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

Rules another office applies inside Pleasant Township

Pleasant 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

  Building and improvement location permits for construction in unincorporated Pleasant township, issued by the Grant County Area Plan office

  • The Area Plan office issues improvement location and building permits; the cities of Marion and Gas City issue their own permits, so the county office does not cover those cities.
  • Pleasant township is not on the Area Plan's list of towns, so the county office is the permit issuer for its unincorporated land (verify no incorporated town covers the parcel).

  “issue and maintain improvement location and building permits (the cities of marion and gas city issue their own permits)”

• InspectionsRequired

  Inspection of projects with permits issued by the Grant County Area Plan office, including projects in unincorporated Pleasant township

  • Inspections follow current local and state building codes, and the county requires advance notice of 24 hours for inspection requests (per the FAQ, not separately opened).

  “inspect projects associated with all permits issued according to current local and state building codes.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Pleasant township, Grant County, IN: the county areawide zoning ordinance (Chapter 153) applies there. No zoning ordinance adopted by Pleasant township itself was found.

  • Scope is the unincorporated county area; the Area Plan office lists its planning jurisdiction as unincorporated Grant County plus the towns of Jonesboro, Fairmount, Matthews, Upland, Van Buren and Sweetser, and Pleasant township is not among them.
  • Confirming that no incorporated municipality lies inside Pleasant township's boundary is still needed before treating every parcel as unincorporated.

  “(a) this chapter shall apply to all land within the unincorporated areas of the county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Unincorporated land in Grant County, including Pleasant township's unincorporated land, under the county areawide zoning ordinance

  • Map boundaries are incorporated into Chapter 153; the district-by-district tables were not opened.

  “(a) the location and boundaries of the zoning districts established by this chapter are shown on the zoning district maps of the county, which are incorporated into this chapter.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural or suburban zoned land in unincorporated Grant County, including Pleasant township's unincorporated land (the FAQ gives the main agricultural/suburban front setback); a separate single-family residential district figure was not confirmed

  • Front setback depends on the zoning district; the FAQ states the figure for most properties and points to the code (pages 224-226) for detail.
  • Side yard setback: 10% of front yard width, minimum 5 feet, maximum 25 feet; corner-lot street side same as front yard; rear 20 feet for house and 5 feet for accessory structures for most properties.
  • Variances from setbacks are granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals after petition and public hearing.

  front yard setback, agricultural or suburban areas: 30 feet (15' to 25' in town settings, depending on zoning) · side yard setback: 10 percent of front yard width (minimum 5 feet, maximum 25 feet)

  “front yard setback - 30' in agricultural or suburban areas; 15' to 25' in town settings (depending on zoning)”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured (mobile) homes placed or permanently occupied on land in unincorporated Grant County, including Pleasant township's unincorporated land

  • Allowed as a single-family residence (as provided in table § 153.186) only if all other requirements of the subchapter are met.
  • A permanent perimeter masonry wall or foundation must be installed to building code specifications, with manufacturer and state installation requirements met.
  • Footers, pillars and underpinnings must be installed to building code specifications.
  • Wheels and axles must be removed.
  • The home and any additions must be as originally manufactured for use as a single-family residence; additions not manufactured at the factory must be inspected by the state or county.

  “(a) mobile homes may be permanently occupied/placed as single-family residence (as provided in table § 153.186) if the following requirements are met:”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, replacing, repairing or altering a septic system on land inside Pleasant township

  • Permit is required before repairing, replacing, constructing or otherwise altering the system; the plumbing 2 feet outside the foundation counts as part of the septic system.
  • Plans from a licensed septic contractor after a soil analysis must be submitted and approved before the permit is issued.

  “you will need a septic permit, issued by the grant county health department, prior to repairing, replacing, constructing, or otherwise altering your septic system.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Residential sewage disposal in Grant County, including land inside Pleasant township

  • A system without a septic tank and absorption field (leachfield) is not legal; a system draining to a field tile, drain, creek, stream, side-ditch or other non-leachfield outlet is also not legal.

  “if your system does not have a septic tank and an absorption field, (leachfield) it is not legal.”

• Subdividing landRegulated

  Subdivision of land in unincorporated Grant County, including Pleasant township's unincorporated land, under the Grant County areawide subdivision ordinance (Chapter 152) administered by the Area Plan Commission

  • No improvement location permit or building permit may be issued for a parcel or plat created by subdividing land that does not conform to Chapter 152.
  • Plats are reviewed by the Area Plan Commission; notice goes to the highway engineer, drainage board, soil and water conservation district, health department, park board, fire department and school corporation for unincorporated land.

  “the jurisdiction of the commission shall include the unincorporated areas of the county, and the towns of fairmount, jonesboro, matthews, sweetser, upland and van buren”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Septic permit fees charged by the Grant County Health Department for land inside Pleasant township

  • Fee depends on permit type; soil evaluation fees are set by independent certified soil scientists and are not county fees.

  new construction septic permit: 150 USD · replacement septic permit (leachfield): 125 USD · repair septic permit: 50 USD (repair means repair or replacement of any component other than the soil absorption field)

  “permits for new construction are $150. permits for replacement systems are $125.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Septic permit process in Grant County, including land inside Pleasant township; building permit process is not covered by this claim

  • Application requires a soil analysis; the application goes to the environmental office and the contractor submits detailed installation plans for review.

  “when the plans have been approved, the septic permit will be issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in unincorporated Pleasant township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate or occupancy approval for new homes in unincorporated Pleasant township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Pleasant township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for single-family residential and agricultural districts in unincorporated Pleasant township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in unincorporated Pleasant 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.