Zoning, building permits and septic rules in New Concord, Ohio

At a glance

Zoning

Village of New Concord zoning code covers land inside village limits¹

Zoning districts

S-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, O-I, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1 and PUD, plus two overlay districts⁴

Residential building permit

Not confirmed inside the village; the county building department does not cover one-, two- or three-family homes²

Septic permit

Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department³

Well permit

Health department permit before installing or altering a private water system⁵

R-2 minimum lot

7,800 sq ft⁶

R-1 minimum lot

21,780 sq ft⁶

Who to call

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

Does New Concord, Ohio have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Muskingum County's own zoning summary lists the Village of New Concord among the jurisdictions zoned in whole⁷, and the village's zoning code divides land into districts that regulate where structures and uses go¹. The districts are S-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, O-I, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1 and PUD, with an architectural review overlay and a transportation corridor overlay⁴.

The rules depend on the district. In R-1 (suburban single family) the minimum lot is 21,780 square feet, with 60-foot front and rear yards and 20-foot side yards; lot coverage tops out at 20%⁶⁸⁹. In R-2 (medium density) the minimum lot is 7,800 square feet, with 30-foot front and rear yards, 6-foot side yards and 25% coverage⁶⁸⁹. Building height in R-1 and R-2 is limited to 45 feet¹⁰. The code posted online is amended through 2018, so confirm current figures with village hall¹.

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

We could not confirm who issues residential building permits inside New Concord. The Mid-East Ohio Building Department, which runs through Muskingum County, is certified for commercial building work and states that it does not have authority over one-, two- or three-family dwellings². Ohio sets one residential building code for the whole state, but it is enforced only where a department is certified for it¹¹. Where one is certified, the residential building official gives the owner a list of required inspections once plans are approved¹². Where no certified municipal, township or county residential department has jurisdiction, an owner need not submit plans or request inspections¹³.

Whether the village operates a certified residential department is the open question, so call village hall before you assume either way. The village's zoning code adds its own approvals regardless, and the village code lists a building code part that we could not read in full.

How do septic permits work for a home in New Concord?

Septic permits in Muskingum County come from the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, which reviews new parcels, reviews system designs and inspects installations³. A new, replacement or altered system needs a permit from the board of health¹⁴. The health department lists a $100 site-review fee and a $640 sewage treatment system permit¹⁵. The board of health must inspect a completed installation before it is covered, and a sanitarian inspects the system within 12 months after installation¹⁶.

We could not confirm how septic rules apply to addresses already on village sewer. Ask village hall whether public sewer is available at your lot before you plan a septic system. Ohio law also lets county commissioners order connection to a new public sewer in some cases, with exceptions such as properties more than 200 feet from the sewer right-of-way¹⁷. Private wells need a separate health department permit before installation or alteration⁵.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Concord?

We could not confirm whether the village's zoning code allows living in an RV or a tiny home on a lot inside New Concord. Ohio's campground rules cover licensed campgrounds and do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own lot¹⁸. The state's temporary-campground rule is aimed at events with five or more units for at most 21 days a year, not one RV on a home lot¹⁹. A manufactured home that meets federal standards and qualifies as permanently sited must be treated as a permitted use wherever the village allows single-family homes, though a political subdivision may impose zoning requirements that apply uniformly to single-family houses²⁰. Ask village hall before buying.

What stays with Muskingum County, and what should you check before buying in New Concord?

The county's rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside village limits. For land outside the village, see the Muskingum County page. Muskingum County has no countywide zoning²¹, so land just outside New Concord may fall under township zoning or none. County subdivision regulations, including the 30-foot setback from the road right-of-way and 10-foot side offset, govern land divisions in the unincorporated area only²².

For any lot, check these in order: confirm the zoning district with village hall; ask village hall about residential building permits and sewer service; and if the lot is on septic or a well, call the health department. Muskingum County requires a floodplain development permit before work begins in a FEMA flood hazard area, at $100 for structural and $50 for non-structural activity²³. Driveways count as non-structural activity there²⁴. We could not confirm whether the county or the village administers floodplain permits inside village limits, so ask village hall.

Watch-outs

• Building permit authority inside New Concord is unconfirmed: the county building department says it does not cover one-, two- or three-family homes², so ask village hall who does.
• The posted village zoning code is amended through 2018, so confirm current district rules with village hall¹.
• Septic and well rules for addresses on village sewer or water were not confirmed; ask the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department and village hall³.
• Floodplain permits are a separate county requirement in FEMA flood hazard areas, and the county floodplain administrator decides a complete application within 30 days²⁵.

Sources

1. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
2. Mid-East Ohio Building Department - Ohio - Muskingum County, quoted and re-checked
3. Sewage Treatment Systems | Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
4. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
5. Private Water Systems Permits & Inspection | Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
6. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
7. Muskingum County Zoning – Purpose & Facts, quoted and re-checked
8. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
9. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
10. Village of New Concord Zoning Code with all amendments as of 10/19/2018 (Village of New Concord), quoted and re-checked
11. Section 3781.10 | Board of building standards - powers and duties, quoted and re-checked
12. OAC 4101:8-1-01 Residential Code of Ohio for One-, Two-, and Three-Family Dwellings, quoted and re-checked
13. Ohio Residential Code, Rule 4101:8-1-01, quoted and re-checked
14. Sewage Treatment Systems | Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
15. Sewage Treatment Systems | Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department Permits, Inspections & Maintenance, quoted and re-checked
16. Sewage Treatment Systems | Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
17. Section 6117.51 | New public sewer construction projects, quoted and re-checked
18. Rule 3701-26-04 | Campground site requirements, quoted and re-checked
19. Chapter 3701-26 | Ohio Administrative Code, quoted and re-checked
20. Section 3781.184 | Ohio Revised Code, quoted and re-checked
21. 2020 Muskingum County Comprehensive Plan — Residential Report, quoted and re-checked
22. Muskingum County Planning Department Subdivision Regulations, quoted and re-checked
23. Mid-East Ohio Building Department, quoted and re-checked
24. Mid-East Ohio Building Department, quoted and re-checked
25. Flood Damage Reduction of Muskingum County, quoted and re-checked

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.