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

Rules another office applies inside Johnson Township

Johnson 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

  Construction, occupancy, or land-use change inside unincorporated Johnson township under the Scott County zoning ordinance

  • The permit described is the county improvement location permit issued under the zoning ordinance, which precedes the building permit; the office that issues the building permit was not verified.
  • Construction may proceed only after the improvement location permit is issued.

  “an improvement location permit is required for the erection, expansion, substantial renovation (requiring compliance with building or fire safety codes) or demolition of any structure.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Residential construction (Class 2 structures) statewide in Indiana, including Johnson township in Scott County

  • The state rule is 675 IAC 14-4.4, the 2020 Indiana Residential Code, which incorporates the 2018 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings with Indiana amendments.
  • Local adoption of a different residential code was not checked for Johnson township; none was found.
  • Adoption or local enforcement of the residential code is not confirmed by this page alone.

  “675 iac 14-4.4 2020 indiana residential code free access (model code with incorporated amendments) 2018 international residential code for one- and two-family dwellings, first printing currently in effect effective: 12/26/2019”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Johnson township, which is unincorporated Scott County, Indiana: the Scott County zoning ordinance (administered through the Scott County area plan commission) applies here unless Johnson township has adopted its own zoning, which was not verified

  • Source is a 2004 copy of the Zoning Ordinance of Scott County, Indiana hosted by the City of Scottsburg; no effective date or amendment history is shown on the copy, so currency is not verified.
  • This is a county ordinance, not a Johnson township ordinance.
  • Ordinance jurisdiction clause also covers the City of Scottsburg; this claim applies only to the unincorporated portion.

  “the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all structures, lands, water, and air within the city of scottsburg and all unincorporated portions of scott county”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts applying to unincorporated Johnson township under the Scott County zoning ordinance

  • Districts listed in the 2004 copy include A-1 agricultural (and rural residential), R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1, I-2; the official zoning map was not opened to confirm Johnson township's district assignments.
  • The copy is hosted by the City of Scottsburg and dated 2004; currency not verified.

  “for the purpose of this ordinance, scott county and the city of scottsburg are divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned R-1

  • Dimensional values are from the 2004 ordinance copy; currency not verified.
  • The R-1 district text says it is intended for areas served by an approved municipal sanitary sewer system.

  minimum lot area: >= 8400 sq ft · minimum street frontage: >= 70 ft

  “minimum lot size requirements 1) area: 8400 sf 2) street frontage: 70 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agricultural (and rural residential) district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned A-1

    “minimum lot size requirements 1) area: 2 acres 2) street frontage: 200 ft”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-1 agricultural (and rural residential) district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned A-1

  • Setbacks are measured from road centerline; the county-road figure is shown, with state-road and city-street figures also in the table.
  • Front setback uses the average front setback in built-up areas.

  county road front setback (not built up): >= 65 ft (use average front setback in built-up area) · county road side setback: >= 30 ft (corner lots have 2 front setbacks) · county road rear setback: >= 30 ft

  “minimum setbacks on a county road (from centerline) 1) front: in built up area use the average front setback otherwise 65 ft 2) side: 30 ft (corner lots have 2 front setbacks) 3) back: 30 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 single family residential district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned R-1

    “minimum setbacks on a county road (from centerline) 1) front: in built up area use the average front setback otherwise 65 ft 2) side: 8 ft (corner lots have 2 front setbacks) 3) back: 20 ft”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A-1 agricultural (and rural residential) district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned A-1

  • Covers structures and paving combined.

  maximum lot coverage (structures and paving): <= 35 percent

  “maximum lot coverage (structures and paving): 35%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 single family residential district in unincorporated Scott County, including Johnson township land zoned R-1

    “maximum lot coverage (structures and paving): 50%”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Using a recreational vehicle as a home (living quarters) on land inside unincorporated Johnson township under the Scott County zoning ordinance

  • Definition only; the same ordinance allows recreational vehicles to be parked for visitation for a maximum of fourteen (14) days and allows emergency parking for up to twenty-four (24) hours.
  • Campgrounds and RV parks are a separate conditional use requiring commercial zoning.

  visitation parking limit: <= 14 days (temporary visitation parking under the temporary-use section)

  “a recreational vehicle shall not be used as living quarters.”

• Who permits septicCounty

  New and existing septic systems on land inside Johnson township, Scott County, Indiana, served by the Scott County Health Department

  • The Scott County Health Department's Indiana Department of Health page lists septic permitting and inspection among its duties for the county.
  • Service-area boundaries inside the county were not separately confirmed.

  “inspections of existing septic systems and for failures; permits issued for new septic systems;”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic systems on land inside Johnson township, Scott County, Indiana

  • Permit is issued by the Scott County Health Department before a new septic system is installed.
  • Soil testing and permit application steps were not reviewed.

  “inspections of existing septic systems and for failures; permits issued for new septic systems;”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Existing septic systems on land inside Johnson township, Scott County, Indiana

  • The health department page lists inspections of existing septic systems and for failures; it does not state a routine inspection requirement for new installations.

  “inspections of existing septic systems and for failures; permits issued for new septic systems;”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development on land in a floodplain or flood hazard area in unincorporated Johnson township

  • Improvement location permits in the floodplain follow Indiana floodplain statutes (IC 14-28-3 and IC 14-28-4) and their rules.
  • Applications are held pending the state (DNR) building or construction permit.
  • Development in flood hazard areas must also comply with the applicable county ordinance.

  “any improvement location permit application for a site within the floodplain will be held pending receipt of a building or construction permit from dnr.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Johnson township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Johnson township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Johnson township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for homes in Johnson township
• Building height — Maximum building height in Johnson 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.