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

Rules another office applies inside Prairieton Township

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

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of buildings and land in unincorporated Vigo County, including land inside Prairieton township

  • The certificate is issued before the building or land use is occupied, after confirming compliance with the ordinance and the building code.
  • The ordinance says the certificate is issued by the respective building inspection departments. The office that issues it for Prairieton township was not confirmed.

  “certificate of use and occupancy: a certificate issued prior to, and authorizing the use and/or occupancy of, all building or land uses, and states that the building or land use meets all requirements of this ordinance and the building code”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in unincorporated Vigo County, Indiana, which includes land inside Prairieton township outside any municipality with its own zoning. This is county zoning, not a Prairieton township ordinance.

  • The Area Plan Commission of Vigo County is the plan commission for the unincorporated areas of Vigo County under this ordinance.
  • Ordinance text was read from the copy on the county site, which is dated October 21, 1996. Later amendments were not checked.
  • Whether Prairieton township itself is unincorporated was not confirmed on an official page. This claim assumes it is, because no incorporated town of Prairieton was found.

  “the area plan commission of vigo county shall be the duly authorized plan commission for the incorporated areas of the city of terre haute, the town of riley, the town of seelyville and the town of west terre haute, and the unincorporated areas of vigo county”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts in unincorporated Vigo County, including Prairieton township land

  • Residential districts listed: R-S, R-1, R-2, R-2M, R-3, R-3H and R-T (mobile home park).
  • Agricultural district A-1 (Section 8), commercial, industrial, special and planned unit development districts are also established by the ordinance.
  • The district map was not checked.

  “the residential districts established by this ordinance for vigo county, indiana are as follows: 1.single-family residential suburban, district (r-s) 2.single-family residential district (r-1) 3.two-family residential district (r-2) 4.medium density residential district (r-2m) 5.multifamily residential district (r-3) 6.high density residential district (r-3h) 7.mobile home park residential district (r-t)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the R-S single family residential suburban district of unincorporated Vigo County, including R-S land inside Prairieton township

  • Minimum main floor area is measured exclusive of garage, carports and open porches.
  • A building of more than one story needs at least 400 sq. ft. on the main floor, and total floor area of at least 900 sq. ft.
  • The text sits in Section 11.01 (R-S) just before the 11.02 heading. The district for this text was matched by page order only.

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

  “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.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal building coverage in the R-S single family residential suburban district of unincorporated Vigo County, including R-S land inside Prairieton township

  • Maximum coverage by the principal building is 30%.
  • Minimum vegetative cover is 40%.
  • The text sits in Section 11.01 (R-S) just before the 11.02 heading. The district for this text was matched by page order only.

  maximum coverage by principal building: <= 30 percent of lot · minimum vegetative cover: >= 40 percent of lot

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

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New homes in the R-S and R-1 residential districts of unincorporated Vigo County, including land inside Prairieton township

  • R-1 (Section 11.02): development within this district requires the provision of sanitary sewer and/or public water facilities.
  • R-S (Section 11.01): public water and sewer are expected under most circumstances. They are not mandatory if the facilities are more than 300 feet from the property line.
  • Other districts, and land zoned A-1 agricultural, were not checked.

  distance from property line to public water or sewer, beyond which R-S connection is not mandatory: > 300 feet (R-S district only; R-1 has no such distance exception in the text read)

  “development within this district requires the provision of sanitary sewer and/or public water facilities.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits under the building code (as distinct from the zoning improvement location permit) in Prairieton township, Vigo County
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home in Prairieton township, Vigo County
• Building code adopted — Building code in force in Prairieton township, Vigo County
• Inspections — Building inspection for new homes in Prairieton township, Vigo County
• Minimum lot size — Lots in the R-S single family residential suburban district of unincorporated Vigo County, including R-S land inside Prairieton 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.