Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Van Buren Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Van Buren Township

Van Buren 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 structures and enlargements on land inside Van Buren township outside incorporated towns, under the county improvement location permit

  • Construction may proceed only after the improvement location permit is issued.
  • Issued by the county ordinance administrator under the county zoning ordinance; this is a zoning-compliance permit, not a separate building permit.
  • Applies to foundations, slabs and footers as well as structures.

  “4.3 improvement location permit: an improvement location permit shall be obtained before any structure may be constructed, reconstructed, moved, or enlarged; this includes but is not limited to the placement of foundations, slabs, and footers.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Occupancy of new or altered structures and changed land uses inside Van Buren township outside incorporated towns

  • The occupancy permit is described as optional ('may be obtained') in section 4.8.
  • A temporary occupancy permit for up to six months is available during alteration or partial occupancy (section 4.9).

  “if an improvement location permit is issued, the applicant may apply for an occupancy permit, which shall not be issued until the structure is complete and in compliance with this ordinance.”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County, Indiana, outside any incorporated town that administers its own zoning. The county Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance covers this land through the county Area Plan Commission; no Van Buren township zoning ordinance was found.

  • Section 2.1 incorporates a zone map for each township in the county by reference, so the county ordinance is the zoning rule applied to Van Buren township land.
  • The ordinance administrator is appointed by the area plan commission (section 4.1), not by the township.
  • Aggregates township and municipal zoning in the county; this claim does not record a township-adopted ordinance.

  “4.2 permits: no permit shall be issued unless the proposed structure, use of structure, or land use is in complete conformity with the provisions of this ordinance”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts applicable to land inside Van Buren township under the county zoning ordinance

  • Districts are listed in the ordinance text (e, pu, a, aii, r, c, i-1, i-2, i-3, and an overlay district), but the zone maps are only confirmed as filed for public inspection at the Area Plan Commission office, not as posted online.
  • Township-level zone map for Van Buren township was not located.

  “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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family lots in the county residential (r) district on land inside Van Buren township, under the county zoning ordinance

  • Minimum lot area and width depend on whether the lot is served by public sewer (Table B vs Table C).
  • Additional lot area is required per family.
  • Footnotes to Tables B and C were not captured in full; the +5000** and +2500** notes are not resolved here.

  minimum lot area without public sewer: >= 20000 sq ft · additional lot area per family without public sewer: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width without public sewer: >= 100 feet · minimum lot area with public sewer: >= 10000 sq ft (lot on public sewer) · additional lot area per family with public sewer: >= 2500 sq ft (lot on public sewer) · minimum lot width with public sewer: >= 75 feet (lot on public sewer)

  “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) — Single-family residence on a separate tract in the county agricultural (a) district on land inside Van Buren township

    “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.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential (r) district lots on land inside Van Buren township, under the county zoning ordinance

  • Front yard is 35 feet without public sewer and 25 feet with public sewer; side yard 10 feet either way; rear yard 15 feet (asterisked footnote applies).
  • Footnotes marked * and ** in Tables B and C were not captured in full.

  front yard without public sewer: >= 35 feet · front yard with public sewer: >= 25 feet (lot on public sewer) · side yard: >= 10 feet (with or without public sewer) · rear yard: >= 15 feet (asterisked footnote (*) applies; with or without public sewer)

  “r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10 c 7,000 +5000** 30 35 10 i-1 20,000 n/a 100 35 20 i-2 30,000 n/a 100 35 20 i-3 80,000 n/a 200 75 50 minimum depth rear yard feet 20* 20* 20* 20* 15* 20* 20* 20* 50*”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Agricultural (a) district lots on land inside Van Buren township, under the county zoning ordinance

    “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

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

  • Must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Skirting of a durable material is required when used as an abode.
  • Temporary occupancy is not restricted by this section; the separate temporary-residence rule in section 3.6 is not confirmed for RVs.

  “further "skirting" of a durable material shall be installed upon any mobile home or recreational vehicle so used or occupied as a temporary or permanent place of abode.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes used as a temporary or permanent place of abode on private land inside Van Buren township, outside a mobile home park or designated campground

  • Must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
  • Skirting of a durable material is required when used as an abode.
  • Mobile homes within a mobile home park are governed by a separate rule not opened here.

  “3.3 mobile homes & recreational vehicles: 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 and replacement septic systems on land inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County

  • Permits are issued under county ordinances that the Kosciusko County Health Department administers.
  • Applies to repairs and replacements as well as new installations.

  “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 systems on land inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County

  • Permit must be obtained before a new septic system is installed; the health department's Septic Permit Application is emailed to county staff.
  • Also applies to repair of an existing system (health page: 'this includes any work done for repairing an existing septic system or replacing an existing well').

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

• Well permitRequired

  New wells on land inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County

  • Permit must be obtained for any new well installed; repairing or replacing a well is covered as well.
  • Applications go to the county health department (well permit application form linked on the health page).

  “this includes any work done for repairing an existing septic system or replacing an existing well.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats and subdivisions of land inside Van Buren township outside incorporated towns

  • Plats are reviewed by the county technical review committee, which recommends to the Area Plan Commission.
  • The county subdivision control ordinance (separate from the zoning ordinance) was not opened.

  “when granting reviewing a plat, rezoning request, or development sign request the technical committee shall act as a recommending body to the kosciusko county area plan commission.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Any permitted use on a lot inside Van Buren township, under the county zoning ordinance

  • A permit is not issued unless the lot has access to a platted or legally dedicated public roadway.
  • Entrances require approval from the agency having jurisdiction before an improvement location permit (section 3.15).

  “3.15 entrances: 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.”

• Permit processPartial

  Improvement location and occupancy permits for land inside Van Buren township, administered by the county ordinance administrator

  • Process is described in Article 4 of the county zoning ordinance; fee schedule (4.11), application details (4.4) and expiration rules (4.5 and 4.6) were not read.
  • Permits issued only after the site complies with the ordinance.

  “4.2 permits: no permit shall be issued unless the proposed structure, use of structure, or land use is in complete conformity with the provisions of this ordinance”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Van Buren township
• Building code adopted — New construction inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County
• Inspections — New construction inside Van Buren township, Kosciusko County
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area on lots inside Van Buren township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage on lots inside Van Buren 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.