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

Rules another office applies inside Jackson Township

Jackson 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

  New construction on unincorporated Howard County land, including land inside Jackson township (not the City of Kokomo)

  • The county's Improvement Location Permit (ILP) is the permit issued before construction in the county. The sheet is footer-dated 2/21/2008 and was not checked against a current form.
  • For new homes, the sheet says: verify the property is an approved building lot; unapproved lots may require subdivision approval.
  • Property owner signature is required for all permit applications.
  • The sheet says a septic system permit, a MS4 permit from the county surveyor and a driveway permit must accompany the ILP application when building in Howard County.

  “the following items must be submitted with the application for an improvement location permit:”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in unincorporated Howard County, including land inside Jackson township, unless Jackson township adopts its own zoning ordinance. This is county zoning, not a Jackson township ordinance.

  • The county code adopts a zoning code in chapter 153. That chapter's text was not opened, so its districts and standards are not verified here.
  • No Jackson township zoning ordinance was found in this research pass; the township-level claim is recorded separately as unknown.
  • The county code defines the unincorporated area as all areas of the county not located in the City of Kokomo and the towns of Russiaville and Greentown.

  “the zoning code, being ordinance 1981-9, passed july 13, 1981, as may be amended from time to time, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this code as if fully set forth herein.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site sewage systems for residences in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township, where the county health department issues the permit under state rule 410 IAC 6-8.2 and Howard County ordinance 2006-BCC-23

  • The application cites the Indiana state rule (410 IAC 6-8.2) and the county ordinance together, so authority is mixed.
  • The application states the health department has 45 days to issue or deny a permit in accordance with IC 16-41-25-1.
  • The county code's residential sewage chapter (chapter 51) also applies, per its title section.

  “the system will be installed as approved in compliance with isdh rule 410 iac 6-8.2 and howard county ordinance 2006-bcc-23.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Residential sewage disposal systems in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township

  • Required before construction of a residence that will not be connected to a sanitary sewerage system.
  • Also required before replacement, reconstruction, expansion or remodeling that may increase the number of bedrooms, and before any addition, alteration or repair to an existing system.
  • No permit shall be issued until the property owner or agent has provided all required information and the health department has given approval.

  “the owner or agent of the owner shall obtain a written permit, signed by the health officer, for construction of a residential sewage disposal system prior to:”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private individual on-site sanitation (septic) for residences in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township

  • Allowed only with a written health department permit before construction.
  • For residential developments, the county health board considers private individual absorption systems only after the developer shows collection sewers and central treatment are not feasible.

  “the county board of health will only consider the use of private individual absorption systems for residential development after the developer has shown that the use of collection sewers and central treatment is not feasible.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water well or pump installation, alteration or major repair where an improvement location permit is sought in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township

  • Permit is issued by the health officer. Emergency repairs on weekends or holidays may proceed first; a permit must be obtained within five working days.

  “no improvement location permit shall be issued where a private water well or pump is to be installed or where any alteration or major repair to an existing private water well or pump is planned unless a permit for the system has been issued by the health officer.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Residential subdivision development in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township. The rule found covers developers' projects; the rule for a single new home on an existing lot was not located.

  • Direct connection is required only when the sanitary sewer line needed to reach the nearest property line of the project is under 300 feet per lot in the total project.
  • The county septic application asks whether the property is within 300 feet of a sanitary sewer line; the form itself does not state a connection mandate.
  • A residence not connected to a sanitary sewer needs a septic permit (see septic_permit claim).

  sewer extension distance threshold: < 300 feet per lot (Direct connection required when less than this distance; based on total project lots)

  “a direct connection shall be required when the total length of the sanitary sewer lines required from the existing sanitary sewer system to the nearest property line of the proposed project is less than 300 feet per lot in the total project, that is 300 feet times the number of lots in the total project.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platting and subdivision of land in the unincorporated territory of Howard County, including land inside Jackson township, under the Plan Commission's subdivision control regulations

  • Lots not served by community water and sanitary sewer are sized under board of health regulations, per the subdivision chapter.
  • Subdivision lot creation in agricultural districts was seen only in county search snippets, not in an opened official page, and is not recorded here.

  “no plat or replat of a subdivision of land located within the jurisdiction of commission shall be recorded until it shall have been approved by the commission”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside a special flood hazard area (SFHA) in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township parcels in the SFHA

  • Applies only to land inside the special flood hazard area; a floodway permit from the Indiana Natural Resources Commission may also be needed.
  • Failure to obtain the permit is a violation under chapter 151.

  “no person, firm, corporation or governmental body not exempted by state law shall commence any development in the sfha without first obtaining an improvement location permit from the zoning administrator.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Improvement location permit fees for construction in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township

  • Fee rule is from a permit sheet footer-dated 2/21/2008; the current fee schedule was not verified.
  • Separate septic fees are set in code chapter 51.05 but the captured text does not reliably show the amounts, so they are not recorded.

  improvement location permit fee rate: 1 USD per $1,000 of estimated or contracted cost · improvement location permit minimum fee: >= 15 USD · improvement location permit maximum fee: <= 1000 USD

  “a permit fee which is calculated at $1.00 per $1,000.00 of estimated or contracted cost of the improvement. the minimum fee is $15.00. the maximum fee is $1,000.00.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit steps for new construction in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township

  • The sheet lists the application items and the related permits (septic, MS4, driveway). It is footer-dated 2/21/2008 and is not a complete current process.
  • Septic permit application is separate (Health Department); the sheet names it as a required companion.

  “if building in howard county, then submit with the improvement location permit application:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to residential construction in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main residential districts of unincorporated Howard County, including Jackson 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.