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

Town of Hanksville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, moving or demolition of buildings inside Hanksville town

  • Not required for a structure 200 sq ft or smaller (no plumbing or electrical) per 8-2-1; zoning 9-3-1 states a 300 sq ft threshold, so the two sections differ
  • Flat concrete work not infringing on town right of way needs no permit
  • Permit needed for fencing, driveways and ingress that may infringe on the town right of way
  • No minimum dollar amount for the permit requirement
  • Applications also go to the planning and zoning commission for design review

  exempt structure size (title 8): <= 200 sq ft (no plumbing or electrical)

  “a building permit is not required for a structure two hundred square feet (200 sq. ft.) or smaller.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Hanksville town

  • Subject to 8-1-3: replacement or successor state codes are adopted automatically when the state adopts them
  • Fire code (IFC) and other state-adopted plumbing, electrical, mechanical, energy codes also adopted

  “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.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings under construction or repair inside Hanksville town

  • Town contracts with a Utah state licensed building inspector (8-2-3)
  • Inspection requests need 24 hours advance notice

  “the town contracts with an utah state licensed building inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All property within Hanksville town limits

  “the hanksville town council adopts this title, including the map and appendices, as attached hereto, pursuant to the municipal land use, development and management act as amended”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Any building lot inside Hanksville town (general rule, not district-specific)

  • Lots held in separate ownership when they became nonconforming may still be used for a single-family dwelling
  • Per-district figures in appendices not reviewed

  minimum lot area: >= 10890 sq ft (nonconforming lots in separate ownership)

  “the minimum lot area in acres required for any building shall be one-quarter acre or ten thousand eight hundred ninety square feet (10,890 sq. ft.).”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New residential, accessory or commercial structures inside Hanksville town

  • Measured from property line or easement, whichever applies
  • District-specific setbacks in the zoning appendices not reviewed

  front setback: >= 12 ft · side and rear setback: >= 8 ft · corner lot street frontage: >= 12 ft

  “twelve feet (12 ft.) along the front; eight feet (8 ft.) side and rear; corner lots: twelve feet (12 ft.) along street frontage.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Detached accessory dwelling units above a garage inside Hanksville town; general district heights not found

  • Standalone ADUs may not exceed the height of the primary dwelling
  • Main residential district height limits not found

  max height of ADU above garage: <= 28 ft

  “maximum height of adus located above a garage is twenty-eight feet (28 ft.).”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Hanksville town

  • Max two ADUs per residential lot
  • Owner must live on the property as primary residence
  • Lot must be at least 6,000 sq ft
  • Detached ADU 300 sq ft minimum, max 2 bedrooms
  • ADU permit from planning and zoning commission in addition to building permit
  • Septic feasibility review by the Central Utah Health Department; no ADU on lot with failing septic
  • Not permitted in any portion of a mobile home

  minimum lot for ADU: >= 6000 sq ft

  “a lot containing less than six thousand square feet (6,000 sq. ft.).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Hanksville town

  • Planning and zoning commission recommends approval or denial; a separate subdivision ordinance (drafted 2023) was not opened

  “recommend approval or denial of hanksville subdivision applications;”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways and ingress that may infringe on the town right of way inside Hanksville town

  • Driveways not infringing on the right of way need no building permit

  “it will also be necessary to obtain a permit for fencing, driveways and ingress that may infringe upon the town right of way.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development subject to flood management criteria inside Hanksville town

  • Section 6-4-5 (local development administrator) was not opened

  “permits related to flood management criteria and act as the local development administrator as described in section 6-4-5;”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Hanksville town

  • Town council may change fees by resolution; the fee resolution itself was not opened
  • Permit obtained after work starts costs double

  “all building permit fees, other than those listed, are based on the square footage fee schedule contained in the international building code. the town council shall have the power to determine and change building permit fees through resolution.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Hanksville town

  • Plans go to the building inspector, then planning and zoning commission approval before the permit issues
  • No permit issues until plans are approved

  “no permit shall be issued until after the approval of the plans.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Hanksville town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Hanksville town
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Hanksville town
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Hanksville town
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Hanksville 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.