Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Bay St. Louis’s own rules

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Property owners building their own dwelling inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Owner is treated as a class C general contractor for purposes of the contractor division, not exempted from permits or codes
  • Class C covers one- and two-family dwellings and accessory structures

  “If a property owner desires to construct his own dwelling, such property owner will be deemed a class C general contractor”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  All property and structures inside Bay St. Louis city

  • 2024 editions of IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, IPSDC, ISPSC, IEBC, IFC, IPMC; NFPA 70 (NEC) 2023 edition
  • Local amendments in Sec. 12-2 (e.g., IRC R309 and P2904 residential sprinkler provisions deleted; IRC Chapter 11 deleted)

  “International Building Code, 2024 edition, including Appendix's A, B, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and P”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Bay St. Louis city limits

  • The zoning ordinance itself was not among the fetched sections; existence of a city zoning administrator and city zoning is shown by the short-term rental chapter.

  “Administrator shall mean the city zoning administrator or the mayor's designee.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes used as dwellings inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Allowed only in manufactured home parks under Chapter 30
  • Code definition of manufactured home covers vehicles or portable structures built with wheels and designed for dwelling or sleeping occupancy
  • Zoning-based or federal-HUD-code exceptions not researched

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to use or occupy any manufactured home for residential purposes or as a dwelling within the city, except in manufactured home parks.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Bay St. Louis city where public sewer is unavailable

  • City building official issues the permit and inspects
  • City health officer may impose additional requirements

  “The owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the building official.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Applies where public sanitary sewer is not available under Sec. 50-121
  • Permit and inspection fee paid to treasurer at application

  “where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of section 50-121, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system. the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the building official.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Permit not effective until installation completed to building official's satisfaction
  • Final inspection before underground portions are covered

  “a permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the building official.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage disposal inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Privies, cesspools and septic tanks are unlawful except as provided in the article
  • Properly constructed septic tank required where sewer lines are inaccessible, with no surface discharge
  • Private system needs building official permit

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tanks, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings abutting a street or right-of-way with a public sewer inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Connection due within six months after official notice
  • Only where the public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line
  • Connection requires a written permit from the building official (Sec. 50-143)
  • Water connection rule not found

  public sewer distance: <= 300 feet

  “within six months after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals (under 30 consecutive days) inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Registration and permit required, non-transferable, valid 12 months by calendar year
  • Fee $100 per year per unit, not pro-rated
  • RVs, motor homes and campers may not be used as short-term rentals
  • Max occupancy two persons per sleeping room plus four per dwelling (six if over 3,250 sq ft conditioned space)
  • Owners delinquent in city fees cannot register
  • Article does not override zoning or deed restrictions

  registration fee: 100 USD per year per unit

  “the short-term rental registration and renewal fee is $100.00 per year, per unit.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fees inside Bay St. Louis city

  • Fees set by ICC Building Valuation Data formula with .009 multiplier and/or the city Permit Fees Schedule (Attachment 1); schedule itself not opened
  • Refunds: up to 75% of permit fee if no work done; up to 50% of plan review fee if withdrawn before review; written application within 180 days

  fee multiplier: 0.009 (and/or the Permit Fees Schedule (Attachment 1))

  “the city of bay st. louis adopts the icc building valuation data formula using a.009 fee multiplier for setting fees, and/or the city of bay st. louis' permit fees schedule as attached as attachment 1, as if fully written.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bay St. Louis or Hancock County directly.

• Building permit — Construction inside Bay St. Louis city
• Inspections — Construction inside Bay St. Louis city
• Certificate of occupancy — New buildings inside Bay St. Louis city
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Bay St. Louis city
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Bay St. Louis 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.