Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Falls City, Nebraska

Falls City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and alterations inside Falls City zoning jurisdiction (zoning permit)

  • The quoted rule is the zoning permit; the building code definition says city codes require building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and other permits
  • Duplicate of any permit for improvements of $1,000 or more goes to the county assessor (§9-303)

  “it shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for the construction of any building, or any accessory buildings, or to commence the moving or alteration of any buildings, including accessory buildings, until the zoning administrator has issued a zoning permit for such work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings erected, altered or moved inside Falls City city limits

  • Local amendments: sections 101.1, 1612.3, 3412.2 insertions and section 105.2 paragraphs 1 through 6 deleted
  • Residential code covers one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories
  • Code amended by Ord. 2019-100

  International Building Code edition: 2012 · International Residential Code edition: 2012

  “the international building code, 2012 edition, as published by the international code council, inc. in book form is hereby incorporated by reference”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Falls City city limits

  • Zoning administered by a zoning administrator appointed by the city council
  • Posted zoning PDF is dated 2013; the code page records approval on November 7, 2014 as Ord. 2014-108

  “the municipality is hereby divided into 13 districts, designated as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Falls City city limits

  • Districts include TA-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, RM, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1, I-2, PUD, H-1 per the table of contents

  number of districts: 13

  “the municipality is hereby divided into 13 districts, designated as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district, single-family detached, inside Falls City

  • Other districts (R-2, R-3, RM, TA-1) have separate tables, not extracted
  • Table text is flattened in the source; header order is lot area, lot width, front yard, rear yard, side yard, max height, max building coverage, max impervious coverage

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 80 feet

  “single-family detached 10,000 80 25 35** 5 35 40 50 other permitted uses 10,000 80 25 35** 10* 35 40 50”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district, single-family detached, inside Falls City

  • Source table is flattened; column assignment inferred from header order (front, rear, side)
  • ** footnote refers to Section 4.22 (rear yard setback reductions)
  • Other districts not extracted

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 35 feet (see Section 4.22) · side yard: >= 5 feet

  “single-family detached 10,000 80 25 35** 5 35 40 50 other permitted uses 10,000 80 25 35** 10* 35 40 50”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district, single-family detached, inside Falls City

  • Source table is flattened; assignment inferred from header order (max height, max building coverage, max impervious coverage)

  maximum building coverage: <= 40 percent · maximum impervious coverage: <= 50 percent

  “single-family detached 10,000 80 25 35** 5 35 40 50 other permitted uses 10,000 80 25 35** 10* 35 40 50”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district, single-family detached, inside Falls City

  • Source table is flattened; assignment inferred from header order
  • Section 4.14 permits some height modifications

  maximum height: <= 35 feet

  “single-family detached 10,000 80 25 35** 5 35 40 50 other permitted uses 10,000 80 25 35** 10* 35 40 50”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on lots with a single-family dwelling inside Falls City

  • Only where permitted by the district use matrix (not read)
  • Must be on same lot as a single-family dwelling, attached or detached
  • Must have its own cooking and bathing facilities
  • Electric, water and sewer service must come from the single-family dwelling; no separate utilities
  • Must match the principal dwelling's architectural style, materials and colors

  minimum floor area: >= 500 sq ft · maximum floor area: <= 7500 sq ft

  “an accessory dwelling unit, where permitted, must meet the following conditions: 1. it must be on the same lot, either attached or detached with another single-family dwelling unit.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Falls City city limits

  • Permitted only where public sewer is not available
  • System design must follow NDEQ recommendations (§3-712)
  • Health officer may impose additional requirements (§3-714)

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Falls City city limits

  • Permit is not effective until installation is completed to the superintendent's satisfaction (§3-711)
  • No permit for subsurface soil absorption when lot is under 6,000 square feet (§3-712)

  permit and inspection fee: 25 USD

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system installation inside Falls City city limits

  • Inspection made within 48 hours of notice by the superintendent
  • Notice must be given before underground portions are covered

  “the inspection shall be made within forty-eight (48) hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater systems inside Falls City city limits

  • Allowed only where public sewer is not available, with permit
  • Must be abandoned and filled once public sewer becomes available

  “where a public sanitary or combined sewer is not available under the provisions of section 3-708, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties used for human occupancy inside Falls City abutting a street or alley with a public sewer

  • Applies only when the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line
  • Connection due within 90 days after official notice
  • Water connection rule not found

  distance to public sewer: <= 100 feet · connection deadline: 90 days (after official notice)

  “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so; provided, that said public sewer is within one hundred feet (100') of the property line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Falls City

  • Separate subdivision regulations document; its content was not opened
  • Zoning ordinance Section 4.25 requires fees to be paid before any subdivision action is investigated

  “chapter 12. subdivision regulations [editor's note: subdivision regulations were approved on november 7, 2020 for the city of falls city. ord. 2014-107”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning and subdivision permit fees inside Falls City

  • Fee amounts are in a separate council resolution not opened
  • Fees due before issuance or investigation

  “such fees shall be adopted and published by the city council by separate resolution.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits inside Falls City zoning jurisdiction

  • Applicant submits a dimensioned sketch or scale plan of buildings
  • Conditional use permits go through planning commission and council (Article 6)
  • Building permit application forms exist on the city site but were not opened

  “in applying to the zoning administrator for a zoning permit, the applicant shall submit a dimensioned sketch or a scale plan indicating the shape, size and height and location of all buildings”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Falls City or Richardson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Falls City city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Falls City city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Falls City city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside Falls City city limits
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Falls City city 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.