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

Rules another office applies inside Ashland Township

Ashland 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 primary structures and most accessory structures built inside Ashland township under the Morgan County UDO

  • ILP is issued by the Morgan County plan commission office (administrator) and is also called a building permit in the UDO.
  • Accessory buildings need an ILP only when greater than 200 sq ft or on a permanent foundation; small items listed as permits-not-required in chapter 4 do not need one.
  • No ILP is issued for a septic-served structure unless the health department has issued a septic permit.

  accessory structure ILP threshold: > 200 sq ft (accessory buildings also need an ILP if they have a permanent foundation)

  “an ilp, also known as a building permit, shall be required for the erection, alteration, or modification of all structures within the jurisdiction”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction inside Ashland township that requires an ILP under the Morgan County UDO

  • The UDO defines a building inspector as the administrator or designee who inspects ILPs for building-code enforcement; it does not set an inspection schedule in the text reviewed.
  • Inspection of driveway culverts by the Morgan County highway department and of the septic system by the health department are separate required inspections (see driveway_access and septic_inspection claims).

  “the administrator or their designee who is empowered to review, approve, and inspect bps and ilps concerning the enforcement of the applicable building codes”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any building or land use created, erected, changed or enlarged inside Ashland township under the Morgan County UDO

  • No occupancy until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the administrator.
  • No CO until any required driveway culverts are installed and inspected by the Morgan County highway department.
  • No person may occupy a dwelling without an approved, installed and health-department-inspected sanitary sewage system.

  “until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the administrator”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land inside Ashland township that is not within the zoning jurisdiction of Martinsville, Monrovia, Mooresville or Morgantown: the Morgan County UDO applies here. This is a county-level zoning instrument, not an Ashland township ordinance, and the conclusion aggregates the zoning situation across unincorporated Morgan County.

  • The UDO does not name Ashland township; its applicability rests on the jurisdiction clause quoted here.
  • Township-level zoning for Ashland township was not found on any official Indiana page; see local-zoning-township-own-ordinance.

  “the udo shall apply to all land within the jurisdiction of the morgan county advisory plan commission that are not subject to the zoning jurisdiction of the governmental units of martinsville, monrovia, mooresville, and morgantown”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts applying to land inside Ashland township: AG is the default district for property not placed in another district; the county districts apply to the unincorporated area

  • Property not specifically included in a district is in the general agriculture (AG) district.
  • The official zoning map is adopted with the UDO; the map itself was not opened, so Ashland township's district assignments are not confirmed.

  “property that has not been specifically included within a district is hereby declared to be in the general agriculture (ag) district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in the AG (agriculture) district, which is the default district for land not placed in another district (includes unzoned land inside Ashland township)

  • The UDO lists the minimum living area for the AG district as 950 sq ft; the table's 'n/a' entry applies to the non-residential column.

  minimum living area (single-family): >= 950 sq ft

  “minimum living area 950 sq ft n/a minimum width of primary structure 18 feet n/a”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the RR (rural residential) district inside Ashland township

    “minimum living area 950 sq ft n/a minimum width of primary structure 18 feet n/a”

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-1 (low-density residential) district, the main single-family district; applies only where a parcel is zoned R-1 and not confirmed for Ashland township parcels

    “minimum living area 950 sq ft n/a minimum width of primary structure 18 feet n/a”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family lots in the AG (agriculture) district inside Ashland township

  • With sewer, the single-family minimum lot area is 30,000 sq ft; without sewer, 2 acres, subject to Morgan County health department approval (footnote 2).
  • The text extraction of the table is column-ambiguous; the residential and non-residential column pairing was read from the row layout and should be checked against the PDF.

  minimum lot area, with sewer, single-family: >= 30000 sq ft (with public sewer) · minimum lot area, without sewer, single-family: >= 2 acres (subject to approval by the Morgan County health department) · minimum lot width, single-family: >= 90 feet (maximum 1:8 depth-to-width ratio)

  “ag lot standards minimum lot width minimum street frontage residential non-residential 90 feet max 1:8 90 feet max 1:8 n/a n/a 30,000 sq ft 1 acre without sewer2 2 acres 5 acres”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family lots in the RR (rural residential) district inside Ashland township

    “rr lot standards single-family residential non-residential 90 feet max 1:8 90 feet max 1:8 n/a n/a with sewer 20,000 sq ft 1 acre without sewer2 1 acre 2 acres”

  • Specified — Single-family lots in the R-1 (low-density residential) district; applies only where a parcel is zoned R-1 and not confirmed for Ashland township parcels

    “with sewer 9,000 sq ft n/a without sewer2 1 acre 1 acre”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in the AG (agriculture) district inside Ashland township; agricultural land uses are exempt from the structure standards table

  • Residential front yard 35 ft; side yard 25 ft (primary) and 15 ft (accessory); rear yard 30 ft (primary) and 15 ft (accessory), read from the table layout.
  • Health department approval applies to lots without sewer (footnote 2); column pairing should be verified against the PDF.

  minimum front yard setback, residential: >= 35 feet · minimum side yard setback, primary structure, residential: >= 25 feet · minimum side yard setback, accessory structure, residential: >= 15 feet · minimum rear yard setback, primary structure, residential: >= 30 feet · minimum rear yard setback, accessory structure, residential: >= 15 feet

  “35 feet 50 feet primary structure 25 feet 25 feet accessory structure 15 feet 20 feet primary structure 30 feet 30 feet accessory structure 15 feet 20 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Structures in the RR (rural residential) district inside Ashland township

    “35 feet 35 feet primary structure 20 feet 25 feet accessory structure 10 feet 15 feet primary structure 25 feet 30 feet accessory structure 10 feet 15 feet”

  • Specified — Structures in the R-1 (low-density residential) district; applies only where a parcel is zoned R-1 and not confirmed for Ashland township parcels

    “minimum front yard setback 25 feet 50 feet primary structure 10 feet 25 feet accessory structure 5 feet 5 feet primary structure 15 feet 15feet accessory structure 5 feet 5 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the AG district inside Ashland township

  • The UDO measures maximum impervious surface coverage, which includes buildings, paved areas, parking and gravel; it is the closest lot-coverage limit in the UDO.

  maximum impervious surface coverage: <= 50 percent (residential; non-residential also 50 percent)

  “maximum impervious surface coverage 50% 50%”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the RR district inside Ashland township

    “maximum impervious surface coverage 50% 50%”

  • Specified — Lots in the R-1 district; applies only where a parcel is zoned R-1 and not confirmed for Ashland township parcels

    “maximum impervious surface coverage 50% 50%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in the AG district inside Ashland township; agriculture land uses are exempt from this standard

  • Residential primary structure 40 ft and accessory structure 30 ft; non-residential 50 ft (read from the table layout).
  • Agriculture land uses are exempt from this height standard.

  maximum height, primary structure, residential: <= 40 feet (agriculture land uses exempt) · maximum height, accessory structure, residential: <= 30 feet (agriculture land uses exempt; accessory not to exceed primary structure)

  “ag structure standards residential nonresidential primary structure 40 feet 50 feet1 accessory structure 30 feet 50 feet1”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Structures in the RR district inside Ashland township; agriculture land uses are exempt from this standard

    “rr structure standards single-family residential non-residential primary structure 35 feet 50 feet1 accessory structure 25 feet 50 feet1”

  • Specified — Structures in the R-1 district; applies only where a parcel is zoned R-1 and not confirmed for Ashland township parcels

    “r-1 structure standards single-family residential non-residential primary structure 35 feet 35 feet accessory structure1 25 feet 25 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Living in a recreational vehicle as a home inside Ashland township

  • An RV, travel trailer or similar structure is not permitted as an accessory dwelling.
  • Campgrounds and RV parks are a special exception use in AG and RR, and the storage of unoccupied recreational vehicles is prohibited within campgrounds.
  • No general county rule allowing or prohibiting long-term RV living on private land outside these uses was found in the UDO text reviewed.

  “a recreational vehicle, travel trailer, or similar structure; a motor vehicle; or any structure not designed for permanent human occupancy is not permitted as an accessory dwelling”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campground or recreational vehicle park use inside Ashland township in the AG and RR districts; not a general permission for temporary camping on private land

  • A campground or RV park is a special exception use in AG and RR, needs development plan approval and ILPs.
  • Occupants may not exceed 180 overnight stays within 12 consecutive months, and campsite structures and RVs must be removed when a campsite is not occupied.
  • Campgrounds with ten or more tents, RVs or campsites are also subject to state standards under 410 IAC 6-7.1.

  maximum overnight stays per 12 consecutive months: <= 180 nights (campground and RV park use only)

  “occupants shall not exceed one hundred and eighty (180) overnight stays within twelve (12) consecutive months”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside Ashland township: permitted as an accessory dwelling under the UDO's accessory dwelling standards; manufactured home parks are a special exception in RR

  • A manufactured home is allowed as an accessory dwelling only where the accessory dwelling standards are met (owner-occupied primary single-family dwelling on the parcel, one accessory dwelling per parcel).
  • A manufactured home park is listed as a special exception use in the rural residential (RR) district; it requires development plan approval and ILPs.

  “a manufactured home is permitted as an accessory dwelling”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on lots inside Ashland township in the AG, RR and R-1 districts, where accessory dwellings are listed as permitted accessory uses

  • Only on a parcel with a lawfully constructed, owner-occupied single-family dwelling, under the same ownership.
  • Only one accessory dwelling per parcel; it cannot be built before the primary dwelling; it must share the primary address.
  • Minimum living area 220 sq ft; maximum 50% of the primary dwelling or 800 sq ft, whichever is less; maximum height 30 feet but not above the primary structure.
  • Health department approval of water and sewage disposal is required; a short-term rental is not an accessory dwelling.

  minimum living area: >= 220 sq ft · maximum height: <= 30 feet (cannot exceed height of primary structure) · maximum living area: <= 800 sq ft (or 50% of the primary dwelling unit, whichever is less)

  “an accessory dwelling shall only be permitted on a parcel with a lawfully constructed single-family dwelling unit that is owner-occupied”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage systems serving homes inside Ashland township; the Morgan County Health Department administers septic permits and inspections here

  • State rules for residential onsite sewage systems (410 IAC 6-8.3, cited on the health page as state law 410 iac 6-8-3) still apply; the county health department administers them locally.
  • Non-municipal water and sewer must be approved by the Morgan County health department and/or IDOH (see utility_connection claim).

  “no ilp shall be issued for a structure that is served by a septic system unless a septic permit has been issued by the morgan county health department”

• Septic permitRequired

  Any structure served by a septic system inside Ashland township, from the Morgan County Health Department

  • The septic permit is a precondition to issuance of the ILP (building permit), not a separate ban on construction.
  • The permit application form and fees were not opened within the web budget; see followups.

  “no ilp shall be issued for a structure that is served by a septic system unless a septic permit has been issued by the morgan county health department”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Occupancy of any dwelling served by a septic system inside Ashland township

  • The sanitary sewage system must be approved and installed, and inspected by the Morgan County health department, before any person occupies the dwelling.
  • Inspection timing (for example before backfill) is not stated in the UDO text reviewed.

  “no person shall occupy any dwelling without having an approved and installed sanitary sewage system that has been inspected by the morgan county health department”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitary facilities for a dwelling inside Ashland township

  • A dwelling may not be occupied without an approved, installed and health-department-inspected sanitary sewage system.
  • Non-septic or composting alternatives were not addressed in the UDO text reviewed; see the Morgan County health department rules.

  “no person shall occupy any dwelling without having an approved and installed sanitary sewage system that has been inspected by the morgan county health department”

• Mandatory utility hookupNone

  New homes inside Ashland township in the AG, RR and R-1 districts: no mandatory connection to public water or sewer

  • Non-municipal water and sewer must be approved by the Morgan County health department and/or IDOH.
  • The UDO's lot-size tables use a with-sewer and without-sewer split, so lot size depends on whether sewer is available; the UDO does not state a distance-based connection rule.

  “municipal water and sewer are not required for this district, but all nonmunicipal water and/or sewer shall be approved by the morgan county health department and/or idoh”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural land uses inside Ashland township

  • Agricultural uses are exempt from the UDO development plan approval requirement, but this is not a general exemption from ILP or building permits.
  • Agriculture land uses are exempt from certain height and surface standards.
  • The UDO does not establish a separate farm exemption from building codes; state law was not checked.

  “uses other than agricultural uses (excluding confined feeding operations), single-family, or two-family residential require development plan approval”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creating new lots by subdivision inside Ashland township

  • Minor residential subdivisions (six or fewer lots including the remnant or parent parcel, no new public right-of-way) use an expedited process; subdivisions with new public right-of-way are major subdivisions.
  • Plats must meet the UDO subdivision design standards, the floodplain ordinance, health department rules, and the thoroughfare plan.

  minor subdivision maximum lots: <= 6 lots (including the remnant or parent parcel)

  “results in the creation of six (6) or less lots (including the remnant or parent parcel)”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway culverts serving a new structure inside Ashland township

  • Culverts are required only where needed ('any required driveway culverts'), and must be inspected by the Morgan County highway department before a CO.
  • Driveway width, surface and access-management standards in the UDO chapter 4 were not extracted in full.

  “certificate of occupancy shall not be issued until any required driveway culverts have been properly installed”

• Short-term rentalsAllowed

  Short-term rental of a single-family home inside Ashland township in the AG, RR, R-1 and R-2 districts, where the UDO lists it as a permitted use

  • The UDO defines short-term rental as renting a dwelling for less than 30 days through a short-term rental platform, and lists it among permitted uses in these districts.
  • No short-term-rental-specific use standards were located in the text reviewed; the state law reference (IC 36-1-24) is cited in the definition.

  “residential uses • dwelling, single-family • short-term rental accessory uses”

• Permit processPublished

  Improvement location permit (ILP) process for construction inside Ashland township

  • The administrator issues ILPs; Chapter 7 of the UDO sets out the application, development plan, and CO steps.
  • Permits issued before adoption of the UDO remain valid under the transition rules.

  “the administrator, or their designee, shall be responsible for the issuance of ilps in accordance with the ic 36-7-4-800 series”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner-builder exemption from building-code or permit requirements exists for a homeowner building in Ashland township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to new homes inside Ashland township
• Tiny homes — Occupancy of a tiny home as a dwelling inside Ashland township
• Well permit — Private water wells serving homes inside Ashland township
• Building in a floodplain — Development in a floodplain inside Ashland 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.