Bolthole Index

Delaware County, Ohio

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Ostrander, Ohio

The Village of Ostrander, Ohio has its own zoning ordinance, and the village's permits page lists a zoning permit and a building permit application1. Permanent structures such as a house, deck or pool also need a Delaware County permit1. Septic permits come from the Delaware Public Health District2.

At a glance

Zoning
Village of Ostrander adopts its own zoning ordinance for land inside village limits3
Village permits
Zoning permit, conditional use and building permit applications are listed on the village permits page1
County permit
Permanent structural items also need a Delaware County permit1
Septic
Delaware Public Health District issues septic installation and operation permits2
Minimum lot (FR-1)
1 acre for residential use in the farm residence district4
Building height
35 feet in the farm residence district5

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Ostrander

Village zoning permits, conditional use applications and building permit applications for land inside Ostrander

(740) 409-0545

19 S. Main Street, P.O. Box 35, Ostrander, Ohio 43061

Septic permits

Delaware Public Health District, Environmental Health (Residential Services)

Household sewage treatment system (septic) site reviews, installation and operation permits, and private water system (well) permits

(740) 368-1700

EH@DelawareHealth.org

Building permits

Delaware County Building Safety

County building permits, plan review and inspections; the village page says structural work in Ostrander also needs this county permit

(740) 833-2200

building@co.delaware.oh.us

1610 State Route 521, PO Box 8006, Delaware, Ohio 43015

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Ostrander, Ohio have zoning?

Yes. The Village of Ostrander has its own zoning ordinance that applies to land inside village limits3. The copy we reviewed is the 2011 ordinance posted on the village site; later amendments may exist, so confirm the current text with the village.

The ordinance sorts land into districts, and the numbers differ by district. In the farm residence district (FR-1), residential use needs a parcel of at least one acre, or 43,560 square feet4. Other districts allow smaller lots, and lots with central water and sewer are treated differently4. Buildings in the farm residence district may not exceed 35 feet, with barns, silos and similar structures exempt5.

We could not confirm setbacks, minimum dwelling size, or the rules for RVs, tiny homes and accessory dwellings inside the village. Ask the village office before you plan any of those.

Do you need a building permit in Ostrander, and who issues it?

The village's permits page lists a zoning permit application, a conditional use application and a building permit application1. The same page says all permanent, structural items such as a house, deck or pool need a Delaware County permit in addition to the Ostrander permit1.

So a new home in Ostrander involves two offices: the village for its zoning and village permit, and Delaware County Building Safety for the structural permit6. The county's plan review and inspections are handled through its permit portal6.

We could not confirm which building code the village itself enforces, or whether it runs its own building inspections. The village's page says only that the resident is responsible for obtaining permits from both the village and the county1.

How do septic permits work in Ostrander?

Septic permits in Delaware County come from the Delaware Public Health District, not from the village2. The district's household program covers one-, two- and three-family dwellings where a sanitary sewer connection is not feasible7.

The district inspects potential new parcels to confirm there is enough area for a system, reviews the design, inspects installation, and issues operation permits7. A soil evaluation is required for every lot, and an installation permit is valid for one year8.

We could not confirm whether any part of Ostrander is served by public sewer or whether the village requires a connection; ask the village office. Private wells are permitted by the board of health under Ohio rules9. Call the district at (740) 368-170010.

Building a home in Ostrander: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the village office about the zoning district, setbacks and any RV or tiny-home limits for the parcel1.
  2. Where there is no sewer, apply for a lot feasibility review and septic permit with the Delaware Public Health District10.
  3. Submit the village zoning permit and building permit applications1.
  4. Submit the Delaware County building application for the structural work6.
  5. Keep each permit's inspections on schedule; the county notes that you can check permit status 72 hours after submitting all documents6.

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

Delaware County zoning is set by individual jurisdictions, so the village's ordinance, not a county or township one, governs land inside Ostrander11. Land outside village limits follows the county or township rules; see the Delaware County page for those.

For county context, the typical home value is $524,72712 and the effective property tax rate is 1.6%13. Confirm sewer or septic feasibility and the zoning district before closing.

Watch-outs

  • The village zoning ordinance we reviewed is the 2011 version, so confirm current district rules with the Village of Ostrander before relying on lot-size or height figures3.
  • Village approval does not replace the Delaware County permit for permanent structures1.
  • We could not confirm village rules on RV living, tiny homes, setbacks, or minimum dwelling size; ask the village office at (740) 409-05451.

Sources

  1. Village of Ostrander (ostranderohio.us)
  2. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Ostrander Zoning Ordinance 2011 (Village of Ostrander), quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Ostrander Zoning Ordinance 2011 (Village of Ostrander), quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Ostrander Zoning Ordinance 2011 (Village of Ostrander), quoted and re-checked
  6. Delaware County Building Safety (buildingsafety.co.delaware.oh.us)
  7. Sewage - Delaware Public Health District, quoted and re-checked
  8. Procedures for Obtaining a Permit to Install and Operate a Sewage Treatment System, quoted and re-checked
  9. Rule 3701-28-03: Permits, system approval and sampling requirements, quoted and re-checked
  10. Delaware Public Health District, Environmental Health (Residential Services) (delawarehealth.org)
  11. Zoning Resolutions & Land Use Plans, quoted and re-checked
  12. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  13. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Ostrander

Village of Ostrander’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Ostrander village limits

    • Source is the 2011 zoning ordinance PDF on the village site; later amendments not checked.
    “district: a portion of the incorporated area of the village within which certain regulations and requirements, or various combinations thereof, apply uniformly under the provisions of this ordinance.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Farm residence district (Article VII, FR-1) inside Ostrander village; other districts have different minimums

    • Other districts: 43,560 sq ft with central water and sewer; 0.30 acre per single-family unit; 20,000 sq ft per unit in another district; unserved lots follow Article VII.

    minimum residential lot area: >= 43560 sq ft

    “no parcel of land in this district shall be used for residential purposes, which has an area of less than one (1) acre (43,560 square feet).”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Farm residence district (Article VII, FR-1) inside Ostrander village; same 35 ft limit in the other districts checked

    • Barns, silos, conveyors, spires, domes, flag poles and elevator shafts are exempt.

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft (barns, silos, spires etc. exempt)

    “no building in this district shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height measured from the finished grade established not closer than fifteen (15) feet to the exterior wall of the structure.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Ostrander or Delaware County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Ostrander village
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ostrander village
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Ostrander village
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Ostrander village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Ostrander village
21 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

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

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