Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Houston Lake, Missouri

Houston Lake’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, alteration, or additions to buildings, docks, fences, roads, drives, and other structures inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • Permit must be obtained from the Board of Aldermen before the work.
  • New dwellings and property-line fences require certified surveys; additions closer to the property line than the existing dwelling also require certified surveys.

  “All persons desiring to construct, erect, alter or add to any building, boat dock, fences, road or drive or any structure in the City of Houston Lake, Missouri, must first obtain a building permit”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential construction inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • The adopted code is the 2003 International Residential Code.
  • Specified IRC sections are not enacted or are amended by Chapter 500.

  “The City hereby enacts the International Residential Code 2003, same being made a part of this Chapter as though fully set out therein.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • The city has one Residential (R) district.

  “This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Houston Lake, Missouri.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • The zoning district map is incorporated into the chapter and an authentic copy must be kept by the City Clerk.

  zoning district: R Residential

  “the City of Houston Lake, Missouri, is hereby divided into one (1) district as follows: District "R" Residential”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in District R Residential inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • Front and rear yards are 25% of lot depth but need not exceed 30 feet.
  • Each main-building side yard is 10% of lot width, with a five-foot minimum and eight-foot maximum.
  • Corner lots with reversed frontage have a side-street yard of at least one-half the required front yard.

  front yard depth: >= 25 percent of lot depth (Need not exceed 30 feet.) · side yard width: >= 5 feet (10% of lot width; need not exceed 8 feet.) · rear yard depth: >= 25 percent of lot depth (Need not exceed 30 feet.)

  “Such side yard shall not be less than five (5) feet and need not be more than eight (8) feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in District R Residential inside Houston Lake city limits.

  maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories · maximum height: <= 35 feet

  “Buildings or structures shall not exceed two and one-half (2½) stories and shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  RV occupation inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • A City RV-occupation permit is required.
  • The City Clerk may issue permits no longer than 30 days; they may not be renewed or extended beyond 30 days from initial issue and cannot be issued where a permit was in effect during the preceding 90 days.
  • Permits over 30 days require Board of Aldermen approval and a written application.
  • The RV must be at least 30 feet from structures or buildings on adjacent property.

  City Clerk permit maximum: <= 30 days (Longer occupation requires Board of Aldermen approval.) · lookback period: 90 days (No City Clerk permit for an RV with a permit in effect during this period.)

  “A recreational vehicle permit must be obtained from the City authorizing occupation of a recreational vehicle within the City limits.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Manufactured homes inside Houston Lake city limits.

  “Manufactured homes shall not be approved.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Construction or alteration of a road or drive inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • Building permit must first be obtained from the Board of Aldermen.

  “All persons desiring to construct, erect, alter or add to any building, boat dock, fences, road or drive or any structure in the City of Houston Lake, Missouri, must first obtain a building permit”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits for construction inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • The schedule also lists actual costs for outside consultants, $50 per hour after-hours house inspections with a two-hour minimum, $50 reinspections, and erosion-control charges.

  new one- and two-family residence permit fee: per 0.25 USD per square foot (Square footage includes garages.) · room addition permit fee: per 0.15 USD per square foot

  “New construction — one- and two-family residences $0.25 per square foot.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Houston Lake city limits.

  • Application must be submitted with complete plans, specifications, and a plot plan.
  • New dwellings and property-line fences require certified surveys; qualifying additions closer to property lines also require certified surveys.

  “All persons desiring to obtain such a permit shall submit an application with the complete plans and specifications and plot plan”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Houston Lake or Platte County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Houston Lake city limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Houston Lake city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Houston Lake city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Houston Lake city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Houston Lake 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.