Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clear Lake Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Clear Lake Township

Clear Lake 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 construction and modifications requiring a building permit in unincorporated Clear Lake township, issued by the Steuben County Building Department

  • The county permit page says that to obtain a building permit in Steuben County, other approvals are needed first: driveway permit, waste district consent where applicable, well and/or septic permit, ditch encroachment release, and an improvement location permit from the plan commission.
  • The building department page says it also serves as the permit agency for the Town of Clear Lake; the Town's own permit rules were not checked.
  • Permit fees and exemptions were not opened.

  “in order to obtain a building permit in steuben county, you will need to get the following letters/permits.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction in unincorporated Clear Lake township, where the Steuben County Building Department enforces the state minimum standards

  • The county page states the county's duty is to ensure structures in unincorporated areas meet state minimum standards; the specific code editions were not identified on the page opened.
  • Town of Clear Lake is served by the same department per the county page.

  “meet the minimum standards as established by the state of indiana”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land inside Clear Lake township that is outside the Town of Clear Lake (unincorporated area). Zoning there is administered by the Steuben County Plan Commission under the county zoning ordinance, not by Clear Lake township.

  • The county plan commission page limits its control to unincorporated Steuben County: the commission controls development 'in unincorporated steuben county'.
  • The Town of Clear Lake has its own plan commission per the county page; zoning inside the town is not this county ordinance and the town's ordinance was not opened.
  • The county page does not state whether Clear Lake Township itself has adopted any zoning; no official statement of township zoning or of its absence was located.
  • Current amendment status of the county ordinance was not verified; the page gives the 8/1/2008 effective date only.

  “guided by the comprehensive plan, the plan commission controls the type, location, and timing of development in unincorporated steuben county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applying in unincorporated Clear Lake township

  • The county page lists district articles including Agricultural and Environmental Control Districts (item 03) and Residential Districts (item 04); the district standards themselves were not opened.
  • The district articles are the county's; they do not show a township-adopted district map.

  “03 agricultural and environmental control districts document seq 1.00 04 residential districts document seq 2.00”

• Septic permitRequired

  New residential onsite sewage systems on land inside Clear Lake township, permitted through the Steuben County Health Department

  • An onsite soil evaluation by an Indiana Registry of Soil Scientists member is required before the application is submitted (per the county PDF).
  • The residential onsite sewage system application and the county government permit form must be submitted with floor plans; a construction plan is then reviewed and approved before the permit is purchased.
  • The permit must be obtained before work on the system begins, per the county PDF.

  “an appointment must be scheduled in advance with the department to purchase an onsite sewage system permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Onsite sewage systems installed on land inside Clear Lake township, final approval by the Steuben County Health Department

  • The owner must have the system inspected and given final approval by the county health department before it is used.
  • Inspection schedule and inspection-request rules were not in the PDF.

  “the onsite system is inspected and given final approval from the schd before it is utilized”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Building permits for parcels in unincorporated Clear Lake township that sit inside a waste (sewer) district

  • The county permit page says a letter of consent from the waste district is needed if the parcel is on a waste district; Clear Lake is among the districts listed on the page.
  • The page does not establish a mandatory connection rule or the distance to public water or sewer; that rule is not verified.

  “2. if on a waste district, you will need a letter of consent from your district.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions in unincorporated Clear Lake township under the county subdivision control ordinance

  • The plan commission page names a subdivision control ordinance; its text, thresholds and exemptions were not opened.
  • Town of Clear Lake land is outside this claim.

  “the steuben county plan commission is responsible for the steuben county comprehensive plan, and its implementation through the county zoning ordinance, the subdivision control ordinance, and various policies and practices.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access onto county roads in unincorporated Clear Lake township

  • Driveway permit comes from the county highway department (1900 N 200 W, Angola) for county roads; state routes need a permit from the state (Fox Lake Rd, Angola) per the county page.
  • Required as a step before the building permit, per the county permit page.

  “1. you will need a driveway permit application from the state or county highway department.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Obtaining a building permit for work in unincorporated Clear Lake township

  • Six-step list on the county page: driveway permit; waste district consent if applicable; well and/or septic permit (item 3, text cut off in capture); ditch encroachment release from the surveyor; improvement location permit from the plan commission; building permit from the building department.
  • Contact the county or local office for permitted uses or zoning restrictions before starting, per the page.

  “in order to obtain a building permit in steuben county, you will need to get the following letters/permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building permits in unincorporated Clear Lake township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in unincorporated Clear Lake township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district (Residential Districts article) and the agricultural district (Agricultural and Environmental Control Districts article) in unincorporated Clear Lake township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the main single-family residential district and the agricultural district in unincorporated Clear Lake township
• Setbacks — Setbacks in the main single-family residential district and the agricultural district in unincorporated Clear Lake 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.