Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Kentwood, Louisiana

Town of Kentwood’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Kentwood town limits

  • The section adopts the 2006 International Codes, the 2005 National Electrical Code and the state plumbing code. The state may have updated its code since, and that was not checked.
  • Farm structures and recreational camps are excluded.

  International Building Code edition: 2006 (not including Chapters 1, 11, 27 and 29)

  “The Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code is incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein and shall be controlling within the corporate limits of the town.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes inside Kentwood town

  • There is no charge for the occupancy permit.
  • The building official must certify that all criteria are met.
  • No occupancy permit rule for site-built homes was found.

  “An occupancy permit allowing occupancy of a mobile home after all criteria mentioned in this section have been met shall be applied for from the town before occupancy of a mobile home.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Kentwood town limits

  • Zoning is in Chapter 60 of the town code, with districts including A1, R1, R1M, R2, R3 and R4.

  “The following regulations apply to the R1 Residential District:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Kentwood town

  • Districts seen: A1, R1, R1M, R2, R3, R4. The sections fetched did not show the full list or the zoning map.

  “The following regulations apply to the A1 Agriculture Districts:”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Manufactured housing in the R1M district inside Kentwood town

  • Applies only to manufactured housing in R1M.
  • No minimum dwelling size was found for the R1 district.

  minimum conditional space: >= 1400 square feet · minimum width: >= 24 feet

  “Minimum width shall be 24 feet and minimum conditional space shall be 1,400 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 Residential District inside Kentwood town (R1M has the same figures)

  • Minimum lot area for a family is 7,200 square feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 7200 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 60 feet

  “Minimum lot requirements (area and width): Area: 7,200 square feet; Width: 60 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • None — A1 Agriculture District inside Kentwood town

    “Minimum lot requirements (area and width): None.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1 Residential District inside Kentwood town (R1M has the same figures)

  front yard: >= 20 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet · rear yard: >= 5 feet

  “Minimum yard requirements: Front: 20 feet; Side yards: five feet; Rear yard: five feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • None — A1 Agriculture District inside Kentwood town

    “Minimum yard requirements: None. (8) Maximum height: No limit.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R1 Residential District inside Kentwood town (R1M has the same figure)

  • Expressed as a share of the lot that must be left free of structures, which means at most 60% coverage.

  lot area free of structures: >= 40 percent

  “Forty percent of lot must be left free of structures.”

• Building heightNone

  A1 Agriculture District inside Kentwood town

  • The R1 district lists only a minimum height of none. No maximum height was found for R1.

  “Maximum height: No limit. (9) Transportation systems: No special requirement.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Trailers and other non-conventional temporary housing in the R1 district inside Kentwood town

  • The permit costs $25.00 and must be posted on the outside body of the trailer.
  • The request goes first to the zoning committee, and the procedure repeats for each six-month period.
  • The applicant must say how sewage will be treated and removed, and the building official must approve.
  • Trailers that stay past the period face a penalty or removal.

  temporary permit term: <= 6 months (renewable by repeating the request)

  “the board may grant a six months temporary permit for non-conventional, temporary housing if the applicant shows just cause and the permit is deemed a hardship case”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing in the R1M district inside Kentwood town

  • Minimum width 24 feet and 1,400 square feet of minimum conditional space.
  • Roof pitch of at least 2:12, and approved siding materials.
  • Must meet state minimum codes, the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act and HUD codes.
  • A moving permit and an occupancy permit are required under Sec. 34-1.
  • Unit class (A–D) and age limits apply under Sec. 34-1.
  • The R1 district permits conventional homes only.

  minimum width: >= 24 feet

  “Minimum width shall be 24 feet and minimum conditional space shall be 1,400 square feet.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Areas of special flood hazard inside Kentwood town

  • Applies where base flood elevation data has been provided.
  • An engineer, architect or surveyor certification goes to the floodplain administrator.
  • Manufactured homes and RVs have separate elevation and anchoring rules.
  • The code contains two flood ordinances (Chapter 28 Art. III, 1996, and Art. IV, 2010). Art. IV is cited here and which one controls was not resolved.

  “New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement), elevated to or above the base flood elevation.”

• Permit processPartial

  Mobile home moving permits inside Kentwood town

  • The application is made at 308 Avenue G, Kentwood.
  • The building official must first verify in writing that he has inspected the home.
  • The permit expires 30 days after issuance.
  • All owners of the land must sign the application.
  • No general building permit process was found.

  minimum waiting period: >= 7 days

  “There shall be a minimum of a seven-day waiting period from the time of application for the moving permit to the issuance of the moving permit by the town.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Kentwood or Tangipahoa Parish directly.

• Building permit — General building permits inside Kentwood town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Kentwood town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Kentwood town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Kentwood town
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Kentwood town

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.