Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lowry City, Missouri

Lowry City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Location-improvement projects inside Lowry City city limits.

  • The City says the form must be filled out and turned in to City Hall.

  improvement location permit fee: 15 USD

  “The city requires a permit for any location improvement projects in the city limits”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings, enlarged buildings, specified occupancy or use changes, and specified vacant-land uses inside Lowry City.

  • No improvement location permit for erection of a building may issue before an application for a certificate of occupancy.
  • For a new or enlarged building, the written application is made at the same time as the improvement-location-permit application.
  • The original certificate applied for with an improvement-location permit has no fee; other certificates or copies cost $1.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for up to six months during completion of required construction or alterations and may be renewed.

  other certificate or copy fee: 1 USD (Original certificate applied for coincident with an improvement location permit has no fee.) · temporary certificate period: <= 6 months (May be renewed.)

  “A certificate of occupancy to be issued by the Zoning Administrator shall be required for any of the following, except buildings incidental to agricultural operations.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in the incorporated area of Lowry City, Missouri.

  • The ordinance divides the incorporated city into zoning districts.

  “Zoning Information and Related Ordinances”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Small single-family dwellings regulated by Ordinance No. 2018-08 inside Lowry City.

  • Minimum square footage includes all floors.
  • The ordinance alternatively states dimensions of 12 by 20 feet.

  minimum square footage: >= 240 square feet (Or 12 by 20 feet.)

  “Minimum square footage, including all floors, two hundred forty (240) or twelve by twenty (12x20).”

• Building heightSpecified

  Small single-family dwellings regulated by Ordinance No. 2018-08 inside Lowry City.

  • The maximum is expressed alternatively as two stories or 30 feet.

  maximum structure height: <= 30 feet (Two stories maximum.)

  “Maximum structure height of two (2) stories or thirty (30) feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Small single-family dwellings regulated by Ordinance No. 2018-08 inside Lowry City.

  • The dwelling must also be connected to electric utility service.
  • Each home must have its own utilities and may not share or hook into another home's utilities.

  “They must be hooked up to City utilities such as water and sewer and electric.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Mobile-home subdivisions located in Lowry City subsequent to adoption of the zoning ordinance.

  • The subdivision must conform to the City Subdivision Control Ordinance.
  • A preliminary plat is submitted to the City Planning Commission for inspection and review and is subject to a public hearing.
  • A final plat is required and approval is filed with the Planning Commission.
  • The minimum subdivision area is five acres.

  minimum mobile-home subdivision area: >= 5 acres

  “The minimum area of a mobile home subdivision shall be five (5) acres.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots within the territorial jurisdiction of the Lowry City Planning Commission after adoption of a major street plan.

  • The restriction applies after adoption of a major street plan.
  • The street giving access must conform to ordinance requirements.

  “After the adoption of a major street plan, no building permit shall be issued for and no building shall be erected on any lot within the territorial jurisdiction of the planning commission unless the street giving access to the lot upon which the building is proposed to be placed conforms to the requirements of the ordinances of”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Improvement location permits for projects inside Lowry City city limits.

  • The City page requires the form to be filled out and turned in to City Hall.

  improvement location permit fee: 15 USD

  “The permit cost is $15 and requires the form be filled out ad tured in to city hall”

• Permit processPartial

  Improvement location permits for projects inside Lowry City city limits.

  • The City requires a form to be completed and turned in to City Hall.
  • The official page states a $15 permit cost.

  “The permit cost is $15 and requires the form be filled out ad tured in to city hall”

Rules another office applies inside Lowry City

Lowry City 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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential structures in the R-1 One-Family Zone in Lowry City.

  • The minimum varies by water and sewer service.
  • The ordinance states that the listed standards apply except as otherwise provided.

  minimum lot area with individual well and septic tank: >= 18180 square feet · minimum lot area with public or approved community sewer: >= 9750 square feet · minimum lot area with public or approved community sewer and water: >= 7200 square feet

  “If served by individual well and septic tank. 120' 21,780 18,180”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lowry City or St. Clair County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Lowry City city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Lowry City city limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Lowry City city limits.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Lowry City city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Lowry City 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.