Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Washington, Indiana

Washington’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures, improvements and land uses inside Washington city limits within the jurisdiction of the city plan commission.

  • Requires an improvement location permit (zoning-type permit) before the structure, improvement or use is altered, placed, erected or located, and only if it conforms to the master plan and applicable ordinances.
  • Exempt: the chapter's permit requirements do not apply to a structure clearly incidental to agricultural operations.

  “and an improvement location permit for the structure improvement, or use, has been issued. it is hereby declared that the intent of the permit requirements of this chapter shall not prevail with respect to a structure which is clearly incidental to agricultural operations.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Washington city limits. Washington city administers its own zoning code (Chapter 155, Zoning Code) with its own district map.

  • Zoning districts include FP floodplain, AG agricultural, S-1 suburban residence, R-1 single-family residence, R-2, R-3, C-1 through C-4, I-1 industrial and PUD.
  • Chapter 155 is the city's own code (code of ordinances of Washington, Indiana), so it is a city ordinance, not a county rule.

  “districts are hereby established as follows and as shown on the zone map and as follows: abbreviation district abbreviation district fp floodplain district”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Inside Washington city limits: the district list in Chapter 155 of the city code.

  • The district list is published in the code. Zone map is in Appendix B (zone maps), which was not opened, so parcel-level district assignment is not confirmed here.

  “districts are hereby established as follows and as shown on the zone map and as follows: abbreviation district abbreviation district fp floodplain district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Individual lots in the AG agricultural district inside Washington city limits.

  • Lots less than 1.5 net buildable acres may be permitted in an approved subdivision under the Washington subdivision control ordinance if the lots are at least one net buildable acre and served by a public water system, or at least 20,000 square feet and served by a public sanitary sewer system and public water system.

  minimum lot size, individual lots: 1.5 net buildable acres (smaller lots allowed in approved subdivision under conditions above)

  “minimum lot size shall be 1.5 net buildable acres for individual lots; and 4. lots less than 1.5 net buildable acres may be permitted in an approved subdivision under the washington subdivision control ordinance, if the lots are equal to or greater than: a. one net buildable acre, and are served by a public water system; or b. 20,000 square feet, and are served by a public sanitary sewer system and public water system.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Individual lots in the S-1 suburban residence district inside Washington city limits.

    “minimum lot size shall be 1.5 net buildable acres for individual lots. 2. lots less than 1.5 net buildable acres may be permitted in an approved subdivision under the washington subdivision control ordinance, if the lots are equal to or greater than: a. one net buildable acre, and are served by a public water system; and b. two hundred thousand square feet, and are served by a public sanitary sewer system and public water system.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Ponds and pond dams in the AG agricultural district inside Washington city limits. This is the only numeric setback captured; building setbacks are not covered by this claim.

  • Applies to any portion of a pond or pond dam, not to principal or accessory buildings.

  pond or pond dam setback from property line: 15 feet

  “any portion of a pond or pond dam shall be setback 15 feet from any property line”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Structures clearly incidental to agricultural operations inside Washington city limits, as to the improvement location permit requirement in Chapter 152.

  • Exemption is limited to structures clearly incidental to agricultural operations; it does not exempt residential dwellings.

  “it is hereby declared that the intent of the permit requirements of this chapter shall not prevail with respect to a structure which is clearly incidental to agricultural operations.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions into platted lots inside Washington city limits, under the Washington subdivision control ordinance.

  • Plats must meet Chapter 154 requirements; the plan commission reviews plats.

  “chapter 154: subdivision control share download bookmark print”

Rules another office applies inside Washington

Washington 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)

  Private septic systems for subdivision lots inside Washington city limits, where sewer and water are not possible or economically feasible. The Daviess County health department and board of health approve the system; the Indiana State Department of Health is the alternate approver.

  • Applies only where the developer shows to the county health department that public sewer and water are not possible or economically feasible.
  • System must follow design standards and approval of the Daviess County Board of Health or the Indiana State Department of Health.
  • Subdivision drainage and a 25-foot setback from any property line also apply (chapter 154).

  “then the developer or lot owner shall be permitted to use a private sanitary sewage disposal system (septic system) on each individual lot when installed in accordance with the design standards and approval of the daviess county board of health or indiana state department of health.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Washington or Daviess County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in Washington city.
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for Washington city.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Washington city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Washington city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Washington city districts.

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.