Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Potosi, Missouri

Potosi’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, enlargement, or structural alteration of a building, structure, parking lot, or sign inside Potosi city limits.

  • The application and permit must comply with Chapter 26 and the City of Potosi building code.

  “It shall be unlawful to start the construction of a new building, structure, parking lot, or sign or the enlargement or structural alteration of a building, structure, parking lot, or sign, without first filing a written application for and obtaining a building permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings erected or structurally altered inside Potosi city limits and vacant land proposed for occupancy or use.

  • Vacant land may be occupied or used for agricultural uses without the stated certificate condition.
  • The certificate must state compliance with building and health laws and ordinances and Chapter 26.
  • A building certificate is applied for coincident with the building-permit application and is issued within ten days after completion in conformity with the regulations.
  • No fee is charged for a certificate of occupancy.

  certificate issuance period after conforming completion: <= 10 days (Certificate of occupancy for a building.)

  “No vacant land shall be occupied or used except for agricultural uses and no building hereafter erected or structurally altered shall be occupied or used until the building inspector shall have issued a certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Potosi city limits.

  • Zoning district locations and boundaries are governed by the Official Zoning Map incorporated by reference.

  “The City of Potosi shall be divided into eleven (11) zoning districts, the location and boundaries of which are shown on the Official Zoning Map, which Map is incorporated in this Article by this reference.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Potosi city limits.

  • The Official Zoning Map is incorporated by reference and is the final authority for current zoning status.

  number of zoning districts: 11

  “The City of Potosi shall be divided into eleven (11) zoning districts, the location and boundaries of which are shown on the Official Zoning Map, which Map is incorporated in this Article by this reference.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  A use requiring potable water or sewerage disposal on a parcel inside Potosi city limits that is smaller than three acres.

  • A use requiring potable water or sewerage disposal may not be established on a parcel smaller than three acres unless both public water and public sewer are provided.

  parcel area threshold: < 3 acres (Both public water and public sewer must be provided for the use to be established.)

  “No use, which requires potable water or sewerage disposal to operate, shall be established on a parcel of less than three (3) acres, unless both public water and public sewer are provided.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  A use requiring potable water or sewerage disposal on a parcel inside Potosi city limits that is smaller than three acres.

  • The rule applies only to a use requiring potable water or sewerage disposal.
  • The parcel-size condition is less than three acres.
  • Both public water and public sewer must be provided.

  parcel area threshold: < 3 acres (Unless both public water and public sewer are provided.)

  “No use, which requires potable water or sewerage disposal to operate, shall be established on a parcel of less than three (3) acres, unless both public water and public sewer are provided.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building-permit applications inside Potosi city limits.

  • The official application requires a plot plan completed on the application back or attached before a permit is issued.
  • The form contains approval and disapproval fields for the Building Inspector.

  “Plot plan must be completed on back of this application or attached before permit is issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Potosi

Potosi 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 sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single Family District inside Potosi city limits.

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 square feet · minimum lot frontage at front lot line: >= 80 feet

  “Minimum size of lot: Area: 8,000 square feet Lot frontage 80 feet at front lot line”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Single Family District inside Potosi city limits.

  • The applicable maximum depends on whether the lot area is under or over 12,000 square feet.

  maximum building lot coverage: <= 40 percent (Lots under 12,000 square feet in area.) · maximum building lot coverage: <= 25 percent (Lots over 12,000 square feet in area.)

  “Maximum percentage of lot that may be occupied by building: All buildings 40 percent for lots under 12,000 sq. ft. in area All buildings 25 percent for lots over 12,000 sq. ft. in area”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Trailer or mobile-home parks in the R-3 Multi-Family District inside Potosi city limits.

  • The use is a conditional use requiring Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Aldermen permission under Division 13.
  • The provision excludes sales and service and refers to Section 26-156.

  “Conditional Uses that may be Permitted by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Aldermen in Accordance with Division 13 of this Article. Trailer or mobile home parks, excluding sales and service, in accordance with Section 26-156.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory residential uses in the CC Center City District inside Potosi city limits.

  • The accessory residential use must be to the rear of, or above the first floor of, a building used for permitted business activities.

  “Accessory residential uses, either to the rear or above the first floor of a building used for permitted business activities.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Potosi city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Potosi city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Potosi city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Potosi city limits.
• Setbacks — Development inside Potosi 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.