Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sugar Creek Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Sugar Creek Township

Sugar Creek 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

  Structural building improvements on land in Parke County, including Sugar Creek township, as administered by the Parke County Planning and Zoning Office

  • Permit is an improvement location / building improvement permit issued by the county planning and zoning office.
  • Scope in the source is county-wide; the page does not say whether incorporated towns are excluded.
  • Septic release from the health department is also required for an improvement location permit per the county building permit page (not separately verified).

  “attn: all structural building improvements need a building improvement permit.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land in unincorporated Parke County, which includes Sugar Creek township unless the township adopts its own zoning; the county zoning ordinance lists classification districts including agricultural districts ap and afr and forest/recreation districts

  • Source is the 1976 amendment PDF; the ordinance text states it was last amended in 1973, so it may be outdated.
  • Text extracted by OCR is partly garbled; the full district schedule (Figure 9 and district tables) was not fully read.
  • Incorporated areas may follow other rules.

  “an ordinance for the deve:oopment throogh zoning for the unincorporated territory of parke county, indiana”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage systems on land inside Sugar Creek township, which lies in Parke County; the Parke County Health Department (county, not township) issues the permit and inspects.

  • Applies under 410 IAC 6-8.2 as cited in the packet.
  • Commercial systems also need Indiana State Department of Health design approval per the packet.

  “the parke county health department reviews the system design, performs an onsite evaluation (field must be staked and protected), and if in compliance with 410 iac 6-8.2 may issue septic permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or repaired on-site sewage systems on land inside Sugar Creek township (Parke County Health Department jurisdiction)

  • Permit must be issued before installation and before a construction permit from the Parke County Planning and Zoning Office.
  • Soil evaluation by an Indiana registered soil scientist and a system design by an installer are required before application.
  • Permits for new construction are good for one year; repair permits for six months.
  • Permit must be kept on the job site during work.
  • Fee and form dates in the packet are from 2021 and should be confirmed with the health department.

  on-site system permit fee: 75 USD · permit validity, new construction: 1 year · permit validity, repair: 6 months

  “an on-site sewage disposal permit must be issued by the health department prior to the installation of the system and prior to obtaining a construction permit from the parke county planning and zoning office.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-site sewage systems installed inside Sugar Creek township (Parke County Health Department inspection)

  • Installer must notify the health department 24 hours before excavation and 48 hours before covering.
  • Final inspection by the health department is required before the system is complete.

  notice before excavation: 24 hours · notice before covering: 48 hours

  “a final inspection conducted by the parke county health department will be completed and a copy will be provided for the homeowner, installer, and a copy will be kept on file in our office.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural uses, including residences in connection with them, on land in unincorporated Parke County, which includes Sugar Creek township unless the township adopts its own zoning

  • The preamble states the county's predominant use is rural-agricultural and that the highest and best use of most unincorporated land is agricultural.
  • The permit section states that, except water systems and sewage disposal systems, its permit requirements do not prevail for non-residential buildings and uses clearly incidental to agricultural operations.
  • Source is the 1976 amendment PDF with OCR text; the ordinance text states it was last amended in 1973, so confirm the current text with the Parke County Planning and Zoning Office.
  • Septic and well rules still apply.

  “none ot the provisions and regulations o:t this ordinance shall ap~ to agricultural uses, including residences in connection 1;herewi th.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building improvement permits in Parke County, including Sugar Creek township

  • Fee schedule is linked from the county planning page; the posted amounts were read from the page text.

  building permit fee: 50 USD · commercial structure permit fee: 100 USD

  “building permit fee: $50.00 permit fee for a commercial structure: $100.00.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building improvement permit applications in Parke County, including Sugar Creek township

  • Office is in the Parke County courthouse, room 105 per the mailing address; open Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Friday is a remote day.
  • Paper checks or money orders are payable to the Parke County Planning Commission.

  “the link to fill out an application online and pay with a credit card can be found here”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits in Sugar Creek township
• Building code adopted — Building code in force inside Sugar Creek township
• Inspections — Building inspections for structures in Sugar Creek township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Sugar Creek township
• Local zoning — Whether Sugar Creek township (Parke County, IN) has adopted its own zoning ordinance

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.