Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Medford, Oklahoma

Medford’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Placing a mobile home or house trailer inside Medford city limits

  • Permit issued by the city council.
  • General building permit trigger not located in the pages read.

  “no mobile home or house trailer shall be located upon any lot, parcel or other real property within the city without a permit issued by the city council.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Medford city limits

  • Also adopts 2015 editions of the NEC (2014), existing building, fuel gas, mechanical, plumbing, fire, energy conservation, property maintenance and residential codes.
  • Local insertions apply, e.g. section 101.1 insert: city of medford.

  International Building Code edition: 2015

  “being as the international building code, 2015 edition, including all appendices thereto, as published by the international code council, is hereby adopted as the building code of the city”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Medford city limits

  • Plan review and third-party inspector fees are billed separately.

  “a certificate of occupancy will not be issued until all inspections have been passed.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings permitted inside Medford city limits

  • Issued only after all inspections have been passed.

  “a certificate of occupancy will not be issued until all inspections have been passed.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Medford city limits

  • Appendix A (Zoning) and Appendix B (Airport Zoning Code) are listed in the city code index; the Appendix A PDF exceeded the page-open size limit so its text was not read.

  “chapter 42 utilities appendix a zoning appendix b airport zoning code comparative table”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Mobile homes only inside Medford city limits; district dwelling-size minimums in the zoning appendix were not read

  • Council may waive for good cause.
  • Parks and licensed sales lots excepted.

  minimum mobile home floor area: >= 500 square feet (waiver for good cause; licensed parks and sales lots)

  “no mobile home containing less than 500 square feet shall be located or placed upon any lot or location within the city limits except in a licensed trailer or mobile home park or upon a licensed mobile home sales lot.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Mobile homes and additions inside Medford city limits; zoning district setbacks not read

  • Exception: mobile homes displayed for sale by a licensed dealer or located in a licensed park.

  mobile home distance from property lines: >= 5 feet (licensed dealer display; licensed parks)

  “no mobile home or addition thereto shall be placed within five feet of property lines within the corporate limits of the city, except mobile homes displayed for sale by a licensed dealer or those located in a licensed trailer or mobile home park.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Medford city limits (Code art. VII); applies to mobile homes and house trailers, not necessarily HUD-code homes defined elsewhere

  • Council permit required; applicant must poll owners within 150 feet and certify 75 percent polled.
  • If more than 25 percent of owners within the 150-foot radius object, no permit is issued.
  • Council may refuse a deteriorated mobile home.
  • Council may waive the 500 sq ft minimum for good cause.
  • Mobile homes under 500 sq ft are allowed only in licensed parks or sales lots.

  minimum mobile home size outside parks: >= 500 square feet (council waiver for good cause)

  “if more than 25 percent of the property owners within the 150-foot radius object to the location of the mobile home or house trailer within the radius, then no permit for locating the mobile home or house trailer within the corporate limits of the city shall be issued.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  New buildings inside Medford city limits where a city water line is available

  • Applies where a water line is in a street, alley or easement adjoining or adjacent to the premises at commencement of construction.
  • Where no line is available at commencement, no obligation to connect or pay a fire protection fee (sec. 8-180), except sec. 8-181 when a line later becomes available.
  • Sewer connection rule not found in pages read.

  “for all buildings and structures wherein construction commenced on or after july 1, 2006, all kitchen, culinary, bathroom and drinking facilities shall connect to the city water system”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Trade permits and licenses inside Medford city limits

  • Plan review and third-party inspector fees are billed separately.
  • Other permit fees set by council motion or resolution; schedules on file with city clerk or building inspector (sec. 8-3).
  • License is good for one year.

  electrical/plumbing/mechanical/roofing permit: 40 USD per job · electrical/plumbing/mechanical/roofing license: 50 USD per license (good for one year)

  “electrical, plumbing, mechanical (hvac), and roofing permits: $40 / job”

• Permit processPartial

  Permits inside Medford city limits

  • Page also lists a building permit application form (link not read) and says to call 811 and know your property lines.

  “once you've obtained a permit, permits must be posted on the job site and must be visible from the street.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Medford or Grant County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Medford city limits
• Zoning districts — Inside Medford city limits
• Minimum lot size — Inside Medford city limits
• Lot coverage — Inside Medford city limits
• Building height — Inside Medford 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.