Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Richmond Heights, Missouri

Richmond Heights’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  One- and two-family dwellings inside Richmond Heights city limits (2024 International Residential Code only).

  • Only the residential code (IRC 2024, Chapter 500 Article IV) was opened; adoption of the 2024 International Building Code (Article I) and International Existing Building Code (Article V) appears in the code index but was not verified.
  • Amended by ord. no. 5570, 4-21-2025 per the section history bracket; that bracket is an ordinance date, not stated as an effective date.

  “the international residential code for one- and two-family dwellings/2024, along with the 2024 international residential code errata first printing dated may 2024, published by the international code council. inc., is hereby adopted and by this reference made a part of this chapter as though set out in full herein.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Richmond Heights city limits: the city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 405, Zoning Regulations) with R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, C, MU and PD districts.

  • Uses are permitted or conditional only as listed in Appendix A (attachment to Chapter 405) and per district rules.
  • Zoning ordinance text on eCode360 shows amendment history through ord. no. 5533 (4-1-2024) for article IV districts.

  “article iv zoning districts — use and regulations section 405.180 "r-1" (15,000) single-family residential district.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Inside Richmond Heights city limits: district use and dimensional regulations (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, C, MU, PD) published in Article IV of Chapter 405.

  • Dimensional tables and the zoning map were not opened; the district text is published on eCode360 with a zoning map under sections 405.100 to 405.140.

  “every lot shall have an area of not less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet, except that if a lot has less area than herein required and the plat thereof has been duly recorded prior to the date of passage of this chapter, such lot may be used for a single-family dwelling.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific

  R-1 (15,000) single-family residential district inside Richmond Heights city limits.

  • Lots recorded in a plat before the chapter was passed and smaller than required may still be used for a single-family dwelling.
  • For uses other than dwellings, lot area must be adequate for the district yards and Article VI parking.

  minimum lot area: >= 15000 sq ft (lots with a duly recorded plat before the chapter's passage may be used for a single-family dwelling)

  “every lot shall have an area of not less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet, except that if a lot has less area than herein required and the plat thereof has been duly recorded prior to the date of passage of this chapter, such lot may be used for a single-family dwelling.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific — R-2 (5,000) single-family residential district inside Richmond Heights city limits.

    “than five thousand (5,000) square feet, except that if a lot has less area than herein required and the plat thereof has been duly recorded prior to the date of passage of this chapter, such lot may be used for a single-family dwelling.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific

  R-1 (15,000) single-family residential district inside Richmond Heights city limits.

  • Front yard may be reduced to the block average where 40% or more of the frontage is built with a front yard variation of no more than six feet; front yard never required above 75 feet.
  • Side yard: 10% of lot width, not less than 6 feet; 3 feet on lots 25 feet wide or less recorded at the chapter's passage.
  • Rear yard: 35 feet or 20% of lot depth, whichever is larger, not required to exceed 50 feet; section 405.270 exceptions apply.
  • Corner lots: front yard on each street side; buildable width not reduced below 28 feet.

  front yard: >= 40 ft (block-average rule; see conditions) · side yard: >= 6 ft (10% of lot width, whichever is greater) · rear yard: >= 35 ft (or 20% of lot depth, whichever is larger; capped at 50 ft)

  “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than forty (40) feet, unless forty percent (40%) or more of the frontage on the same side of the street as the subject property between the two (2) nearest intersecting streets is improved with buildings which have a front yard line having a variation in depth of not more than six (6) feet, in which case no building shall project beyond the average front yard so established, but this regulation shall not be interpreted to require a front yard of more than seventy-five (75) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific — R-2 (5,000) single-family residential district inside Richmond Heights city limits.

    “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than thirty-five (35) feet, unless forty percent (40%) or more of the frontage on the same side of the street as the subject property between the two (2) nearest intersecting streets is improved with buildings which have a front yard line having a variation in depth of not more than six (6) feet”

• Building heightDistrict specific

  R-1 (15,000) single-family residential district inside Richmond Heights city limits.

  • Limit is subject to exceptions in section 405.270 (general use regulations), which was not opened.

  maximum building height: <= 40 ft (except as provided in section 405.270) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (except as provided in section 405.270)

  “no building or structures as related to building or structure height limitations shall exceed three (3) stories or forty (40) feet in height, except as provided in section 405.270.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Richmond Heights or St. Louis County directly.

• Building permit — New construction inside Richmond Heights city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Richmond Heights city limits
• Inspections — Inspections of new construction inside Richmond Heights city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new dwellings inside Richmond Heights city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Richmond Heights city limits

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 Richmond Heights 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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