Bolthole Index

Lorain County, Ohio

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Amherst Township, Ohio

Amherst Township in Lorain County, Ohio runs its own zoning: every parcel sits in a district under the Township Zoning Resolution, and a zoning permit comes from the township zoning inspector12. Lorain County has no building department of its own3. Septic systems answer to Lorain County Public Health, not the township4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. Township Zoning Resolution, administered by the township zoning inspector12
Building permits
Not run by Lorain County; residential approval authority in the township not confirmed3
Septic
Lorain County Public Health4
Temporary trailer while building
Up to 18 months with a temporary zoning permit and a bond of at least $1,0005
Minimum home size (R-AG, R-1)
1,200 sq ft of living area67
Minimum lot (R-AG / R-1)
1 acre / 1/2 acre89
Floodplain
County permit for ground disturbance in a 100-year Flood Zone10

Who to call

Zoning

Amherst Township Zoning Inspector

Zoning permits, site plan review and zoning applications for land in Amherst Township

440-988-5894

[email protected]

Also useful

Amherst Township Hall

Township offices and trustee meetings

440-988-5894

7530 Oberlin Road Elyria, OH 44035

Building permits

Regional Inspection Services (commercial building approval)

Certified Ohio building official listed on the township's building page for non-residential plan approval

(440) 396-0225

[email protected]

Septic permits

Lorain County Public Health - Household Sewage Treatment Systems

Household sewage treatment system permits and operation and maintenance oversight countywide

440-322-6367

9880 Murray Ridge Rd., Elyria, OH 44035

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Amherst Township, Ohio have zoning?

Yes. All land in Amherst Township is divided into districts, and uses and structures must comply with the district they sit in and the Township Zoning Resolution1. The published district list covers residential, non-residential, special and planned-development districts11. The township zoning inspector issues zoning permits, and the office says permits take 5-7 business days to process, so apply before you need one2.

Zoning is separate from building approval. Lorain County's rules for subdivisions and its planning staff serve the unincorporated townships, but the township's own resolution decides what you can build on a parcel12.

Do you need a building permit in Amherst Township, and who issues it?

Lorain County does not operate a building department; it points applicants to the local municipality, the township, or the State of Ohio for plan review and permits3. The township's zoning resolution refers to building regulations adopted and administered by Amherst Township13. For commercial work, the township's building page lists Regional Inspection Services as its certified Ohio building official and requires a zoning permit first14.

We could not confirm who reviews and inspects a new single-family house in the township. Ask the zoning inspector2 before you buy. Ohio requires a residential building to receive approval from the residential building official before anyone occupies it15.

What are the lot size, setback and home size rules in Amherst Township?

Rules differ by district. In R-AG (Agricultural Residential) the minimum lot is 1 acre with 125 ft of width; in R-1 (Low Density Residential) it is 1/2 acre with 75 ft89. Single-family homes in both districts need at least 1,200 sq ft of living area, excluding garages, carports and open porches67.

In R-AG, principal buildings need a 50 ft front yard (70 ft on a major, federal or state highway), 20 ft side yards and a 50 ft rear yard16. In R-1 the rear yard is 35 ft and side yards are 7.5 ft17. Lot coverage including accessory buildings is capped at 30% in both1819. Houses top out at 35 ft, and accessory buildings at 16 ft on lots under an acre or 26 ft on lots of an acre or more20.

Can you live in an RV or trailer on your land in Amherst Township?

Only in limited cases. A trailer, mobile home or similar structure may serve as a temporary residence for up to 18 months while a permanent dwelling is under construction, with a temporary zoning permit, one temporary dwelling per lot, no renewal, and a performance bond of at least $1,0005. After a fire or similar loss, emergency use needs a temporary zoning permit, a bond filed within 60 days, and approved sanitary facilities5.

We could not confirm township rules for tiny homes, accessory dwellings or tent camping. The zoning schedule allows no more than one dwelling per lot, so ask the zoning inspector first2.

How do septic permits work in Amherst Township?

Septic is a county health matter. Lorain County Public Health requires every homeowner with a household sewage treatment system to hold an operation and maintenance permit21. The one-year fee is $40 and the three-year fee is $12022. New, replacement or altered systems also need an installation or alteration permit from the board of health21. Call Lorain County Public Health23.

USDA rates 0% of Lorain County's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system24. Private wells need a permit from the board of health before construction25.

Building a home in Amherst Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the zoning inspector to confirm your district, lot size and setbacks2.
  2. Ask who reviews residential building plans in the township; Lorain County does not3.
  3. Get septic site review and permits from Lorain County Public Health, plus a well permit if you need one2325.
  4. Check driveway permits: the County Engineer, the township or the Ohio Department of Transportation may issue them depending on the road26.
  5. Apply for the zoning permit, then build.
  6. Get occupancy approval before moving in15.

What to check before you buy land in Amherst Township

Confirm the district on the township zoning map and whether your parcel touches a state highway, which increases the front yard to 70 ft in R-AG16. Ground disturbance in a 100-year Flood Zone needs a Lorain County permit10. Splitting land can trigger county subdivision review; a development of five or more lots, or a new road, is a major subdivision27.

For land outside the township, see the Lorain County page. Lorain County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%28.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who issues and inspects residential building permits in Amherst Township; ask the zoning inspector before you close2.
  • The township's building page shows commercial contacts only, so do not assume the commercial building official handles a house14.
  • Rules above are for the districts named; other districts have different lot sizes and setbacks11.

Sources

  1. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 500 — Districts and Their Boundaries (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Amherst Township Zoning Inspector (amhersttownship.us)
  3. Frequently Asked Questions: Does the County have a Building Department?, quoted and re-checked
  4. Household Sewage Treatment Systems (2026 county census)
  5. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 300 — General Provisions (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Flood Plain Program, quoted and re-checked
  11. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 500 — Districts and Their Boundaries (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Planning and Zoning | Lorain County, OH, quoted and re-checked
  13. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 300 — General Provisions (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Regional Inspection Services (commercial building approval) (amhersttownship.us)
  15. Residential Code of Ohio, Section 111, quoted and re-checked
  16. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 600 — Single-Family Residential District Regulations (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Household Sewage Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  22. Household Sewage Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  23. Lorain County Public Health - Household Sewage Treatment Systems (loraincountyhealth.com)
  24. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Chapter 3701-28 Private Water Systems, quoted and re-checked
  26. Lorain County Subdivision Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  27. Amherst Township Zoning Resolution, Article 300 — General Provisions (Amherst Township), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Amherst Township

Amherst Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Structures subject to Amherst Township zoning regulations.

    • The cited zoning provision identifies Township-adopted and administered building regulations but does not identify a particular model-code edition.
    “The requirements of the building regulations, adopted and administered by Amherst Township.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land in Amherst Township, Lorain County, Ohio.

    • Uses and structures must comply with the district in which the land is located and the Township Zoning Resolution.
    “For the purpose of this Resolution, all land areas in Amherst Township, Lorain County, Ohio are hereby divided into districts.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    All land areas in Amherst Township, Lorain County, Ohio.

    • The published district list includes residential, non-residential, special, and planned-development districts.
    “These districts and the identifying symbol associated with each are as follows:”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    A trailer or mobile home used as a temporary residence on a lot in Amherst Township.

    • During construction of a permanent dwelling, the use may not exceed 18 months, requires a temporary zoning permit, allows only one temporary dwelling on a lot, cannot be renewed or extended, and requires a performance bond of at least $1,000.
    • Emergency use while a destroyed or uninhabitable dwelling is repaired or reconstructed requires a temporary zoning permit, a performance bond filed within 60 days, and approved sanitary facilities.

    construction-period temporary residence: <= 18 months (Only while a permanent dwelling is being constructed.) · minimum performance bond: >= 1000 USD (Required with the construction-period application.)

    “A temporary basement home, trailer, mobile home or similar structure may be used as a temporary residence on a lot for a period not to exceed 18 months during the time a permanent dwelling is being constructed.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways in Amherst Township zoning districts.

    • In a cul-de-sac, the two-foot side-lot-line separation must be maintained or be as close to two feet as possible pending lot frontage.
    • A driveway may not be established from a road in one district to land in another district.

    minimum driveway distance from side lot line: >= 2 ft (Cul-de-sac exception based on lot frontage.)

    “Driveways are to be located with a minimum of 2 feet from a side lot line. In a cul-de-sac, a minimum of 2 feet is to be maintained or close to the 2 feet as possible pending lot frontage.”

Rules another office applies inside Amherst Township

Amherst Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwelling units in Amherst Township's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • The stated living area excludes open patios, open terraces or courts, open breezeways, outside steps, garages, and carports.

    minimum living area: >= 1200 sq ft (Single-family dwelling unit in R-1.)

    “Minimum Living Area for a Single-family dwelling unit 1,200 sq. ft 1,200 sq. ft 1,200 sq. ft 1,000 sq. ft”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residential lots in Amherst Township's R-AG Agricultural Residential District.

    • Agricultural minimum area is 5 acres; the Schedule notes that the minimum area for farm animals is 2 acres.
    • No more than one dwelling is permitted on a lot.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (Residential lot in R-AG.) · minimum lot width: >= 125 ft (Cul-de-sacs and curves have a 40-foot minimum frontage if minimum width is maintained at the building line.)

    “2. Minimum Lot Area(2) 1 acre 1/2 acre 12,500 sq.ft. 5,000 sq.ft. 3. Minimum Lot Width(3) 125 ft 75 ft 75 ft 40 ft”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings and principal uses in Amherst Township's R-AG Agricultural Residential District.

    • Lots fronting on a major thoroughfare, federal highway, or state highway have a 70-foot minimum front yard.
    • Where 50% or more of street frontage is developed, the new-construction front yard is the average front-yard depth of the two adjacent dwellings.

    minimum front yard: >= 50 ft (70 feet on specified major, federal, or state roads.) · minimum corner side yard: >= 25 ft · minimum rear yard: >= 50 ft · minimum side yard: >= 20 ft

    “1. Minimum Front Yard Depth 50 ft.(b) (c) 50 ft.(c) 50 ft.(c) 15 ft.(c) 2. Minimum Corner Side Yard 25 ft. 25 ft. 25 ft. 2 ft. 3. Minimum Rear Yard Depth 50 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 30 ft. 4. Minimum Side Yard Width 20 ft. 7.5 ft. 7.5 ft. 3 ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Residential lots in Amherst Township's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Coverage includes accessory buildings.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent of lot area (Including accessory buildings.)

    “4. Maximum Percentage of Lot Coverage (including accessory buildings) 30% of lot area 30% of lot area 30% of lot area 40% of lot area”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings and structures in Amherst Township's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Accessory-building maximum height depends on whether lot size is below one acre or at least one acre.

    maximum principal-building height: <= 35 ft (Also limited to 2.5 stories.) · maximum accessory-building height: <= 16 ft (Lots smaller than one acre.) · maximum accessory-building height: <= 26 ft (Lots at least one acre.)

    “Principal buildings or structures shall not exceed a height of 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet. Accessory buildings or structures on lot sizes less than 1 acre shall not exceed 16 feet and on lot sizes greater than or equal to 1 acre shall not exceed 26 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision activity in Amherst Township subject to Lorain County Subdivision Regulations.

    • The Township zoning resolution identifies the Lorain County Planning Commission and Lorain County Commissioners as the adopting and administering authorities.
    • A development of five or more lots and/or opening or extension of a road right-of-way is a major subdivision.

    major-subdivision threshold: >= 5 lots (Also applies to opening or extension of a road right-of-way.)

    “Any development of five or more lots and/or the opening or extension of a road right-of-way is considered a major subdivision.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Amherst Township or Lorain County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential building construction in Amherst Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Amherst Township.
  • Inspections — Residential construction in Amherst Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy in Amherst Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary tent or similar camping on private land in Amherst Township.
13 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Amherst Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lorain County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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