Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Salt Creek Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Salt Creek Township

Salt Creek 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

  Construction in Jackson County, Indiana, including Salt Creek township, under the county building code

  • Construction may proceed only after a valid building permit is obtained from the building commissioner.
  • Application requirements: a complete application, plans, a plot plan and a fee set by the county council.
  • Incorporated cities and towns may have their own permit rules; not checked.

  “construction is prohibited unless in conformity with a valid building permit obtained from the building commissioner prior to commencement of construction.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction of buildings and structures in Jackson County, Indiana, including Salt Creek township, under the county building code

  • The county building code is Ordinance No. 6 (Commissioners Bill No. 5, 2018) as printed in the zoning ordinance chapter 18.
  • The text says it incorporates building rules by reference. The specific code editions and any exceptions were not read.
  • Incorporated cities and towns may administer their own building codes; not checked.

  “an ordinance regulating the construction, alteration, equipment, use, occupancy, and location of buildings and structures in jackson county, indiana; incorporating by reference building rules, issuance of permits, inspections, and penalties for violations.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Salt Creek township, Jackson County, Indiana. County zoning applies here because no Salt Creek township zoning ordinance was located.

  • The ordinance excludes the incorporated boundaries of the City of Seymour, Town of Brownstown, Town of Medora and Town of Crothersville, and the Seymour extraterritorial jurisdiction. Salt Creek township is not among those exclusions.
  • This is the county ordinance, not a township-adopted ordinance. No official statement that Salt Creek township has or has not adopted zoning was found.

  “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 as well as the legally established extra territorial planning jurisdiction of the city of seymour.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts and official zoning map for unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Districts listed in chapter 2 include ag, fr, r-1, r-2, lr, gb and i.
  • The official zoning map is adopted as part of the ordinance; parcel-level zone was not checked.

  “the zoning map shows the designated zoning district in reference to each parcel of land within the jurisdiction of unincorporated jackson county.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New lots in the Residential 1 (R-1) district of unincorporated Salt Creek township, if the parcel is zoned R-1

  • The table lists three rows (R-1, R-2 and Lake Residential) in the same order as the district headers. The R-1 row is taken as the first row; the column mapping was inferred from the layout and should be confirmed.
  • Each lot also needs approval of two approved septic sites or one repairable system by the county health department.
  • Parameters are for lots on on-site septic (first pair) and on municipal sewer (second pair).

  minimum lot area, on-site septic: >= 1 acre (43,560 square feet) · minimum lot width, on-site septic: >= 150 feet · minimum lot area, municipal sewer: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot width, municipal sewer: >= 70 feet

  “district residential 1 on-site septic system municipal sewer residential 2 on-site septic system municipal sewer lake residential on-site septic system municipal sewer lot area & width requirements minimum lot area minimum lot width 1 acre (43,560 square feet) 10,000 square feet 150.00’ feet 70.00’ feet 1/2 acre (21,780 square feet) 10,000 square feet 75.00’ feet 70.00’ feet 1 acre (43,560 square feet) 10,000 square feet 150.00’ feet 70.00’ feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — New lots in the agricultural district of unincorporated Salt Creek township, if the parcel is zoned agricultural

    “c) access: 50.00' deeded access is required on all residential building lots.”

  • Specified — New lots in the Residential 2 (R-2) district of unincorporated Salt Creek township, if the parcel is zoned R-2

    “1/2 acre (21,780 square feet) 10,000 square feet 75.00’ feet 70.00’ feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Maximum building height by zoning district in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Structures above the height limit need a variance.
  • Agricultural structures may exceed this limit for operational reasons, up to 75 feet.

  maximum height, agricultural, forest and recreational districts: <= 35 feet (agricultural structures up to 75 feet) · maximum height, residential districts: <= 35 feet (variance) · maximum height, business districts: <= 45 feet (variance) · maximum height, industrial districts: <= 75 feet (variance)

  “maximum height requirements 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.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on private land in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Recreational vehicles may not be used as residences.
  • A recreational vehicle may stay on a lot outside an RV park for at most 30 days.
  • Septic must be discharged to an approved tank.
  • Longer temporary occupancy is possible only by permit (see temporary_camping claim).

  maximum stay on a lot outside an RV park: <= 30 days (temporary occupancy permit may apply under section 8-1)

  “recreational vehicles may not be used for residential purposes and may only be located on a lot outside of a recreational vehicle park for a maximum of thirty (30) days, and septic must be discharged into approved tank.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a mobile home or recreational vehicle on private land in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Permit granted by the plan director.
  • Not more than one year.
  • Same property as an existing residence, or property where a permanent residence will be built within one year.
  • Served by the same water and sewage facilities as the existing or planned residence.
  • Not placed on a permanent foundation; all applicable setbacks observed.

  maximum temporary occupancy period: <= 1 years (new or hardship temporary occupancy permit)

  “the plan director may grant a permit for temporary occupancy of a mobile home or recreational vehicles for a period of not more than one (1) year provided all the following are met”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Placement of mobile homes on private land and in mobile home parks in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Placement requires an improvement location permit.
  • Skirting must surround the structure and remain intact.
  • Home must face the public right-of-way with a front facade.
  • Before a building permit: a mobile home transfer permit (state form 7878) from the county treasurer and an on-site sewage permit from the health department.
  • Homes manufactured 20 years or earlier than the application date cannot receive a building permit; the county building commissioner may order removal of a non-compliant home.

  manufacture age limit for building permit: < 20 years (no building permit for a mobile home manufactured 20 years or older before the application date)

  “b) no building permit shall be issued for any mobile home manufactured 20 years or older prior to application date.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic site approval for new lots in unincorporated Salt Creek township, handled by the Jackson County health department

  • Lots need approval of two approved septic sites or one repairable system by the Jackson County health department.
  • The health department's service area and the state septic rule (410 IAC 6-8.3) were not opened.

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Placement of a mobile home on private land in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Required before a building permit is issued for a mobile home.
  • Not checked for stick-built homes; the lot-approval note also applies to new lots.

  “e) prior to being issued a building permit, the applicant must obtain: 1. a mobile home transfer permit (state form 7878) from the jackson county treasurer’s office. 2. an on-site sewage permit from the jackson county health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Divisions of land in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • All land divisions must meet the Jackson County subdivision control ordinance, which was not opened.
  • Residential building lots need 50 feet of deeded access.

  “b) subdivision of land: all divisions to land shall be subject to the requirements set forth in the jackson county subdivision control ordinance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Corner residential lots in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Corner residential lots may have only one drive access from one road.
  • Driveways are a permitted accessory use in all yards (chapter 10).
  • Other driveway standards were not read.

  “corner residential lots shall only have one drive access from one road.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in special flood hazard areas in unincorporated Salt Creek township

  • Applies only in areas of special flood hazard.
  • Violations are punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,500 per day.

  “a floodplain development permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this chapter prior to the commencement of any development activities in areas of special flood hazard.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for construction in Jackson County, including Salt Creek township

  • The fee is set by the county council and was not published in the text read.
  • Fees for rezoning and variances are also set in chapter 16 (not read).

  “f. the fee established by the jackson county council.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process in Jackson County, including Salt Creek township

  • Application goes to the building commissioner with a complete application, plans, plot plan and fee.
  • Improvement location permit requires septic/sewer permit copies from the health department (text truncated in the read).
  • Issuance rules in section 7 were not read in full.

  “any person required to have a building permit shall submit a complete application to the building commissioner.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in unincorporated Salt Creek township
• Inspections — Building inspections in unincorporated Salt Creek township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy in unincorporated Salt Creek township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in unincorporated Salt Creek township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in unincorporated Salt Creek 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.