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

Town of Sunburst’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside Sunburst town limits

  • Building inspector may waive application requirements when work is of an insubstantial nature or effect
  • Building inspector brings all permits before the town council for approval at a regular meeting
  • Fees set by council resolution

  “any person wishing to obtain a building permit shall submit a completed application to the building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings inside Sunburst town limits

  • Adopts the IBC and state codes in MCA title 50, chapter 60 (2011) 'as now or hereinafter amended'
  • Ordinance 337, 12-19-2019

  “the town council of the town of sunburst hereby adopts the international building code (ibc) and state codes in montana code annotated title 50, chapter 60, 2011, as now or hereinafter amended.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building work inside Sunburst town limits

  • Inspection requests 72 hours in advance
  • Applies where applicable to footing, foundation wall, slab, crawl space, frame, energy efficiency, wallboard, final

  inspection request notice: >= 72 hours

  “where applicable the work listed below must be inspected prior to covering. request for an inspection must be made seventy-two (72) hours in advance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings inside Sunburst town limits

  • Issued per the International Building Code after final inspection

  “final inspections and issuance of certificates of occupancy shall be conducted in accordance with the international building code.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes, manufactured housing and modular homes on residential property inside Sunburst town

  • Must connect to municipal sewer and water
  • Owner must apply for a manufactured home building permit before placement
  • Non-compliant units may not be moved in; existing non-compliant units may stay at their existing address for residential use only
  • Other conditions 1-8 in the chapter were not fully read

  time to apply for utilities after placement: <= 60 days (otherwise treated as non-residential building)

  “prior to the placement of any compliant mobile home or manufactured housing unit, the owner of the building site shall make application to the town for a manufactured home building permit.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Mobile/manufactured homes placed inside Sunburst town (the general sewer-use rule 7-2a-2(c) was not fully read)

  • Stated as a condition for compliant manufactured housing units
  • New units have 60 days from placement to apply with the town clerk-treasurer for utility services, otherwise the unit is treated as non-residential

  “9. the structure must be connected to municipal sanitary sewer services and water services;”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Sunburst town

  • Fee amounts are not in the code; the resolution setting them was not located

  “building permit fees shall be set and established by the town council from time to time by appropriate resolution.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Sunburst town

  • Application to the building inspector with land description, present use and plans
  • Inspector reviews plans, then council approves at a regular meeting
  • Town site also posts a building permit application form

  “the building inspector will bring all building permits before the sunburst town council to be approved at a regular meeting of the governing body.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Sunburst town
• Local zoning — Zoning inside Sunburst town
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Sunburst town
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Sunburst town
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Sunburst town

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.