Gresham, NE Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Building, repairing, enlarging or moving a building or fence inside the Village of Gresham, York County, Nebraska requires a village building permit from the municipal clerk¹. The village has adopted its own zoning regulations². Septic systems are regulated by the state, not the village³. Land outside village limits falls under York County's rules instead⁴.

At a glance

Building permit: Required from the municipal clerk inside village limits¹
Permit fee: $1 per $1,000 of project cost, $5 minimum⁵
Zoning: Village has adopted zoning regulations (Ordinance 2024-21)²
Building code: 2003 International Residential Code for one- and two-family homes⁶
Septic: State program; most systems need no state construction permit³
Manufactured homes: Allowed where residential uses are permitted; 900 sq ft minimum⁷⁸
Mobile homes: Allowed where residential uses are permitted; 700 sq ft minimum, public sewer required⁹¹⁰¹¹

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Gresham Municipal Clerk

Receives building permit applications and issues permits once the village governing body authorizes them

Septic permits

Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment Onsite Wastewater Program

State onsite wastewater rules, professional certification and permits for systems needing a site-specific evaluation

(402) 471-4285

DWEE.onsite@nebraska.gov

245 Fallbrook Blvd. Suite 100 Lincoln, NE 68521

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Gresham, Nebraska?

Yes. Inside the Village of Gresham, anyone who wants to erect, construct, repair, enlarge, demolish or relocate a building, dwelling or fence must file an application for a building permit with the municipal clerk¹¹². The fee is $1 per $1,000 of project cost with a $5 minimum⁵.

Gresham's code adopts the 2003 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories, and the National Electrical Code for wiring, in both cases only where they do not conflict with Nebraska statutes⁶¹³. We could not confirm whether the village requires inspections, a certificate of occupancy or has an owner-builder exemption, so ask the village clerk before you start.

Who issues building permits in Gresham, and how do you reach them?

The municipal clerk takes the application, and the village governing body checks the plans and authorizes the clerk to issue the permit once the fee is paid¹⁴¹². We could not confirm a phone number or counter address for the Gresham village office, so contact the Gresham village clerk to confirm hours and forms. Plan-review timelines are not stated in the code we reviewed¹⁴.

The York County zoning office handles zoning permits only for unincorporated land, not for lots inside Gresham⁴. Land outside village limits is covered on the York County page.

Does Gresham have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Gresham has adopted updated zoning regulations as Exhibit A to Ordinance 2024-21 under Nebraska law, and the clerk keeps a copy on file². That text, with its district list and map, was not available online, so we could not confirm district lot sizes, setbacks, height or lot-coverage limits, or the rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and short-term rentals. Ask the municipal clerk for the zoning regulations and map before you buy.

What the code does state: a manufactured home with the proper seal may be used as a residence in any zone where residential uses are permitted, on a permanent perimeter foundation, with at least 900 square feet of floor area⁷⁸. A mobile home is allowed in the same zones with at least 700 square feet⁹¹⁰.

How do septic permits work in Gresham, Nebraska?

Septic rules in Nebraska come from the state's Onsite Wastewater Program, not from the village³¹⁵. Most systems are built under authorization by rule with no state construction permit, but systems that do not meet those requirements, or that handle unusual wastewater, need a permit³. We could not confirm whether the village adds its own septic permit or inspection.

The village does control sewer hookups. A mobile home inside Gresham must connect to the public sewer system¹¹, and a new sewer connection requires an approved application and a tap fee¹⁶. We found no general rule requiring site-built homes to connect, so ask the clerk whether sewer reaches your lot.

Building a home in Gresham: the steps, in order

Ask the municipal clerk for the zoning regulations and map, and confirm your lot's district allows the home you want².
Ask whether public sewer reaches the lot; if it does, apply for a connection and pay the tap fee¹⁶. If not, a state-regulated onsite system is the alternative³.
File the building permit application with the municipal clerk and pay $1 per $1,000 of project cost, $5 minimum⁵¹².
Build to the adopted 2003 residential code and the National Electrical Code⁶¹³.
Ask the clerk what inspections apply; we could not confirm them.

What stays with York County, and what to check before you buy

Inside Gresham, the village issues building permits and administers zoning; septic comes under the state program¹³. Outside village limits, York County's zoning applies to unincorporated land¹⁷, so check which side of the line your parcel is on. Farm buildings may be handled differently in county zoning, as described on the York County page.

Floodplain development in Nebraska needs a permit through the local floodplain program¹⁸. York County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%¹⁹, and only 7% of its soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation²⁰.

Watch-outs

We could not confirm Gresham's zoning district rules, because the regulations are kept on file with the municipal clerk and were not available online².
Fees in the village code date from a 2007 amendment, and we found no later schedule, so confirm the current fee with the clerk⁵.
Mobile homes inside Gresham must connect to the public sewer¹¹.

Sources

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Gresham publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. York County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Gresham, Nebraska