Bolthole Index

DeKalb County, Indiana

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Town of Ashley, Indiana

Town of Ashley, Indiana requires an improvement location permit before construction or reconstruction and an occupancy permit before using a structure.12 Ashley adopts its own zoning ordinance; public-sewer connections require a written Town permit, while residential septic administration on the DeKalb County side belongs to the county health department.345

At a glance

Building approval
Improvement location permit before construction or reconstruction1
Occupancy
Occupancy permit before using a structure2
Zoning
Town Unified Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance3
Public sewer
Written Town connection permit required4
Septic
DeKalb County Health Department for DeKalb County parcels5
Wells
Local requirements need confirmation; use a DNR-licensed driller6

Who to call

Building permits

Ashley Street, Parks & Buildings Department

Town contact for building-permit questions

Planning & zoning

Ashley Planning Commission

Town planning, zoning forms and variance referral

Also useful

Ashley Clerk-Treasurer

Town office contact and referral to building and zoning staff

260-587-9276

500 S. Gonser Avenue; P.O. Box 70; Ashley, IN 46705

Septic permits

DeKalb County Health Department, Environmental Health

Residential septic licensing, inspections and plan review for DeKalb County parcels

(260) 925-2220

220 E Seventh St Auburn, IN 46706

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Ashley means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Ashley, IN?

Ashley requires an improvement location permit before construction or reconstruction, followed by an occupancy permit before using the structure.12 Start with Ashley’s Street, Parks & Buildings Department for building-permit questions and the Town’s published improvement location application.78 Ask the Town to identify the building-plan reviewer, inspection provider, required inspections and current construction fees before work begins; we could not confirm Ashley’s inspection schedule or an owner-builder exemption.7 Indiana leaves building-permit and plan-review requirements to the applicable local administrative process.9

Who handles building permits and zoning in Town of Ashley?

Ashley’s Street, Parks & Buildings Department lists building permits among its responsibilities.7 Ashley’s Planning Commission is responsible for construction, growth and the Town master plan, and the Town government page supplies an improvement location permit form.8 Ashley’s Board of Zoning Appeals handles variance applications.8 Call the Clerk-Treasurer at 260-587-9276 for a referral to the Town staff handling your project.10 Keep construction approval separate from sewer approval: a connection to Ashley’s public sewer requires its own written Town permit.4

Does Town of Ashley have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

Ashley has adopted a Unified Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance, including zoning districts and a zoning map.311 Ashley’s ordinance also regulates subdivision of land and includes improvement standards.12 Before choosing a house footprint or dividing a parcel, ask Ashley’s Planning Commission for the parcel’s district, current map and applicable lot-size, setback, height and coverage schedule.8 We could not confirm Ashley’s district-specific dimensional values here; obtain the Town’s answer before ordering plans or relying on a seller’s description.8 For land outside Ashley’s planning jurisdiction, consult the DeKalb County guide: the county zoning ordinance excludes legally established municipal planning jurisdictions.13

How do sewer connections and septic permits work in Town of Ashley?

Connecting a building to Ashley’s public sewer requires a written Town permit, a Town application form and any plans or information the Inspector requires.414 The applicant must notify the Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection, and construction is supervised by the Inspector or representative.14 For Ashley parcels in DeKalb County, the county health department licenses and inspects residential septic systems and reviews new or replacement plans.5 Request the county’s septic permit packet and existing parcel records before buying land without public sewer.15 Indiana requires a compliant residential onsite sewage system where a dwelling is not connected, or cannot connect, to sanitary sewer; drywells and cesspools are prohibited.16

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Town of Ashley?

We could not confirm Ashley’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask Ashley’s Planning Commission to review the intended use for the exact parcel.8 Ashley’s zoning ordinance establishes districts and a zoning-map framework, so obtain the applicable use classification as well as the dimensional schedule.11 Indiana’s campground rule addresses regulated campgrounds and excludes individually deeded lots; that rule does not establish permission to live in an RV on a private Ashley lot.17 A small dwelling still needs Ashley’s applicable improvement location approval and an occupancy permit before use.12

Building a home in Town of Ashley: what should you check first?

Begin by asking Ashley’s Planning Commission to confirm the district and proposed residential use, then obtain the improvement location permit before construction.81 Resolve sewage disposal with the Town for a public-sewer connection or DeKalb County Environmental Health for a septic system on a DeKalb County parcel.45 Before drilling a well, confirm local requirements with the health department and use an Indiana DNR-licensed water-well driller.6 A driveway connecting to a state highway requires permission through INDOT’s Electronic Permit System; ask the Town about access to a town street.187 Indiana DNR regulates most floodway development, with possible exemptions and additional local requirements.19 Obtain Ashley’s occupancy permit before using the completed structure.2

Watch-outs

  • Ashley’s published $0 sewer permit and inspection fee applies to the public-sewer permit classes, not a confirmed general construction fee.20
  • We could not confirm Ashley’s owner-builder exemption or inspection schedule; ask the Town’s building-permit contact before starting construction.7
  • DeKalb County recommends requesting septic records or having a soil scientist review land without public sewer before purchase.15

Sources

  1. Sec. 10-5 Adoption (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  2. Sec. 10-5 Adoption (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  3. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sec. 9-54 Two (2) Classes of Permits for Public Sewer System (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  5. Environmental Health / DeKalb County, Indiana, quoted and re-checked
  6. Recommended Standards For Private Water Wells (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Ashley Street, Parks & Buildings Department (ashley.in.gov)
  8. Ashley Planning Commission (ashley.in.gov)
  9. in.gov (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Ashley Clerk-Treasurer (ashley.in.gov)
  11. Sec. 10-5 Adoption (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  12. Sec. 10-5 Adoption (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  13. DeKalb County Unified Development Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 9-54 Two (2) Classes of Permits for Public Sewer System (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked
  15. DeKalb County Health Department, Environmental Health (co.dekalb.in.us)
  16. 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential On-Site Sewage Systems (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Environmental Public Health: 410 IAC 6-71 Campgrounds (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. INDOT Driveway Permit Guide 2024 (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Water: Community Assistance & Information (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Sec. 9-54 Two (2) Classes of Permits for Public Sewer System (Town of Ashley), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Ashley

Town of Ashley’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or reconstruction of buildings inside Ashley town limits.

    • An improvement location permit is required before construction or reconstruction under the Town's administrative procedures.
    “This section generally requires an improvement location permit prior to construction or reconstruction and requires an occupancy permit prior to use of a structure and contains a provision for enforcement and penalties.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use of a structure inside Ashley town limits.

    • The Town's administrative-procedure summary requires an occupancy permit before use of a structure.
    “This section generally requires an improvement location permit prior to construction or reconstruction and requires an occupancy permit prior to use of a structure and contains a provision for enforcement and penalties.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Ashley town limits.

    • The Town adopted the Unified Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance upon Plan Commission recommendation.
    “The Unified Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance prepared by Bonar Group is hereby adopted as if fully set forth herein, upon recommendation of the Plan Commission of the Town of Ashley, Indiana.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning-map framework inside Ashley town limits.

    • The code summary identifies zoning districts, their purposes, and the zoning map; the individual district schedules were not located in the reviewed pages.
    “This section generally identifies the various zoning districts and their purposes, and incorporates the Zoning map as a part of the Unified Ordinance.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Connections to Ashley's public sewer system inside Ashley town limits.

    • A written Town permit is required before making a public-sewer connection.
    • The reviewed provision does not state a distance or availability threshold requiring every new home to connect when sewer is available.
    • The applicant must submit the Town's application and any plans, specifications, or other information required by the Inspector.
    • The applicant must notify the Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection.

    residential or commercial building-sewer permit fee: 0 USD · industrial building-sewer permit fee: 0 USD

    “No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the Town.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Ashley town limits.

    • The Town's Unified Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance includes subdivision regulation and improvement standards.
    “This section generally sets forth the standards for the subdivision of land, including improvement standards, within the jurisdiction for the purpose to protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Public sewer building-permit and inspection fees inside Ashley town limits.

    • The quoted fees are for the public sewer permit classes in Sec. 9-54, not necessarily for a general building permit.

    residential or commercial building-sewer permit fee: 0 USD · industrial building-sewer permit fee: 0 USD

    “A permit and inspection fee of $0.00 for a residential or commercial building permit and $0.00 for an industrial building sewer permit shall be paid to the Town at the time the application is filed.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Public sewer connection permitting inside Ashley town limits.

    • Written Town permit required.
    • Application must use a Town form and may require plans, specifications, or other information required by the Inspector.
    • The applicant must notify the Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection.
    • Construction is supervised by the Inspector or representative.
    “In either case, the owner or his agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the said Town. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the Inspector. [...] The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the said Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The construction shall be made under the supervision of the said Inspector or his representative.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Ashley town limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Ashley town limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Ashley town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Ashley town zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Ashley town zoning districts.
17 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Ashley publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. DeKalb County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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