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

Rules another office applies inside Brownstown Township

Brownstown 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 (with conditions)

  Zoning districts applying to unincorporated land inside Brownstown township, Jackson County, Indiana; no township zoning ordinance was located, so the county ordinance is the zoning rule for this land

  • The ordinance applies to all land in the county except the incorporated boundaries of the City of Seymour, Town of Brownstown, Town of Medora, and Town of Crothersville, and Seymour's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
  • Districts: AG, FR, R-1, R-2, LR (lake residential), GB, and I.
  • The official zoning map is adopted as part of the ordinance.

  “this ordinance applies to all land within jackson county, indiana, with the exception of the incorporated boundaries of the city of seymour, town of brownstown, town of medora, & town of crothersville”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the agricultural (AG) district on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

  • Minimum sizes are read from the agricultural row of the building setback table (section 3-5).

  minimum one-story dwelling size: >= 720 square feet · minimum two-story dwelling size: >= 1400 square feet

  “district agricultural front setback county road (cl) front setback state road (cl) adjoining property line setback one story dwelling minimum size two story dwelling minimum size 60.00’ 100.00’ 10.00’ 720.00’ 1400.00’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the Residential 1 (R-1) district, the main single-family residential district, on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

    “residential 1 front setback county road (cl) 60.00’ 90.00’ 10.00’ 720.00’ 1400.00’”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New lots in the agricultural (AG) district on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

  • Each lot must also be approved for two approved septic sites or one repairable system by the Jackson County Health Department.
  • Non-conforming lots of record may receive a building permit, subject to proof of a dated record deed and the septic approvals.

  minimum lot area: >= 43560 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet

  “agricultural 1 acre (43,560 square feet) 150.00’ feet * note: all lots shall also require approval of two (2) approved septic sites or one (1) repairable system by the jackson county health department.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — New lots in the Residential 1 (R-1) district, the main single-family residential district, on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township, where served by on-site septic

    “1 acre (43,560 square feet) 10,000 square feet 150.00’ feet 70.00’ feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the Residential 1 (R-1) district, the main single-family residential district, on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

  • The state-road setback is read as 90 ft from the Residential 1 row; the header order for this table is garbled in the extracted text, so verify 60 ft (county road) and 90 ft (state road) against the PDF.
  • Where platted setbacks are non-conforming, the building commissioner may approve an average-based setback that does not encroach on state or county right-of-way.
  • Accessory structures follow chapter 10 setbacks.

  front setback from county road: >= 60 feet (verify column order) · front setback from state road: >= 90 feet (verify column order) · adjoining property line setback: >= 10 feet

  “residential 1 front setback county road (cl) 60.00’ 90.00’ 10.00’ 720.00’ 1400.00’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the agricultural (AG) district on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

    “district agricultural front setback county road (cl) front setback state road (cl) adjoining property line setback one story dwelling minimum size two story dwelling minimum size 60.00’ 100.00’ 10.00’ 720.00’ 1400.00’”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in the agricultural (AG) district on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

  • Agricultural structures may exceed the limit if needed for operation, up to 75 feet.
  • Any structure over the limit requires variance approval.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (agricultural structures for farm operation: up to 75 feet)

  “agricultural & forest & recreational districts 35.00’ residential districts 35.00’ business districts 45.00’ industrial districts 75.00’ *note: an agricultural structure may be erected or changed to any height necessary for its operation, no greater than seventy-five (75') feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Structures in the Residential 1 (R-1) district, the main single-family residential district, on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

    “any structure over the maximum height requirements referenced below must receive variance approval. maximum height requirements agricultural & forest & recreational districts 35.00’ residential districts 35.00’”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage (septic) approval for lots and homes on unincorporated land inside Brownstown township, Jackson County, Indiana

  • Approval is by the Jackson County Health Department, as the ordinance states.
  • The county health department's state-rule basis (410 IAC 6-8.3) was not verified on an official Jackson County page.

  “*note: all lots shall also require approval of two (2) approved septic sites or one (1) repairable system by the jackson county health department.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process for unincorporated land inside Brownstown township

  • Chapter 13 section 4 lists the building permit materials; the full application procedure was not opened.

  “3. all other building permit requirement materials as referenced in chapter 13, section 4.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit or inspection for unincorporated land inside Brownstown township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for unincorporated land inside Brownstown township
• Inspections — Building inspections for unincorporated land inside Brownstown township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for unincorporated land inside Brownstown township
• Local zoning — Land inside Brownstown township, Jackson County, Indiana: whether Brownstown township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance

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.