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

Rules another office applies inside Liberty Township

Liberty 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

  New home construction administered by Shelby County building inspector; Liberty township is not separately addressed by the page, so this is a county-wide rule as applied to Liberty township

  • Permits are obtained from the Shelby County building inspector's office; homeowner, contractor, or licensed plumber rules apply
  • Construction may proceed only after the permit is issued

  “building, electrical, and plumbing permits are required and allow for inspection of new construction to ensure it complies with building code.”

• Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Homeowner-builder permits for a home in Shelby County, as applied to Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • Homeowner must submit a homeowner's affidavit
  • Applies to improvement location, building and electrical permits; plumbing permit is a separate homeowner exemption only if the owner will reside in the home

  “improvement location permit, building, and electrical permits may be obtained by the homeowner with submittal of a homeowner’s affidavit.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New construction under Shelby County building permits, as applied to Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • Permit applicant must request inspections from the building inspector's office, plan commission, and health department at the appropriate times, per the New Home Procedure

  “it is the responsibility of the permit applicant to call all applicable departments and agencies to request necessary inspections at the appropriate times, including the plan commission, inspector’s office, and health department.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in unincorporated Shelby County as shown on the county GIS zoning map; whether Liberty township falls under county zoning is not confirmed

  • Zoning district codes named on the FAQ include A1, A2, RE, R1, VR, VM and IS
  • District list and dimensional standards are in UDO Article 2 (not retrieved)

  “the shelby county gis system includes a zoning map.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New single-family house lots in Shelby County, as stated by the county Plan Commission FAQ (typical figure; not the UDO district table; Liberty township not separately addressed)

  • Lots established before 2008 are grandfathered as building lots regardless of size, provided the new home meets other zoning requirements
  • Per-district minimums were not retrieved from the UDO; the FAQ states a typical figure only

  typical lot size for a new house: 2 acres (typical figure per planning FAQ; pre-2008 lots grandfathered)

  “how much land do i need to build a new house in shelby county? typically, 2-acres.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Setbacks in unincorporated Shelby County zoning districts, including Liberty township if county zoning applies (not confirmed)

  • The FAQ table lists setbacks for accessory structures only (A1 front 50 ft, side 10 ft, rear 10 ft; A2 front 60 ft; RE front 50 ft and not in front yard; R1 front 35 ft and not in front yard; VR and VM and IS listed); principal dwelling setbacks not retrieved from UDO Article 2
  • Front setback measured from the right-of-way line (typically 25 feet from road centerline)

  “article 2 of the shelby county unified development ordinance includes setback requirements for all zoning districts.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying an RV on private land in Shelby County, as stated for the county (Liberty township not separately addressed)

  • Occupied RVs are permitted only in RV parks
  • Board of Zoning Appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship

  “the county only permits occupied rvs, mobile homes, and manufactured homes in rv and mobile home parks.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Occupying a mobile or manufactured home on private land in Shelby County, as stated for the county (Liberty township not separately addressed)

  • Occupied mobile and manufactured homes are permitted only in mobile home parks
  • Board of Zoning Appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship

  “the county only permits occupied rvs, mobile homes, and manufactured homes in rv and mobile home parks.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Attached or detached secondary dwelling units (mother-in-law quarters) in Shelby County, as stated for the county (Liberty township not separately addressed)

  • Plan Commission defines attached dwelling unit or mother-in-law quarters as a unit with a full kitchen, full bathroom, and living area without interior door access to the main dwelling
  • Approval requires a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals; the board typically grants temporary occupancy for hardship

  “the county does not permit these types of structures without approval of a variance from the shelby county board of zoning appeals.”

• Who permits septicCounty

  Septic systems for new homes in Shelby County, including land in Liberty township; the Shelby County Health Department issues the septic permit (county-wide rule, not a Liberty-specific statement)

  • Waldron Conservancy District sewer or water service removes the septic permit requirement

  “obtain a septic permit from the shelby county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New homes in Shelby County, including land in Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • Not required for new homes that use sewer or water from the Waldron Conservancy District; Liberty township service area not verified

  “a septic permit is required for all new homes, unless utilizing sewer/water from the waldron conservancy district.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creating new lots in Shelby County, including land in Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • Lots that existed in their current configuration before 2008 are treated as grandfathered; new lot creation requires platting

  “creation of a new lot (example – purchase of a portion of farm ground) must go through the platting process.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access to a county road in Shelby County, including Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • On state highways, an access permit is also required from INDOT Greenfield District Office
  • Access permit ensures a properly sized driveway and culverts

  “obtain an access permit from the shelby county highway department.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Land grading or construction in designated flood hazard areas in Shelby County, including Liberty township (county-wide rule)

  • Floodway development also requires an Indiana DNR Division of Water permit
  • Planning Director verifies flood hazard status during buildable lot verification

  “a floodplain permit and additional development regulations (such as elevating a structure and floodproofing) apply to land grading or construction in designated flood hazard areas.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  New home permit sequence in Shelby County, including land in Liberty township (county-wide process)

  • Site plan committee meets Thursdays; site plans due by 12:00pm Tuesday for the following Thursday
  • Permits are not issued until each member of the site plan committee approves the site plan

  “the site plan committee meets every thursday to review site plans. all site plans must be submitted by 12:00pm on tuesday to be eligible for review on the following thursday.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Which building code is adopted for construction in Liberty township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in Liberty township
• Local zoning — Whether Liberty township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Liberty township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in Liberty 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.