Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Valley Springs, South Dakota

Valley Springs’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New development, change of use, moving structures, demolition inside Valley Springs city

  • Permit issued by the zoning administrator
  • Ordinance 335 (effective 2018-01-09) amended 4.04.01(a)(2) to require two copies of scaled plans; lot to be professionally surveyed if lot lines are unclear or disputed
  • 3.01.16: permit required for any alteration that changes exterior dimensions of an existing building
  • 3.01.13: permit for improvements of $5,000 or more is conditional on curb and gutter within one year

  “no new development, change of use, moving in/moving out of structures, demolition, or other action which may be regulated by the provisions of this ordinance including use, height, number of occupants, lot area, off-street parking or yard requirements, shall occur without a building permit issued by the zoning administrator.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All territory within Valley Springs city limits (Minnehaha County)

  • Ordinance updated with amendments through March 25, 2020

  “the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all territory within the boundaries of the city of valley springs, south dakota, as established on the official zoning map of the city of valley springs.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Valley Springs city: A, B-1, B-2, F, I-1, I-2, R-1, R-2 districts

  • Official zoning map is on record with the zoning administrator and finance officer
  • Annexed land is placed in the A district until rezoned

  “district a: agricultural b-1: central business b-2: general business f: floodplain i-1: light industrial i-2: general industrial r-1: residential r-2: general residential”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings, citywide, inside Valley Springs city

  • Attached garages, decks and similar structures do not count

  minimum ground floor area: >= 750 square feet (excludes attached garages and decks)

  “the ground floor of each single-family dwelling shall be at least seven hundred-fifty (750) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A Agricultural District inside Valley Springs city

  • One dwelling per parcel under 40 acres recorded before the regulations, and one per parcel of 40 acres or more

  lot area: >= 1 acre · frontage: >= 150 feet

  “minimum lot size frontage: 150 feet area: 1 acre minimum yard size front: 75 feet side: 30 feet rear: 50 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Residential District inside Valley Springs city

    “minimum lot size frontage: 75 feet area: single-family: 7,500 square feet multi-family: 3,000 square feet per unit”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Residential District inside Valley Springs city

  • Accessory buildings: not in front yard, at least 5 feet from side and rear lines (3.01.03(j))

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 7 feet · side yard: >= 20 feet

  “minimum yard size front: 25 feet rear: 7 feet side: 20 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 General Residential District inside Valley Springs city

    “minimum yard size front: 25 feet rear: 7 feet side: 10 feet”

  • Specified — A Agricultural District inside Valley Springs city

    “minimum yard size front: 75 feet side: 30 feet rear: 50 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Accessory buildings in residential districts inside Valley Springs city (limit on combined footprint); no general lot coverage cap for principal buildings found

  • Two accessory buildings per lot: one up to 1,200 sq ft, other up to 144 sq ft; lots of one acre or more may have one up to 2,000 sq ft

  combined footprint of all buildings: <= 50 percent of buildable area (applies where accessory buildings are on the lot)

  “however, in no case shall the combined footprint of all the buildings located on the lot occupy a total of more than fifty percent (50%)”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory buildings in residential districts inside Valley Springs city; principal-building height limit not found

  • Antennas 35 feet or less are permitted; over 35 feet need a conditional use permit

  accessory building sidewall height: <= 10 feet

  “accessory buildings shall not exceed a maximum sidewall height of ten (10) feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes on lots inside Valley Springs city

  • Conditional use permit in A, B-1, R-1 and R-2 districts
  • Must meet HUD standards; may not be installed if more than 10 years between manufacture and permit
  • Permanent foundation extending 42 inches below grade required (except in approved parks, anchored by tie-downs)
  • Must comply with lot and yard requirements and be aesthetically compatible with neighboring dwellings

  minimum exterior width: >= 22 feet (exclusive of overhangs)

  “(b) the exterior dimensions of the structure, exclusive of overhangs, shall be twenty-two (22) feet in width or greater;”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory buildings in the residential districts inside Valley Springs city

  • Applies to accessory buildings in residential districts
  • Farm dwellings are a separate use in the A district

  “(d) accessory buildings may not be used for dwelling purposes.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private septic or other non-sewer sanitation for new construction inside Valley Springs city

  • Existing septic tanks continue as non-conforming uses
  • New construction or substantial improvement must connect to city sewer

  “all existing septic tanks shall be considered non-conforming uses. any new construction or substantial improvement must be connected to the city's sewer system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New construction or substantial improvement inside Valley Springs city

  • No distance or availability threshold stated
  • Manufactured home parks must also connect to central water and wastewater (3.01.06(g))
  • Water connection requirement for single homes not found

  “any new construction or substantial improvement must be connected to the city's sewer system.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Buildings constructed or moved inside Valley Springs city

  • Lot must be adjacent to a public street or have access to an approved private drive
  • Structures must allow safe access for servicing, fire protection and parking

  “every building constructed or moved shall be on a lot adjacent to a public street, or with access to an approved private drive”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Valley Springs city

  • Application available from the zoning administrator or finance officer
  • Completed by the landowner and returned to the zoning administrator
  • Fee schedule set by council resolution; not located

  “an application for building permit, available from the zoning administrator or finance officer, shall be completed by the landowner requesting the building permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Valley Springs or Minnehaha County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Valley Springs city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Valley Springs city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Valley Springs city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Valley Springs city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Valley Springs 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.