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

Rules another office applies inside Franklin Township

Franklin 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

  Buildings and structures that require a building permit under Ripley County's program, including new construction in Franklin township as administered by the county

  • Applies to any building or structure that is 144 square feet or larger.
  • No permit is issued without the required building plans or pertinent structural drawings (for example, the truss sheet).
  • Plans must be clear, understandable, drawn to scale, and show the nature and location of all work.
  • The building permit must be posted at the job site, and the address must be posted at the job site before construction.

  building permit size threshold: >= 144 square feet

  “any building or structure that is 144 square feet or larger, requires a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction under Ripley County's building permit program, as administered by the county Area Planning and Building department; the page does not name Franklin township specifically

  • The page states the county adopted its building code under IC 36-7-8-3 and IC 36-7-2-9; it does not say which edition or which code chapters.
  • The page does not state that Franklin township has its own building department, so the county program is treated as the applicable one here.

  “ripley county has, by requirement of the indiana department of homeland security, adopted their building code under ic 36-7-8-3 and ic 36-7-2-9.”

• InspectionsRequired

  All construction under Ripley County's building permit program, including land inside Franklin township as administered by the county

  • Required inspections include footer/hole, wall before pour, basement or crawl space before pour, underfloor plumbing before pour, perimeter drain before backfill (no downspouts), framing and rough-in, second rough-in (verification of code compliance), and final inspection.
  • A minimum of 24 hour notice is required on all inspections.
  • The application number is required to schedule inspections.

  inspection notice: >= 24 hours

  “attention! inspections required for all construction. a minimum of 24 hour notice is required on all inspections.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings under Ripley County's building permit program, including Franklin township as administered by the county

  • All inspections must be completed and codes met before the certificate of occupancy is issued.
  • Gutters and handrails must be in place, the driveway culvert must be in place, and the permanent 911 address must be in place (per ordinance 1991-3) before the final inspection.

  “all inspections shall be completed and codes met before the certificate of occupancy will be issued.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Residential on-site septic systems for homes in Franklin township, handled by the Ripley County Health Department (countywide service)

  • The page does not name Franklin township; the county health department's countywide role is inferred from the page's Ripley County scope.
  • A registered soil scientist's soil analysis is required first, and the installer must be a Ripley County registered installer.
  • The installer draws the septic design and submits it to the county health department.

  “the installer will then have to draw up a septic design and submit it to the ripley county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Residential septic system permits in Ripley County, including Franklin township

  • Step 1: a soil analysis by a soil scientist, who sends the analysis to the health department office.
  • Step 2: submit the residential septic application with a copy of the house plans; a full street address including street number is required.
  • For new construction the driveway permit must be obtained first from the county highway department, then the street number is assigned by the area planning and building department.
  • Step 3: a Ripley County registered installer draws the septic design and submits it.
  • Step 4: the permit is signed and paid for in person; it cannot be done by phone, mail, or email, and personal checks are not accepted.

  residential septic permit fee: 100 USD (payable at permit pickup; small fee added for card payments)

  “when picking up your permit, you will need to pay $100 for the septic permit.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New construction in Franklin township that needs driveway access

  • Driveway permits for new construction are obtained through the county highway department.
  • A driveway culvert must be in place before the final inspection and certificate of occupancy (per the building permit page).
  • A driveway permit must be issued before a street number is assigned.

  “for new construction, driveway permits are obtained through the ripley county highway department.”

• Permit processPartial

  Residential septic permit process in Ripley County, including Franklin township; the building permit process is only partly published

  • The published septic steps are: soil analysis, submit application with house plans, choose a registered installer, pay and pick up in person.
  • The building permit page lists requirements and inspections but not a full application workflow.

  “submit the residential septic application. you will need to submit the form as well as a copy of your house plans.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction in Franklin township
• Local zoning — Zoning for land inside Franklin township's limits, Ripley County, Indiana
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts for land in Franklin township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Franklin township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the main single-family residential district and the agricultural district in Franklin 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.