Bolthole Index

Newton County, Indiana

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Goodland, Indiana

Town of Goodland, Indiana posts a building permit application; ask Town Hall which approvals your project needs before construction.1 Goodland sets residential lot and dwelling-size rules by zoning district.23 In Newton County, septic and well services come through the Newton County Health Department, while an available sanitary sewer can make sewer connection mandatory.45

At a glance

Building permits
Town application available; project requirements need confirmation with Town Hall1
Zoning
Goodland has district-specific residential standards26
Minimum home size
R-1: 860 square feet for single-story dwellings; 1,100 for other single-family dwellings3
Minimum lot size
R-1: 10,625 square feet and 85-foot average width; A-1 dwellings: 5 acres26
Septic and wells
Newton County Health Department provides local services4
Sewer connection
Required when sanitary sewer is available within a reasonable distance5

Who to call

Building permits

Goodland Town Hall / Clerk-Treasurer

Starting contact for the town building permit application, zoning questions and referral to the responsible town official.

219-297-4841

[email protected]

110 N Benton St, P.O. Box 269, Goodland, IN 47948

Septic permits

Newton County Health Department

Local septic and well inspections and permits; water and soil testing coordination.

(888) 663-9866 x 2200

4117 S 240 W, Morocco, IN 47963

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Goodland means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Goodland, IN?

Goodland publishes a Building Permit Application on the town contact page, so start with Town Hall for a construction proposal inside town limits.1 We could not confirm the town’s operative building-permit requirement, fee schedule, inspection schedule or owner-builder exemption; ask Town Hall to identify the approvals and inspector for your project.7 Indiana leaves building-permit and plan-review requirements to the applicable local administrative ordinance or process.8

Who handles building and zoning questions in Town of Goodland?

Use Goodland Town Hall’s contact page to reach the Clerk-Treasurer and obtain the town’s building permit application.7 Ask for the official who can confirm your parcel’s zoning district, application requirements and inspection arrangements before you order plans.7 Goodland’s permit-process provisions require the Plan Commission to coordinate permit issuance with other departments and agencies.1 Septic and well services remain a separate conversation with the Newton County Health Department’s Environmental Specialist.4

Does Town of Goodland have zoning, lot-size and home-size rules?

Goodland’s R-1 Single Family Residential District requires a lot of at least 10,625 square feet and a mean or average width of at least 85 feet; substandard lots of record may be built upon with Board of Zoning Appeals-approved variances.2 R-1 single-story dwellings need at least 860 square feet, while other single-family dwellings need at least 1,100 square feet, measured from exterior dimensions without unenclosed porches, terraces or garages.3 In Goodland’s A-1 Agricultural District, no dwelling may be erected on a tract smaller than 5 acres.6 Buildings may cover no more than 35% of an R-1 lot; the A-1 limit includes principal and accessory buildings.910

How do septic permits work inside Town of Goodland?

The Newton County Health Department provides septic and well inspections and permits through its Environmental Specialist.4 For an Indiana residence that will not connect to sanitary sewerage, the owner or agent must obtain a written construction permit signed by the health officer before starting the covered residential construction or sewage-system work.11 If sanitary sewer is available within a reasonable distance, onsite disposal is prohibited and sewer connection is required.5 Ask Town Hall about sewer availability for the address before commissioning a septic design.7 Indiana does not allow drywells or cesspools as onsite sewage treatment.12

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Town of Goodland?

We could not confirm Goodland’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, manufactured-home placement or accessory dwelling units; ask Town Hall about the intended use and parcel before buying a unit.7 A small house proposed as an R-1 single-family dwelling must meet Goodland’s district minimum floor area, including the 860-square-foot minimum for a single-story dwelling.3 Indiana’s campground rule does not establish general permission for long-term residential RV occupancy on a private lot.13 A sewage plan also needs separate attention: sewer availability can require connection rather than onsite disposal.5

Building a home in Town of Goodland: what should you do first?

1. Contact Town Hall for the building permit application and ask who confirms the parcel’s district and construction approvals.7 2. Match the proposed house and lot to Goodland’s district standards before committing to a design.326 3. Resolve sewer availability; if onsite sewage is appropriate, contact the Newton County Health Department about the required written construction permit.511 4. If dividing land, address Goodland’s subdivision approval and provision for drainage, water, sewerage and other infrastructure.14 For land outside town limits, consult the Newton County guide and confirm the applicable planning jurisdiction with Town Hall.14

Watch-outs

  • A substandard R-1 lot of record needs Board of Zoning Appeals-approved variances before relying on the exception to Goodland’s lot standards.2
  • We could not confirm Goodland’s setbacks or floodplain-development standards; ask Town Hall for the parcel-specific requirements before buying.7
  • Indiana’s agricultural state design-release exemption does not establish exemption from local building, zoning or inspection requirements.15

Sources

  1. goodland.in.gov (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  2. § 170.05 Establishment of Districts (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 170.05 Establishment of Districts (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  4. Newton County Health Dept. Home, quoted and re-checked
  5. Environmental Public Health: Onsite Sewage Systems Program, quoted and re-checked
  6. § 170.05 Establishment of Districts (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  7. Goodland Town Hall / Clerk-Treasurer (goodland.in.gov)
  8. in.gov (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 170.05 Establishment of Districts (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 170.05 Establishment of Districts (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  11. 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential On-Site Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
  12. Environmental Public Health: Onsite Sewage Systems Program, quoted and re-checked
  13. Environmental Public Health: 410 IAC 6-71 Campgrounds (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. § 170.11 Subdivisions (Town of Goodland), quoted and re-checked
  15. Plan Review FAQs (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Goodland

Town of Goodland’s own rules

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential dwellings in the R-1 Single Family Residential District.

    • Single-story dwellings require at least 860 square feet.
    • All other single-family dwellings require at least 1,100 square feet.
    • Floor area is measured from exterior dimensions, excluding unenclosed porches, terraces, and garages.

    minimum floor area, single story: >= 860 square feet · minimum floor area, all other single-family dwellings: >= 1100 square feet

    “A single-family residential dwelling shall have a minimum floor area size as follows: a. Single (1) story dwellings - 860 square feet. b. All other single-family dwellings - 1100 square feet. All floor area shall be measured from the exterior dimensions of the dwelling, exclusive of unenclosed porches, terraces, and garages.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Single Family Residential District.

    • Substandard lots of record may be built upon if the Board of Zoning Appeals approves variances.

    minimum lot area: >= 10625 square feet (Substandard lots of record may be built upon with BZA-approved variances.) · minimum mean or average lot width: >= 85 feet (Substandard lots of record may be built upon with BZA-approved variances.)

    “No single-family dwelling shall be erected on any lot, having an area of less than ten thousand six hundred twenty five (10,625) square feet or a mean or average width of less than eighty five (85) feet. However, substandard lots of record may be built upon providing the BZA approves the variances.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential dwellings in the A-1 Agricultural District.
      “No dwellings shall be erected on any lot or tract having an area of less than five (5) acres.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Residential lots in the A-1 Agricultural District.

    • The limit applies to principal and accessory buildings.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “Not more than thirty-five (35) percent of the area of any lot shall be used for principal and accessory buildings thereon.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Lots in the R-1 Single Family Residential District.
      “Not more than thirty-five (35) percent of any lot shall be occupied by buildings.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Goodland town and the town's stated planning jurisdiction.

    • Subdivision is subject to town control pursuant to the town comprehensive plan.
    • Land may not be subdivided until proper provision has been made for drainage, water, sewerage, recreation facilities, and other viable-community infrastructure.
    “It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Town of Goodland to consider the subdivision of land and the subsequent development of the subdivided plat as subject to the control of the Town of Goodland pursuant to the official comprehensive plan of the Town of Goodland for the orderly, planned, efficient, and economical development of the Town of Goodland. Land to be subdivided shall be of such character that it can be used safely for building purposes without danger to health or peril from fire, flood, or other menace, and land shall not be subdivided until proper provision has been made for drainage, water, sewerage, recreation facilities, and other elements of a viable community infrastructure.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Town permit-process information for construction and development inside Goodland town.

    • The town website provides a Building Permit Application link, but the linked document was inaccessible during research.
    • The zoning code states that the Plan Commission must coordinate issuance of permits with other departments and agencies.
    “View Goodland, IN Code of Ordinances online Building Permit Application Community Center Rental Agreement 2025​ Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Goodland or Newton County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Goodland town.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions for construction inside Goodland town.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for residential and other construction inside Goodland town.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Goodland town.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Goodland town.
13 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Goodland publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Newton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Newton County: county rules, score and offices