Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Murtaugh, Idaho

Murtaugh’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Accessory structures inside Murtaugh city limits (not the main dwelling)

  • Structures of 120 square feet or less need no building permit; larger accessory structures need a permit, except agricultural buildings in the agricultural zone.
  • The ordinance is silent on permits for the main dwelling; the main-dwelling permit requirement is not confirmed here.

  accessory structure size threshold: > 120 square feet (agricultural buildings in the agricultural zone are excepted)

  “3.all structures contain one hundred twenty square feet or less shall not require a building permit. those exceeding one hundred twenty (120) square feet shall require a building permit to be constructed with exception of agricultural buildings in the agricultural zone.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Murtaugh city limits. The city adopts and administers its own Land Use Ordinance (zoning).

  • The copy opened is hosted on the Twin Falls County website and states it replaces Ordinance #07-13 in its entirety; no adoption or effective date appears in the copy opened.
  • The ordinance states it was adopted under Idaho Code Title 67, Chapter 65, and Idaho Constitution Article 12, Section 2.

  “1-2 authority. this land use ordinance of the city of murtaugh is adopted pursuant to authority granted by title 67, chapter 65 of the idaho code, and article 12, section 2 of the idaho constitution, as amended or subsequently codified.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Use districts of the city of Murtaugh

  • The ordinance names seven districts (A, MDR, LDR, C, I, CC, MPD) and refers to a zoning map that was not opened.

  “1-6 establishment of use districts and zoning map. a. for the purposed of this ordinance the city of murtaugh is hereby divided into use districts as hereinafter provided.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Manufactured homes used as single-family dwellings in the MDR zone inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Applies to manufactured homes only; no site-built minimum dwelling size was found.
  • Minimum is an enclosed space of not less than 1,000 square feet.

  minimum enclosed floor area for manufactured home: >= 1000 square feet

  “1. single family dwellings, including manufactured homes under the following conditions: a. the manufactured home shall be an enclosed space of not less than one thousand (1,000) square feet;”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Medium density residential (MDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Applies to lots dependent on city water supply and sewage system.
  • Lots on well or septic only are not covered by this line; those are governed by the district health requirements.

  minimum lot area: >= 0.333 acre (lots dependent on city water supply and sewage system (one third acre, per ordinance))

  “1. the lot per dwelling unit and for all uses in a medium density residential (mdr) zone dependent on city water supply and sewage system lots. lots shall not be less than one third (1/3) of an acre.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Low density residential (LDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

    “1. the lot per dwelling unit and for all uses in a low density residential (ldr) zone shall not be less than one-half (1/2) acre.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Agricultural (A) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits. The ordinance places this zone within the area of city impact, so confirm on the zoning map that the lot is inside city limits.

    “3. area requirements. the minimum lot area shall be one (1) acre.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural (A) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Side yard: 15 feet from any side property line; corner lots keep 30 feet on the street side.
  • Rear yard: at least 10 feet deep.
  • Minimum lot width: 150 feet.
  • Center-road setback: 70 feet; alternate setbacks may be approved by the commission for varying street widths.

  front yard setback from front property line: >= 45 feet

  “b. front yard. no building or structure shall be erected nearer than forty-five (45) feet from the front property line of the lot.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Medium density residential (MDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

    “2. front yard. no building shall be constructed nearer than thirty-five (35) feet from the front centerline.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Low density residential (LDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

    “2. front yard. no building shall be constructed nearer than thirty-five (35) feet from the front center line.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Low density residential (LDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

  maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent of lot

  “6. lot coverage in a low density residential (ldr) zone shall not exceed sixty (60) percent of the lot.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Medium density residential (MDR) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

    “6. lot coverage in a medium density residential (mdr) zone shall not exceed sixty (60) percent of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural (A) zone lots inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Height limit may be exceeded only where a conditional use is allowed under section 1-7 subsection b.18.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (conditional use under section 1-7 b.18)

  “there shall be a height restriction of thirty-five feet (35') in the agricultural (a) zone.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured home used as a single-family dwelling in the medium density residential (MDR) zone inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Home must be an enclosed space of at least 1,000 square feet, set on an excavated and backfilled foundation, not more than 12 inches above grade (skirted if an interior foundation is used).
  • Home must have exterior siding and roofing comparable to surrounding dwellings, and must be built to the post-1976 HUD code.
  • Only one occupied manufactured home may be placed on any single lot.

  minimum enclosed floor area: >= 1000 square feet

  “1. single family dwellings, including manufactured homes under the following conditions: a. the manufactured home shall be an enclosed space of not less than one thousand (1,000) square feet;”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New home in the low density residential (LDR) zone inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Sewer connection is described as desirable, not mandatory, in LDR; where public sewer is not reasonably available, the minimum lot requirements follow the health district's requirements.

  distance to public sewer where connection is desirable: <= 100 feet (sewer may not be reasonably available or feasible throughout the zone)

  “it is desirable that in the low density residential (ldr) zone the principal designated uses involving structures, be serviced from public sewer facilities if within one hundred (100) feet.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land division inside Murtaugh city limits

  • Lot splits and subdivision platting go through city procedures; lot line adjustments are a separate process.
  • The full subdivision ordinance was not opened.

  “a lot line adjustment does not divide lands nor is it a substitute for dividing lands through the city's lot split or subdivision platting procedures.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning development applications inside Murtaugh city limits

  • The ordinance sets the notice and hearing steps; the city's application forms and building-permit steps were not located.
  • Planning and zoning meets before each city council meeting, per the city site.

  “1-20 administrative procedures. a. development applications. upon receipt of a development application the city council shall follow the notification and public hearing requirements specified in title 67, chapter 65 of the idaho code.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Murtaugh or Twin Falls County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permitting inside Murtaugh city limits
• Building code adopted — Construction of homes inside Murtaugh city limits
• Inspections — Inspections of new homes inside Murtaugh city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes inside Murtaugh city limits
• Living in an RV — Living in an RV on a lot inside Murtaugh 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.