Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Louisville, Mississippi

Louisville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, placement, moving, alteration, or repair of buildings and accessory structures inside Louisville city limits.

  • Repairs that do not change the character of the structure and do not exceed $500 in cost are excepted.
  • Painting and wallpapering are excepted.
  • The Administrative Building Official must issue the permit and the plans, specifications, and intended use must conform to the ordinance.

  repair-cost exception threshold: <= 500 USD (Only repairs not changing the character of the structure; painting and wallpapering are also excepted.)

  “It shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for or the construction of any building or other structure, including accessory structures, or to store building materials or erect temporary field offices, or to commence the moving, alteration, or repair (except repairs, not changing the character of the structure and not exceeding $500 in cost, or painting or wallpapering) of any structure, including accessory structures, until the Administrative Building Official of the municipality has issued for such work, a building permit”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings or premises inside Louisville city limits that are ready for occupancy or use after erection, movement, or alteration in use.

  • The owner or agent must notify the Administrative Building Official that the building or premises is ready for occupancy or use.
  • The official must make a final inspection within three days after notice.

  final-inspection timing: <= 3 days after owner or agent notice

  “Within three (3) days after the owner or his agent has notified the Administrative Building Official of the municipality that a building or premises or part thereof is ready for occupancy or use, it shall be the duty of the Administrative Building Official of the municipality to make a final inspection thereof”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, structures, or portions thereof inside Louisville city limits that are erected, moved, or altered in use.

  • The Administrative Building Official must find the land, structure, or part conforms with the zoning ordinance before issuing the certificate.

  “No land or building or other structure or part, thereof hereafter erected, moved or altered in its use shall be used until the Administrative Building Official of the municipality shall have issued a Certificate of Occupancy stating that such land or structure or part thereof is found to be in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single-family Residential District (Large Lot) inside Louisville city limits.

  • For lots not served by public sanitary sewer or a central sewage disposal system, minimum lot size is determined by the State Board of Health, Air and Water Pollution Control Commission, and city engineer.
  • The builder must furnish a State Board of Health certificate setting out the minimum size of each such residential lot.

  minimum lot area: >= 15000 square feet (Different determination applies to lots not served by public sanitary sewer or a central sewage disposal system.) · minimum lot width at building setback line: >= 100 feet

  “Lot area: A minimum of fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet. For lots not served by public sanitary sewer or a central sewage disposal system, the minimum lot size shall be determined by the state board of health, the air and water pollution control commission and the city engineer. The builder shall furnish a certificate from the state board of health, which sets out the minimum size of each such residential lot. Lot width: A minimum of one hundred (100) feet at building setback line.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Single-family Residential District (Large Lot) inside Louisville city limits.

  • On corner lots, both street setbacks must be the minimum 35-foot front-yard depth.

  minimum front setback: >= 35 feet · minimum rear setback: >= 35 feet · minimum interior side-yard width: >= 10 feet

  “Front: Setback a minimum depth of not less than thirty-five (35) feet; Rear: Setback a minimum depth of not less than thirty-five (35) feet; Side: (1.) On interior lots there shall be a side yard on each side of a building having a width of not less than ten (10) feet. (2.) On corner lots, the set back regulation shall be the same as for interior lots, with the setback from both streets being the minimum front yard depth of thirty-five (35) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Single-family Residential District (Large Lot) inside Louisville city limits.

  maximum building area: <= 25 percent of gross lot area

  “Building area: Maximum percent of gross lot area shall be twenty-five (25) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Single-family Residential District (Large Lot) inside Louisville city limits.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2 stories

  “Height regulations: Maximum building height shall be thirty-five (35) feet, not to exceed two (2) stories.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Modular or mobile homes in the R-1 Single-family Residential District (Large Lot) inside Louisville city limits.

  • Use is permitted only on appeal after Planning and Zoning Board review and recommendation and approval by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
  • The homes are subject to Article IX, Section 18 Mobile Home Regulations.

  “3.3. USES PERMITTED ON APPEAL AFTER PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION AND APPROVAL BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN. [...] (8) Modular or Mobile Home** subject to requirements of Article IX, Section 18”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Modular or mobile homes located in any zone inside Louisville city limits.

  • The unit must be permanently connected to the municipal water system and municipal sewerage disposal system.
  • Other Mobile Home Regulations requirements apply.

  “Each unit shall be permanently connected to the municipal water system and to the municipal sewerage disposal system. Electrical lines shall be run to a permanent connection point as similar as possible to that utilized by single-family residences.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Louisville city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Louisville city limits, Mississippi.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Louisville city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Louisville city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Louisville 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.