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

Rules another office applies inside Nottingham Township

Nottingham 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 on land inside Nottingham township, Wells County, Indiana, under the Wells County Area Plan Commission improvement location permit

  • Within the City of Bluffton, a separate city building permit also applies; that step does not apply to Nottingham township.
  • Septic permit must be issued before the area plan commission building permit (see septic_permit claim).
  • Permit fee schedule not reviewed.

  “step #1 wells county improvement location permit for all of wells county, including city of bluffton.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Petitions and permits granted by the Wells County Area Plan Commission office for land inside Nottingham township

  • Applies to petitions or permits granted through the Area Plan Commission office; a building-code inspection program was not located.
  • Septic installation inspections are separately required by the health department (see septic_inspection claim).

  “any petition or permit granted through the wells county area plan commission office is subject to at least one site inspection before it will be approved.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Nottingham township, Wells County, Indiana. The county-adopted Wells County Zoning Ordinance (administered by the Wells County Area Plan Commission) is the zoning that applies there. No zoning ordinance adopted by Nottingham township itself was located, so this claim records the county's ordinance, not a township ordinance.

  • The jurisdiction clause covers Wells County and its incorporated cities and towns, excluding Markle town limits. Nottingham township is not named as an incorporated city or town, so the county ordinance reaches it by that clause (inference from the clause text).
  • Section 9-01 adopts the zone map of each township in Wells County as part of the ordinance.
  • The text opened is the 2023 compilation. The Area Plan Commission page states the newest zoning ordinance is effective April 14, 2026; that 2026 text was not opened, so section numbers and district rules may have changed.
  • Whether Nottingham township has adopted any separate zoning was not confirmed by an official township statement.

  “the jurisdiction of this zoning ordinance shall include wells county and its incorporated cities and towns”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts that apply to land inside Nottingham township under the county-administered Wells County Zoning Ordinance

  • District boundaries are shown on the zone maps kept at the Area Planning Department office; the Nottingham township map sheet was not opened.
  • Section 9-02 lists the districts, including A-R agriculture-residential and A-1 agriculture-intensive, plus business, conservation and light industrial districts.
  • Based on the 2023 compilation; the 2026 ordinance district list was not opened.

  “the zone maps shall be kept on file and available for examination at the office of the area planning department.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes on land inside Nottingham township in the A-1 and A-R districts under the county zoning ordinance

  • Permitted as an accessory dwelling on a parcel with an existing dwelling only with Board of Zoning Appeals special exception approval.
  • Text is from the 2023 compilation; the 2026 ordinance and placement rules outside A-1 and A-R were not checked.
  • Other occupancy rules (e.g., a manufactured home as a sole dwelling on a parcel) were not researched.

  “in the a-1 and a-r zoning districts, a manufactured home may occupy the same property as an existing dwelling as an accessory dwelling with said special exception approval.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  A manufactured home used as an accessory dwelling on a parcel with an existing dwelling, in the A-1 and A-R zoning districts, for land inside Nottingham township under the county zoning ordinance

  • Requires Board of Zoning Appeals special exception approval (the board has discretion to grant it).
  • Earlier special exceptions for temporary manufactured homes are treated as approved accessory dwellings and no longer follow previous removal timelines.
  • Text is from the 2023 compilation; not checked against the 2026 ordinance.
  • Other accessory dwelling types in other districts were not researched.

  “in the a-1 and a-r zoning districts, a manufactured home may occupy the same property as an existing dwelling as an accessory dwelling with said special exception approval.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic system permitting and inspection for land inside Nottingham township, handled by the Wells County Health Department (Environmental Health)

  • Packet covers Wells County; no township-specific exception was found.
  • Wells County Regional Sewer District may provide sewer where available, which would change the septic question for those parcels (see utility_connection).

  “wells county health department environmental health specialist 223 west washington street, bluffton, in 46714”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic systems installed for homes inside Nottingham township, Wells County Health Department inspection

  • Health department must be notified before any component is installed and when the system is ready for inspection.
  • Construction must be protected from site damage; soil compaction may require re-evaluation by a soil scientist.

  “the health department must be notified before any component of the system is installed and when it is ready for inspection.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and major subdivisions inside Nottingham township under the Wells County Subdivision Control Ordinance

  • Minor subdivision and plat thresholds were not opened in this research.
  • Applies to unincorporated land in Nottingham township as county territory.

  “the area plan commission has public hearings on text amendments to the subdivision control and the zoning ordinance, map amendments (rezones), development plan reviews and major subdivision approvals.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit steps for homes inside Nottingham township: septic steps are published by the health department; building permit steps by the Area Plan Commission

  • Septic steps are published in a step-by-step packet; building-permit forms and fee schedule were not reviewed in full.
  • Area Plan Commission lists an online permitting option.

  “the septic permit is required in order to obtain the building permit from the area plan commission.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home built inside Nottingham township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for Nottingham township, Wells County, Indiana
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Nottingham township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the main single-family residential district and the A-R or A-1 district inside Nottingham township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main residential district and the A-R or A-1 district inside Nottingham 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.