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

Rules another office applies inside Pierson Township

Pierson 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential construction in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • The only text located is the county zoning ordinance's definition of a mobile home, which refers to the Vigo County building code. The building code itself was not opened, so its scope, edition and adopting instrument are unverified.

  “is erected or located as specified by the vigo county building code”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts that apply to land in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Districts are shown on the county official zoning maps; the map for Pierson township was not opened.
  • Only the residential district list was opened; agricultural and commercial lists were not confirmed in full.

  “the residential districts established by this ordinance for vigo county, indiana are as follows”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the R-S single-family residential suburban district (Section 11.01) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Applies only to land zoned R-S. The R-1 district's minimum floor area was not located in the opened text.

  minimum main floor area, one-story building: >= 900 sq ft (exclusive of garage, carports and open porches) · minimum floor area, greater than one-story building: >= 400 sq ft (total floor area at least 900 sq ft)

  “h. minimum main floor area - exclusive of garage, carports and open porches: 1.one story building - 900 sq. ft. 2. greater than one story - 400 sq. ft., provided that the total floor area shall be at least 900 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family lots in the R-1 single-family residential district (Section 11.02) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • For a single-family subdivision whose plat is recorded after the effective date of the ordinance, attachment to a public or semipublic sanitary sewer system and water supply is mandatory.
  • Applies only to land zoned R-1. The A-1 agriculture district lot standard was not located in the opened text.

  minimum lot area: >= 5500 sq ft (single-family subdivision plats recorded after the effective date require sewer and water attachment)

  “c. minimum lot area - 5,500 sq. ft., provided, however, for the development of any single-family subdivision for which a plat is recorded after the effective date of this ordinance, attachment to a public or semipublic sanitary sewer system and water supply shall be mandatory.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family lots in the R-S single-family residential suburban district (Section 11.01) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

    “c. minimum lot area 1.with sewers - 20,000 sq. ft. 2.without sewers - 20,000 sq. ft., provided, however, minimum lot area may be increased depending on soil conditions and requirements of the vigo county health department.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings on R-S single-family residential suburban lots (Section 11.01) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Applies only to land zoned R-S. Front setback is 25 ft on a minor or local street, 30 ft on a sub collector and 40 ft on a collector per the same section.

  rear setback, principal building: 25 ft · rear setback, accessory building: 10 ft · side setback, principal and accessory buildings: 5 ft

  “f. minimum rear yard and setback - shall be provided from the property line as follows: 1. principal use building - 25, 2. accessory use building - 10, g. minimum side yard and setback - shall be provided from the property line as follows: 1. principal use building – 5’ 2. accessory use building – 5’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Front yards on R-1 single-family residential lots (Section 11.02) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

    “e. minimum front yard and setback - shall be provided along all street rights-ofway as follows: 1.along a minor or local street - 25’ 2.along a sub collector street - 30’ 3.along a collector40’ 4.along a arterial - 60’”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-S single-family residential suburban district (Section 11.01) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Applies only to land zoned R-S. R-1 lot coverage was not located in the opened text.

  maximum building coverage, principal building: <= 30 % · minimum vegetative cover: >= 40 %

  “i. lot coverage. 1.maximum coverage by principal building – 30% 2.minimum vegetative cover – 40%”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes on lots in the R-S single-family residential suburban district (Section 11.01) in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Mobile home is a special exception use in the R-S district, subject to section 18 board approval.
  • Applies only to land zoned R-S. Other districts, the mobile home park district (R-T) and manufactured homes under other terms were not analyzed.

  “special exception uses (subject to the provisions of section 18). bed & breakfast child care home that is not used as the primary residence of the person who operates the child care home golfcourse group home mobile home public pool utility substation”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal for buildings in Pierson township, which lies in unincorporated Vigo County

  • The zoning ordinance ties the permit to the minimum sewage-disposal standards of the Vigo County Health Department and the state board of health. The septic permit process itself was not opened, and the Indiana state rules were not checked.

  “an application for an improvement location permit for any building, structure, improvement or use shall not be approved until it has been ascertained by the director that the proposed building, structure, improvement or use will meet or exceed the minimum standards for sewage disposal and water as required by the vigo county health department and state board of health”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  A new home in Pierson township that is zoned under the county ordinance; the rule varies by district

  • R-S suburban district: connection is not mandatory if the facilities are more than 300 feet from the property line.
  • R-1 single-family district: the district requires the provision of sanitary sewer and/or public water facilities; attachment is mandatory only for a single-family subdivision whose plat is recorded after the ordinance's effective date.
  • Pierson township's own utility rule was not found.

  distance to public water/sewer main: > 300 ft (R-S district: connection not mandatory beyond this distance from the property line)

  “under most circumstances, public water and sewer facilities should be present but are not mandatory if the facilities are more than threehundred (300) feet from the property line.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Land zoned A-1 agriculture and used for agriculture or agricultural operations in Pierson township

  • Exemption is from further regulation under the zoning ordinance, subject to health and safety rules and the subdivision control ordinance. Non-farm uses on A-1 land are not exempt.

  “unrestricted use within the agriculture district (a-1). subject to compliance with applicable health and safety rules and regulations and the requirements of the subdivision control ordinance, all land zoned a-1 and used for agriculture or agricultural operations is exempt from any further regulation set forth in this ordinance.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Available (with conditions) — Farm structures on farms in Pierson township

    “farm structures constructed in the normal course of agricultural business for the support of individual farms are not subject to requirements for an. improvement location permit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land in Pierson township, which lies in unincorporated Vigo County

  • Subdivision is governed by the separate subdivision control ordinance, which was not located or opened.
  • The zoning ordinance does not bar subdivision in any district.

  “subject to compliance with applicable health and safety rules and regulations and the requirements of the subdivision control ordinance”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in special flood hazard areas in unincorporated Vigo County, including Pierson township

  • Applies only to land in the flood hazard areas mapped under the ordinance. Development includes construction valued above $1,000 and manufactured homes or RVs on a site for more than 180 days.
  • The floodplain requirements apply within the flood hazard areas and need a permit from the director.

  construction value threshold for development: > 1000 USD (development includes placement of a building or addition valued at more than $1,000)

  “the purpose of this section is to guide development in the flood hazard areas within in the unincorporated areas of vigo county”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Improvement location permits for construction or land use in Pierson township

  • An improvement location permit is required before a building, structure or use is altered or erected, unless an exemption applies. The director may take up to five business days to review the application.
  • Building permits are separate (see the building permit claim).

  director review period: <= 5 business days (may be extended for additional technical consultation)

  “no building, structure, improvement or use of land may be altered, changed, placed, erected, repaired or located on platted ox unplatted lands, unless the building, structure, improvement ox use and its location conform to the provisions of this ordinance and an improvement location permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction in Pierson township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in Pierson township
• Local zoning — Whether Pierson township (Vigo County, Indiana) adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance
• Building height — Building height in the R-1 and R-S districts in Pierson township
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land in Pierson 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.