Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Goldston, North Carolina

Town of Goldston’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Goldston town limits.

  • The UDO also describes potential extraterritorial jurisdiction, but this claim is limited to town limits.

  “The zoning regulations set forth in this Ordinance shall apply within the Town of Goldston, as well as any extraterritorial jurisdiction that is established by the Town of Goldston in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes Section 160A-360.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Goldston town zoning jurisdiction, including town limits.

  • The official zoning map is maintained by the Zoning Administrator in GIS and revised when amendments pass.

  “The location and boundaries of zoning districts shall be as kept in spatial databases entitled “Zoning” and “Zoning Overlays” that are maintained by the Zoning Administrator or his/her designee as part of a Geographic Information System (GIS). This depiction of zoning boundaries along with additional reference data in the GIS shall constitute the Official Zoning Map for the Town’s zoning jurisdiction, and is adopted into this Ordinance by reference.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R-15 Residential District inside Goldston town limits.

  • The cited dimensional provision does not itself establish district permission; it establishes a 40,000-square-foot minimum lot area where a manufactured home is allowed in R-15.

  minimum required lot area for manufactured home: 40000 square feet (R-15 Residential District.)

  “(4) Minimum Required Lot Area for a Manufactured Home – 40,000 square feet”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in the R-1 Residential District inside Goldston town limits.

  • The UDO's cited R-1 provision expressly excepts an accessory dwelling unit from the two-family dwelling lot-area rule; this evidence does not establish all use-table permissions or other standards.

  “(3) Minimum Required Lot Area for a Two-family Dwelling – 80,000 square feet, except for an accessory dwelling unit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Minor subdivisions inside Goldston town limits.

  • Minor subdivisions include subdivisions of five or fewer lots that require no new street, no public improvements, and no variance; environmental-health or environmental-management approval is required before zoning-administrator approval.

  minor-subdivision maximum lots: <= 5 lots (No new street, public improvements, or variance.)

  “All subdivisions not classified as major subdivisions, including but not limited to subdivisions of five (5) or fewer lots, and not requiring any new street, nor the creation of any public improvements, nor the request for a variance.”

• Permit processPartial

  Goldston planning and zoning applications inside town limits.

  • The town highly encourages Goldston-specific applications through Chatham County OpenGov; the page directs applicants to choose the Goldston version, not the Chatham County version.

  “All Goldston applicants are highly encouraged to submit permit applications through Chatham County’s OpenGov portal. This website hosts all of Goldston’s application forms and ensures that your applications will be sent to the relevant staff in a timely manner. Be sure to select the “Goldston” version of the application form, or it will submit an application to Chatham County.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Goldston

Town of Goldston does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitLimited

  Building work inside Goldston town limits that is subject to the North Carolina State Building Code.

  • The statutory permit exclusion applies to qualifying construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing $40,000 or less in a single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building, unless the work involves listed activities in G.S. 143-138(b5).

  permit-exclusion cost threshold: <= 40000 USD (Only when the other conditions in G.S. 143-138(b5) are met.)

  “No permit shall be required under the Code or any local variance thereof approved under subsection (e) for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code and costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less in any single family residence, farm building, or commercial building unless the work involves any of the following:”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-builder licensure exemption claimed for construction inside Goldston town limits.

  • Applicant must execute a verified affidavit; must own the property; must personally supervise and manage construction; and must be personally present for required inspections unless plans were drawn and sealed by a licensed architect.

  “If an applicant claims an exemption from licensure pursuant to G.S. 87-1(b)(2), the applicant for the building permit shall execute a verified affidavit attesting to the following:”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Goldston town limits under the statewide North Carolina State Building Code.

  • The statute allows limited local fire-prevention and floodplain regulations subject to statutory conditions.

  “Except as otherwise provided in this section, the North Carolina State Building Code shall apply throughout the State, from the time of its adoption.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Code-required inspections for work inside Goldston town limits.

  • The statute concerns inspections required by the State Building Code and requested by the permit holder; it does not establish an inspection requirement for every form of work.

  “In performing the specific inspections required by the North Carolina State Building Code, the inspector shall conduct all inspections requested by the permit holder for each scheduled inspection.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Residential District inside Goldston town limits.

  • Lots with individual wells and individual wastewater disposal systems require 65,340 square feet; two-family dwellings and minor-utility lots have stated exceptions.

  minimum required lot area: 40000 square feet (Subject to §2.8.2(B)(2)-(4) exceptions.) · individual well and wastewater lot area: 65340 square feet (Lots with individual wells and individual wastewater disposal systems.)

  “(1) Minimum Required Lot Area, with the exception of the cases outlined in 2.8.2(B)(2) through 2.8.2(B)(4) – 40,000 square feet (2) Minimum Required Lot Area for Lots with Individual Wells and Individual Wastewater Disposal Systems – 65,340 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Residential District inside Goldston town limits.

  • No side yard is required at a common fire wall for qualifying two-family units; accessory structures follow district setbacks subject to listed exceptions.

  front setback: 40 feet · side setback: 25 feet (Common-wall exception for qualifying two-family units.) · rear setback: 25 feet

  “(7) Minimum Required Front Setback – 40 feet (8) Minimum Required Side Setback, with the exception of the case outlined in 2.8.2(B)(9) – 25 feet (9) Where a two-family dwelling is placed such that the units are on separate lots with a common fire wall, no side yard shall be required at the common wall. (10) Minimum Required Rear Setback – 25 feet”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems serving land inside Goldston town limits that is not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • A local health department administers the ordinary improvement-permit and construction-authorization route; engineered-option and Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator routes are statutory alternatives.

  “Any proposed site for a residence, place of business, or place of public assembly in an area not served by an approved wastewater system shall be evaluated by either (i) the local health department in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to this Article or (ii) by a professional engineer, licensed soil scientist, or licensed geologist acting within the engineer's, soil scientist's, or geologist's scope of work, as applicable, and pursuant to the conditions of the engineered option permit in G.S. 130A-336.1 or the Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option in G.S. 130A-336.2.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, location, or relocation of a residence, business, or public assembly in Goldston not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • Improvement permit and construction authorization are required from the local health department unless the person acts under the conditions and criteria of an engineered option permit or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option; the requirement does not apply to a manufactured residence exhibited or stored for sale for later location elsewhere.

  “No person shall commence or assist in the construction, location, or relocation of a residence, place of business, or place of public assembly in an area not served by an approved wastewater system unless an improvement permit and a construction authorization are obtained from the local health department unless that person is acting in accordance with the conditions and criteria of an engineered option permit pursuant to G.S. 130A-336.1 or the Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option pursuant to G.S. 130A-336.2.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-site wastewater systems installed or repaired for use inside Goldston town limits.

  • A certified evaluator, engineer, or qualifying private compliance inspector may conduct certain permitted verification or inspection alternatives under G.S. 130A-337.

  “No system of wastewater collection, treatment and disposal shall be covered or placed into use by any person until an inspection by the local health department has determined that the system has been installed or repaired in accordance with any conditions of the Improvement Permit, the Construction Authorization, the rules, and this Article.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Chemical or portable toilets and wastewater disposal inside Goldston town limits.

  • A chemical or portable toilet may supplement a water closet or urinal during peak use, but may not replace one where a permanent system is required by the State Building Code; sewage waste must be discharged only to an approved or permitted wastewater site.

  “A chemical or portable toilet shall not be used as a replacement or substitute for a water closet or urinal where a water closet or urinal connected to a permanent wastewater treatment system is required by the North Carolina State Building Code, except that a chemical or portable toilet may be used to supplement a water closet or urinal during periods of peak use.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private drinking water wells inside Goldston town limits.

  • Excludes wells permitted by the Environmental Management Commission under G.S. 87-88; a repair permit is not required for repair or replacement of only a pump or tank.

  “Construct or assist in the construction of a private drinking water well unless a construction permit has been obtained from the local health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Certificate of occupancy — Building certificate of occupancy inside Goldston town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Goldston town limits.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Goldston town limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Goldston town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Goldston 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.