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

Rules another office applies inside California Township

California 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 heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in unincorporated Starke County, including California township if unzoned by the township, per Article 6 chart 1 (district not resolved in OCR)

  • Accessory buildings: residential accessory buildings 18 feet, or up to 25 feet if side yards are each 15 feet minimum, per the same chart.
  • Height applies within the zoning chart's residential standards; district mapping not confirmed.

  maximum height, dwellings: <= 35 feet (or up to 45 feet if side yards are each 25 feet, minimum)

  “maximum height: dwellings 35 feet: or up to 45 feet if side yards are each 25 feet, minumum.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Onsite sanitary facilities for land inside California township, Starke County (Starke County Health Department service area; township inclusion not separately stated)

  • Zoning clearance requiring sanitary facilities is invalid until the county health board approves them.
  • State onsite sewage rules were not opened and are not cited here.

  “zoning clearance for construction or use, when sanitary facilities are required, is hereby declared invalid until such facilities have been investigated and approved by the starke county health board.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways serving residential dwellings in unincorporated Starke County, including California township if unzoned by the township

  • Standard in zoning chart: driveways 12 feet wide with 4 inches of pit run gravel, from the front line of the house to the road.

  driveway width: 12 feet · driveway gravel depth: 4 inches (pit run gravel)

  “driveways 12' wide with 4 inches of pit run gravel to front line of house to the road.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Septic permit fees for land inside California township (Starke County Health Department)

  • Figure is from the 2024 annual report fee table; confirm the current fee with the Starke County Health Department (574-772-9137).

  septic permit fee: 60 USD (2024 annual report; current fee not confirmed) · septic renewal fee: 25 USD (2024 annual report; current fee not confirmed)

  “fees birth certificates death certificates septic permits septic renewals food permits high risk low risk temp permits tb testing immunizations 18 and under max per child max per family $10 ea $10 ea $60 $25”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home inside California township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies inside California township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside California township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside California township
• Local zoning — Land inside California township's limits: whether California township adopted its own zoning ordinance

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.