Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Druid Hills, Kentucky

Druid Hills’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New buildings, additions, porches, swimming pools, out-buildings and additional paving on land inside Druid Hills city; the building permit is issued by Louisville Metro

  • City review committee must approve detailed plans and specifications before construction starts (Construction ordinance, formerly Ordinance 10, 10-2024).
  • The city ordinance does not supersede Metro Louisville laws; all zoning and building code requirements must still be met.
  • The ordinance sets a review time limit and an appeal process if plans are denied, and a monetary penalty for violations.

  “approval by this committee is required before metro louisville will issue a building permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  City review step before construction projects inside Druid Hills city; the Metro Louisville building permit process is not described here

  • Review committee time limit and appeal process are set by the ordinance; the summary does not state the number of days.
  • The ordinance lists a monetary penalty for violations; amount not stated in the summary.

  “this ordinance requires all residents to submit detailed plans and specifications for the construction of any buildings, additions to buildings, porches, swimming pools, additional out-buildings, or additional paving to the city of druid hills' review committee prior to the start of construction.”

Rules another office applies inside Druid Hills

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage disposal systems on land inside Druid Hills city (Jefferson County, KY), administered by the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness

  • Applies to onsite systems on lots where Metro septic rules apply; sewer-connected lots are governed by the sewer rules in the utility connection claim.
  • Metro code applies its sewer rules to all of Jefferson County; the city summary says Metro laws still apply inside Druid Hills.

  “all work done to onsite sewage treatment & disposal system requires a permit from the louisville metro department of public health and wellness (lmphw).”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, repairing or altering an onsite sewage disposal system on land inside Druid Hills city (Jefferson County, KY)

  • New installation: site evaluation by LMPHW, installer design, plan review, then the construction permit is issued after the system is installed and inspected.
  • Building plans cannot be stamped until an onsite sewage disposal system construction permit has been issued.
  • Repairs and alterations also need a permit (repair fee and alteration fee listed on the page).

  “repairs to on-site sewage systems must be permitted and approved by the louisville metro public health and wellness department.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New onsite sewage disposal systems on land inside Druid Hills city (Jefferson County, KY)

  • Alarm, if applicable, must be in place and functional before the onsite system can be approved.
  • Cover soil must be approved before it is used to cover the system.

  “all components must be inspected prior to being covered with soil.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Occupied structures on lots in Jefferson County with a public sewer available, including lots inside Druid Hills city; the code's connection duty reaches lots abutting a street, alley or public sewer easement where a public sewer exists

  • Connection must be made within 12 months of notice that the sewer connection is available, or as otherwise ordered by the health department or board of health.
  • Exemption for existing residential property meeting all of: lot of 4.5 acres or larger; home more than 400 feet from the sewer connection; and a functioning on-site system as determined by health department inspection.
  • Other exemption requests must be approved by the health department.
  • Connections must follow the Kentucky State Plumbing Code and the Division of Water regulations.

  connection deadline after sewer availability notice: 12 months · lot size for existing-property exemption: >= 4.5 acres (also requires home more than 400 feet from sewer connection and a functioning on-site system)

  “it shall be the duty of the owner or owners of every lot, subdivisional lot or parcel of ground required to be connected with the public sewer, to so connect such lot or parcel within 12 months of notification that such sewer connection is available”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage (septic) permit fees for land inside Druid Hills city; building permit fees were not found

  • Fees are non-refundable once paid.
  • Site evaluation fee and construction permit fee are paid before installation; the plan review fee is invoiced by email.

  site evaluation fee: 375 USD · onsite sewage disposal system construction permit fee: 425 USD · repair permit fee: 175 USD · alteration permit fee: 300 USD · building plan review fee: 25 USD

  “site evaluation: $375 onsite sewage disposal system construction permit fee: $425 repair permit fee: $175 alteration permit fee: $300 building plan review fee: $25”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Druid Hills or Jefferson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits inside Druid Hills city limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Druid Hills city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Druid Hills city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Druid Hills city limits
• Local zoning — Zoning for land inside Druid Hills city limits (Jefferson County, KY)

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.