Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of St. Helena, North Carolina

Village of St. Helena’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Village of St. Helena, North Carolina.

  • Development must comply with the applicable zoning-district use, development standards, and other UDO regulations.
  • An overlay standard controls when it expressly conflicts with the underlying district standard.

  “All land within the Village of St. Helena is classified by this Ordinance to be within one of the several Base Zoning Districts or Conditional Zoning Districts, listed in Sections 4.2 and 4.5 respectively.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside St. Helena village.

  • Land may also be classified in one or more overlay zoning areas, whose standards apply in addition to the underlying district.

  “Table 4.2.1, BASE ZONING DISTRICTS, sets out the base zoning districts established by this Ordinance.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Properties in Village zoning districts, including R-12, RA, R-20, R-40, O&I, B-2, and I-1.

  • The general dimensional standards apply unless otherwise specified in the UDO or by the permit-issuing authority.

  “Table 6.2.1: DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS includes a summary table that specifies the area, maximum height, and yard setbacks for each of the respective types of residential and non-residential zoning districts”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Properties in Village zoning districts, including R-12, RA, R-20, R-40, O&I, B-2, and I-1.

  • The general dimensional standards apply unless otherwise specified in the UDO or by the permit-issuing authority.

  “Table 6.2.1: DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS includes a summary table that specifies the area, maximum height, and yard setbacks for each of the respective types of residential and non-residential zoning districts”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots inside St. Helena village.

  • The B-2 Highway Business District has a different maximum lot coverage.

  maximum total lot coverage: <= 40 percent (B-2 Highway Business District maximum is 50 percent.) · maximum total lot coverage in B-2: <= 50 percent

  “The total ground area covered by the principal building and all accessory buildings including any roofed area shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the total lot area. In the B-2 Highway Business District, total ground area shall not exceed fifty percent (50%).”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Properties in Village zoning districts, including R-12, RA, R-20, R-40, O&I, B-2, and I-1.

  • The general dimensional standards apply unless otherwise specified in the UDO or by the permit-issuing authority.

  “Table 6.2.1: DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS includes a summary table that specifies the area, maximum height, and yard setbacks for each of the respective types of residential and non-residential zoning districts”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Human habitation in recreational vehicles inside St. Helena village.

  • Permanent residential use must be in an approved manufactured-home or recreational-vehicle park.
  • Temporary use is allowed only when secondary to a primary residence or during construction or repair of a single-family home.
  • The listed residential or office/institutional zoning is required; rear-yard location is generally required.
  • When secondary to a primary residence, habitation may not exceed 365 days for the property owner or 14 days for visitors.

  property-owner temporary habitation maximum: <= 365 days (When secondary to a primary residential use.) · visitor temporary habitation maximum: <= 14 days (When secondary to a primary residential use.)

  “Recreational vehicles occupied for human habitation and intended for permanent residential use must be placed in an approved manufactured home or recreational vehicle park. However, temporary residential use may occur in cases where the recreational vehicle is secondary to a primary residential use, and when construction or repair of a single family home occurs.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in a manufactured-home park inside St. Helena village.

  • Park water must be from a source approved by the County Health Department.
  • The park must have an adequate sewage-disposal system approved by the County Health Department.
  • All sewage wastes from homes or spaces in the park must be piped into the park sewage-disposal system.

  “Each manufactured home park shall be provided with an adequate sewage disposal system approved by the County Health Department. All sewage wastes from each manufactured home park, whether from individual manufactured homes or manufactured home spaces, shall be piped into the manufactured home park sewage disposal system.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments or accessory dwelling units inside St. Helena village.

  • One accessory dwelling unit is permitted per lot only if district density is not exceeded.
  • Both structures must meet applicable building setbacks.
  • The accessory unit may not exceed 50 percent of the principal structure's heated living area.
  • County Health Department approval for water and sewage disposal or Village approval for water or sewer service is required, as applicable.

  accessory dwelling units per lot: 1 (District density may not be exceeded.) · maximum heated living area relative to principal structure: <= 50 percent

  “One (1) accessory dwelling unit is permitted per lot, provided that the unit per acre density is not greater than that allowed by right for the zoning district.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development activities in Special Flood Hazard Areas inside St. Helena village.

  • Application must be made to the Floodplain Administrator before development activities.
  • The Mayor or designee is the Floodplain Administrator.

  “Application for a Floodplain Development Permit shall be made to the Floodplain Administrator prior to any development activities located within Special Flood Hazard Areas.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-compliance permits for construction, placement, movement of structures, grading, excavation, changes of use, or changes of occupancy inside St. Helena village.

  • The zoning-compliance permit is a prerequisite to a building permit.
  • The Building Inspector issues the permit only where the proposed work conforms with the UDO.
  • Work without the permit may result in a stop-work order.

  “The intent of the Zoning Compliance Permit is to provide written documentation of the completion of the development review processes under this Ordinance. This permit is a prerequisite to securing a Building Permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of St. Helena

Village of St. Helena 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

  Construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement, removal, or demolition of a building or structure inside St. Helena village, where not within a stated statutory exception.

  • The statute excepts work described in G.S. 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h).
  • Additional State or local laws may require permits.
  • The statute lists specified plumbing and electrical exceptions.

  “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:”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site septic tanks inside St. Helena village.

  • The UDO also requires compliance with other applicable agencies and jurisdictions.

  “On-site septic tanks shall be approved by the Pender County Health Department and/or comply with other agencies and jurisdictions.”

• Septic permitRequired

  On-site septic tanks inside St. Helena village.

  • The UDO requires approval by the Pender County Health Department and/or compliance with other applicable agencies and jurisdictions.

  “On-site septic tanks shall be approved by the Pender County Health Department and/or comply with other agencies and jurisdictions.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of St. Helena or Pender County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside St. Helena village.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption or local amendment for construction inside St. Helena village.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside St. Helena village.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside St. Helena village.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside St. Helena village.

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.