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

Rules another office applies inside Jefferson Township

Jefferson 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

  Construction or alteration of a building or structure larger than 160 square feet in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated

  • Exception for repair and maintenance is stated in Section 7 of Ordinance 94-2; the full text of that exception was not captured.
  • A building permit application must be accompanied by a plat or sketch showing lot boundaries and by plans and specifications (Section 6).

  permit threshold: > 160 sq ft (except repair and maintenance (Section 7))

  “a permit shall be obtained before beginning construction or alteration of any building or structure in excess of 160 square feet”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction, alteration and use of buildings in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated; no township-adopted building code was found

  • The code is limited by its own terms to the unincorporated areas of Newton County; the county document does not list incorporated towns, so whether all of Jefferson township is unincorporated was not verified.
  • The code incorporates by reference building rules, codes, and standards required by state law.

  “an ordinance regulating the construction, alteration, repair, location and use of buildings and structures in the unincorporated areas of newton county, indiana”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work done under a building permit in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated

  • The owner must notify the building commissioner at least 24 hours in advance when construction is ready for inspection (Section 11).
  • Specific footing pre-pour and foundation inspections are listed in Sections 11.1 and 11.2.

  “after the issuance of any building permit, the building commissioner shall make, or cause to be made, inspections of work being done as are necessary to insure full compliance”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of a building erected, altered or repaired under Ordinance 94-2 in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated

  • A full, partial, or temporary certificate of occupancy is allowed under Section 15.

  “it shall be unlawful to occupy any such building or structure unless a full, partial, or temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued by the building commissioner.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Newton County zoning districts shown in the county zoning legend; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • Districts listed: A, R-1, R-1A, R-2, RMH, RMHA, MXD, B-1, B-2, I-1, I-2.
  • Parcel zoning is shown on the county GIS (Beacon) map, selected via the Zoning option.

  “zoning legend: a r-1 r-1a r-2 rmh rmha mxd b-1 b-2 i-1 i-2 agricultural district single family residential district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the county's agricultural and single-family residential districts as listed in the county zoning legend; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • The legend shows 960 square feet minimum ground floor area in the requirements block; the per-district attribution of that block was not separately confirmed.
  • Multi-family and two-family minimums are stated separately in the zoning schedule.

  minimum ground floor area, single-family: >= 960 sq ft

  “minimum ground floor area: 960 square feet”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the county's agricultural and single-family residential districts as listed in the county zoning legend; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • The legend shows 43,560 square feet minimum lot area to allow a dwelling in the requirements block; the per-district attribution of that block was not separately confirmed.
  • Lot area requirements for two-family, multi-family and sewage type (individual vs community sewage) are stated separately in the zoning schedule.

  minimum lot area to allow single-family dwelling: >= 43560 sq ft (varies for two-family and multi-family dwellings and for community sewage systems in other districts)

  “minimum lot area to allow dwelling: 43,560 square feet.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal buildings in the county's agricultural and single-family residential districts as listed in the county zoning legend; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • Front yard figure is 35 ft minimum, or 100 ft from the centerline of a state or federal highway; side and rear yard figures and septic-to-building distance (10 ft) are stated separately in the schedule.
  • Subdivision covenants or corner-lot location may alter setbacks.

  front yard setback: >= 35 ft (100 ft from centerline of state or federal highway)

  “front yard 35 ft. min. (100 ft. if state or federal hwy)”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  All buildings on a lot in the county's single-family residential district with this requirements block; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • Accessory buildings may not cover more than 40% of the rear yard area (separate limit in the same block).

  maximum building coverage of total lot area: <= 45 %

  “all buildings may not cover more than 45% of the total lot area.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings in the county's agricultural and single-family residential districts as listed in the county zoning legend; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • Height excludes chimneys, domes, etc.
  • Accessory building 15 ft; commercial building 35 ft; industrial building 40 ft.

  maximum height, single-family dwelling: <= 30 ft (excluding chimneys, domes, etc.)

  “• single-family dwelling: 30 feet • multi-family dwelling: 35 feet”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured home (type I) as a single-family dwelling in the R-1 single-family residential district of the county zoning ordinance; applies inside Jefferson township only if county zoning governs that land (not verified)

  • Permitted use listed in the county zoning legend, which states it is adapted from Ordinance 94-1.
  • Subject to the R-1 district requirements and the building code permit, inspection and certificate of occupancy steps.

  “r-1: single-family residential district permitted uses/structures • dwelling, single-family • manufactured home, type i”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal on land inside Jefferson township where public sanitary sewer is not available, administered by the county health officer and the Newton County Health Department (countywide authority applied to Jefferson township)

  • Septic tanks, cesspools, or privies must be designed and located to meet the requirements of the county health officer and the standards of the Indiana state board of health.
  • Sewer connection applies only when a sanitary sewer system is available.

  “septic system permit $100.00 mound system permit $150.00 septic permit for repair $50.00”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems serving homes inside Jefferson township, issued by the Newton County Health Department (countywide authority applied to Jefferson township)

  • The fee schedule lists a septic system permit, a mound system permit, a septic permit for repair, and a septic permit for self-installation; the trigger for each was not captured.
  • Health Department address: 4117 S 240 W, Morocco, IN 47963 (per the fee page).

  septic system permit fee: 100 USD (mound system permit $150; septic permit for repair $50)

  “septic system permit $100.00 mound system permit $150.00 septic permit for repair $50.00”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewer sanitation (septic tank, cesspool or privy) for a home inside Jefferson township, under the county building code (countywide authority applied to Jefferson township)

  • Allowed only where a sanitary sewer is not available and the system is designed and located to meet the county health officer's requirements and the Indiana state board of health standards.
  • A septic system permit is listed on the county health fee schedule.

  “all sewage shall be disposed of in existing sanitary sewer systems, when available, or through the use of septic tanks, cesspools, or privies which are so designed and located as to meet the requirements of the county health officer”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells serving homes inside Jefferson township, issued by the Newton County Health Department (countywide authority applied to Jefferson township)

  • The trigger for the well permit was not captured; the fee schedule lists the permit and Section 20(2) of the building code requires private water sources to meet the county health officer's requirements.

  well permit fee: 20 USD

  “subdivision development soil report review $100.00 well permit $20.00”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  New homes in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated

  • Water supply must come from public or quasi-public mains when available; otherwise a well or other private source meeting the county health officer's requirements.
  • Sewage must go to existing sanitary sewer when available; otherwise septic tanks, cesspools, or privies meeting the county health officer's requirements.
  • No distance or availability rule (for example a feet-from-main threshold) was found in the captured text.

  “all water supply shall be from public or quasi-public mains, when available, or from such wells or other private sources of such type and in such location as to meet the requirements of the county health officer”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New construction or substantial improvements in special flood hazard areas in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township only where its land is in such an area (flood zone status for Jefferson township not checked)

  • Building commissioner must review applications for flood safety, flood-resistant materials for major repairs, and anchoring for new construction (Sections 10(b) to 10(d)).

  “review building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements within the flood plain area having special flood hazards”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fees in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated; health permit fees are published separately on the Health Department schedule

  • Fees are stated in the building code fee section; the captured text shows a $50 to $100 range for accessory buildings and $50 for repair and maintenance over $5,000.
  • Health permit fees are published on the county health fee schedule.

  repair and maintenance permit fee (over $5,000): 50 USD

  “garages & accessory building ($50.00 minimum; $100.00 maximum) repair and maintenance (over $5,000.00) $50.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process in unincorporated Newton County, which applies inside Jefferson township to the extent its land is unincorporated

  • Application must include a plat or sketch showing lot boundaries and plans and specifications (Section 6).
  • Construction must start within 60 days of permit issuance and be completed in 12 months unless extended (Section 16).
  • Appeals go to the Board of Zoning Appeals (Section 18).
  • Full application steps, forms and contacts were not captured.

  “no building permit shall be issued for the foregoing purposes, unless the application for permit is accompanied by a plat or sketch of the proposed location showing lot boundaries, and by plans and specifications showing the work to be done.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home on private land inside Jefferson township
• Local zoning — Whether Jefferson township, Newton County, Indiana adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Jefferson township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Jefferson township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Jefferson 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.