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

Rules another office applies inside Franklin Township

Franklin 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

  Zoning districts and zone maps that apply to land inside Franklin township (unincorporated, outside any town) under the Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance

  • The county ordinance states the county is divided into the districts shown on the zone map; the zone map for Franklin township is incorporated by reference, but the township map image itself was not opened.
  • Two copies of the zone maps are kept at the Area Plan Commission office for public inspection.

  “2.2 zoning districts: the county is divided into the districts stated in this ordinance as shown by the district boundaries on the zone map.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential ('r') district land inside Franklin township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer (Table B); county ordinance applies in township areas

  • Table B applies to lots without public sewer; with public sewer Table C applies and gives district r a 10,000 sq ft minimum plus 2,500 sq ft per additional family (second evidence item).
  • Column alignment was inferred from the extracted table header and rows (text extraction garbled the table); verify against the PDF before relying on the exact values.
  • Lot area per family is an additional requirement per family, per the table header.

  minimum lot area (without public sewer): >= 20000 sq ft (Table B; lots with public sewer use Table C) · additional lot area per family: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 100 ft

  “r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10 c 7,000 +5000** 30 35 10”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural ('a') district land inside Franklin township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer (Table B); county ordinance applies in township areas

    “a 20,000 10,000 100 50 20 aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural ('a') district land inside Franklin township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer (Table B); county ordinance applies in township areas

  • Front yard 50 ft, side yard 20 ft, rear yard 20 ft (rear value carries the table footnote *).
  • Table footnote * (not fully captured) gives a 35-foot measurement where a yard adjoins, abuts, faces, or is in close proximity to a lake or waterway.
  • With public sewer (Table C) district a setbacks are front 50 ft, side 20 ft, rear 20 ft (second evidence item).
  • Column alignment was inferred from the extracted table; verify against the PDF.

  front yard depth (without public sewer): >= 50 ft (Table B) · side yard width (without public sewer): >= 20 ft (Table B) · rear yard depth (without public sewer): >= 20 ft (Table B, footnote *)

  “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

  • Specified — Single-family residential ('r') district land inside Franklin township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer (Table B); county ordinance applies in township areas

    “minimum depth rear yard feet 20* 20* 20* 20* 15* 20* 20* 20* 50*”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles used as a temporary or permanent place of abode on land inside Franklin township, outside a mobile home park or designated campground

  • Such units are subject to all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Units used as an abode must have durable skirting installed.
  • Recreational vehicles and boats may be stored on residential lots when not occupied as living quarters (section 3.16.2); storage is not occupancy.

  “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

  Mobile homes used as a temporary or permanent place of abode on land inside Franklin township, outside a mobile home park or designated campground (the ordinance uses the term 'mobile homes')

  • Such units are subject to all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Units used as an abode must have durable skirting installed.
  • Ordinance text does not separately define manufactured homes in the section read; the term used is 'mobile homes'.

  “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)

  New septic systems and septic repairs or replacements on land inside Franklin township, administered by the Kosciusko County Health Department

  • Permit applications go to the Kosciusko County Health Department staff by email; the department's address is 100 W. Center St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
  • State rules (410 IAC 6-8.3) were not opened or cited here.

  “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Any new septic system, or repair or replacement of an existing septic system, on land inside Franklin township

  • Permit application is a fillable county form emailed to county health staff, per the page.
  • A Letter of Non-Objection is also listed on the same page; its conditions were not read.

  “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.”

• Well permitRequired

  Any new well, or replacement of an existing well, on land inside Franklin township

  • Well permit application is a fillable county form emailed to county health staff, per the page.
  • Well ordinance and well-driller requirements are linked from the same page but were not read.

  “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.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction of improvements on a delineated floodway, flood plain, or flood prone area (per the national flood insurance map) inside Franklin township

  • Applicant must meet all requirements of the Kosciusko County flood control ordinance (not opened).
  • Where applicable, approval by the Natural Resources Commission under applicable state statutes is also required, per the same section.
  • Floodplain maps are described in section 3.10.1 of the ordinance; not read.

  “prior to the consideration of the issuance and approval of any permit for construction of improvements upon any delineated floodway, flood plain, or flood prone area as shown by the national flood insurance map, the applicant shall meet all requirements of the kosciusko county flood control ordinance”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Whether a building permit is required for a new home inside Franklin township, and which office issues it
• Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner-builder exemption applies to construction inside Franklin township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to construction inside Franklin township
• Inspections — Whether building inspections are required for construction inside Franklin township
• Certificate of occupancy — Whether a certificate of occupancy is required for a new home inside Franklin 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.