Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of New Harmony, Indiana

Town of New Harmony’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Listed projects inside New Harmony town limits: demolition, moving, conspicuous exterior alteration, new principal or accessory construction in view from a public street, sidewalk material/design changes, signs, and improvement or removal of manufactured homes. Ordinary maintenance and repair and exterior color changes are excluded.

  • Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator only after the Plan & Historic Preservation Commission reviews and approves the project.
  • Painting other than signs is ordinary maintenance; commission approval of colors is not required.
  • General permit requirement for ordinary new home construction not stated on this page; cites Code § 152.026 (TOC also lists 152.026 as 'improvement location permit and approval' and 'yards', numbering duplicated).

  “an improvement permit shall be issued by the zoning administrator after the new harmony town plan & historic preservation commission has reviewed the project and approval has been given.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside New Harmony town limits: the town's own zoning ordinance (Code Title XV, Chapter 152, 'Zoning') applies to use and development of land and structures.

  • Chapter 152 is the town's zoning ordinance; the town is divided into eight zone-district classes (§ 152.006).
  • Code is current through Ord. 2024-9, passed 12-17-2024 per the American Legal Publishing overview page; not verified against the official printed code.

  “no structure, land, or premises shall hereafter be used or occupied and no building/structure shall be constructed, demolished, moved, or sustain conspicuous alteration except in conformity with the regulations herein set forth.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zone-district classes inside New Harmony town limits

  • Eight zone classes are listed in the code: D-1 Industrial, B-1 Business, R-R Rural Residential, R-200, R-100, R-60, R-H historic residential, R-M apartment, and B-H Business Historic is also listed in the TOC.
  • Zoning map 'zoning map 1a' (dated May 9, 1975) is incorporated by reference; the map itself was not opened.

  “for the purpose of this chapter the town is divided into eight classes of zone districts known as:”

• Permit processPartial

  Property improvement permit applications for listed projects inside New Harmony town limits

  • Applications due by noon the Friday before the Plan & Historic Preservation Commission meeting; commission meets third Wednesday at 5:00 pm at town hall, 520 church street.
  • Other permit steps (application form content, plan submittal, fees) not established.

  “property improvement permit applications are due by noon the friday before the commission meetings.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside New Harmony town limits
• Building code adopted — Construction inside New Harmony town limits
• Inspections — Construction inside New Harmony town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new structures inside New Harmony town limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside New Harmony town limits (main residential districts)

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 Town of New Harmony 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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