Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Howell, Utah

Town of Howell’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction or alteration of habitable buildings inside Howell town

  • Agricultural buildings need no building permit, but those needing an electrical meter hook-up need an electrical permit
  • Application obtained from the town clerk
  • Application must include a Bear River District Health Department-approved sewage disposal permit, plot plan, plans and water connection approval

  “a building permit is required to construct or alter any habitable building.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Howell town

  • Code editions named are 1982 UBC, 1984 NEC, 1982 UPC; later editions replacing them are stated to be the codes then in effect

  “any amendments, modifications or later editions of any of said codes, replacing the above uniform codes shall constitute the codes then in effect under this chapter.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Habitable buildings inside Howell town; building inspector position references an inspection agreement with Box Elder County

  • Agricultural buildings are not inspected
  • Plan review by the building inspector precedes construction

  “no building permit shall be required for an agricultural building or structure and no inspection thereof will be made by the building inspector.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land and buildings used, occupied or changed in use inside Howell town

  • Source text as captured ends mid-sentence at the page break; mobile homes separately need a certificate of compliance under Chapter 10

  “no land shall be used or occupied and no building hereafter structurally altered or erected, shall be used or changed in use until a certificate of”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Howell town limits

  • Chapter 12 was repealed, renamed and replaced 07-01-14 by Ord. 2014-06

  “this zoning ordinance shall be known as the "zoning ordinance of the town of howell".”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Howell town

  • Districts include O-1, A-20, RR-5/RR-10, R-1-20/R-1-10, R-2, C-1 to C-3, CP, M-1, planned manufacturing, SA overlay and AGP

  “section 12-14- open space zone 0-1 50 section 12-15- agricultural zone a-20 52 section 12-16- rural residential zones rr-5/rr-10 55 section 12-17- single family residential zones r-1-20/r-1-10 58”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Rural residential zones RR-5 and RR-10 inside Howell town

  • Minimum lot width 300 feet (RR-5)

  minimum lot area RR-5: >= 5 acres · minimum lot area RR-10: >= 10 acres

  “site development standards. minimum lot area a. rr-5 zone - 5 acres b. rr-10 zone -10 acres minimum lot width”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural zone A-20 inside Howell town

    “12-15-4. site development standards. 1. minimum lot area a. 2. - 20 acres minimum lot width”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Dwellings in agricultural zone A-20 inside Howell town

  • Accessory buildings 20 feet from any property line and not allowed in the front yard setback area

  dwelling front setback: >= 30 feet · dwelling side setback: >= 20 feet (total of two side yards not less than 48 feet)

  “dwelling i. front ii. side accessory building - 30 feet - 20 feet with total width of two side yards not less than 48 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Any building or permanent structure inside Howell town (building regulations chapter)

    “any building or permanent structure must meet a minimum set back of 63 feet from the center line of the road or 30 feet from established right of way, which ever is greater.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Rural residential zones RR-5 and RR-10 inside Howell town

  • Minimum 1 story; A-20 also 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet; R-1 zone heights garbled in extraction

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (or 2 1/2 stories)

  “b. maximum - 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet c. agricultural buildings such as grain elevators”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Howell town

  • A mobile home is defined as not more than 15 years old, with grandfathering for earlier units
  • Certificate of compliance required for all mobile homes
  • A landowner may provide only a single space for one mobile home for an employee or immediate family member
  • Building permit required for plumbing and electrical connections; sewage disposal approved by Bear River District Health Department
  • Placed on a permanent foundation, it is regulated as conventional housing

  “a certificate of compliance is required for all mobile homes within the town whether occupied or awaiting occupancy;”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings inside Howell town

  • An agricultural building needing an electrical meter hook-up requires an electrical permit and inspection

  “no building permit shall be required for an agricultural building or structure and no inspection thereof will be made by the building inspector.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivision inside Howell town

  • Chapter 16 Subdivision Ordinance exists but was not opened

  “in violation of any provisions of any ordinance relating thereto, or in violation of the subdivision or zoning ordinances.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Howell town

  • Fee schedule is the Box Elder County Building and Inspection Department schedule, not reproduced in the code

  “fees for building permits shall be the current fee schedule as set by the box elder county building and inspection dept.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Howell town

  • Application documents: septic permit, legal description, plot plan, water connection approval, energy compliance certification, valuation, full plans

  “a building permit application shall be secured from the town clerk.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Howell

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

• Who permits septicCounty

  Septic systems inside Howell town; handled by Bear River Health Department, a multi-county district

  • The BRHD page quoted does not itself list Howell; the town code names the district as the sewage approval source

  “permit to construct sewage disposal system approved by bear river district health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems on property inside Howell town where sewer lines are not available

  • Fees listed by BRHD: $200/lot feasibility, $840 conventional permit (includes $40 state DEQ fee), $350 alteration, $0 repair
  • Town code also requires septic tank and drain field installed before occupancy of the family dwelling

  conventional septic permit fee: 840 USD (includes $40 Utah DEQ fee)

  “a septic permit is a legal document required by bear river health department before constructing, altering, or repairing a septic system on a property where sewer lines are not available.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Howell town
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Howell town
• Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Howell town
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Howell town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Howell 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.