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

Town of Montezuma’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Single-family residences inside Montezuma town: site-built, modular, manufactured, or mobile homes

  • The building permit is issued under MMC 3-29, which was not opened.
  • Appeals of permit denials go to the town council under MMC 3-2-14 (not opened).

  “any person(s) building, constructing, installing, locating, relocating, replacing or otherwise placing a single-family residence within the town of montezuma, including a site-built home, modular home, manufactured home or mobile home must obtain a building permit as required by mmc 3-29.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings inside Montezuma town limits

  • The code's name and edition were not verified; MMC 3-2 (building code chapter) was not located by text search.
  • The code text only confirms that a town building code exists.

  “nor an exemption from any building permit as required under the town building code”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Montezuma town that use a subsurface soil-absorption private sewage system. This is a sanitation minimum, not a zoning district minimum.

  • Applies only where no public sanitary sewer is available.
  • Zoning district minimum lot sizes are a separate claim and remain unknown.

  minimum lot area for subsurface soil-absorption private sewage system: >= 20000 square feet

  “no permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Use of recreational vehicles for residential purposes on land inside Montezuma town

  • Residential RV use is allowed only on a temporary basis after town council approval.
  • The applicant must show a hardship (for example, rebuilding a home destroyed by fire) and agree to council conditions.
  • Extensions or renewals need town council approval.

  temporary residential RV use period: <= 90 days (may be extended or renewed with town council approval)

  “recreational vehicles may not be used for residential purposes within the town of montezuma.”

• Camping on your landAllowed (with conditions)

  Camping with recreational vehicles on land inside Montezuma town

  • Camping requires approval of the Montezuma town council.
  • Tent camping and general camping rules were not located in the opened text.

  “provided, however, that recreational vehicles may be used for camping purposes with the approval of the montezuma town council.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Montezuma town limits where no public sewer is available

  • The town superintendent issues the private sewage disposal permit under MMC 8-1-3 sec. 3(b).
  • The Parke County Health Department's on-site permit under 410 IAC 6-8.2 (county packet) was NOT shown to reach inside the town; this is unresolved and was not recorded as a county claim.
  • Systems must comply with the state board of health recommendations under MMC 8-1-3 sec. 3(d).

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal system installed inside Montezuma town where a public sanitary sewer is not available

  • A written permit from the town superintendent is required before construction starts.
  • The permit does not take effect until the installation is complete.
  • Subsurface soil-absorption systems require a lot of at least 20,000 square feet (see minimum_lot_size claim).

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system installed inside Montezuma town where a public sanitary sewer is not available

  • The inspection is made before any underground portions are covered.
  • The inspection must be made by the superintendent within 24 hours of receiving notice.

  inspection response time after notice: <= 24 hours

  “the inspection shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Homes inside Montezuma town where a public sewer is not available

  • A private system needs a superintendent permit (see septic_permit).
  • Subsurface soil-absorption systems need a lot of at least 20,000 square feet.
  • Septic tanks and cesspools may not discharge to a natural outlet.
  • Once a public sewer is available, the private system must be abandoned.

  minimum lot area for subsurface soil-absorption private sewage system: >= 20000 square feet

  “no permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings inside Montezuma town, or served by the town water utility, that are used for human occupancy

  • Connection is required only if the public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line.
  • Connection is required after official notice from the town.
  • The owner must grant a right of access easement to the town for repair and inspection before backfilling.
  • No water-connection requirement was found in the opened text.

  distance from property line to public sewer that triggers connection: <= 300 feet (Connection is required only where the public sewer is within this distance.) · connection deadline after official notice: <= 90 days

  “is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within three hundred (300) feet of the property line.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in the special flood hazard area inside Montezuma town

  • A special flood plain development permit is required in addition to the building permit.
  • The flood-hazard standards are in MMC 3-3 (flood plain management), which was only partly opened.

  “nor a special flood plain development permit as required pursuant to the town's participation in the national flood insurance program”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits inside Montezuma town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Montezuma town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Montezuma town limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for land inside Montezuma town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the single-family residential district inside Montezuma town

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.