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

Rules another office applies inside Etna Township

Etna 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 or land-use change on unincorporated land inside Etna township, under the county zoning ordinance

  • This is the county zoning permit requirement (permits required by the county ordinance). A separate state building-code permit was not verified.
  • Construction may proceed after the required permit is issued.

  “no structure shall be located, erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, converted, or enlarged; nor shall any structure or land be used or be designed to be used, except in full compliance with all the provisions of this ordinance and after the lawful issuance of the permits required by this ordinance”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Etna township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. The zoning here is the Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance; it is not an Etna township ordinance.

  • The county ordinance jurisdiction covers all lands in the county's territorial jurisdiction; Etna township's own zoning status is not verified (see separate unknown claim).
  • Incorporated town limits are not covered by this claim. The ordinance states that the Town of Etna Green joined the county ordinance on 7/11/07 and the Town of Burket joined on 11/13/14; a town inside Etna township is governed by its own participation terms.

  “the jurisdiction of this ordinance shall include all lands and waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  County zoning districts applying to unincorporated land inside Etna township

  • Zoning districts are set by the county ordinance (zone maps in section 2.1; districts in sections 2.2 to 2.13). Only the residential and agricultural districts were checked here.

  “2.8 residential district: the residential district is limited to dwellings, public and semi-public uses which are normally associated with residential neighborhoods.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural (a) district under the county ordinance, unincorporated land inside Etna township

  • Table footnote marked * (as printed) states thirty-five feet where the yard adjoins, abuts, faces, or is in close proximity (35 feet or less) to a lake or waterway.
  • Table C applies to lots with public sewer; Table B applies to lots without it.

  front yard depth, without public sewer (a district): >= 50 feet · front yard depth, with public sewer (a district): >= 50 feet · side yard width (a district): >= 20 feet (same with and without public sewer) · rear yard depth (a district): >= 20 feet (footnote * applies (see conditions))

  “table b: required setbacks on lots without public sewer district minimum minimum minimum minimum minimum lot area add. lot area lot width depth width side sq. ft. per family feet front yard yard feet sq. ft. feet e 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 pu 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 a 20,000 10,000 100 50 20 aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Residential (r) district under the county ordinance, unincorporated land inside Etna township

    “table b: required setbacks on lots without public sewer district minimum minimum minimum minimum minimum lot area add. lot area lot width depth width side sq. ft. per family feet front yard yard feet sq. ft. feet e 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 pu 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 a 20,000 10,000 100 50 20 aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of a recreational vehicle as a temporary or permanent place of abode on private land in unincorporated Etna township

  • Applies only to RVs not located in a mobile home park or designated campground.
  • RV used as an abode must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Must be skirted with durable material when used or occupied as a temporary or permanent place of abode.

  “mobile homes and recreational vehicles not located in a mobile home park or designated campground, and used as temporary or permanent place of abode shall be subject to the requirements of all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Use of a mobile home as a temporary or permanent place of abode on private land in unincorporated Etna township

  • Applies only to mobile homes not located in a mobile home park or designated campground.
  • Must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Must be skirted with durable material when used or occupied as a temporary or permanent place of abode.

  “mobile homes and recreational vehicles not located in a mobile home park or designated campground, and used as temporary or permanent place of abode shall be subject to the requirements of all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems on land inside Etna township, administered by the Kosciusko County Health Department

  • Permits are required for new septic systems and for repairs and replacements.

  “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county. this includes any work done for repairing an existing septic system or replacing an existing well.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic system installation inside Etna township

  • Permit is required before a new septic is installed; the county applies the ordinance countywide.
  • Application is a fillable PDF emailed to county health staff.

  “septic permit application: fillable pdf printable completed forms should be emailed to:”

• Well permitRequired

  New water well installation inside Etna township

  • Permit is required for a new well and for well replacement under the county well ordinance.

  “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county. this includes any work done for repairing an existing septic system or replacing an existing well.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land into separate tracts on unincorporated land inside Etna township

  • The zoning ordinance refers to a county subdivision control ordinance. That ordinance was not located or opened.
  • Single-family use on a separate tract in the agricultural district is conditioned on no conflict with that ordinance.

  “a single-family residence is permitted in this district on separate tracts of land, if there is no conflict with the subdivision control ordinance, and if the tract provides adequate area for water and sewage systems.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Entrances from private, commercial or industrial installations on unincorporated land inside Etna township

  • Approval is needed from the agency with jurisdiction before an improvement location permit is issued. Whether a single-family driveway counts as a private installation was not verified.

  “all entrances from any private, commercial, or industrial installation shall require approval from the governmental agency having jurisdiction over it prior to the issuance of an improvement location permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Etna township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside unincorporated Etna township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Etna township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Etna township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in unincorporated Etna 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.