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

Rules another office applies inside Eagle Creek Township

Eagle 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

  New construction and alterations on land inside Eagle Creek township that is in unincorporated Lake County

  • The UDO treats failure to obtain a permit required under the UDO as a violation; the full permit list was not read.
  • Incorporated towns in the township are excluded.

  “issue building permits and conduct inspections. issue certificates of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Eagle Creek township outside any incorporated city or town, under the Lake County Unified Development Ordinance No. 2560 (county zoning, not a township ordinance)

  • Applies only if the land is in unincorporated Lake County; incorporated cities and towns are excluded.
  • Whether any part of Eagle Creek township is inside an incorporated town was not verified.

  “jurisdiction authority extends to unincorporated lake county. no jurisdiction in incorporated areas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts applying to land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

  • Districts include A-1, RR, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-5 (agricultural and residential), business, industrial and CD districts; the zoning map was not opened.

  “zoning districts use category supplemental subcategory (clickable hyperlink to definition) a-1 rr r-1 r-2 r-3 r-5”

• Building heightSpecified

  Maximum building height in the A-1 agricultural district on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

  • Height is stated as stories/feet.

  maximum building height, A-1: <= 35 feet (2.5 stories)

  “25 20 35 40 40 35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2/25 2/25 3/35”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Maximum building height in the R-1 residential district on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

    “25 20 35 40 40 35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2/25 2/25 3/35”

  • Specified — Maximum building height in the RR rural-residential district on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

    “25 20 35 40 40 35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2/25 2/25 3/35”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Backyard cottage (detached accessory dwelling) on a lot occupied by a detached house inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County, A-1 and R districts

  • Available only as a special exception (Plan Commission approval).
  • Not allowed on lots occupied by two-unit houses or multiple dwelling units.
  • Lots without central sewer service need Lake County Health Department approval.
  • A deed restriction must be recorded before building permits are issued.

  “proof of deed restriction recording must be provided to the director before any building permits are issued for the backyard cottage.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Secondary suites (accessory dwelling units inside a detached house) on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County, A-1 and R districts

    “secondary suites are permitted in a-1 and r districts in accordance with table 2-2. secondary suites are not allowed on lots occupied by two-unit houses or on lots occupied by multiple dwelling units.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal for new and existing uses on land inside Eagle Creek township

  • The UDO requires sewage disposal facilities to meet standards approved by the Lake County Health Department; the cited section does not give the septic permit steps.
  • Applies to land inside the township, not countywide statutes.

  “all new and existing uses must provide water supply and sewage disposal facilities conforming to standards of design and location approved by the lake county health department.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New homes on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County where central water or sewer is nearby

  • Connection is required only when central water and sewer infrastructure is located nearby; the UDO does not give the distance.
  • Central sewer service is required for all development in the R-5 district (table note 2).

  “these regulations may, in some cases, impose larger minimum lot area requirements than this udo or require connection to central water and sewer facilities when such infrastructure is located nearby.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivision approvals on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

  • Subdivision approvals and enforcement are handled by the Plan Commission for unincorporated Lake County.

  “zone changes, subdivision approvals, change of use permits, special exceptions and variances. enforcement of subdivision ordinance regulations.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in special flood hazard areas on land inside Eagle Creek township in unincorporated Lake County

  • No development is allowed in floodway areas.
  • Development in flood fringe areas requires a zoning variance under section 154-17-110.

  “no development may occur in any special flood hazard area (sfha) classified as "floodway" by the lake county ordinance for flood hazard areas (ordinance no. 2473)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Eagle Creek township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to new construction inside Eagle Creek township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Eagle Creek township
• Tiny homes — Occupying a tiny home on private land inside Eagle Creek township
• Manufactured homes — Occupying a manufactured home on private land inside Eagle 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.