Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Muldrow, Oklahoma

Town of Muldrow’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Constructing, altering or moving a building or structure inside Muldrow town

  • Permit is issued by the town clerk-treasurer
  • Separate plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits also required

  “It is unlawful for any person to construct, alter, or move a building or structure, or to begin to do the same, without securing from the town clerk-treasurer a building permit therefor.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-occupied single-family dwelling electrical work inside Muldrow town (similar plumbing rule in 8-4(b)(1))

  • Dwelling used exclusively for living purposes
  • Bona fide owner who will occupy it
  • Owner personally purchases all material and performs all labor
  • Applies to electrical and plumbing permits; not shown for the general building permit

  “provided the person is the bona fide owner of such dwelling and that the same will be occupied by the owner, and that the owner shall personally purchase all material and perform all labor in connection therewith.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Muldrow town

  • 2015 IBC, IEBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IFGC adopted with local amendments
  • 2017 NFPA 58 and 2017 NFPA 70 adopted

  ICC code edition: 2015 (NFPA 58 and NFPA 70 are 2017 editions)

  “The 2015 editions of the following codes, published by the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC), are adopted by reference as though fully set forth in this chapter”

• InspectionsLimited

  Plumbing installations inside Muldrow town

  • Sec. 8-4 states inspection duties for plumbing and electrical work; a general building inspection requirement was not located in the sections reviewed

  plumbing inspection time after notice: <= 24 hours

  “it shall be the duty of the person installing same to notify the plumbing inspector and the inspector shall inspect the installation within 24 hours after notice is given.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Muldrow town limits

  • Chapter 46 Zoning establishes A-1, R-1, R-2, T-1, T-2, M-1 and M-2 districts

  “The specific regulations of this section will apply to the R-1 one-family residence district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 one-family residence district inside Muldrow town, single-family dwelling

  • Wedge-shaped lots may have less frontage at the front property line if frontage is met at the front building line
  • Other uses need 1 acre and 100 feet

  minimum lot area: >= 9000 sq ft · minimum frontage: >= 70 feet

  “single-family dwelling 9,000 square feet 70 feet*”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 one- and two-family district inside Muldrow town, single-family

    “single-family 6,000 square feet 60 feet*”

  • Specified — A-1 Agricultural District inside Muldrow town, permitted uses

    “permitted uses 5 acres 330 feet 25 feet 15 feet 5 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 district inside Muldrow town, single-family dwelling

  • Other uses: 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 50 ft rear

  front yard: >= 25 feet · side yard: >= 15 feet · rear yard: >= 5 feet (table also lists total 20% of lot depth)

  “single-family dwelling 25 feet 15 feet 5 feet 20% of lot depth”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 district inside Muldrow town, one- and two-family

    “one- and two-family 25 feet 10 feet 5 feet 20% lot depth”

  • Specified — A-1 Agricultural District inside Muldrow town

    “permitted uses 5 acres 330 feet 25 feet 15 feet 5 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 district inside Muldrow town

  • 50 percent cap applies to uses other than single-family; no cap stated for single-family dwellings

  maximum coverage: <= 50 percent (uses other than single-family)

  “the maximum coverage of any lot in the r-1 district shall not exceed 50 percent of the lot area for uses other than single-family.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 district inside Muldrow town (R-2 also 35 ft and 2½ stories)

  • Measured from mean lot elevation

  maximum height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “no dwelling in the r-1 district shall be constructed with a height in excess of 35 feet from the mean lot elevation nor shall it exceed 2½ stories.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 Agricultural District inside Muldrow town

    “no dwelling or structure in the a-1 district shall be constructed with a height in excess of 35 feet.”

• Septic permitLimited

  New dwellings in R-1, R-2 and A-1 districts inside Muldrow town without a public sewer connection

  • County health officer certification required before a septic system may serve the dwelling
  • T-1 and T-2 districts require public sewer connection

  “unless or until the county public health officer certifies that a septic tank or any substitute disposal system can be satisfactorily installed on the lot.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Septic installation approval on R-1 lots inside Muldrow town

  • Tests at health officer's discretion
  • Tests at the homeowner's expense

  “the health officer may require such precautionary tests as he deems to be necessary.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  R-1 district lots inside Muldrow town

  • Septic only after county public health officer certification
  • Sewer mandatory under Sec. 44-31 for dwellings capable of discharging wastewater

  “unless or until the county public health officer certifies that a septic tank or any substitute disposal system can be satisfactorily installed on the lot.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Residential dwellings and commercial establishments inside Muldrow town

  • Applies to those capable of discharging wastewater
  • Connection application accompanied by fees set by the town board
  • Zoning sections for R-1, R-2 and A-1 allow a septic system if the county health officer certifies it
  • Public water connection rule not found

  “It is mandatory for all residential dwellings and all commercial establishments which are capable of discharging wastewater, in addition to all residences and dwellings, to connect to the town sewer system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions inside Muldrow town

  • Chapter 38 Subdivisions sets design standards; only the alley section was reviewed

  minimum residential alley width: >= 20 feet (when provided)

  “Alleys in residential areas shall not be less than 20 feet in width when provided.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits inside Muldrow town

  • Building permit from the town clerk-treasurer; plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits are separate
  • Application forms and timelines not found

  “without securing from the town clerk-treasurer a building permit therefor.”

Still unanswered

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

• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Muldrow town
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in R-1, R-2 and A-1 inside Muldrow town
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Muldrow town
• Well permit — Private wells inside Muldrow town
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural building permit exemption inside Muldrow town

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.