Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Blooming Grove Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Blooming Grove Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering or placing a structure in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township (improvement location permit, a zoning permit; not a separate building permit)

  • The permit is an improvement location permit issued by the county executive director under the zoning code, not a confirmed building permit.
  • Farm buildings used purely for agriculture still need an improvement location permit (zoning and flood checks).

  “no structure may be erected, altered or placed, or no use of land may be changed, unless an improvement location permit has been obtained from the executive director”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Zoning inside the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township, Franklin County, Indiana. The county Area Zoning Code applies there; no Blooming Grove township zoning ordinance was found.

  • The code's jurisdiction clause covers the unincorporated territory of Franklin County and the territory of the towns of Laurel, Cedar Grove, Mount Carmel, Oldenburg and Brookville. Blooming Grove township is not named among those towns.
  • Whether all of Blooming Grove township is unincorporated was not verified on an official page.
  • Recorded as present under the county because the township's own zoning status was not established; this is county zoning, not a township ordinance.

  “the unincorporated territory within franklin county, indiana, and the territory within the towns of laurel, cedar grove, mount carmel, oldenburg, and brookville, indiana”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township under the county Area Zoning Code

  • The zone map that places each parcel in a district was not opened.
  • The code lists fifteen districts, including A-1, A-2, R-1, R-2, R-3 and overlays.

  “for zoning purposes, the territory within the jurisdiction of the franklin county plan commission is hereby classified and divided into fifteen (15) districts with the following names and designations”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family home in the A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Two-story homes have a minimum of 800 sq. ft. on the ground floor with 1440 total.

  minimum ground floor area, one-story single-family home: >= 900 sq. ft. (two-story: 800 sq. ft. ground floor)

  “single-family homes: [...] one story: [...] 900 sq. ft. (ordinance # 2014-19, passed on 11/24/2014).”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family home in the R-1 single-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “single-family homes: [...] one story: [...] 1440 sq. ft.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family home in the R-2 single-family and two-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “single-family homes: [...] one story: [...] 800 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 single-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Where a common sewer is used the R-1 minimum is 10,000 sq. ft., and minimum lot width is 100 feet with common sewer and 150 feet where septic is used.

  minimum lot area without sewer: >= 1 acre (larger if needed for 2 septic fields) · minimum lot area with sewer: >= 10000 sq. ft.

  “1 acre, or larger if needed for 1 2 septic fields (ordinance #2023-21 passed 11/1/2023) where sewer is utilized”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “1 acre, or larger if needed for 1 2 septic fields where no sewer is utilized”

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 single-family and two-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township, single-family and manufactured homes

    “single-family homes and manufactured homes where no sewer is utilized: 16,000 sq. ft. or larger if needed for 1 2 septic fields”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Front yard is 50 feet; side yard is 10% of minimum lot width and rear yard is 15 feet. Section 80.08.03 (yard and setback requirements) adds exceptions and was not opened.

  minimum front yard depth: >= 50 feet · minimum rear yard depth: >= 15 feet

  “5. minimum depth of front yard: [...] 50 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “5. required yards: minimum depth of front yard: [...] 35 feet”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent of lot

  “4. maximum lot coverage: [...] 20% of lot”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “4. maximum lot coverage: [...] 25% of lot”

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 single-family and two-family residence district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

    “4. maximum lot coverage: [...] 30% of lot”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Height limits for other structures are in section 80.08.04, which was not opened.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “8. maximum building height: [...] 35 feet 9. see section 80.08 additional requirements, including yard and setback, height, parking, and fences.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Parking or storing recreational vehicles on residential property in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Storage in the open is limited to two RVs at a time, plus one visitor RV for up to thirty days a year.
  • The code's RV rules address parking and storage, not living in an RV as a dwelling; a separate living rule was not found.

  recreational vehicles stored in the open on residential property: <= 2 vehicles (one additional visitor vehicle for up to 30 days per year)

  “not more than two recreational vehicles will be permitted to be parked or stored in the open on a residential property at any one time; provided, however, that one additional such vehicle may be permitted for visitation not to exceed thirty days in any one year.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Manufactured or mobile home as a permanent dwelling in the A-1 prime agriculture district in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • The A-1 district also requires minimum lot area of 1 acre without sewer, and floodplain rules apply where relevant.
  • Mobile homes built before June 15, 1976 that are found in poor condition may not be residential occupancy under the code's class F rule.

  “2. single-family dwelling 3. manufactured or mobile home 4. additional uses set forth in section 80.05”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewer, septic and well rules for land in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • The zoning code defers sewer, septic and water regulation to the Franklin County Health Department and to state and federal rules.

  “sewer, septic, and water regulations shall be per franklin county health department, and all other current state and federal regulations”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site septic sanitation for a home in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township on land without sewer in the A-1 and R-1 districts

  • Without public sewer the minimum lot is 1 acre, or larger if needed for two septic fields.
  • Septic use is subject to Franklin County Health Department rules.

  minimum lot area without sewer: >= 1 acre (larger if needed for 2 septic fields)

  “1 acre, or larger if needed for 1 2 septic fields where no sewer is utilized”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New subdivision lots in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township; the sewer connection duty is stated for subdivision developers, not for every existing parcel

  • Where a sanitary sewer is possible the subdivision developer must build a system connected to a town sewer; otherwise a local treatment system or an on-site approach applies.
  • No general rule requiring an existing parcel to connect to public sewer or water was found in the zoning code.

  “in all cases where such is possible the developer shall construct a sanitary sewer system connected to a town sewer”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm buildings on commercial farmland in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Farm operations are exempt from the building code only when agriculture is pursued for commercial gain.
  • The exemption does not cover farmhouses or farm dwellings.
  • Farm buildings still need an improvement location permit and must meet zoning and flood rules.

  “where agriculture is pursued for commercial gain, farming operations are exempt from the restrictions and regulations of the building code. this exemption for farms does not apply to farm houses and farm dwellings”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Dividing land into subdivision lots in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Subdivisions need approval by the Area Plan Commission and the county commissioners for unincorporated plats.
  • Sewage for each subdivision follows one of three procedures: public collection, local treatment system, or other approved method.

  “the subdivider shall provide the subdivision with sanitary sewage facilities in accordance with one of the three following procedures”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways at street intersections in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Building sites need undeniable access to a public road, which unmaintained or abandoned township roads do not satisfy.
  • Sight-line limits also apply near intersections.

  minimum distance from street intersection for driveway: >= 40 feet

  “no driveway shall be located within forty (40) feet of the intersection of two street lines”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in special flood hazard areas in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Applies only to mapped special flood hazard areas (floodplain district 80.03.15).
  • Manufactured homes and RVs in the floodplain have elevation requirements, and RVs on site 180 days or more count as development.

  “this ordinance shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard (sfhas) within the jurisdiction of the franklin county area planning and zoning commission”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Class 2 and class 3 permit process for land use in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove township

  • Class 2 applications are decided by the executive director within 15 days, with a possible 15-day extension when the director requests more material.
  • Denied class 2 applications can be resubmitted within 60 days as class 3 conditional uses.
  • Class 1 uses need no permit.

  class 2 decision deadline: <= 15 days (may be postponed up to 15 more days only when the director has requested more materials)

  “shall, within 15 days of receiving the completed application, approve, deny, or postpone the decision up to 15 days only in cases where the executive director has requested additional materials from the applicant”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits in Blooming Grove township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for new homes in Blooming Grove township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes in Blooming Grove township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in Blooming Grove township
• Camping on your land — Temporary tent or RV camping on private land in the unincorporated part of Blooming Grove 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.