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

Town of Farmville’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building erected, altered, or moved, or land/building undergoing a change of use, inside Farmville town limits.

  • The certificate is required in advance of occupancy or use and cannot issue unless the proposed use complies with Chapter 157.

  “A certificate of compliance issued by the Zoning Administrator and certifying that the building and/or premises is ready for occupancy in conformity with this chapter, is required in advance of occupancy or use of a building hereafter erected, altered or moved, or a change of use of any building or land.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Farmville town limits.

  • The ordinance text says it also applies in the town's extraterritorial limits; this claim is limited to town limits.

  “all of which shall be known as the “Farmville Zoning Ordinance”. This chapter shall apply to all land within the Town’s planning jurisdiction which includes corporate and extra-territorial jurisdiction, as shown on the official zoning map or described by ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Farmville town limits subject to the Town zoning ordinance and official zoning map.

  • The ordinance's applicability also includes the town's extraterritorial limits, but this claim is limited to town limits.

  “R-15 residential district is intended to be a quiet low density neighborhood of single-family residences along with limited private and public community uses. This district is designed for areas with access to public water or sewer. (B) Permitted uses. (1) Single-family dwellings;”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Farmville's R-15 Residential District.

  minimum lot area: >= 15000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 90 feet

  “R-15 Residential Single-Family - 30' Front, 12' Side, 22’ Corner Yard, 25' Rear, 90' Lot Width, 15,000 SF Lot Area”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in Farmville's RA-20 Residential/Agriculture District.

    “RA-20 Residential/Agriculture Single-Family - 30' Front, 12' Side, 22’ Corner Yard, 25' Rear, 100' Lot Width, 20,000 SF Lot Area”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Farmville's R-15 Residential District.

  front setback: >= 30 feet · side setback: >= 12 feet · corner-yard setback: >= 22 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

  “R-15 Residential Single-Family - 30' Front, 12' Side, 22’ Corner Yard, 25' Rear, 90' Lot Width, 15,000 SF Lot Area”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in Farmville's RA-20 Residential/Agriculture District.

    “RA-20 Residential/Agriculture Single-Family - 30' Front, 12' Side, 22’ Corner Yard, 25' Rear, 100' Lot Width, 20,000 SF Lot Area”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Zoning districts inside Farmville town limits other than the Central Business District.

  • The Central Business District has no lot-coverage limitation under the cited provision.

  maximum permissible lot coverage: <= 50 percent (Central Business District (CBD))

  “Maximum permissible lot coverage by the principal building and all accessory buildings shall not exceed 50% of the total lot area, except for the central business district (CBD) which shall have no limitation on lot coverage.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Single-family manufactured housing on individual lots in Farmville's R-M.H. Residential Manufactured Housing District.

  • This is district-specific; other applicable zoning requirements apply.

  “This district is designed for high-density residential purposes for manufactured housing located on individual lots and in manufactured home parks and other uses which would not be detrimental to the residential nature of the district. (B) Permitted uses. (1) Single-family manufactured housing on individual lots;”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  A subdivision inside Farmville town limits where public water or public sewer is available at the subdivision boundary.

  • Utility plans and specifications require prior approval by the Town Board, Planning Board, and Town Engineer.
  • Connection must comply with applicable Town ordinances and policies and occurs before a plat is eligible for final approval.

  “The developer of any subdivision located within the corporate limits which has either public water or public sewer systems, or both, available at the boundary of the subdivision, shall, with prior approval of utility plans and specifications by the Town Board, Planning Board and Town Engineer, connect with available systems in accordance with applicable ordinances and policies of the town before the plat shall be eligible for final approval.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats inside Farmville town limits.

  • Minor subdivision plat approval applies to up to four lots; major subdivision plat approval applies to five or more lots.
  • Town code requires lot size to conform with the Town Zoning Ordinance and applies the more stringent official requirement where standards conflict.

  “The size of all lots shall conform with the Town Zoning Ordinance. Whenever there is a discrepancy between the minimum standards or dimensions noted herein and those contained in the Zoning Ordinance, Building Codes or other official regulations, the more stringent requirements shall apply.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Farmville planning, zoning, and land-use applications.

  • The cited brochure lists planning/zoning fees; it does not establish every possible building-permit fee.

  residential zoning compliance application fee: 25 USD · commercial zoning compliance application fee: 50 USD

  “Planning, Zoning & Land Use Fees: Zoning Compliance Application $25 - Residential”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Farmville building-permit applications.

  • All contractors must obtain a Town privilege license before permits are issued.
  • Additional information may be requested for permits other than building permits.

  approximate plan review time: 5 days (approximately)

  “Building permits require two sets of plans being turned in along with the permit application form. Plan review time approximately 5 days.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Farmville

Town of Farmville 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 Farmville town limits when covered by G.S. 160D-1110.

  • Except as provided in G.S. 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h).
  • Farmville's Planning & Development page states that building permits require two sets of plans with the permit application form.

  “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 septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems inside Farmville town limits where the site is not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • A local health department, licensed professional, or authorized evaluator may perform roles specified by statute; DEQ regulates specified system categories.

  “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 permitRequired

  Construction, location, relocation, installation, construction, or repair of an on-site wastewater system for land inside Farmville town limits not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • An engineered-option permit or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator option may apply.
  • No Improvement Permit or Construction Authorization is required for wastewater-system maintenance.
  • The manufactured-residence exhibition/storage exception in G.S. 130A-336(a) applies.

  “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

  On-site wastewater systems inside Farmville town limits before they are covered or put into use.

  • An applicant may use an Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator or, when statutory criteria are met, a Private Compliance Inspector for specified 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.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site sanitation for a residence, business, or public assembly inside Farmville town limits that is not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • An Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization are required unless the engineered-option or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator conditions apply.

  “A person owning or controlling a residence, place of business or a place of public assembly shall provide an approved wastewater system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Farmville town limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Farmville town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Farmville town limits.
• Building height — Buildings inside Farmville town limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Farmville 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.