Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Cortland, Nebraska

Village of Cortland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building, altering, repairing, adding onto, remodeling or moving any structure inside Cortland village limits

  • Structure is defined to include houses, garages, commercial buildings, retaining walls, fences, and any other structure of any kind (154.03(h)(3)).
  • Construction may proceed only after the application is received and a permit is issued; the village board acts on the application (154.03(h)(5)).
  • Application must include location, type of work, owner, contractor, time span, cost, affected utilities and, if water and sewer service are needed, a showing of compliance with 51.03 and 52.03 (154.03(h)(4)).

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to build, alter, repair, add onto, remodel, or move any structure within the village limits without first applying for and receiving a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Cortland village limits and its zoning jurisdiction, under the village's own adopted codes (Code Chapter 150)

  • Incorporation is 'insofar as said code does not conflict with the statutes of the state'.
  • Also adopted in Chapter 150: Uniform Plumbing Code (150.17), National Electrical Code (150.18), International Residential Code (150.20) and Uniform Housing Code, 1973 edition (150.16).
  • Adoption wording is 'most current edition' for IBC, plumbing, electrical and residential codes; edition in force was not confirmed beyond the code text (current through ordinance 2020-06).

  “the international building code, most current edition, printed in book or pamphlet form, is hereby incorporated by reference in addition to all amended editions as though printed in full herein insofar as said code does not conflict with the statutes of the state.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cortland village limits: the village adopts and administers its own zoning regulations, incorporated by reference in Code Chapter 154 (Zoning)

  • Zoning jurisdiction described in Code 154.02(a) also reaches properties up to one mile beyond the corporate limits; this claim is limited to land inside village limits.
  • The zoning regulations document incorporated by reference in 154.01 was not located online; its text and amendments were not reviewed. Code text reviewed is current through ordinance 2020-06 per the American Legal Publishing overview.
  • Zoning map is kept in the village clerk's office for public inspection (154.02(b)).

  “the zoning regulations for the village, presented and prepared by said village, are hereby adopted.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Cortland village limits named in Code 154.03(a)

  • District names only: the code names AG-1, AG-2, R2, R3, C1, C2 and I districts; the code text writes them as ag-1, ag-2, r2, r3, c1, c2 and i.
  • District boundaries are on the official zoning map kept in the village clerk's office (154.02); the map was not found online.
  • Use and dimensional standards per district were not located.

  “for the filing of an application for a change of zone to the ag-1, ag-2, r2, r3, c1, c2, and i districts:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes placed for habitation inside Cortland village limits

  • Each home must have wheels, axles, transporting lights and removable towing apparatus removed (150.47(c)).
  • Each home must have permanent connections to utilities complying with the uniform plumbing code and national electrical code (150.47(b)(6)).
  • Siding must extend to the ground or the foundation must form a complete enclosure under exterior walls; space beneath must be ventilated (150.47(e)).
  • Each home is considered a single-family detached structure for site development regulations (150.47(f)).
  • Recreational vehicles and travel trailers are excluded from the definition (150.47(a)). Other 150.47 standards (roof pitch, siding, label) are not repeated here.

  minimum floor area: >= 900 square feet

  “each manufactured home and mobile home shall have: (1) a floor area of at least 900 square feet;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Cortland village limits under the village subdivision regulations

  • Subdivision regulations are Code Chapter 152 (Subdivisions); its substantive standards were not opened.
  • Plan review reimbursement is 100% of actual village costs, or as negotiated by the subdivider or sanitary and improvement district before costs are incurred (154.03(f)).

  subdivision application filing fee: 5000 USD (plus plan review reimbursement under 154.03(f))

  “the filing fee for a subdivision application shall be $5,000.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Village zoning, building permit and subdivision fees for land inside Cortland village limits

  • Fees are set in Code 154.03; amendments after the code's current-through date (ordinance 2020-06) were not checked.
  • Under no condition is a fee refunded for failure of an application to be granted (154.03 lead-in).
  • Change-of-zone fee tiers apply to AG-1, AG-2, R2, R3, C1, C2 and I districts.

  building permit filing fee: 25 USD · change of zone application fee, area one acre or less: 100 USD · change of zone application fee, area over one acre: 200 USD · special permit filing fee: 100 USD · board of zoning adjustment filing fee: 100 USD · subdivision application filing fee: 5000 USD (plus plan review reimbursement)

  “the filing fee for building permits shall be $25.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process inside Cortland village limits

  • Application must be made to the village; the village board takes action at its next regular meeting; denial reasons must be written and given to the applicant (154.03(h)(5)).
  • Required application contents are listed in 154.03(h)(4).
  • The zoning permit process in the zoning regulations document was not located; inspection steps are not stated in the sections reviewed.

  “the village board shall take action on the application for a building permit at its next regular meeting.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Cortland village limits
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Cortland village limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings inside Cortland village limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the residential district (r2) and agricultural district (ag-1) named in Code 154.03(a) inside Cortland village limits
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the residential district (r2) and agricultural district (ag-1) named in Code 154.03(a) inside Cortland village 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Cortland means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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