Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Franklin, Kentucky

Franklin’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, moving, addition or structural alteration of any structure inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

  • Permit is issued by the building inspector after conforming to the zoning regulations, unless a Board of Adjustment order exists.
  • Exceptions in Section 11.5: recurring maintenance work, uses exempted by the regulations, and installation of required improvements under an approved subdivision plat.
  • Permit application is filed at the planning commission office (Section 11.6.1).

  “it shall be unlawful to begin the excavation for or the construction and erection of any structure until the building inspector has issued a building permit for such work”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings, premises and uses inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations; the certificate is issued by the administrative official.

  • No certificate is required for recurring maintenance work or for required improvements under an approved subdivision plat (Section 11.9).
  • Temporary certificates may issue before completion (Section 11.10).

  “upon application from the owner or tenant, and upon inspection to determine the facts in the case, the administrative official shall issue a certificate of occupancy for any building, premises or use”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Franklin city limits. Franklin city and Simpson County share one joint zoning ordinance adopted by both the Simpson County Fiscal Court and the Franklin Board of Commissioners; it governs city land.

  • Joint regulations: the same text is adopted by the Simpson County Fiscal Court and the city Board of Commissioners.
  • The PDF shows amendments dated 4/2/2019, 10/15/2019, 1/7/2020, 10/20/2020 and 12/7/2021 after the rev. 5/13/2018 base. Newest amendment on this copy is 12/7/2021; not checked against any later version.

  “the fiscal court of simpson county and the board of commissioners of the city of franklin do hereby ordain as follows”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Franklin city limits under the joint Franklin-Simpson County zoning regulations (Article 8 district sections, including R-1, R-1s, R-2, R-3, R-5, I-2 and B-1).

  • Zoning map and schedules are referenced in the regulations but the map itself was not opened and was not verified.

  “the single family residential (r-1) zoning district is to permit the establishment of low density residential as the principle land use in the district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 single family residential district inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations (main single-family district).

  • Lot size depends on whether the lot has public sewer or a septic system.
  • Lot width minimum 100 feet at building line and front property line.

  minimum lot size with public sewer: >= 12500 square feet (applies when served by public sewer) · minimum lot size with septic system: >= 43560 square feet (or one (1) acre; applies with septic system)

  “a. minimum lot size (with public sewer) - 12,500 square feet b. minimum lot size (with septic system) - 43560 square feet or one (1) acre.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1s single family residential district, available only within Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

    “r-1s district table of zoning dimension (this district is only available within city limits) a. minimum lot size (with public sewer) - 7,500 square feet b. minimum lot size (with septic system) (not available)”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 single family residential district inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

  • Accessory structure setback is 5 feet from side and rear lines.

  front yard setback: 25 feet · side yard setback: 15 feet · rear yard setback: 25 feet · accessory structure side and rear setback: 5 feet

  “d. front yard setback - 25 feet e. side yard setback - 15 feet f. rear yard setback - 25 feet g. accessory structure setback side and rear - 5 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1s single family residential district, available only within Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

    “d. front yard setback - 25 feet f. side yard setback - 10 feet g. rear yard setback - 25 feet h. accessory structure setback side and rear - five (5) feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

  • Covers structures and impervious areas combined.

  lot coverage, structures and impervious areas: <= 40 percent

  “h. lot coverage percentage structures and impervious areas - 40%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1s single family residential district, available only within Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

    “i. lot coverage percentage structures and impervious areas - 40%”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district inside Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

  building height: <= 42 feet

  “a. minimum lot size (with public sewer) - 12,500 square feet b. minimum lot size (with septic system) - 43560 square feet or one (1) acre. c. minimum lot width at building line and front property line -100 feet d. front yard setback - 25 feet e. side yard setback - 15 feet f. rear yard setback - 25 feet g. accessory structure setback side and rear - 5 feet h. lot coverage percentage structures and impervious areas - 40% i. building height - 42 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1s single family residential district, available only within Franklin city limits under the joint regulations.

    “r-1s district table of zoning dimension (this district is only available within city limits) a. minimum lot size (with public sewer) - 7,500 square feet b. minimum lot size (with septic system) (not available) c. minimum lot width at building line and front property line - 75 feet d. front yard setback - 25 feet f. side yard setback - 10 feet g. rear yard setback - 25 feet h. accessory structure setback side and rear - five (5) feet i. lot coverage percentage structures and impervious areas - 40% j. building height - 38 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicle parks inside Franklin city limits. Individual RV occupancy on private lots is not addressed in the opened text.

  • RV parks are conditional uses in the R-5 district, approved by the Board of Adjustment with a conditional use permit.
  • RV park conditions in Section 9.9.1 must be met and maintained; state RV park law (KRS 219.310 to 219.410) also applies.

  “recreational vehicle parks may be approved by the board of adjustments with a conditional use permit and only in r-5 zoning districts provided the following conditions are met and maintained”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Septic-served lots in R-1 inside Franklin city limits

  • Septic lots need at least 43,560 square feet (one acre) under the R-1 table.
  • The R-1s district does not allow septic-system lots.
  • Health approval for the septic system was not opened (see septic_permit).

  minimum lot size with septic system: >= 43560 square feet (R-1 only; not available in R-1s)

  “b. minimum lot size (with septic system) - 43560 square feet or one (1) acre.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits inside Franklin city limits
• Inspections — Routine building inspections of new construction inside Franklin city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Franklin city limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Franklin city limits
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Franklin city limits

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.