Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Whitewood, South Dakota

Whitewood’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Whitewood city

  • Local amendments in § 150.021 (climatic and geographic design criteria).
  • Copy kept on file with the city building official.

  adopted codes: 2021 IRC (chapters 1-24 and 44) and 2021 IBC

  “the common council hereby adopts the 2021 international residential code for one- and two-family dwellings, chapters 1-24 and 44, the 2021 international building code as published by the international code council. a copy of the code shall be on file in the office of the city building official.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Whitewood city limits

  • Annexed territory is automatically classified GR1 (§ 155.024).

  “for the purposes of this chapter, the city is divided into the following zoning districts: (a) general residential 1: gr1; (b) general residential 2: gr2;”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Whitewood city zoning districts

  • Districts: GR1, GR2, GR2A, LC/O, HS, IND, GOVT, PR.

  “for the purposes of this chapter, the city is divided into the following zoning districts: (a) general residential 1: gr1; (b) general residential 2: gr2;”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Detached single-family homes in the GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • Applies to site-built conventional homes in GR1; other districts not reviewed.

  minimum floor area: >= 700 sq ft

  “detached single-family homes, which are of conventional construction and are constructed as per the adopted building code on site, containing a minimum of 700 square feet;”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • Without public or community sewer: one acre, unless an adequate percolation test leads the state department to set a lesser minimum.
  • Churches: not less than 10,000 sq ft.
  • Other districts not reviewed.

  minimum lot area with sewer: >= 7500 sq ft · minimum lot area without sewer: >= 1 acre (may be less if percolation test supports a lesser state-set minimum)

  “served by a public or community sanitary sewer system, there shall be a lot area of not less than 7,500 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Dwellings in the GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • Other permitted uses: 35 ft front; 25 ft side.
  • Interior-lot dwelling side yard at least 8 ft; accessory buildings at rear at least 3 ft side.
  • Rear yard for main buildings at least 10 ft; detached accessory buildings at least 3 ft.
  • Corner lots must provide front yard along each street.
  • Other districts not reviewed.

  front yard, dwellings: >= 25 ft · side yard, dwellings on interior lots: >= 8 ft · rear yard, main buildings: >= 10 ft

  “for dwellings there shall be a minimum front yard setback of 25 feet, and in no case shall an accessory building be located to extend into the front yard setback.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • Other districts not reviewed.

  maximum coverage by all structures: <= 40 percent of lot area

  “main and accessory buildings shall cover not more than 40% of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • Accessory buildings may not exceed 15 ft.
  • Chimneys, flagpoles, antennae and similar appurtenances excepted; churches/schools may exceed if yards are increased.
  • Other districts not reviewed.

  maximum main building height: <= 35 ft (or 2.5 stories) (appurtenances; public/semi-public buildings with larger yards)

  “no main building shall exceed two and one-half stories or 35 feet in height”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  GR1 district inside Whitewood city

  • GR1 permitted single-family homes must be conventional construction or code-compliant modular; manufactured homes are not listed as a permitted use.
  • Manufactured home parks may be permitted only upon review by the planning commission and common council (see § 155.061(a)).
  • Other zoning districts not reviewed.

  “the planning commission and the common council may permit the following uses upon review: (1) manufactured home parks (see § 155.061 (a));”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits inside Whitewood city

  • Fee based on project valuation; the code also says fees are set by resolution of the common council.
  • Fee table starts at $24 for valuations $1 to $500.

  minimum permit fee: 24 USD (valuation $1 to $500)

  “a fee based on the total valuation for each building permit shall be paid to the city financial office. the fees shall be set by resolution of the common council.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Whitewood city
• Inspections — Construction inside Whitewood city
• Certificate of occupancy — Whitewood city
• Living in an RV — Whitewood city
• Camping on your land — Whitewood city

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.