Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Albion, Indiana

Town of Albion’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Albion town limits (the ordinance also states a 2-mile jurisdiction, which is outside this record's scope)

  • The document is titled Albion Zoning Ordinance and names the Town of Albion, Indiana, the Noble County Health Department, and the town manager, so it is treated as this town's own ordinance.
  • The captured PDF shows no adoption or effective date, and it is hosted on cms5.revize.com rather than a confirmed town domain. Current adoption and the amendment history are not verified.

  “for the purpose of the zoning ordinance, the planning jurisdiction is divided into the following zoning districts for the general uses as stated”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Albion town limits

  • Districts are A, R1 to R5, CS, CG, CO, CH, IL, IH, and MH, with overlay districts in Section 5.
  • Per Section 3.1 the districts stand alone; only the uses and standards expressly listed for each district apply.
  • The official zoning map is a part of the ordinance; it was not opened.

  “the r1 district is established to include areas for low density single-family residences with a density of 2 dwelling units or less per gross acre.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Primary dwelling in A agricultural district, inside Albion town limits

  • Multi-story dwellings must also have total finished floor area of 1,600 square feet or more.

  minimum main floor area, one-story primary structure: >= 1200 square feet · minimum main floor area, multi-story primary structure: >= 700 square feet (total finished floor area 1,600 sq ft or more)

  “minimum main floor area: • 1,200 square feet for one story primary structures; or •700 square feet for multiple story primary structures, provided that the total finished floor area is 1,600 square feet or more.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Primary dwelling in R1 residential district, inside Albion town limits

    “minimum main floor area: • 1,200 square feet for one story primary structures; or • 700 square feet for multiple story primary structures”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A agricultural district inside Albion town limits

  • Sewer and water: requires municipal water and sewer hookup if within town limits.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet

  “minimum lot area: •2 acres minimum lot width: •150 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R1 residential district, low density, inside Albion town limits (single-family residences)

    “minimum lot area: •20,000 square feet minimum lot width: •100 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1 residential district, low density, inside Albion town limits

  • Front setback is measured from the adjacent road class (arterial, collector, or local), as the ordinance lists it.
  • Rear setback for primary structure is 25 feet and for accessory structures 10 feet, per Section 4.2.

  front yard setback, adjacent to arterial road: 60 feet · front yard setback, adjacent to collector road: 30 feet · front yard setback, adjacent to local road: 30 feet · side yard setback, primary structure: 15 feet · side yard setback, accessory structure: 6 feet

  “minimum side yard setback: • 15 feet for the primary structure • 6 feet for accessory structures”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A agricultural district inside Albion town limits

    “minimum side yard setback: • 25 feet for primary structure • 15 feet for accessory structures”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A agricultural district inside Albion town limits

  • Covers all primary and accessory structures and impervious surface.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent of lot area

  “maximum lot coverage: •square feet of all primary and accessory structures and impervious surface cannot exceed 25% of the lot area.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R1 residential district, low density, inside Albion town limits

    “maximum lot coverage: •square feet of all primary and accessory structures and impervious surface cannot exceed 25% of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  A agricultural district inside Albion town limits

  • Agriculture-related accessory structures are exempt from the accessory height limit.

  maximum height, primary structure: <= 35 feet · maximum height, accessory structure: <= 30 feet (agriculture-related accessory structures exempt)

  “maximum structure height: • 35 feet for the primary structure • 30 feet for accessory structures • agriculture related accessory structures are exempt.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R1 residential district, low density, inside Albion town limits

    “maximum structure height: • 35 feet for the primary structure • 20 feet for accessory structures”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles parked or stored on residential property inside Albion town limits

  • Not more than one recreational vehicle may be parked or stored in the open on residential property at one time, with one visitor vehicle allowed for up to seven consecutive days a year.
  • An RV may not be stored in the front yard on the grass.
  • An RV may be parked in the front yard for no more than 48 hours in any one-week period.
  • The plan administrator may require proof that the vehicle is licensed, registered and operational.

  maximum occupancy of a parked RV: <= 7 days (in any 30-day period)

  “in no instance shall a parked recreational vehicle be occupied longer than seven days in any 30 day period of time.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Occupying a parked recreational vehicle or camping on residential property inside Albion town limits

  • The captured text limits RV occupancy on residential lots (see the RV claim); tent camping and campground rules were not located.
  • The ordinance defines a recreational vehicle park as a site designed for temporary use of recreational vehicles; its district and approval rules are in Appendix A and were not opened.

  “in no instance shall a parked recreational vehicle be occupied longer than seven days in any 30 day period of time.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the MH mobile home district inside Albion town limits

  • Outside the MH district the captured text does not authorize manufactured homes; Appendix A (schedule of uses) was not opened.
  • MH developments require town water and sewer (see utility claim).
  • The district is for manufactured homes in a specifically designated development.

  “this district is intended to establish areas to allow for the grouping of manufactured homes on single lots, whether public, private or leased in an area specifically designated for such development.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartment or dwelling unit on a residential lot inside Albion town limits

  • Requires a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
  • Lot must have a minimum area of 10,000 square feet.
  • Accessory apartments are limited to occupation by family members or domestic employees (text truncated in the captured page).
  • Accessory apartments in existing accessory structures must keep the appearance of a single-family lot; detached accessory dwellings are not addressed in the captured text.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (special exception required)

  “in any residential district, a special exception may be granted for an accessory apartment to be constructed within a single-family detached residence or within the existing accessory structure of such residence, provided such a lot has a minimum area of 10,000 square feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  New homes and lots inside Albion town limits in the residential districts (R1 and others that repeat the same rule)

  • Municipal water and sewer hookup is required in the district standards.
  • In the A district the rule applies if the lot is within town limits.
  • The mobile home district requires that all lots have town water and sewer.

  “sewer and water: •requires municipal water and sewer hookup”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway access for a site with a zoning improvement location permit inside Albion town limits

  • Applies only if applicable to the project.
  • Driveway permit is issued by the town manager.

  “driveway approval (if applicable) a driveway permit from the town manager.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in a flood hazard area inside Albion town limits

  • The ordinance requires flood hazard area information where applicable and refers to flood hazard area requirements in the zoning ordinance.
  • The development definition covers installing a manufactured home or RV on a site for more than 180 days.
  • The flood hazard area requirements chapter was not opened.

  “flood hazard area information (if applicable) any other information necessary to meet the flood hazard area requirements of the zoning ordinance.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Bed and breakfast or Airbnb-type short-term lodging inside Albion town limits

  • Bed and breakfast establishments must comply with local, county and state regulations.
  • Maximum five guestrooms for rent.
  • Not a home occupation.
  • Districts where a bed and breakfast is allowed are set in Appendix A (schedule of uses), which was not opened.
  • Ordinary whole-home short-term rentals are not addressed in the captured text.

  maximum guestrooms for rent: <= 5 rooms

  “bed and breakfast establishments shall only be located within and accessory to an owner-occupied single-family detached home.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning improvement location permit application inside Albion town limits

  • Application contents are listed in Section 11.4; the issuing office and fee schedule were not located.
  • Building-code and inspection permit steps are not in the captured text.

  “use description a detailed description of the existing or proposed uses of the property and any structures.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Albion

Town of Albion does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Waste disposal for a new use inside Albion town limits: Noble County Health Department for septic, public sewer provider for sewered lots

  • Applies to a zoning improvement location permit application.
  • Public sewer is used where it is available.

  “either a septic permit from the noble county health department or a sewer access permit from the appropriate public sewer provider.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Waste disposal verification for a new use inside Albion town limits

  • Shown as an alternative to a sewer access permit; a septic permit is needed only where no public sewer is used.

  “either a septic permit from the noble county health department or a sewer access permit from the appropriate public sewer provider.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit for new residential construction inside Albion town limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Albion town limits
• Building code adopted — Building code in force inside Albion town limits
• Inspections — Building inspection for construction inside Albion town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Albion town 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.