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

Town of Cleveland’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Erection, movement, extension, enlargement, or structural alteration of a building or other structure inside Cleveland town limits, for the town zoning permit.

  • This evidence establishes a municipal zoning-permit prerequisite; it does not establish the separate state building-permit process or its administrator.

  “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, extended or enlarged or structurally altered until a zoning permit for such work has been authorized in writing by the Zoning Administrator.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy or use of a building erected, structurally altered, or moved inside Cleveland town limits; changes of use; and requested review of existing building or land.

  • For an existing building or land, issuance is upon request and after reasonable time is given for the Zoning Administrator's inspection for compliance or noncompliance.

  “A certificate of occupancy issued by the Zoning Administrator is required in advance of: 1. occupancy or use of a building hereafter erected, structurally altered or moved; 2. a change of use of any building or land;”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Cleveland, North Carolina.

  • The town advises that zoning-map changes have occurred and that parcel zoning should be verified with Town Hall.

  “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the “Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Cleveland, North Carolina.””

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning districts inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Parallel conditional-use districts are also established for each conventional district.

  “The following Parallel Conditional Use (CU) Districts are hereby established: CU-R15 CU-M1 CU-CBD CU-M2 CU-GBD CU-A1”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R-15 and A-1 districts inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Manufactured homes must meet the ordinance's listed conditions; they are primary structures only. Single-wide homes are allowed only in R-15. The A-1 district permits double-wide or larger manufactured homes subject to Article VIII, Section 8.

  “Manufactured homes are permitted in the R-15 and A-1 district for the Town of Cleveland when they meet the following conditions: (amended 12-14-09, 12-9-14)”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development within or adjacent to identified floodplains inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Rowan County department staff administer an identical Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance for Cleveland through an interlocal agreement.

  “Applicable areas: All areas of Rowan County less municipal and ETJ limits. Through an interlocal agreement, department staff administers an identical Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance for the towns of China Grove, Cleveland, East Spencer, Faith, Granite Quarry, Rockwell, and Spencer.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town Board of Adjustment applications for interpretation, appeal, or variance inside Cleveland town limits.

  • The fee is one established by the Town Board. Fees are not required in actions instituted by the Zoning Administrator.

  “accompanied by a fee to be established by the Town Board shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator. Fees will not be required in actions instituted by the Zoning Administrator.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning-permit applications for buildings and structures inside Cleveland town limits.

  • Applications are accepted only from persons with legal authority, must be complete, and may require certified scaled dimensional plans. A zoning permit becomes invalid if work has not started within six months or is suspended or abandoned for six months.

  zoning permit commencement period: 6 months (Permit becomes invalid if work has not commenced.)

  “Any zoning permit issued shall become invalid unless the work authorized by it shall have commenced within six (6) months from its date of issuance”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder treatment for construction inside Cleveland town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Cleveland town limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Cleveland town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Cleveland town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Cleveland 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.