Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Aurora, Indiana

Aurora’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, moving, adding to, or structurally altering a building inside Aurora city requires a zoning (improvement location) permit. This is the zoning permit, not the building-code permit, which was not located.

  • The zoning permit is issued by the planning director or designee under plot plan review or site plan review.
  • Under 152.295 a permit is also required before land is established or changed in use or character.
  • Under 152.296 a zoning permit application is made on a form prescribed by the plan commission.
  • Per 152.296 criteria, work must be initiated within one year of issuance or the permit expires; it must be substantially completed within two years.

  “no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to. or structurally altered, nor shall any building, structure, or land be established or changed in use or character without a permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of buildings in Aurora city under the zoning code

  • The source states that failure to obtain a zoning permit and certificate of occupancy is a violation, which implies a certificate of occupancy is required; the issuing procedure and inspection steps were not located.

  “failure to obtain a zoning permit and a certificate of occupancy shall be a violation of this subchapter and will be punishable under the provisions of this chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Aurora city limits: Aurora city adopts and administers its own zoning code (Chapter 152 Zoning Code), which divides the city into zoning districts.

  • Chapter 152 also covers territory within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the plan commission, which is outside city limits and is not answered by this claim.
  • The American Legal Publishing copy is stated to be current only through Ordinance 2022-016, passed 12-19-22; later amendments were not checked.

  “for the purpose of this chapter, the city and the territory within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the plan commission are hereby divided into eight categories of zoning districts as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Aurora city limits and the plan commission extraterritorial area named in Section 152.015.

  • Section 152.015 lists eight categories: agricultural, R-1 one-family residential, R-2 one- and two-family residential, R-3 multi-family residential, B-1 neighborhood business, B-2 community business, M general manufacturing, plus the category shown in the source as a in the first position.
  • The Chapter 152 table of contents also lists a B-3 community business and retail shopping district (152.076) that is not in the 152.015 list; the discrepancy was not resolved.
  • District boundaries are adopted on the zoning map under 152.016, which was not opened.

  “a agricultural r-1 one-family residential r-2 one- and two-family residential r-3 multi-family residential b-1 neighborhood business b-2 community business m general manufacturing”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Zoning permit plot plan for a building lot inside Aurora city

  • Driveway release is one item in the plot plan requirements; it is needed where an official driveway permit release is not immediately available.
  • The transportation department or official reviews sight distance during the application process.

  “a plot plan signed, dated, and approved by an appropriate transportation department or official, where an official driveway permit release is not immediately available (sight distance will be checked and affirmed by the affected transportation department during the application process).”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning permit (improvement location permit) application process inside Aurora city

  • Plot plan review or site plan review applies under 152.295 and 152.301 to 152.302.
  • Permit expires if work is not initiated within one year from issuance, or not substantially completed within two years.
  • The planning director or designee may grant an extension for good cause before expiration.
  • Building-code permit and inspection process were not located.

  “the owner, or applicant seeking a permit shall obtain and complete an application for a zoning permit on a form prescribed by the plan commission”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Aurora or Dearborn County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Aurora city
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption by Aurora city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Aurora city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the R-1 One-Family Residence District (152.071) inside Aurora city
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the R-1 One-Family Residence District (152.071) inside Aurora 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Aurora means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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