Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Richland, Mississippi

Richland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, placement of manufactured or modular homes, and relocation of structures on property inside Richland city limits.

  • Applicant must submit construction plans and drawings.
  • Permit is valid for six months from issuance; an extension application may be submitted.

  permit validity: 6 months (An application for extension may be submitted.)

  “Before any person shall commence the construction or erection of a building, parking or placing of a manufactured or modular home, or relocating an existing structure, on any property within the City of Richland, he/ she shall submit construction plans and drawings and obtain a building permit from the City. Permits are valid for six (6) months from the date of issuance, but an application for extension of the permit may be submitted.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • The maximum height standard is the latest edition of the International Building Code adopted by the City.

  “No habitable floor of any other building shall exceed a height above the finished ground elevation measured at the front line of the building as specified in the latest edition of the International Building Code adopted by the City.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Work performed under zoning-related permits inside Richland city limits.

  • The Zoning Administrator checks zoning-related permitted work for ordinance compliance before issuing a certificate of zoning compliance.

  “Checking on work performed under zoning related permits to determine if the work meets ordinance requirements before issuing certificate of zoning compliance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Richland city limits.

  • Districts are identified and delineated on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Richland, Mississippi.

  “For the purpose of promoting public health, safety, morals, or general welfare, the City of Richland, Mississippi is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes inside Richland city limits.

  • A manufactured or mobile home not constructed in accordance with the International Building Code or other standard codes adopted by the City may be located only when specifically authorized under the ordinance.
  • Portable buildings, manufactured homes, and mobile homes may be used during construction for temporary offices, storage, and securing purposes for no more than 18 months after a site-development building permit is pulled.

  construction-site temporary use maximum: <= 18 months (Applies after site development building permit is pulled.)

  “No manufactured home, mobile home, portable building, or structure not constructed in accordance with the International Building Code or any other standard codes as adopted by the City of Richland shall be located in any district unless specifically authorized pursuant to the provisions of this Ordinance, except as follows:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots proposed for building construction inside Richland city limits.

  • A building may not be constructed on a lot that fails to conform to the City's Subdivision Regulations.

  “No building shall be constructed on any lot which does not conform to the provisions of the Subdivision Regulations of the City of Richland.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits, certificates, applications, appeals, and other zoning matters inside Richland city limits.

  • Amounts may be altered or amended by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
  • No processing occurs until applicable fees, charges, and expenses are paid in full unless waived by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
  • Civic or charitable organizations, public schools, and churches are exempt; the Mayor and Board may grant other exemptions.

  certificate of zoning compliance fee: 0 USD · variance application fee: 250 USD · special exception application fee: 100 USD · rezoning or zoning-text amendment fee: 250 USD (Applicants may also be required to pay necessary legal-notice publication costs exceeding listed fees.)

  “Certificates of Zoning Compliance — No Fee For Variances — $250.00 For Special Exceptions — $100.00 For Amendments of zoning text or for A district reclassification on the Official Zoning Map (rezoning) — $250.00”

Rules another office applies inside Richland

Richland 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

  Residential dwellings in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • Applies to heated and cooled residential area.

  minimum floor area: >= 1600 square feet (Heated and cooled residential areas.)

  “803.05 Minimum Floor Area of Residential (Heated and Cooled Areas): 1,600 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached residences in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • Conditional uses are based upon site-plan review.

  minimum lot area: >= 10800 square feet (Single-family detached residences.)

  “803.02 Minimum Lot Area: (a) Single-family detached residences: 10,800 square feet. (b) All conditional uses: Based upon site plan review.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  front yard: >= 30 feet (Measured from street right-of-way line to building setback line.) · side yards: >= 10 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet

  “803.04 Minimum Yards: (a) Front yard: Thirty (30) feet from the street right-of-way line to the building setback line. (b) Side yards: Ten (10) feet. (c) Rear yard: Twenty-five (25) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Detached accessory buildings in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • The limit applies to coverage of a required rear yard, rather than total lot coverage.

  maximum accessory-building coverage of required rear yard: <= 10 percent (Detached accessory buildings.)

  “No accessory building shall cover more than ten percent (10%) of a required rear yard.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • The governing height is as specified in the latest edition of the International Building Code adopted by the City.
  • Measurement is from finished ground elevation at the building's front line.

  “No habitable floor of any other building shall exceed a height above the finished ground elevation measured at the front line of the building as specified in the latest edition of the International Building Code adopted by the City.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Detached accessory buildings in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential District inside Richland city limits.

  • Except as otherwise expressly provided, an accessory building, accessory structure, or area may not be used for residential, commercial, or business purposes.

  “Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no accessory building, accessory structure or area may be used for residential, commercial or business purposes.”

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems for land inside Richland city limits when public sewer is unavailable.

  • MSDH directs applicants without an available public sewer to apply to its Division of On-site Wastewater.

  “If public sewer is not available in your area, you will have to apply to us for the proper paperwork.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system inside Richland city limits when that system is used.

  • Permit is also required for a water meter.

  “The Permit is required for a water meter and the installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  On-site wastewater systems inside Richland city limits when an MSDH inspection is required as part of another application or approval.

  • MSDH states that a sewer connection does not require it to inspect anything.
  • The cited source does not establish a general mandatory inspection for every residential septic installation.

  “If you require a septic inspection or new septic system as part of your food application, this is the correct online application area. Please note that sewer connections (i.e. if you pay a sewer bill) do not require MSDH to inspect anything.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Disposal of household wastewater to ground, ditches, or bodies of water inside Richland city limits.

  • Wastewater must be piped to a central sewer system or septic system for proper disposal.

  “Mississippi does not recognize gray water. Anything that could be considered gray water in other states is classified as wastewater in Mississippi. All wastewater is required to pipe into a central sewer system or a septic system for proper disposal. No “gray water” can be discharged on the ground, ditches, or bodies of water.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Permanent water-meter connections inside Richland city limits.

  • A permanent sewage-disposal solution must be available.
  • That solution may be a sewer line or septic system.
  • Where public sewer is unavailable, the applicant must apply to MSDH for the proper paperwork.

  “State law requires you have permanent sewage disposal solution available to receive a permanent water meter. Permanent sewage disposal solutions can be a sewer line or septic system. You must have a sewer option before a water utility can make a connection to your property. If public sewer is not available in your area, you will have to apply to us for the proper paperwork.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Townhouses inside Richland city limits.

  • Each townhouse must front directly on a dedicated public street.
  • Easement access to required parking and common or flag-type driveways serving adjoining townhouses are prohibited.

  “Each townhouse, as defined by this Ordinance, shall front directly upon a public (i.e., dedicated) street rather than a common parking lot or common driveway. Access to required parking by means of easements shall be prohibited. Each townhouse shall be served by a private driveway; common or "flag-type" driveways which serve adjoining townhouses shall be prohibited.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Richland city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Richland city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Richland city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Richland city limits.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Richland 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.