Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Smithfield Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Smithfield Township

Smithfield Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts and development standards under the county UDO that apply to unincorporated land in Smithfield township

  • The UDO publishes district standards (A1, A2 and others); which district covers a specific Smithfield parcel was not confirmed.
  • The official zoning map and township-level district list were not opened.

  “article 02 agricultural (a2) district 2.06 a2 district development standards”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the agricultural (A2) district under the DeKalb County UDO, on Smithfield township land zoned A2

  • The one-acre minimum applies if the lot is connected to municipal sanitary sewer.
  • Lot-area and width rules are from the UDO district standards; other district standards not captured.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 net acres (1 acre if connected to municipal sanitary sewer) · minimum lot width: >= 160 feet · minimum lot frontage: >= 120 feet (40 feet if the lot or lots are designed to conserve land used for agricultural crop production)

  “minimum lot area: • 2 net acres (not including any dedicated rights-of-way and recorded easements) • 1 acre if connected to municipal sanitary sewer minimum lot width: • 160 feet minimum lot frontage: • 120 feet or • 40 feet if the lot or lots are designed to conserve land used for agricultural crop production”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the conservation agricultural (A1) district under the DeKalb County UDO, on Smithfield township land zoned A1

    “minimum lot area: • 2 net acres (not including any dedicated rights-of-way and recorded easements) • 1 acre if connected to municipal sanitary sewer minimum lot width: • 160 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Primary and accessory structures in the conservation agricultural (A1) district under the DeKalb County UDO, on Smithfield township land zoned A1

  • Rear yard setback for primary structures (30 feet per the captured text) was cut off and is not recorded here.
  • A2 district setbacks were not captured.

  front yard setback, primary and accessory structures: >= 50 feet · side yard setback, primary structures: >= 30 feet · side yard setback, accessory structures: >= 10 feet

  “minimum front yard setback: • 50 feet for primary and accessory structures minimum side yard setback: • 30 feet for primary structures • 10 feet for accessory structures”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Residential onsite sewage (septic) systems on land inside Smithfield township; the DeKalb County Health Department Septic Division licenses, inspects and plan-reviews them

  • All septic installers in DeKalb County must be registered with the department.
  • Permit must be obtained from the county septic permit packet before work.

  “the septic division is responsible for licensing and inspecting residential on-site sewage disposal systems and plan review of new or replacement systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic permit for residential onsite system work inside Smithfield township, issued through the DeKalb County Health Department

  • Permit steps and application are in the county septic permit packet; fees, timing and state rule (410 IAC 6-8.3) not verified on the captured page.

  “the dekalb county septic permit packet contains a list of steps required to obtain a septic permit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into lots on Smithfield township land under the county UDO subdivision control (Article 6)

  • Minor subdivisions are reviewed by the county Plat Committee; the captured minutes show findings against UDO minimum lot standards.

  “articles 2, 3, 4, and 5 are exclusively zoning ordinance components. article 6 is exclusively a subdivision control ordinance component.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes in Smithfield township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in Smithfield township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for new homes in Smithfield township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes in Smithfield township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Smithfield township

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.