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

Town of Clarksville’s own rules

• Building code adoptedPartial

  New construction and alterations inside Clarksville town limits

  • Chapter 150 (Building Regulations) is the town building code by section 150.001 and was adopted by ord. 2022-g-02, passed 2-3-22.
  • The specific code editions incorporated under section 150.060 Adoption of rules by reference were not opened, so the exact adopted standards are not established here.
  • Section 150.003 ties class 1 and class 2 structure definitions to Indiana Code 22-12-1, so state construction rules also apply.

  “this chapter and all material included herein by reference shall be known as the building code for the town”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Clarksville town limits

  • The town adopts its own zoning ordinance by reference in code section 154.20; the ordinance is administered by the town building inspector, plan commission and board of zoning appeals.
  • Section 154.20 lists amendments through ord. 2025-z-05, passed 1-20-26. The zoning PDF posted on the town site (2020 part 2 file opened here; the full 2019 file exceeds the open-page size limit) may not reflect every later amendment.
  • Status is conditional because development is subject to district rules that were not fully read.

  “the town of clarksville zoning ordinance, adopted february 8, 1993, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this code, the same as if set forth in full herein.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts in Clarksville town limits

  • The town publishes its zoning ordinance as PDF files on townofclarksville.com.
  • Part 2 covers Article 2 base districts: PUD (division 95), I-1 (division 100), I-2 (division 105); residential district tables were not found in the opened text.

  “article 2 - base district regulations sec. 100-30 division 100 - i-1 district development standards”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Clarksville town limits under zoning Article 4, Division 157 (Accessory Use and Structures), page 157-3

  • Allowed only where the listed standards are met; the list of named neighborhoods is Greenacres, Sherwood, Howard Park and Falls View, with other neighborhoods by special exception.
  • The accessory dwelling may be attached to or detached from the primary dwelling.
  • Maximum combined building coverage follows the base district; a second dwelling must keep the district setbacks, with at least 10 feet between the primary dwelling and a detached unit.
  • The text was read from a 2020 posting; later amendments may apply.

  minimum lot area: >= 3000 sq ft · detached accessory unit maximum height: <= 16 ft (or the height of the principal structure, whichever is less) · accessory dwelling floor area: 360 to 950 sq ft (not to exceed 50 percent of the principal dwelling)

  “accessory dwelling units shall be allowed only in compliance with the following standards:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Clarksville town limits

  • Chapter 152 Subdivision Regulations is part of Title XV; its text was not opened.
  • Section 152.71 Subdivision and lot layout is said by a search snippet to require lot dimensions meeting the zoning minimums; not verified on an opened page.

  “chapter 150: building regulations chapter 151: reserved chapter 152: subdivision regulations chapter 153: flood damage prevention chapter 154: zoning”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Clarksville town limits

  • Section 154.01: the building inspector issues a permit on written application when the structure and its location conform to the master plan.
  • Section 154.02: each application must include a scaled site plan.
  • Section 154.03: decisions may be appealed to the board of zoning appeals (zoning requirements) or the plan commission (other master plan parts).
  • Sections 150.020 to 150.028 (permit issuance, validity, completion and occupancy certificates) are listed but not opened.

  “any decision of the building inspector concerning the issuance of a building permit may be appealed to the board of zoning appeals when the decision in question involves a requirement of the zoning ordinance or to the plan commission when the decision in question involves the requirements of other parts of the master plan”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit treatment inside Clarksville town limits
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Clarksville town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Clarksville town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Main single-family residential district inside Clarksville town limits (district not yet identified)
• Minimum lot size — Main single-family residential district inside Clarksville town limits (district not yet identified)

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 Clarksville 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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