Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of St. Pauls, North Carolina

Town of St. Pauls’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • The town webpage identifies a zoning officer and links to the current zoning documents and zoning ordinance.

  “Zoning Officer Tina Odom email: tina@stpaulsnc.gov To view the Current Zoning Documents click here [...] St Pauls Zoning Ordinance [...] Town of St Pauls 2022 Official Zoning Map”

Rules another office applies inside Town of St. Pauls

Town of St. Pauls 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 and other listed building work inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • Statutory exceptions include work described in G.S. 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h).

  “without first securing all permits required”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside St. Pauls town limits under the statewide North Carolina State Building Code.

  “The North Carolina State Building Code shall consist of the following Code volumes: [...] North Carolina Building Code. [...] North Carolina Residential Code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under a building permit inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • Inspections are made as necessary; an owner exempt from licensure must be present unless plans were drawn and sealed by a licensed architect.

  “local inspectors shall make as many inspections thereof as may be necessary”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New, enlarged, altered, or moved buildings inside St. Pauls town limits.

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

  “until the inspection department has issued a certificate of compliance.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, construction, or repair of an on-site wastewater system inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • Exceptions exist for an engineered option permit under G.S. 130A-336.1 or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option under G.S. 130A-336.2; no improvement permit or construction authorization is required for maintenance.

  “unless an Improvement Permit and a Construction Authorization have been obtained”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Department-approved off-site wastewater systems inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • The proposed system must meet the specific conditions of Department approval under Commission rules.

  “a unit of local government shall not prohibit or regulate by ordinance”

• Well permitRequired

  Private drinking-water wells inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • Repair permits are not required for maintenance that does not break or open the well seal, or for repair or replacement of only a pump or tank.

  “unless a construction permit has been obtained from the local health department.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Access from a state-maintained right-of-way to property inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • The opened Robeson County checklist states this condition only for access from a state-maintained right-of-way.

  “except in accordance with a written permit from the Department of Transportation”

• Permit processPartial

  Building-permit plan review for construction inside St. Pauls town limits.

  • The quoted deadlines apply where a local government chooses to review residential plans; sealed plans are required where General Statutes require an architect or engineer.

  initial residential plan review: <= 15 business days (If a local government chooses to review residential building plans.)

  “within 15 business days of submission of the plans.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside St. Pauls town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside St. Pauls town limits.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside St. Pauls town limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside St. Pauls town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside St. Pauls 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.