which shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 residential district inside Georgetown city limits

  • Covers all buildings including accessory buildings. R-2 coverage limit not separately found.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent of lot area

  “percentage of lot coverage: all building, including accessory building, on any lot shall not cover more than thirty (30) percent of the area of such lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 residential district inside Georgetown city limits

  • Height is measured per the ordinance definition of building height (grade to coping or mean roof height).

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet (also maximum two stories)

  “building height limit: two (2) stories but not exceeding thirty (30) feet in height.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 residential district inside Georgetown city limits

    “4. yard and height regulations same as for r-1 except side yard of corner lots which shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Living in an RV, motor home or mobile home on private land inside Georgetown city limits

  • Permit is a temporary use permit issued under city ordinances 70 and 100 (not opened).
  • Home and all related structures must be removed when the permit expires.

  temporary use permit fee: 25 USD (additional $25.00 for each further period of time)

  “beyond that, it may only be used as a dwelling under a temporary use permit, issued under ordinances 70 and 100.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Parking an RV, motor home or mobile home on private property inside Georgetown city limits for temporary stays

  • Covers RVs, motor homes and mobile homes only; tent or other camping not addressed on the page read.

  initial parking period: 30 days

  “an rv, motor home, or mobile home may be parked on a property in georgetown for an initial period of 30 days.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes used as a dwelling inside Georgetown city limits

  • Covers mobile homes used as a dwelling only under a temporary use permit while a residence is built; permanent placement not addressed on the page read.

  “temporary use permit to live in an rv or mobile home while building a residence · $25.00 per period”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Connection of a home inside Georgetown city limits to the city water or sewer system

  • Connection requires separate permission from the city council; the permits page states water and sewer hook-up fees must be paid before construction where applicable.
  • No mandatory-connection distance rule was found.

  “connecting to the city water or sewer system requires separate permission from the city council.”

• Subdividing landLimited

  New subdivisions inside Georgetown city limits

  • Only the street-width rule was found in Ordinance 27; the full subdivision procedure was not located.
  • Land in the area of city impact outside city limits is governed by Bear Lake County land use and subdivision ordinances per Ordinance 61; not covered here.

  minimum street width in new subdivisions: >= 50 feet (subject to approval of the village board)

  “street width required: all streets in new subdivisions shall have a minimum width of fifty (50) feet and shall be subject to the approval of the village board.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Work that digs in or crosses a city road (for example a driveway cut), inside Georgetown city limits

  • The permit is for digging in or crossing a city road; the page does not say a driveway is required to have one. Ordinance 96 not opened.

  road crossing deposit: 3050 USD (refundable deposit)

  “road crossing / digging permit required before digging in or crossing a city road (ordinance 96) · $3,050 refundable deposit”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Temporary use permit for an RV or mobile home used as a dwelling inside Georgetown city limits

  • Fee per period. The permits page separately lists a $3,050 refundable deposit for road crossing permits.

  temporary use permit fee: 25 USD per period (additional $25.00 for each further period of time)

  “the fee is $25.00, with an additional $25.00 for each further period of time.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process inside Georgetown city limits

  • Application turned in at City Hall (382 Main Street); permit granted on approval after staking and site inspection.

  “fill out the application completely, supplying all necessary information.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Georgetown or Bear Lake County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Georgetown city limits
• Building code adopted — New construction inside Georgetown city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Georgetown city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Georgetown city limits
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Georgetown 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.