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

Town of Carrboro’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Newly constructed structures and renovations inside Carrboro town limits.

  • Inspection is needed whenever work requires a permit.
  • For completed building, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work, the builder or owner must contact the Town Inspections Division and schedule an inspection.

  “You need an inspection whenever you are doing work that requires a permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New construction inside Carrboro town limits.

  • A CO is issued upon receipt of the Building Final after all other necessary inspections are complete and passed.
  • The Town states that a CO is required only for new construction.

  “A newly constructed structure cannot be occupied until it is issued a Certificate of Occupancy (a CO). The CO is issued upon receipt of the Building Final, when all other necessary inspections are complete and passed. A CO is required only for new construction.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Carrboro town limits, under the Town's Land Use Ordinance.

  • The ordinance establishes zoning districts and an official zoning map for the Town planning jurisdiction.

  “The following basic residential districts are hereby established: R-20, R-15, R-10, R-7.5, R-3, R-2, R-R, R-S.I.R., and R-S.I.R.-2.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Carrboro town limits.

  • The official zoning map shows boundaries within the Town planning jurisdiction.

  “There shall be a map known and designated as the Official Zoning Map, which shall show the boundaries of all zoning districts within the town’s planning jurisdiction.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Primary residences with accessory apartments or accessory detached dwellings inside Carrboro town limits.

  • The lot must have at least 150% of the minimum square footage required for one dwelling unit in the district.
  • The quoted condition also covers two-family conversions.

  minimum lot-area multiplier: >= 150 percent (Of the minimum square footage required under Section 15-182(a) for one dwelling unit in the applicable district.)

  “Two-family conversions and primary residences with an accessory apartment, and primary residences with an accessory detached dwelling, shall be allowed only on lots having at least 150% of the minimum square footage required [under subsection (a)] for one dwelling unit on a lot in such district.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Lots inside Carrboro town limits where water or sewer disposal service is required and an OWASA connection is legally possible and practicable.

  • For residential development, the connection distance is 200 feet plus 10 feet for each unit in excess of four units.
  • The rule does not require or prevent extensions to lots within WR, C, B-5, or WM-3 zoning districts.
  • An easement unavailable after diligent effort makes connection not legally possible.

  residential connection distance: 200 feet plus 10 feet for each unit in excess of 4 units (Subject to legal possibility and practicability in terms of topography.)

  “If the tract in question is proposed to be developed for residential purposes, then the distance within which connection must be made shall be 200 feet plus 10 feet for each unit in excess of 4 units on the development tract.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Physical improvements to land being subdivided inside Carrboro town limits.

  • Major subdivisions containing more than twelve lots and all subdivisions in watershed districts require a special use permit-A issued by Town Council.
  • Major subdivisions outside watershed districts containing five to twelve lots require a special use permit-B issued by the board of adjustment.
  • Minor subdivisions require final plat approval by the planning director.

  major subdivision threshold outside watershed districts: 5 to 12 lots lots (Special use permit-B.) · major subdivision threshold: > 12 lots (Special use permit-A; all watershed-district subdivisions also require special use permit-A.)

  “Physical improvements to land to be subdivided may not be commenced except in accordance with a special use permit-A issued by the Town Council (for major subdivisions containing more than twelve lots and all subdivisions in watershed districts) or a special use permit-B issued by the board of adjustment (for major subdivisions outside the watershed districts containing between five and twelve lots) or after final plat approval by the planning director for minor subdivisions (see Part II of this article).”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development within Special Flood Hazard Areas inside Carrboro town limits.

  • The ordinance applies to Special Flood Hazard Areas within the Town planning jurisdiction, joint planning transition area, and ETJ; this claim is limited to Town limits.
  • The development must have an appropriate permit and fully comply with the chapter.

  “no development may take place within Special Flood Hazard Areas unless an appropriate permit has been issued authorizing such development, and no such permit shall be issued unless the proposed development is in full compliance with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications inside Carrboro town limits.

  • Applications are managed through PIPER, the Town's online permitting portal.

  “Permit Applications are managed through PIPER, the Town’s online permitting portal which can be accessed here:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Carrboro

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

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the R-2, R-3, R-7.5, R-10, R-S.I.R., R-15, R-20, RR, and WR districts inside Carrboro town limits.

  • Subject to Sections 15-186 (Cluster Subdivisions) and 15-187 (Architecturally Integrated Subdivisions).
  • R-2 may be reduced to 2,000 square feet in an architecturally integrated subdivision on a tract of at least 40,000 square feet.
  • WR is subject to Section 15-181(b).

  R-2 minimum lot size: 4000 square feet (May be reduced to 2,000 square feet in the stated architecturally integrated subdivision.) · R-20 minimum lot size: 20000 square feet · RR minimum lot size: 43560 square feet (One acre.) · WR minimum lot size: 217800 square feet (Subject to Section 15-181(b).)

  “R-2 4,000 except that the size may be reduced to 2,000 square feet in an architecturally integrated subdivision on a tract of at least 40,000 square feet. R-3 3,000 R-7.5 7,500 R-10 10,000 R-S.I.R. 10,000 R-15 15,000 R-20 20,000 RR 43,560 (one acre) WR 217,800 (subject to subsection (b))”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in residential zoning districts inside Carrboro town limits.

  • The cited table has separate distances from street right-of-way, street centerline, and lot boundary lines.
  • Exceptions and deviations elsewhere in Section 15-185 may apply.

  R-20 minimum distance from street right-of-way line: 40 feet · R-20 minimum distance from street centerline: 70 feet · R-20 minimum distance from lot boundary line: 20 feet · R-10 minimum distance from street right-of-way line: 25 feet · R-10 minimum distance from lot boundary line: 12 feet

  “R-20 40 20 70 50 20 R-15 35 17.5 55 47.5 20 R-10 25 12.5 55 42.5 12”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual on-site septic and alternative disposal systems inside Carrboro town limits in the specified zoning districts.

  • The Town provision addresses WR, C, B-5, and WM-3 zoning districts.
  • The system must be approved by Orange County Health Department or the appropriate state or federal agency and serve a single unit.

  “no sewage treatment system other than individual on-site septic systems or individual on site alternative disposal systems approved by the Orange County Health Department or the appropriate state or federal agency and serving a single unit shall be allowed within the WR, C, B-5, and WM-3 zoning districts”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential construction inside Carrboro town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwelling floor area inside Carrboro town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Carrboro town limits.
• Building height — Building height inside Carrboro town limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Carrboro 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.