Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of North Hills, West Virginia

Town of North Hills’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residences, additions, outbuildings, fences, swimming pools and other structures inside North Hills town

  • Plans, specifications, materials and plat plan must first be approved and recorded by the town council at a regularly scheduled meeting
  • Majority council vote required
  • Permit is issued by the recorder

  “until building plans, specifications, building materials and plat plan showing the location of such residence, addition, outbuilding, fence, swimming pool or other structure and any such roads or streets are approved and recorded by the town council at a regularly scheduled council meeting and the appropriate building permit issued by the recorder.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family residences inside North Hills town (one-story or split level; the code continues with a separate figure for other structures that was not read)

  • Excludes open porches, decks and garages
  • Off-street parking for at least two automobiles required
  • Subsection (d) sets floor areas for other structure types and was not read

  minimum ground floor living area, one-story or split level: >= 1500 square feet (exclusive of open porches, decks and garages)

  “the total ground floor living area of the main structure of a single family residence exclusive of open porches, decks and garages shall not be less than (1500) square feet in the case of a one-story or split level structure”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residences and private garages on lots in existing platted areas inside North Hills town

  • Swimming pool walls have separate setbacks of 15 feet from rear or side lines and 25 feet from street lines
  • Applies to construction in existing platted areas

  front setback from street line: >= 25 feet · side setback from lot boundary: >= 10 feet

  “no buildings shall be erected on any part of the lot so that the front wall of said building shall be closer than twenty-five (25) feet to the line of the street in front of said lot. no side wall of the residence or garage shall be closer than ten (10) feet to the boundary of the lot.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of travel trailers, motor homes, truck-campers and trailer campers as a residence on any premises inside North Hills town

  • Applies to temporary and permanent residential use
  • Section 5-2 applies to construction in existing platted areas

  “no mobile home, travel trailer, motor home, truck-camper, trailer camper, tent, shack, garage, or other outbuilding located on the premises shall be used at any time as a residence, either temporarily or permanently”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Mobile homes used as a residence on premises inside North Hills town

  • The text says mobile home; it does not define the term or mention HUD-code manufactured homes by name

  “no mobile home, travel trailer, motor home, truck-camper, trailer camper, tent, shack, garage, or other outbuilding located on the premises shall be used at any time as a residence, either temporarily or permanently”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Second dwellings on a lot in existing platted areas inside North Hills town

  • One residence plus a private garage per lot or lots
  • Outbuildings may not be used as a residence

  “only one residence and such private garage as may be needed with it shall be constructed thereon.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways and residential parking areas inside North Hills town

  • Residences must provide off-street parking for no less than two automobiles
  • Existing gravel or mulch driveways were required to be upgraded by August 31, 2015

  “only driveways and parking areas constructed of concrete, paving brick, or asphalt is allowed.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit approval inside North Hills town

  • Council approval at a regularly scheduled meeting before permit issuance
  • The town site also posts a building permit application PDF (not read)

  “a majority vote by the town council is required to give approval.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside North Hills town
• Building code adopted — Building, plumbing and electrical codes in North Hills town
• Inspections — Inspections inside North Hills town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside North Hills town
• Local zoning — Zoning inside North Hills 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.