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

Rules another office applies inside Town of Harrells

Town of Harrells 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 Harrells town limits.

  • Exceptions include G.S. 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h).
  • For qualifying work costing $40,000 or less, G.S. 160D-1110(c) provides exemptions subject to listed exceptions, including load-bearing work, design changes to plumbing, HVAC or electrical work, unpermitted materials, new roofing, and work subject to the Fire Code.

  “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:”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Harrells town limits, which are within North Carolina.

  • The statute provides that the Code applies throughout the State, except as otherwise provided in G.S. 143-138.

  “Except as otherwise provided in this section, the North Carolina State Building Code shall apply throughout the State, from the time of its adoption.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work completed under a building permit inside Harrells town limits.

  • The final inspection occurs at the conclusion of work done under a building permit.
  • The completed work must comply with applicable State and local laws and the permit terms.

  “At the conclusion of all work done under a building permit, the appropriate inspector shall make a final inspection, and, if the completed work complies with all applicable State and local laws and with the terms of the permit, the inspector shall issue a certificate of compliance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings, additions or enlargements, and altered or moved buildings inside Harrells town limits.

  • A temporary certificate of occupancy may permit occupancy for a stated period if the inspector finds safe occupancy before final completion.
  • The temporary certificate is available if State Building Code conditions and requirements are met.

  “Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, no new building or part thereof may be occupied, no addition or enlargement of an existing building may be occupied, and no existing building that has been altered or moved may be occupied, until the inspection department has issued a certificate of compliance.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems inside Harrells town limits.

  • The State statute assigns permit and inspection functions to the Department or local health department, subject to statutory engineered-option and authorized-evaluator alternatives.
  • Harrells straddles Sampson and Duplin counties; the official sources opened did not identify which local health department administers an individual in-town parcel.

  “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

  Installation, construction, or repair of an on-site wastewater system for land inside Harrells town limits.

  • An Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization are required unless work proceeds under the conditions and criteria of an engineered-option permit or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option.
  • No Improvement Permit or Construction Authorization is required for maintenance of a wastewater system.

  “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

  A wastewater system before it is covered or placed into use inside Harrells town limits.

  • An Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator or qualifying Private Compliance Inspector may conduct certain required verifications or inspections under statutory alternatives.
  • The system may not be covered or used until the statutory inspection condition is met.

  “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

  Off-grid sanitation and on-site wastewater systems inside Harrells town limits.

  • A wastewater system may be installed or repaired only after required approval, unless it qualifies for the statutory engineered-option or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator alternative.
  • This claim does not determine whether a particular off-grid device meets the statutory definition of a wastewater system.

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

• Well permitRequired

  Private drinking-water wells inside Harrells town limits.

  • Wells subject to Environmental Management Commission permitting under G.S. 87-88 are excepted from the local-health-department permit provision.
  • A repair permit is not required for repair or replacement of a pump or tank.
  • A repair permit is not required for maintenance that does not involve breaking or opening the well seal.

  “Construct or assist in the construction of a private drinking water well unless a construction permit has been obtained from the local health department.”

• Permit processPartial

  State-law building-permit process applicable to work inside Harrells town limits.

  • This is a statutory process component, not a published Harrells application procedure.
  • For a local government that reviews residential plans, the initial review must be concurrent with other project-development approvals; if the review is not performed within 20 business days, the statute provides a fee refund mechanism.

  initial review deadline before statutory fee-refund mechanism: > 20 business days (Applies where the local government reviews residential plans for building-permit issuance.)

  “A local government that reviews residential building plans for the purpose of building permit issuance shall perform its initial review concurrently with processes for project development approvals required from other State, federal, and local agencies. If a local government does not perform its initial review within 20 business days of submission of the plans, the local government shall refund to the building permit applicant a portion of their total permit application fee.”

Still unanswered

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

• Local zoning — Land inside Harrells town limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Harrells town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Harrells town limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Harrells town limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Harrells 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.