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

Rules another office applies inside Morgan Township

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Morgan township's limits. Porter County's Unified Development Ordinance (county zoning) applies here because no Morgan township zoning ordinance was located. This is the county's rule, not a township ordinance.

  • The ordinance text opened carries a 2007 copyright; current amendments were not verified.
  • Porter County zoning districts (A1, A2, RR, R1, R2, etc.) and their limits govern the parcel. Parcel-level zoning must be checked on the county's interactive zoning map.

  “this unified development ordinance applies to all land within the county limits of porter county, indiana, excluding the jurisdiction of the incorporated cities and towns within porter county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Porter County zoning districts for unincorporated land inside Morgan township

  • Chapter 02 names the districts (GW, P1, P2, A1, A2, RR, R1, R2, R3, R4, MP, CN, IN, OT, CM, CH, I1-I3, HI) with intent statements and permitted and special exception uses.
  • Districts are mapped on the county's UDO interactive zoning map (portercountyin.gov/407/Plan-Commission); parcel mapping was not opened.

  “district intent the r1 (low density singlefamily residential) district is intended to be used as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 (low density single-family residential) district lots inside Morgan township (unincorporated Porter County)

  • Lot width is 100 feet with a sanitary sewer connection and 160 feet for a septic system (same R1 development standards section).
  • The ordinance text is the 2007 edition; current amendments were not checked.

  minimum lot area with water utility: >= 15000 sq. ft. (applies when a water utility is available) · minimum lot area without water utility: >= 22500 sq. ft. (applies when a water utility is not available) · minimum lot area without sanitary sewer: >= 1 acre (applies when sanitary sewer is not available)

  “minimum lot area: •with water utility: 15,000 sq. ft. •without water utility: 22,500 sq. ft. •without sanitary sewer: 1 acre”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RR (rural residential) district lots inside Morgan township (unincorporated Porter County)

    “minimum lot area: •1 acre minimum lot width: •160 feet”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems on lots inside Morgan township, administered by the Porter County Health Department Environmental Division (county-wide service, including Morgan township)

  • The page does not name Morgan township separately; the county health department serves all of Porter County.
  • State commercial septic matters go to the Indiana State Department of Health commercial septic division (317-233-1325).

  “to obtain the well and septic permit, the customer is required to visit the porter county health department's environmental division and make a well and septic permit application.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New residential septic systems on lots inside Morgan township

  • A soil test by a private certified soil scientist is required before the permit.
  • Septic permits expire two years from the date of issuance.
  • Health-department staff review the site plan in three to five days; revisions may be requested.

  septic permit validity: 2 years (from date of issuance)

  “septic permits expire two years from the date of issuance.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells on lots inside Morgan township where water utility is unavailable

  • Wells must be at least 50 feet from septic tanks, laterals, and sewer lines.
  • The site plan must show the proposed well, house, and existing septic system or sewer line, plus a permanent address.

  well permit fee: 50 USD (commercial/residential well permit) · well setback from septic tanks, laterals and sewer lines: >= 50 feet (minimum separation)

  “wells must be located at least 50 feet from septic tanks, laterals, and sewer lines.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New homes on R1 lots inside Morgan township where a public sanitary sewer or water utility is available

  • The R1 standards allow septic only where sanitary sewer is unavailable and a private well only where water utility is unavailable, which implies connection where utilities exist.
  • The text reviewed states no distance threshold for when a utility is treated as available; that rule was not found.

  “septic systems permitted only where sanitary sewer utility is unavailable”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Conditional — New homes on RR lots inside Morgan township where a public sanitary sewer or water utility is available

    “septic system permitted only where sanitary sewer utility is unavailable and the water table and soil types are suitable”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land on unincorporated land inside Morgan township

  • Plat approval by the Plan Commission is final and is not forwarded to the county commissioners (per the Plan Commission page).
  • Filing deadlines for petitions apply; call the Plan Commission office.

  “in matters regarding subdivision plat approval, the plan commission action is final, and is not forwarded to the board of commissioners.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Porter County Health Department well and septic permit fees for residential work inside Morgan township. Building permit fees were not found.

  • Fee schedule is as published on the health page opened; no effective date is stated.

  residential well and septic permit fee: 275 USD (combined well and septic permit) · residential septic-only permit fee: 225 USD (septic only)

  “permit fee commercial/residential well and septic permit $275 commerical/residential septic only permit $225”

• Permit processPartial

  Health-department well and septic permits for new residential construction inside Morgan township. Building permit process was not published in detail.

  • Steps: soil test, then a septic/well field investigation report in about two to four days, then a permit application with site review in three to five days.

  “steps for obtaining residential new construction well & septic permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building on their own land inside Morgan township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Morgan township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Morgan township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Morgan township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for homes inside Morgan 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.