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

Town of Camden’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Newly created, erected, changed, converted or altered buildings and premises in Camden town, under the 1970 town zoning ordinance

  • Temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued for up to six months during alteration or partial occupancy (per Article 6, Section 4).

  “it is unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any bu ii rl i ng or p rem i ses, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure unti i a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the zoning administrator”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Camden town's limits, administered by the town under its own 1970 zoning ordinance (amended 1979, 1984, 1995). Not applicable to unincorporated Carroll County.

  • The copy is a 1970 ordinance with amendments listed through 1995; the ordinance text states no current effective date in the excerpt opened, so currency against any later amendment is not confirmed.
  • Zoning map is kept in the town hall and controls over copies, per Article 1.

  “an ordinance establishing comprehensive zoning regulations for the town of camden”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within Camden town limits under the 1970 ordinance: U-1, U-2 (urban residential), B-1 (general business), B-3 (central business), I-1 and I-2 (industrial)

  • Official zoning map is held at the town hall and controls over copies.

  “the town is hereby divided into the following districts: u-i u-2 b-1 b-3 i-i 1-2”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Any building counted as a 'dwelling' under the Camden town zoning ordinance definition, inside Camden town

  • Stated as part of the ordinance definition of 'dwelling'; excludes mobile homes from the definition.
  • Mobile homes and hotels/motels/lodging houses are excluded from the defined term.

  minimum width at narrowest dimension: >= 24 feet · minimum living area: >= 1000 square feet

  “the dwelling shall be 24 or more feet wide at its narrowest dimension, and have 1000 or more square feet of living area.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the U-2 Urban Residential district inside Camden town (the district block following the U-1 special-exception cross-reference in Article 3). U-1 district values were not located.

  • Per-unit lot area for two-family and multiple-family are stated in the same sentence.
  • Planned developments may reduce minimum lot area and width under Article 4 approval (per the planned development section).

  minimum lot area per single-family dwelling unit: >= 5000 square feet (two-family 3,500 sq ft; multiple-family 2,500 sq ft per unit) · minimum lot width, single-family: >= 50 feet (two-family 60 ft; multiple-family 70 ft)

  “minimum lot size: lot area per dwelling unit--single-family, 5,000 square feet; two-family, 3,500 square feet; and multiplefamily 2,500 square feet. lot width--single-family, 50 feet; two-family, 60 feet; and multiple-family, 70 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the U-2 Urban Residential district inside Camden town (U-1 values not located)

  • Yard minimums as printed in the 1970 ordinance; corner-lot visibility, projections and fences are governed by Article 4 supplementary regulations not read.

  front yard minimum: >= 20 feet · rear yard minimum: >= 15 feet · side yard minimum (each side): >= 6 feet

  “d. minimum yard sizes: front yard - 20 feet. rear yard - 15 feet. side yards - 6 feet (each side).”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Land inside Camden town that lies in a mapped flood hazard area on the zoning maps

  • Permit issuance requires a written report from the flood control and water resources commission before the improvement location permit is issued.
  • Requires a scale drawing with USGS datum elevations; foundations designed for flood conditions; minimum obstruction to flow.

  “flood hazard areas are shown on the zoning maps. an improvement location permit for a use or structure, including fi ii ing and construction of other improvement intended to reduce the danger of flood, otherwise permitted on a lot located in a zoning district but within the flood hazard area shall not be issued unless and unti i the zoning administrator: a. receives a written report from the flood control and water resources commission”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Camden

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Residential on-site sewage (septic) systems inside Camden town, administered by the Carroll County Health Department under 410 IAC 6-8.1 and Carroll County local ordinance 89-4 code 3-49. Applies inside Camden town because the county health department's application form covers residential on-site sewage systems in Carroll County.

  • Permit issued only after soil evaluation by a certified soil scientist and health-department review of the proposed system.
  • Requirement is stated by the county form, not by a Camden town ordinance; the town did not state its own septic authority in pages opened.

  “if approved, the health department will issue a permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or repaired residential on-site sewage systems on parcels inside Camden town, through the Carroll County Health Department

  • Soil report from a certified soil scientist must be submitted first.
  • Floor plan of proposed building and scale site drawing required before a permit is issued.
  • Fee: new septic system $100.00; septic system repair $75.00 (per the 2025 application form).

  new septic system permit fee: 100 USD · septic system repair permit fee: 75 USD

  “note: a floor plan of the proposed building and scale drawing of the site are required before a permit is issued.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of residential on-site sewage systems on parcels inside Camden town, through the Carroll County Health Department

  • Applicant consents to health-department entry without further notice for all installation inspections.

  “several inspections will be conducted as part of the installation of the on-site sewage system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Camden town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Camden town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for construction inside Camden town
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Camden town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in Camden town

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.