Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lebanon, Kentucky

Lebanon’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction and remodeling inside Lebanon city, including single-family dwellings as stated by the city code.

  • The city planning page identifies the codes in use as the 2018 International Building Code with 2018 Kentucky amendments.
  • The city code extends State Building Code application to single-family dwellings constructed or remodeled in the city.

  “Current building codes in use are the 2018 International Building Code with the 2018 Kentucky amendments.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Electrical work involving a new electrical hook-up or electrical entrance change in Lebanon city.

  • Applies to a new electrical hook-up and all electrical entrance changes.
  • Exception: work specifically reserved to the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.

  “The application of the State Building Code shall be extended to all single-family dwellings in the city which are to be constructed or remodeled, and an electrical inspection in accordance therewith shall hereafter be required in any instance where construction involves installation of a new electrical hook-up and for all electrical entrance changes, except those specifically reserved to the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land and structures within Lebanon city corporate limits.

  • Structures and land uses must conform to the regulations for their zoning district; restoration of a damaged or destroyed structure is excepted if it does not involve a nonconforming use.

  “This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Zoning ordinance of the City of Lebanon, Kentucky” or “this chapter.” The map referred to herein shall be known as the “Zoning Map of Lebanon, Kentucky,” or “the Zoning Map.””

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and map for land within Lebanon city limits.

  • The official zoning map is permanently located in offices of the City Clerk and/or Planning Commission.
  • Use permissions are determined by district and the Appendix A Use Table.

  “The boundaries of any and all zoning districts are hereby established on Official Zoning Map entitled “Zoning Map of the City of Lebanon,” dated___________, as amended, which shall be permanently located in the offices of the Lebanon City Clerk and/or the Planning Commission.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation for uses within Lebanon city corporate limits.

  • Public sanitary sewer is required unless otherwise specified by the city.

  “All uses within the corporate limits of the city shall be served by the public sanitary sewage system, unless otherwise specified by the city.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Uses inside Lebanon city; subdivision lots when public utility systems are reasonably accessible.

  • All city uses must be served by public sanitary sewer unless otherwise specified by the city.
  • For subdivisions, public water and sanitary sewer installation turns on Planning Commission determination that the systems are reasonably accessible.
  • If existing public sewer cannot be extended, the subdivider must obtain Health Officer approval of lot sizes for individual septic tanks.

  “All uses within the corporate limits of the city shall be served by the public sanitary sewage system, unless otherwise specified by the city.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats and required improvements inside Lebanon city.

  • The Planning Commission may approve, disapprove, or approve subject to modifications after a preliminary-plat hearing.
  • Preliminary-plat approval does not accept the final plat.
  • The final plat must be submitted within one year unless the Planning Commission grants an extension.

  preliminary plat action deadline: <= 30 days after hearing (failure to act is deemed approval) · final plat submission period: 1 year (extension may be applied for and granted by Planning Commission)

  “Within 30 days after the hearing on the preliminary plat, the Planning Commission shall approve, disapprove, or approve subject to modifications to the plat. Failure of the Planning Commission to act on this preliminary plat within 30 days shall be deemed approval of the plat.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots regulated by Lebanon city zoning.

  • Lot access must be to a public street and must comply with subdivision-regulation access and visibility requirements.

  “All lots shall have access to a public street and shall comply with the access and visibility requirements set forth in the Subdivision Regulations.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development activities in special flood hazard areas inside Lebanon city.

  • A development permit is required before development begins in special flood hazard areas.
  • Application is made using Floodplain Administrator forms.
  • The chapter also applies to additional periodically inundated areas within City Council jurisdiction identified by the designated official using listed sources.

  “A development permit shall be required in conformance with the provision of this chapter prior to the commencement of any development activities in the special flood hazard areas (SFHA). See § 151.26 for instructions and explanation.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building-permit and electrical-inspection applications in Lebanon city.

  • Building-permit fee schedule is to be adopted by City Council ordinance and paid in full to City Clerk when the application is made.
  • Inspection-fee schedule is to be established by City Council ordinance and paid to City Electrical Inspector when inspection is made.

  “A building permit fee is hereby authorized, with a schedule of such building permit fees to be adopted by the City Council by ordinance, and with the permit fee to be paid in full to the City Clerk at the time such application for a building permit is made.”

Rules another office applies inside Lebanon

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Lebanon city's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • R-1 property development standards apply.

  minimum lot area: 12000 square feet · minimum lot width: 80 feet

  “Development in the R-1 District shall comply with the property development standards set forth in this chapter. Sections 154.065 - 154.068 sets forth general use regulations for all zoning districts. Lot area (minimum) 12,000 square feet Lot width (minimum) 80 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal and accessory structures in Lebanon city's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • Two side yards are required for the stated principal-building side-yard setback.

  front yard setback: 30 feet · side yard setback: 12 feet (two side yards required) · rear yard setback: 25 feet · accessory structure rear and side yard setbacks: 8 feet

  “Setbacks and yards (minimum) Front yard setback Side yard setback Rear yard setback 30 feet 12 feet; two side yards required 25 feet Building height (maximum) 45 feet Accessory structure Rear and side yard setbacks (minimum) 8 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in Lebanon city's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  maximum lot coverage: 50 percent

  “Lot area (minimum) 12,000 square feet Lot width (minimum) 80 feet Lot coverage (maximum) 50%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in Lebanon city's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • General code height exceptions apply to structures or portions of buildings not intended for human occupancy, including church spires, belfries, cupolas, domes, monuments, water towers, observation towers, flagpoles, and chimneys; airport and FAA height regulations prevail near an airport.

  maximum building height: 45 feet

  “Setbacks and yards (minimum) Front yard setback Side yard setback Rear yard setback 30 feet 12 feet; two side yards required 25 feet Building height (maximum) 45 feet Accessory structure Rear and side yard setbacks (minimum) 8 feet”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured or modular homes in Lebanon city's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • Must comply with §§ 154.345 through 154.348.

  “The following residential unit types shall be permitted in the R-1 District: (A) Single-family detached, (B) Modular or manufactured home in compliance with §§ 154.345 - 154.348.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lebanon or Marion County directly.

• Building permit — General residential construction inside Lebanon city.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Lebanon city.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for construction inside Lebanon city.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Lebanon city.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Lebanon city.

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.