Bolthole Index

Lorain County, Ohio

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Camden Township, Ohio

Camden Township, Ohio, in Lorain County, runs its own zoning, and its Zoning Inspector decides zoning permit applications within 30 days1. Lorain County operates no building department, so we could not confirm which office issues residential building permits here2. Septic permits come from Lorain County Public Health, not the township3.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning resolution, administered by the township Zoning Inspector14
Building permit
Lorain County has no building department; the residential building office for Camden Township is unconfirmed2
Septic
Lorain County Public Health5
RV living
Limited: temporary use while building, with a zoning permit and bond6
Minimum home size (R-1)
1,200 square feet7
Wells
Permit from the board of health before drilling8

Who to call

Zoning

Camden Township Zoning Inspector

Zoning permits and the township zoning resolution inside Camden Township

(440) 714-2026

Septic permits

Lorain County Public Health - Household Sewage Treatment Systems (O&M Program)

Household septic operation and maintenance permits for Lorain County, including Camden Township

440-322-6367

9880 Murray Ridge Rd., Elyria, OH 44035

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 Camden Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Camden Township, Ohio have zoning?

Yes. Camden Township adopts and enforces its own zoning resolution, and the township Zoning Inspector reviews zoning permit applications14. The Zoning Inspector must approve, refer or disapprove an application within 30 days of receiving it, and a zoning permit lapses if work does not begin within one year1.

In the R-1 Agricultural Residential District, single-family dwellings need at least 1,200 square feet of living area7. Buildings, including accessory buildings, may cover no more than 30 percent of a lot9, and residential buildings are capped at 35 feet and two and one-half stories10. Farm lots in R-1 need a minimum of 5 acres11. Setbacks are 100 feet from the roadway centerline, 25 feet in the rear and 20 feet on each side12. Other districts have their own numbers, so ask the Zoning Inspector which district a parcel sits in.

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

Camden Township's zoning permit is separate from a state-code building permit. Lorain County says it does not operate a building department, so the county cannot issue residential building permits for Camden Township2. We could not confirm which certified building department, if any, serves residential work in Camden Township; the Zoning Inspector or the Lorain County Community Development Department can tell you13.

Ohio law requires an owner to submit plans to the building department that has jurisdiction, and if no certified residential department has jurisdiction, that submission is not required14. A residential occupancy approval also depends on the local residential building official15. Confirm both points before you break ground.

Agricultural buildings still need a zoning permit for reporting purposes, at no fee16.

How do septic permits work in Camden Township?

Lorain County Public Health, not the township, handles septic. Every homeowner with a household sewage treatment system in Lorain County must hold an operation-and-maintenance permit from the health department1718. The 2026 fee is $40 for one year and $120 for three years3.

New, replacement or altered systems also need an installation or alteration permit from the board of health3. Camden Township ties its own paperwork to that: a zoning permit application must come with an approved Lorain County Health District sewage-disposal-system permit1.

Soil matters here. USDA rates almost none of this county's soils as free of limits for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Camden Township?

Only in limited cases. While a permanent dwelling is under construction, Camden Township allows one trailer or mobile home for up to 18 months, with a separate zoning permit, a bond of at least $1,000 and approved sanitary facilities6. A visitor's travel trailer or motor home may stay no more than 6 months in a calendar year, also with approved sanitary facilities6.

We could not confirm any township rule on tiny homes, since the zoning resolution does not address them6. Ask the Zoning Inspector before buying land for either plan.

Building a home in Camden Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Zoning Inspector to confirm the parcel's district and its setbacks, lot coverage and height limits4.
  2. Contact Lorain County Public Health for a site review and a septic installation permit318.
  3. Apply for a township zoning permit with the approved sewage permit attached1.
  4. Ask the Zoning Inspector or Lorain County Community Development which certified building department, if any, reviews residential plans13.
  5. If a private well is planned, get a permit from the board of health before drilling8.
  6. Check driveway permits with the township, since the County Engineer requires permits for driveway pipes on county roads20.

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

Septic, wells and floodplain permits sit with Lorain County, not the township. Ground-disturbing work in a 100-year Flood Zone needs a permit from the Lorain County Community Development Department21. The township's own rule allows a zoning permit near predictable flooding only with certification that the site is not subject to it22.

Subdivisions of 5 acres or more need an erosion-and-sedimentation-control plan with the zoning permit application23. For land outside the township, see the Lorain County page. Lorain County's effective property tax rate is 1.4 percent24.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which office issues residential building permits or inspections in Camden Township, so ask the Zoning Inspector before you design or buy2.
  • The setback, size and lot figures above apply to the R-1 Agricultural Residential District only12.
  • The township may amend its zoning fee schedule, so confirm current zoning permit fees with the Zoning Inspector25.

Sources

  1. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Frequently Asked Questions: Does the County have a Building Department?, quoted and re-checked
  3. Household Sewage Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Camden Township Zoning Inspector (camdentwp.us)
  5. Household Sewage Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  6. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 3701-28 Private Water Systems, quoted and re-checked
  9. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Lorain County FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  14. Section 3791.04 | Submission of plan - approvals - prohibition - fine (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Residential Code of Ohio, Section 111, quoted and re-checked
  16. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Household Sewage Treatment Systems — Lorain County Public Health (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Lorain County Public Health - Household Sewage Treatment Systems (O&M Program) (loraincountyhealth.com)
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  20. LCE Roadside Ditch Policy, quoted and re-checked
  21. Flood Plain Program, quoted and re-checked
  22. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Camden Township Zoning Resolution (Camden Township), quoted and re-checked

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.

Answers from the rulebook for Camden Township

Camden Township’s own rules

  • Living in an RVLimited

    Travel trailers or motor homes used as temporary residences on Camden Township lots.

    • During construction, one trailer or mobile home may be used only while a permanent dwelling is being constructed, for no more than 18 months, with a separate zoning permit, a minimum $1,000 bond or surety, and approved sanitary facilities.
    • A visitor travel trailer or motor home is limited to six months in a calendar year and requires approved sanitary facilities.
    • Emergency temporary use is limited to 18 months, requires a separate zoning permit and approved sanitary facilities, and remains subject to yard requirements.

    visitor RV occupancy: <= 6 months per calendar year (Visitor travel trailer or motor home; approved sanitary facilities required.)

    “A visitor’s travel trailer or motor home shall be permitted for a period not to exceed six (6) months in any calendar year. Approved sanitary facilities must be provided.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Agricultural buildings and structures incident to agricultural land use inside Camden Township.

    • A zoning permit is still required for reporting purposes.
    • Buildings and structures must conform to the Resolution.

    zoning-certificate fee: 0 USD (Agricultural buildings or structures incident to agricultural use.)

    “A zoning permit for reporting purposes only shall be required for the construction of buildings or structures incident to the use of agriculture purposes of the land on which such building or structures shall be located, and such buildings and structures shall conform to the regulations contained in this Resolution. No fee shall be required for such permit.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision development of five acres or more inside Camden Township.

    • An erosion-and-sedimentation-control plan is required with the zoning-permit application for subdivisions of five acres or more.

    subdivision threshold: >= 5 acres (Threshold for the cited erosion-and-sedimentation plan requirement.)

    “A plan for erosion and sedimentation control during and after construction shall be included with other plans upon application for a zoning permit for subdivision of five (5) acres or more.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Zoning permits for development on sites potentially subject to predictable flooding inside Camden Township.

    • The cited provision states that a permit may issue with evidence of certification by the Lorain County Soil Conservation Department or another applicable agency that the site is not subject to predictable flooding.
    “A permit may be issued with evidence that the Lorain County Soil Conservation Department or other applicable agency has certified that site is not subject to predictable flooding.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Camden Township zoning permits, appeals, and related zoning matters.

    • No action is taken on an application or appeal until applicable fees, charges, and expenses are paid in full.
    • The Resolution states that Trustees may alter or amend the schedule.
    “The Township Trustees shall establish a schedule of fees, charges and expenses and a collection procedure for zoning permits, appeals and all other matters pertaining to this Resolution. The schedule of fees shall be posted in the office of the Zoning Inspector, and may be altered or amended only through the Township Trustees.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Camden Township zoning permits.

    • Application expires and may be revoked if work has not begun within one year or has not been completed within two and one-half years.
    • Application must be accompanied by an approved Lorain County Health District sewage-disposal-system permit and, for applicable commercial and industrial buildings, a State of Ohio building permit.
    • All required fees are required.

    zoning-inspector decision period: <= 30 days (After receipt of an application; inspector shall approve, refer, or disapprove in conformance with the Resolution.)

    “Within thirty (30) days after the receipt of an application, the Zoning Inspector shall approve, refer or disapprove the application in conformance with the provisions of this Resolution. All zoning permits shall, however, be conditional upon the commencement of work within one (1) year.”

Rules another office applies inside Camden Township

Camden Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Agricultural Residential District inside Camden Township.

    minimum living area: >= 1200 square feet

    “606: REQUIRED MINIMUM LIVING AREA Single Family Dwelling: Twelve hundred (1200) square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Farm lots in the R-1 Agricultural Residential District inside Camden Township.

    • The Resolution also specifies residential frontage and depth, but does not state a minimum acreage for an R-1 single-family dwelling in the cited provision.

    farm minimum lot area: >= 5 acres

    “FARM  Farm Minimum Lot Area: Five (5) acres  Minimum Depth: Three hundred (300) feet.  Minimum Frontage and Width: Three hundred (300) continuous18 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Agricultural Residential District inside Camden Township.

    • Corner-lot building setback is 100 feet from both street centerlines; remaining yards must conform.

    roadway centerline setback: >= 100 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet · side yard per side: >= 20 feet

    “ Centerline of any Roadway: One hundred (100) feet.  Minimum Rear Yard: Twenty-five (25) feet.  Minimum Side Yard: Twenty (20) feet on each side.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family and farm lots in the R-1 Agricultural Residential District inside Camden Township.

    • Includes accessory buildings.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “ Percentage of Lot Coverage: All buildings including accessory buildings shall not cover more than thirty (30) percent of the area of the lot.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Residential buildings in the R-1 Agricultural Residential District inside Camden Township.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Also limited to two and one-half stories.)

    “No residential building shall hereafter be erected or structurally altered to a height exceeding two and one-half (2 ½) stories or thirty-five (35) feet in height.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Household sewage treatment systems serving homes inside Camden Township, as part of Lorain County.

    • The cited requirement concerns household sewage treatment systems and their operation-and-maintenance permits.
    “LCPH is responsible for overseeing the proper maintenance”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Operation and maintenance of household sewage treatment systems at Camden Township homes.

    • The requirement is for an LCPH operation-and-maintenance permit; the opened page did not establish an installation-permit rule.
    “required to have an O&M permit issued by LCPH.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Camden Township or Lorain County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential building permits distinct from Township zoning certificates inside Camden Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Camden Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Camden Township.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Camden Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Camden Township.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 Camden Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lorain County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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