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

Rules another office applies inside Noble Township

Noble 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)

  Land in unincorporated Noble township, Shelby County, Indiana: zoning there is administered by the Shelby County Plan Commission under the county Unified Development Ordinance, not by Noble township

  • Applies only where Noble township has not adopted its own zoning, which this research did not confirm either way.
  • Property within a municipal boundary is handled by that municipality, not the county.

  “the shelby county plan commission serves the unincorporated area of shelby county.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New single-family house lots in unincorporated Noble township, Shelby County, Indiana

  • The FAQ says 'typically' 2 acres; the district-by-district minimum in the UDO was not readable.
  • Lots established before 2008 are grandfathered as building lots regardless of size, if the new home complies with other zoning requirements.
  • Verify building-lot eligibility with the planning director before buying or starting permits.

  minimum lot size for a new house: 2 acres (typically; lots established prior to 2008 grandfathered)

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

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Setbacks for structures on land in unincorporated Noble township, by county zoning district

  • The FAQ table gives accessory-structure setbacks for districts A1, A2, RE, R1, VR, VM and IS (for example A1 front 50 ft, side 10 ft, rear 10 ft; R1 front 35 ft and not in front yard, side 5 ft, rear 5 ft); the table is an FAQ summary, not the UDO text.
  • Front setback is measured from the road right-of-way line.

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

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Occupying an RV on private land in unincorporated Noble township, Shelby County, Indiana

  • The Board of Zoning Appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship.
  • Recreational vehicle parks are the stated exception.

  “no. the county only permits occupied rvs, mobile homes, and manufactured homes in rv and mobile home parks. the board of zoning appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Occupying a mobile or manufactured home outside a mobile home or RV park in unincorporated Noble township

  • The Board of Zoning Appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship.

  “no. the county only permits occupied rvs, mobile homes, and manufactured homes in rv and mobile home parks. the board of zoning appeals may grant a variance for temporary occupancy in cases of hardship.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Attached or detached secondary dwelling (mother-in-law quarters) in unincorporated Noble township

  • Requires a variance from the Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals, which the board will typically grant for temporary family-care occupancy in cases of hardship.
  • The FAQ defines an attached dwelling unit as one with a full kitchen, full bathroom, and living area without interior access to the main dwelling.

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

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage systems on land inside Noble township, Shelby County, Indiana, where no sanitary sewer serves the lot

  • State rules govern residential onsite systems; local health departments issue permits, so the county-level health department is the local permitting body.
  • The Shelby County Health Department was not opened, so the specific health department serving Noble township is not confirmed.

  “local health departments issue more than 15,000 permits per year for new systems”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdividing land in unincorporated Noble township

  • Simple subdivisions of up to three lots without internal streets, public improvements, or common area are handled differently from traditional subdivisions.
  • Exempt subdivisions must comply with section 9.14 b 4 of the UDO; plan commission approval is not required for those.

  “plan commission traditional subdivision request to subdivide a property into four or more lots.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Land grading or construction inside designated flood hazard areas in unincorporated Noble township

  • A floodway development also requires a permit from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water.
  • Applies only inside mapped flood hazard areas.

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits in Noble township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies inside Noble township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Noble township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Noble township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in unincorporated Noble 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.