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

Rules another office applies inside Clay Township

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site septic and sewage systems on residential land inside Clay township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. The county ordinance is countywide and therefore applies inside Clay township.

  • Chapter 51 was passed as county ordinance 58-07 on 7-17-2007 and amended by ordinances 61-11 (5-10-2011) and 26-13 (5-14-2013).
  • Section 51.03 incorporates by reference all Indiana State Department of Health rules related to septic systems, as amended from time to time.
  • Section 51.02: where requirements conflict, the most restrictive applies.
  • Whether any incorporated city or town in the county applies its own septic rules was not checked.

  “this chapter applies to the design, installation, repair, inspection, protection and maintenance of any septic system installed or proposed to be installed in the county.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, replacing or repairing a residential septic system inside Clay township, administered by the St. Joseph County Department of Health.

  • Soil report from a certified soil scientist with three complete soil borings is required.
  • Permit application and non-refundable fee are submitted to the department of health.
  • Design must be reviewed and approved; site-specific approval requirements may be attached.
  • No deviation from the permit is allowed unless approved in advance.

  “a permit from the department of health must be obtained to install, replace, or repair a septic system.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Residential septic systems inside Clay township, inspected by the St. Joseph County Department of Health.

  • The contractor calls the department of health 24 hours in advance of when the installation will be ready for an inspection.
  • For certain types of systems the department performs several inspections at various stages of construction.

  “the contractor calls the department of health 24 hours in advance of when the installation will be ready for an inspection. for certain types of systems, the department of health will perform several inspections of the system at various stages of construction.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Septic system permit application fees for residential property inside Clay township. Building permit fees were not found.

  • Fees are non-refundable and paid with the permit application.
  • The department accepts cash, master card or visa, money orders and cashiers checks and business checks; personal checks are not accepted.

  residential new construction septic installation permit application fee: 275 USD · residential replacement septic installation permit application fee: 275 USD · residential septic repair permit application fee: 100 USD

  “permit application fees for residential construction are as follows: residential new construction installation residential replacement installation residential repair $275 $275 $100”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Septic permit process for residential property inside Clay township. Building permit process was not found.

  • Soil borings and a design by a licensed installer are required before a permit is issued.
  • New construction sites must be roped off before the design is submitted or the application is rejected.
  • Variance requests are required when a design differs from department specifications.

  “the following must be performed to obtain a permit for a residential property.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Clay township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Clay township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for land inside Clay township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Clay township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Clay 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.