Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Boswell, Indiana

Town of Boswell’s own rules

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Boswell town limits that would use subsurface soil absorption for a private sewage disposal system; this is a septic permit minimum, not a zoning district lot size

  • Applies only where no public sanitary or combined sewer is available under § 52.03.
  • Type, capacity, location and layout must also comply with state board of health recommendations.

  minimum lot area for a permit using subsurface soil absorption: >= 7200 square feet (no permit is issued where the lot is less than this area)

  “no permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 7,200 square feet.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for buildings inside Boswell town limits where no public sanitary or combined sewer is available under § 52.03

  • The town superintendent signs the private sewage disposal permit and inspects the work.
  • The type, capacity, location and layout must comply with the recommendations of the state board of health.
  • The health officer may impose additional requirements; the town section does not limit them.
  • State and county health department rules were not separately verified and are not recorded here.

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private sewage disposal system (septic) for a building inside Boswell town limits where no public sewer is available

  • Application is made on a form furnished by the town with any plans or information the superintendent requires.
  • The permit does not take effect until installation is completed to the superintendent's satisfaction (see boswell-septic-inspection-required).

  permit and inspection fee, private sewage disposal system: 25 USD (paid to the town at the time the application is filed)

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system installations inside Boswell town limits where no public sewer is available

  • The applicant must notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered.
  • The superintendent may inspect at any stage of construction.
  • The inspection must be made within 72 hours of the superintendent receiving notice.

  inspection timing after notice: <= 72 hours (from receipt of notice by the superintendent)

  “the inspection shall be made within 72 hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks, cesspools and similar sewage facilities inside Boswell town limits

  • Outside the town sewer system, a private sewage disposal system is allowed only under a town permit and the § 52.04 standards.
  • Where a public sewer is available, the building sewer must connect to it (§ 52.03).

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings for human occupancy inside Boswell town limits that abut a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary or combined sewer and that are within 100 feet of the property line

  • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice from the town.
  • Where a public sewer is not available, the building sewer goes to a private system under § 52.04.
  • When a public sewer later becomes available to a property on a private system, the building sewer must connect within 60 days (§ 52.04(h)).
  • The owner bears all installation and connection costs (§ 52.05(c)).

  distance from property line to public sewer triggering connection: <= 100 feet (measured to the property line)

  “is hereby required at his or her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect the facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter, within 90 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Sewer building-connection permits and private sewage disposal permits in Boswell town only; general building, zoning and other permit fees were not located

  • Fees are stated in the code as of the ordinance passage dates shown in Chapter 52 (ord. 1975-5 passed 12-16-1975; ord. 1983-19 passed 4-25-1977); the code's current fee schedule was not confirmed against a newer amendment.

  residential or commercial building sewer permit and inspection fee: 15 USD (paid to the clerk-treasurer at the time the application is filed) · industrial building sewer permit and inspection fee: 25 USD (paid to the clerk-treasurer at the time the application is filed) · private sewage disposal system permit and inspection fee: 25 USD (paid to the town at the time the application is filed)

  “a permit and inspection fee of $15 for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and $25 for an industrial building sewer permit shall be paid to the clerk-treasurer at the time the application is filed.”

• Permit processPartial

  Sewer building-connection permits in Boswell town; general building and zoning permit process was not located

  • Public sewer connection work requires a written permit from the clerk-treasurer before any connection or alteration.
  • The applicant files a town form with plans and information the inspector requests.
  • The applicant must notify the inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection.

  “the applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Boswell town limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing their own home inside Boswell town limits
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Boswell town limits: which building code the town or county adopts
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Boswell town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes inside Boswell town 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Boswell means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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