Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Fairfield, Montana

Town of Fairfield’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any construction or work of any kind inside Fairfield town limits, under the town's zoning-permit process.

  • The permit must be obtained from the town office and approved by the Public Works Department before work.
  • A cease-and-desist order, fines, and possible water shutoff are stated consequences of commencing work without approval.
  • A zoning permit is valid for 90 days and may receive one 90-day extension with mayoral approval.

  “All zoning permits must be obtained from the town office and approved by the Public Works Department prior to any construction or work of any kind.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and construction inside Fairfield town limits.

  • The town's posted guide says a complete copy of zoning, annexation, and subdivision requirements is available from the town office.

  “This document is intended to be a guide for building requirements in the Town of Fairfield. A complete copy all zoning, annexation and subdivision requirements will be available upon request at the town office.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A residence inside Fairfield town limits.

  • The guide describes the requirement as two lots.

  minimum lot area to build a residence: 7000 square feet (2 lots)

  “The average Town lot size is 25 feet wide by 140 feet long (3500 sq ft). The town of Fairfield requires 7000 square feet (2 lots) to build a residence.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A residence inside Fairfield town limits.

  • The guide counts a house, garage, shed, commercial buildings, and other listed structures toward the stated coverage limit.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent (house, garage, shed, commercial buildings etc.)

  “No more the ½ of the square footage may be covered by the house, garage, shed, commercial buildings etc..”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning permits for construction or work inside Fairfield town limits.

  • The guide lists a fee tier based on $10,000 and specifies a higher tier for $10,000 and above.

  zoning permit fee: 25 USD ($0 - $10,000) · zoning permit fee: >= 50 USD ($10,000 and above)

  “Permit Fees – $0 - $10,000 = $25.00 $10,000 and above = $50.00”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Fairfield or Teton County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Fairfield town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for land inside Fairfield town limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Fairfield town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Fairfield town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Fairfield town 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.