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

Town of Dillsboro’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, moving, adding to, structurally altering, or changing the use of a building or structure, or land, inside Dillsboro town limits (town zoning / improvement location permit)

  • The permit is the town's zoning permit (location improvement permit) under Article 6, section 600; zoning permits are approved by the Town Manager per the town's permit page.
  • The town's building permits are issued by the Dearborn County Building Department (165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, 812-537-8822, per the town permit page); that county permit step is a separate requirement not separately extracted here.
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.

  “according to the town zoning ordinance, article 6, section 600, no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered, nor shall any building, structure, or land be established or changed in use or character without a permit.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Dillsboro town limits (Town of Dillsboro, Dearborn County, IN): the Town of Dillsboro Zoning Ordinance

  • The ordinance has been amended by Town Council action under its Article 5 (a May 13, 2019 amendment to Article 4, section 420 is listed in the amendment table).
  • The town zoning map is a separate instrument; the zoning districts are set in the ordinance.

  “this ordinance was adopted by the dillsboro town council on february 11, 2019 as ordinance # 2019-2-1 and became effective on february 11, 2019.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Dillsboro town limits

  • The ordinance sets out agricultural (A), residential (R, including R-2 and R-3), commercial (C) and other districts by article; the zoning map is a separate instrument that was not opened.
  • Article 25 district dimensional standards are in Table 25.1, not extracted.

  “sections 1000 - 1055 article 10 - residential (r) zoning districts town of dillsboro zoning ordinance”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicle used as a temporary residence on a lot inside Dillsboro town limits (temporary occupancy provision in Article 25)

  • The provision covers a temporary dwelling tied to a home under construction: item 3 says 'the temporary dwelling shall be located in the side or rear of the home being constructed'.
  • Item 4 says the temporary occupancy is permitted for six months and can be renewed for six additional months by the zoning administrator.
  • A recreational vehicle may remain on the property after the approved period but may not continue as a residence.
  • Long-term RV occupancy outside this provision was not located in the opened text.

  temporary occupancy period: 6 months (renewable for six additional months by the zoning administrator)

  “if the temporary residence is a recreational vehicle it can remain on the property in the appropriate location as required by this article, but cannot continue as a residence.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Manufactured or mobile home used as a single-family detached dwelling in the residential district whose permitted-use list precedes section 1010 of Article 10 (the first residential district; its name is not stated in the extracted text)

  • The home must be built in compliance with the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards law and IC 22-15-4-1, and with all other state and town applicable codes, as the quoted sentence states.
  • Manufactured homes also appear in the agricultural district permitted-use list (Article 9); not separately extracted here.
  • Lot and setback standards in Table 25.1 still apply and were not extracted.

  “a single family detached dwelling, including manufactured and mobile homes built in compliance with the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards law of 1974 (942 usc 5401 et seq.) and ic 22-15-4-1, as it may be amended, as well as all other state and town applicable codes”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in the R-2 urban single-family residential district (section 1030 conditional uses), inside Dillsboro town limits

  • Allowed only as a conditional use approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals after a conditional use petition.
  • The approval standards and conditions of the petition were not extracted.

  “section 1030 - conditional uses the following uses may be approved by the board of zoning appeals after the filing of a conditional use petition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 8. 9. accessory dwelling units”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Limited — Accessory dwelling units in the R-3 multiple family residential district (section 1050 conditional uses), inside Dillsboro town limits

    “section 1050 - conditional uses the following uses may be approved by the board of zoning appeals after the filing of a conditional use petition: 1. accessory dwelling units”

  • Limited — Accessory dwelling units in the agricultural (A) zoning districts (section 920 conditional uses), inside Dillsboro town limits

    “section 920 - conditional uses the following uses may be approved by the board of zoning appeals after the filing of a conditional use petition: 1. accessory dwelling units”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Newly created lots recorded by subdivision review or certified survey inside Dillsboro town limits

  • Applies to newly created lots only; the excerpt does not address existing lots or a single new home on an existing lot.
  • The sentence states lots must be served with public sewer; it does not state the distance or availability threshold.

  “all newly created lots recorded by subdivision review or certified survey in the town of dillsboro shall be served with public sewer.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Water and sewer (with conditions) — New use or structure requiring water supply and sewage disposal inside Dillsboro town limits

    “no new use or structure, which would require water supply and sewage disposal, shall be shall be conducted or constructed without the infrastructure to ensure that there is sufficient water supply and public sewer service”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creating or altering parcels inside Dillsboro town limits

  • Parcel creation must meet the road frontage requirements and Table 25.1, or as otherwise outlined in the Town's Subdivision Control Ordinance.
  • The Subdivision Control Ordinance (2019 version on the town site) was not opened; its content is follow-up work.

  “all parcels of land to be created or altered must comply within the road frontage requirements identified in articles 9, 10, 11, and 13 of this ordinance, as well as table 25.1 or as otherwise outlined in the town's subdivision control ordinance.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit fees for work inside Dillsboro town limits

  • The fee schedule is a linked PDF ('Permit Fee Schedule', 275.79 KB) that was not opened; no dollar amounts are stated in this claim.
  • Permit fee amounts must be read from the current fee schedule; the schedule date was not confirmed.

  “zoning permit application 116.55 kb driveway permit application 206 kb bza application 202.22 kb permit fee schedule 275.79 kb”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process inside Dillsboro town limits (Town Manager); building permit process is handled by the Dearborn County Building Department

  • The town's page names the Town Manager as the approving official for zoning permits; the application steps and review timing were not extracted.
  • Building permits are issued by Dearborn County Building Department (per the town permit page); the county process is not covered by this claim.

  “the town manager is responsible for approving zoning permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits or inspections inside Dillsboro town limits
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to construction inside Dillsboro town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Dillsboro town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Dillsboro town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for a home inside Dillsboro 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.