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

Town of Star’s own rules

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Wastewater disposal on land inside Star town limits.

  • The Town code identifies discharge of wastewater other than directly into an approved wastewater system as a county-health-department regulation violation and public-health nuisance.

  “Any condition detrimental to the public health which violates the rules and regulations of the county health department. One specific county health department regulation that is detrimental to public health is the discharging of wastewater not directly into an approved wastewater system [15A NCAC 18A .1937(a)].”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Star

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

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside Star town limits that is listed in G.S. 160D-1110 and is not within a stated statutory exemption.

  • G.S. 160D-1110(c) contains exemptions for certain work costing $40,000 or less, subject to listed exceptions including load-bearing, plumbing-design, HVAC or electrical-design, non-code materials, roofing additions, and Fire Code changes.
  • parameters=[],

  “Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, and subsection (h) of G.S. 160D-1110.1, no person shall commence or proceed with any of the following without first securing all permits required by the North Carolina State Building Code and any other State or local laws applicable to any of the following activities:”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner construction or alteration on land inside Star town limits.

  • The owner-builder exemption requires ownership of the land, intended sole occupancy by the owner and family, firm, or corporation after completion, and compliance with G.S. 87-14.
  • If not occupied solely by the owner and family, firm, or corporation for at least 12 months after completion, the statute presumes the required intent was absent.
  • An applicant claiming the exemption for a building permit must execute a verified affidavit.

  sole occupancy period creating contrary presumption: >= 12 months (Applies where building is not occupied solely by the owner and family, firm, or corporation after completion.)

  “Any person, firm, or corporation who constructs or alters a building on land owned by that person, firm, or corporation provided (i) the building is intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family, firm, or corporation after completion; and (ii) the person, firm, or corporation complies with G.S. 87-14.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Star town limits, because the statewide North Carolina State Building Code applies throughout North Carolina.

  • The statute allows political subdivisions to adopt a fire prevention code and floodplain-management regulations within their jurisdiction.

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

• InspectionsRequired

  Work under a building permit inside Star town limits at completion.

  • The final inspection results in a certificate of compliance only if completed work complies with applicable State and local laws and the permit terms.

  “At the conclusion of all work done under a building permit, the appropriate inspector shall make a final inspection, and, if the completed work complies with all applicable State and local laws and with the terms of the permit, the inspector shall issue a certificate of compliance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings, occupied additions or enlargements, and altered or moved existing buildings inside Star town limits.

  • A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued for a stated period if the inspector finds the building may safely be occupied before final completion.

  “Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, no new building or part thereof may be occupied, no addition or enlargement of an existing building may be occupied, and no existing building that has been altered or moved may be occupied, until the inspection department has issued a certificate of compliance.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems inside Star town limits that are in an area not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • The statewide statute assigns improvement permits and construction authorizations to the local health department, subject to engineered-option and Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator options.

  “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 permitRequired

  A residence, business, or public assembly inside Star town limits that is not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • The requirement is excepted for work meeting the engineered-option permit or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit-option conditions.
  • Maintenance of a wastewater system does not require an Improvement Permit or Construction Authorization.

  “No person shall commence or assist in the installation, construction, or repair of a wastewater system unless an Improvement Permit and a Construction Authorization have been obtained from the Department or 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

  An on-site wastewater system inside Star town limits before it is covered or placed into use.

  • An applicant may use an Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator or, subject to statutory criteria, a Private Compliance Inspector for the specified verifications or inspections.

  “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 rules, and this Article.”

Still unanswered

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

• Local zoning — Land inside Star town limits.
• Zoning districts — Land inside Star town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Star town limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Star town limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Star 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.