Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Brian Head, Utah

Town of Brian Head’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, additions and remodels inside Brian Head town

  • Also covers tree removal, grading, roof changes and exterior painting (minor alteration).
  • Applications are made online through CityInspect.

  “permits are required in brian head for every new construction, addition or remodel project in brian head.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Brian Head town

  • Adopts state-adopted codes by reference; successor state codes take effect immediately (8-1-3).
  • Section 8-1-4 requires automatic sprinklers in new one- and two-family and townhouse buildings that are unsafe to access, as determined by the public safety director.

  “a. building code: the international building code (ibc), as adopted by the state, is hereby adopted as the official building code for the town, subject to section 8-1-3 of this chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Brian Head town limits

  • Zoning is in Title 9, Land Management Code, with R-1, R-2, R-3, GC, VC, L-1, ROS, COS, C, AT districts and overlays.

  “title 9 - land management code chapter 7 zone district regulations 9-7-1: r-1 single-family residential: 9-7-2: r-2 medium density residential: 9-7-3: r-3 multi-family residential: 9-7-4: gc general commercial: 9-7-5: vc village commercial: 9-7-6: l-1 light industrial: 9-7-7: ros recreation open space: 9-7-8: cos conservation open space: 9-7-9: c civic: 9-7-10: at annexed transition”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Brian Head town zone districts

  • A zone district map amended February 14, 2023 is linked on the town code page.

  “9-7-4: gc general commercial: 9-7-5: vc village commercial: 9-7-6: l-1 light industrial: 9-7-7: ros recreation open space: 9-7-8: cos conservation open space”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district; stated as minimum building coverage (footprint)

  • Footprint excludes unenclosed decks and porches.

  minimum primary habitable structure footprint: >= 400 sq ft · minimum secondary habitable structure footprint: >= 160 sq ft

  “b. minimum building coverage: 400 square feet for a primary habitable structure footprint (not including unenclosed decks and porches) and 160 square feet for a secondary habitable structure.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-2 medium density residential district

  • Minimum frontage 45 feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 21780 sq ft

  “1. minimum lot area: twenty-one thousand seven hundred eighty (21,780) square”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district

  • Administrative exception for garage only on steep front yards, never less than 5 feet.
  • Eaves, driveways, pop-outs and decks may encroach within stated limits.

  front setback: >= 25 feet (garage exception, min 5 ft) · side setback: >= 20 feet · rear setback: >= 20 feet · distance between buildings: >= 10 feet

  “b. side: twenty feet (20'). c. rear: twenty feet (20'). d. minimum distance between buildings: ten feet (10').”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 medium density residential district

    “b. side: twenty feet (20'); c. rear: twenty feet (20'). (amd. ord. 22-002, 5-10-22)”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district

  • Larger buildings may use the building bonus section.
  • 25% minimum landscaping and 15% undisturbed lot area.

  primary structure footprint: <= 1000 sq ft (building bonus) · all structures combined: <= 40 percent

  “a. one thousand square feet (1,000 sq. ft) footprint including garages, patios, and decks for a primary habitable structure. no more than 40% for all structures combined.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 medium density residential district

    “6. maximum building coverage: one thousand five hundred square feet (1,500 sq. ft.) footprint including garages, patios, and decks.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district

  maximum building height: <= 25 feet

  “5. maximum building height: twenty-five feet (25'). (2010 code, amd. ord. 22-002, 5-10-22)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 medium density residential district

    “5. maximum height: twenty-five feet (25'). (amd. ord. 22-002, 5-10-2022)”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic systems and cesspools inside Brian Head town

  • Connection to the town sewer is mandatory when a mainline is within 300 feet (7-2-3(b)); the code says this is except as hereinafter provided.

  “3. except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic system, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New dwellings inside Brian Head town with a sewer mainline within 300 feet

  • Applies where a building permit is required.
  • Existing dwellings must connect on septic failure, on unpermitted system after notice, on change of ownership, and within 3 years of new mainline availability.
  • Water connection rule (7-1-3) was not opened.

  sewer mainline distance: <= 300 feet

  “1. new construction: connection to a public sewer is required where a new dwelling unit or facility used for human occupancy is being proposed, built, reconstructed or altered, and where a building permit is required.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways or encroachments in the right of way of a town road

  • Emergency exception in 8-3-2; fees, bond and engineering standards in other sections not reviewed.

  “a. it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, public utility or corporation to place, make, enlarge or change any excavation, driveway, encroachment or structure within the right of way of any town road without complying with the provisions of these regulations and obtaining a permit as provided for herein.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  R-1 single-family residential district; commercial rentals of single-family residences

  • Subject to a business license.
  • ADUs in R-1 may not be short-term rentals.

  “commercial rentals of single-family residences, subject to a business license.”

• Permit processPublished

  Building and land use permits inside Brian Head town

  • Applications and inspection requests go through CityInspect.
  • Plumbing, electrical, mechanical and final inspections are scheduled Thursdays; 24 hours notice.

  “owner or builder will apply for their permit and upload information that is pertinent to the improvements for their project on city inspect.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Brian Head town
• Inspections — Inspections inside Brian Head town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Brian Head town
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Brian Head town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Brian Head 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.