Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Elwood, Indiana

Elwood’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the corporate limits of Elwood city, Indiana: the city's own Chapter 153 zoning ordinance (district regulations, zoning map, board of zoning appeals)

  • Section 153.21 says the city and its unincorporated jurisdictional areas are divided into zoning districts; this claim is limited to land inside city limits and does not answer for unincorporated Madison County land.
  • The code PDF is the 2023 S-10 supplement, current through ordinance 2420 (passed 8-15-22) per its index; later amendments were not checked.

  “the city and its unincorporated jurisdictional areas are divided into the districts stated in this section as shown by the district boundaries on the zone maps.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts and official zoning map for land inside Elwood city limits

  • Section 153.21 lists ten districts: C-1 conservation, A-1 agriculture-low density residential, R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1 and I-2.
  • The official zoning map was adopted by ord. 2401, passed 12-6-21, per the text captured; the map itself was not opened.
  • District-by-district permitted uses (153.23-153.27) were not opened.

  “the districts are: (a) c-1, conservation; (b) a-1, agriculture-low density residential; (c) r-1, medium density residential; (d) r-2, medium-high density residential; (e) r-3, high density residential; (f) b-1, limited business; (g) b-2, central business district; (h) b-3, general business; (i) i-1, light industrial; and (j) i-2, heavy industrial.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 medium density residential district inside Elwood city limits (main residential district in the zoning code)

  • Table note: the minimum lot area is 20,000 square feet if the lot is not served by a community sanitary sewer system approved by the state board of health.
  • Lot area per family is 9,500 sq ft for R-1, per the same table.

  minimum lot area: >= 9500 square feet (20,000 square feet if the lot is not served by a community sanitary sewer system approved by the state board of health)

  “r-1 9,500** 9,500 75 35 10 20 r-2 7,200** 3,600 60 30 8 10”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agriculture-low density residential district inside Elwood city limits (agricultural / rural residential district)

    “c-1 80,000 80,000 200 40 20 20 a-1 20,000 20,000 100 35 15 20 r-1 9,500** 9,500 75 35 10 20”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 medium density residential district inside Elwood city limits

  • Rear yard depth in the table applies to principal structures (table note *).
  • Accessory structures may not be located closer than five feet to the rear and side property lines (section 153.29(c)).
  • Section 153.29(d): where at least 25% of lots in a block are occupied by existing residences, the front yard depth may be the average of existing front yards on the block.

  minimum front yard depth: >= 35 feet · minimum side yard width: >= 10 feet · minimum rear yard depth (principal structures): >= 20 feet (principal structures per table note *) · minimum accessory structure setback from rear and side lines: >= 5 feet

  “accessory structures may not be located closer than five feet to the rear and side property lines. (d) in any residential district where at least 25% of the lots in a block are occupied by existing residential structures, the minimum depth of a front yard may be the average of the depths of the front yards of the existing residential structures.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agriculture-low density residential district inside Elwood city limits

    “c-1 80,000 80,000 200 40 20 20 a-1 20,000 20,000 100 35 15 20 r-1 9,500** 9,500 75 35 10 20”

• Building heightSpecified

  Building height in all zoning districts inside Elwood city limits

  • Board of zoning appeals may authorize a variance from this height limit if all front and side yards are increased one foot for each additional foot of height, or for listed structure types (airport, tower, spire, silo, chimney and similar) that do not constitute a hazard; only the first part of the variance list was captured.
  • Height limits are the same for all districts as written in section 153.30.

  maximum principal structure height above average ground level: <= 35 feet (BZA variance per section 153.30) · maximum accessory structure height above ground level: <= 16 feet (unless approved by the board of zoning appeals)

  “no principal structure shall exceed 35 feet in height above the average ground level and no accessory structure shall exceed 16 feet in height above ground level unless approved by the board of zoning appeals. in any district, the board may authorize a variance to this height regulation if: (a) all front and side yard depths are increased one foot for each additional foot of height;”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing sited on land inside Elwood city limits

  • Manufactured housing is excluded from listed areas: the alley and road blocks along Anderson Street and Main Street and the Northwood Estate addition, per the text captured.
  • Single-wide manufactured housing is permitted only in locations listed in subsection (2) and only if it meets the requirements of section 153.49; the list of permitted locations and the detailed requirements were cut off in the captured text and remain to be read.
  • Mobile home park rules in section 153.48 were not opened.

  “all manufactured housing will be excluded from the following locations in the city:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdividing land inside Elwood city limits, under the city's subdivision regulations (Chapter 152)

  • Lots must conform to the comprehensive zoning ordinance, chapter 153 (section 152.067(c)).
  • Chapter 152 requires preliminary plat application, a filing fee, and a public hearing before the commission.
  • Subdivision for residential use may be refused where the land is unsuitable by reason of flooding or improper drainage or other harmful features.

  “no land shall be subdivided for residential use if in the opinion of the commission, such land is unsuitable for such use by reason of flooding or improper drainage”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Elwood or Madison County directly.

• Building permit — Building permit for new home construction inside Elwood city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Elwood city limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for new construction inside Elwood city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Elwood city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Elwood city limits

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.