Building permits, zoning and septic rules in DeKalb County, Indiana

Most construction in unincorporated DeKalb County requires a county building permit, and permitted projects must complete the inspections required for the project^1,7. Inside Ashley, the town requires its own improvement location permit before construction or reconstruction⁸. Residential septic review remains with the DeKalb County Health Department⁴. The applicable codes include the 2014 Indiana Building Code for commercial and nonresidential work and the 2020 Indiana Residential Code for Class 2 structures and their accessory structures⁹. Contact the county Building Department before starting an addition, remodel, reconstruction or swimming-pool project so the office can explain the required documents¹.

The DeKalb County Building Department is at 301 S Union St, Auburn, IN 46706, and its phone number is (260) 925-3021¹. The office asks people planning to build, add on, remodel, reconstruct or install a swimming pool to contact it for an explanation of what the project will require¹. County zoning petitions require a complete application, and the Zoning Administrator has up to 15 days after filing to determine completeness³. Fees come from the Plan Commission Rules of Procedure, and all applicable charges must be paid before final action². For land-use questions, contact the Plan Commission at plancommission@co.dekalb.in.us¹⁰.

DeKalb County has zoning, but the county Unified Development Ordinance excludes legally established city and town planning jurisdictions and expressly includes Corunna². Butler, Waterloo and Ashley have their own zoning^8,11,12. The county Health Department reviews residential septic systems; Waterloo also requires town private-sewage approval where public sewer is unavailable^4,13. Ask the Plan Commission to locate the parcel on the Official Zoning Map and identify its district layout before designing a home^2,3,10. Minimum lot area varies by district: the Manufactured Home Park (MP) District requires 2 net acres, or 1 acre with municipal sanitary sewer, excluding dedicated rights-of-way and recorded easements from net acreage². That park standard is not a general minimum for a rural homesite; use the parcel’s own district standards for lot area, dwelling size and setbacks^2,3.

The DeKalb County Health Department's Environmental Health division administers the state onsite-sewage rule locally, reviews plans, and licenses and inspects residential systems^4,14. All septic installers working in DeKalb County must be registered with that department⁴. If sanitary sewer is available within a reasonable distance, Indiana prohibits a new onsite system and requires connection to the sewer⁵. Otherwise, a dwelling must have a compliant septic tank and soil-absorption system; a holding tank is only conditionally available with written approval¹⁴. Request final inspection under the local procedure before covering subsurface work¹⁴. Only about 3.5% of county soils lack severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so review septic records and soil suitability before buying^15,16.

A recreational vehicle cannot be used as living quarters on land governed by DeKalb County zoning, including Corunna and unincorporated land outside municipal planning jurisdictions^2,3. The ordinance’s campground and RV-park definitions describe short-term occupancy; those definitions do not override the separate living-quarters prohibition³. We could not confirm temporary camping permissions or a separate tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the Plan Commission about the proposed use and any minimum dwelling size in the parcel’s district^3,10. A manufactured home is a permitted dwelling use in the R3 Village Residential District, but other districts may use different permissions or special-exception rules³. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are allowed in R3; that answer does not establish permission in another district³.

1. Ask the Plan Commission to identify the governing jurisdiction, zoning district, allowed use, setbacks and other dimensional standards^2,3.
2. Ask whether a land division needs subdivision approval, then submit the required site plan and complete applications^3,17.
3. Confirm the applicable fees and pay all charges before final action².
4. Apply for the building permit through the DeKalb County Building Department¹.
5. Determine whether sewer is reasonably available; connect if it is, or have the Health Department review the septic plan if it is not^4,5.
6. Resolve local-road or state-highway access with the appropriate authority^3,18.
7. Check Indiana DNR requirements for mapped floodway development, then schedule building and septic inspections before covered work becomes inaccessible^7,14,19.

Zoning: confirm the planning jurisdiction and mapped district, because county zoning excludes legally established municipal planning jurisdictions but includes Corunna². Dimensions: obtain the applicable district layout for lot area, dwelling size, coverage, height and setbacks; the Manufactured Home Park acreage standard and Agricultural Business standards do not establish a general rural homesite minimum^2,3. Land division: ask whether the parcel or proposed split needs Plan Commission subdivision approval¹⁷. Septic and sewer: determine whether sewer connection is required, then request septic records and consider a soil scientist’s review if onsite treatment is needed^5,16. Only about 3.5% of DeKalb County soils lack severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁵. Private-well permitting remains unconfirmed, so ask Environmental Health before drilling²⁰.