Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cleveland, Missouri

Cleveland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Specified construction and building-system work inside Cleveland city.

  • Express exemptions include listed minor work, such as certain retaining walls, finishes, small accessory structures, and certain ordinary repairs.
  • For emergency repairs, the application must be submitted by the next working business day.
  • Public Works has final say for structures in the right-of-way.

  “Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure [...] shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction, alteration, movement, replacement, repair, equipment, use, occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, and demolition of buildings and structures inside Cleveland city.

  • The City states it adheres to the 2018 edition of the International Building Codes.
  • parameters are subject to the most recent applicable City ordinance.

  building-code edition: 2018 (The City webpage spells “International” as “Internation.”)

  “The City adheres to the 2018 edition of the Internation Building Codes.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Premises for which Cleveland city building permits have been issued.

  • The building official may accept written certified inspection reports from approved agencies or individuals.
  • Permit holder must request a final inspection when a certificate of occupancy is required.

  “The building official shall make all of the required inspections, or the building official shall have the authority to accept reports of inspection by approved agencies or individuals.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of buildings and structures inside Cleveland city.

  • Residential occupancies may receive a temporary certificate before all permitted work is completed if the occupied portion is safe; the building official sets the validity period.
  • The building official issues the certificate after inspection finds no violations of Title provisions or other laws enforced by that official.

  “No building or structure shall be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure or portion thereof shall be made until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefore as provided herein.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within the corporate limits of Cleveland city, Missouri.

  • The UDO states that it is effective throughout the City's corporate limits; land and building use must comply with the UDO and other relevant City ordinances.

  “1.3 Applicability. This Ordinance shall be effective throughout the corporate limits of the City. Except where otherwise indicated, the provisions of this Ordinance shall apply to the City.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and final plats inside Cleveland city.

  • A building permit cannot issue before the Board of Aldermen approves the final plat and it is recorded in the Cass County Recorder of Deeds office.
  • Subdivision applications submitted after the UDO effective date are reviewed under the UDO.

  “No building permit shall be issued before a final plat has been approved by the Board of Alderman and recorded in the Cass County Recorder of Deeds office.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Cleveland city.

  • Building permit fees are payable at application; a permit is not issued or valid until prescribed fees are paid.
  • The UDO's residential schedules include a $50 minimum issuance fee and variable area-based calculations.

  minimum permit issuance fee: 50 USD (Applies to all permits in the one- and two-family dwelling fee table.)

  “Building permit fees shall be paid at the time of permit application. A permit shall not be issued or otherwise considered valid until or unless the prescribed fees have been paid.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Development-approval applications inside Cleveland city.

  • Applications must be submitted to the Zoning Administrator.
  • An application is incomplete until required supporting items are submitted and all fees paid.
  • Within 30 days after a complete application is determined, the Zoning Administrator reviews and forwards it to the relevant City body as required.

  review-forwarding period after complete application: <= 30 days (Forwarding is to the Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment, or Board of Aldermen as required.)

  “All development applications shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator. [...] Within thirty (30) days after the determination that an application for development approval is complete, the Zoning Administrator shall review the application, forward the application for review to the Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment or Board of Aldermen, as may be required.”

Rules another office applies inside Cleveland

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  One-family dwellings in Cleveland's A Agricultural District.

  • The table applies by zoning district; parcel zoning must be confirmed on the official zoning map.

  minimum floor area: >= 1100 square feet

  “Table 4-1 – Zoning District Standards A OT RR SR RE LDR DR CN CH [...] Minimum Floor Area (sq. feet) 1,100 1,000 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,200 1000 N/A N/A”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — One-family dwellings in Cleveland's LDR Low Density Residential District.

    “Table 4-1 – Zoning District Standards A OT RR SR RE LDR DR CN CH [...] Minimum Floor Area (sq. feet) 1,100 1,000 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,200 1000 N/A N/A”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Impervious cover in Cleveland's LDR Low Density Residential District.

  • The table applies by zoning district; parcel zoning must be confirmed on the official zoning map.

  maximum impervious cover: <= 45 percent

  “Table 4-1 – Zoning District Standards A OT RR SR RE LDR DR CN CH [...] Maximum Impervious Cover n/a 35% n/a 25% 35% 45% n/a n/a n/a”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • None — Impervious cover in Cleveland's A Agricultural District.

    “Table 4-1 – Zoning District Standards A OT RR SR RE LDR DR CN CH [...] Maximum Impervious Cover n/a 35% n/a 25% 35% 45% n/a n/a n/a”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Cleveland city.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Cleveland city.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Cleveland city.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy outside the separately documented floodplain conditions inside Cleveland city.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Cleveland 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.