Bolthole Index

Perry County, Ohio

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

Reading Township in Perry County, Ohio has its own zoning resolution, and no building or structure may be erected, moved or structurally altered in the unincorporated township without a zoning permit from the zoning administrator12. Septic systems for homes not on public sewer must meet Perry County Health Department regulations3. Perry County has no certified residential building department, so the zoning permit is the permit you will actually deal with for a house4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: township zoning resolution (FR, R-1, manufactured homes, planned unit development)15
Zoning permit
Required before a structure is erected, moved or structurally altered; issued by the zoning administrator2
Residential building permit
No certified residential building department in Perry County4
Septic
Perry County Health Department36
RV living
A travel trailer is temporary use only and not a dwelling7
Manufactured homes
Allowed in any district that permits single-family housing, on a permanent perimeter foundation8
Minimum home size (FR)
900 sq ft of living space9
Minimum lot (FR)
1 acre10

Who to call

Septic permits

Perry County Health Department

Home sewage treatment system approvals and private water system permits for Perry County, including inside Reading Township

740-342-5179

healthdepartment@perrycountyohio.gov

2235 OH-13, New Lexington, OH 43764

Building permits

Mid-East Ohio Building Department

Commercial building plan approvals and inspections in its Perry County service area; not one-, two- or three-family homes

(740) 455-7905

22 North 5th Street, Zanesville, Ohio

Roads & driveways

Perry County Engineer's Office

Driveway permits for installations on Perry County roads

(740) 342-2191

2645 Old Somerset Road, New Lexington, Ohio 43764

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

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Does Reading Township, Ohio have zoning?

Yes. Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio has a township zoning resolution adopted under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 519 and covering the unincorporated area of the township1. The resolution creates a farm/residential district (FR), an R-1 residential district, a manufactured and mobile homes district and a planned unit development district5.

Uses the resolution does not expressly authorize are prohibited unless the board of zoning appeals approves them5. Because Perry County itself has no countywide zoning, the township resolution is the land-use rulebook for a parcel here11.

One caution: searching "Reading zoning" often returns the City of Reading in Hamilton County, a different place with a different code1.

What are the lot size, home size and setback rules in Reading Township?

Rules differ by district. In the Farm/Residential (FR) district the minimum lot size is 1 acre, with 200 feet of road frontage and lot width10. A dwelling in FR needs at least 900 square feet of living space, not counting porch, basement or garage9.

FR setbacks are 20 feet on the side, 80 feet at the front and 30 feet at the rear, and front setbacks are measured from the center line of the road12. In R-1, the side yard is 5 feet, the front yard 30 feet from the road center line and the rear yard 40 feet13.

We could not confirm a minimum home size for the residential district13, or rules on height, lot coverage or accessory dwellings; ask the zoning administrator before you design.

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

A zoning permit is required. Under the township resolution, no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit issued by the zoning administrator2. The permit issues only in conformity with the resolution unless the board of zoning appeals orders otherwise through administrative review, a conditional use or a variance2.

Building-code permits are a separate question. Perry County has no certified residential building department, so residential construction documents are not required to be submitted to one4. The Mid-East Ohio Building Department, which serves Perry County, is a commercial-only department with no authority over one-, two- or three-family homes14.

We could not confirm building inspections or a certificate of occupancy inside the township; the zoning administrator is the office to ask.

How do septic permits work in Reading Township?

Septic goes through Perry County, not the township. Zoning requires every proposed residential structure and manufactured home that is not connected to a public sewer to have a private sewage disposal system that complies with Perry County Health Department regulations3. Individual sewage treatment systems must be installed with approval by the Perry County Health Department15.

Ohio requires a permit to install, replace or alter a sewage treatment system16. Call the Perry County Health Department at 740-342-5179 before you buy or design15.

Soils matter: USDA rates only 7.4% of Perry County soils "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

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

Not as a dwelling. A recreational vehicle may not be considered a dwelling in the FR and R-1 districts7. A travel trailer is designed for temporary use, not more than 90 days, and may not be used as a residential dwelling7.

Manufactured homes are different: they are permitted in any district that allows single-family housing, as long as they meet that district's other criteria and sit on a permanent perimeter foundation8.

We could not confirm a rule for tiny homes or temporary camping while you build. Because the FR district sets a 900 square foot minimum for a dwelling, a very small house may not qualify there9. Ask the zoning administrator before buying.

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

  1. Confirm the district (FR or R-1) and the dimensional rules above with the township zoning administrator5.
  2. Call the Perry County Health Department about a sewage system approval and a private water system permit for the site1518.
  3. If the driveway will meet a county road, a Perry County driveway permit is required19.
  4. Obtain the zoning permit before erecting the structure2.
  5. If the lot lies in a mapped flood zone, expect a floodplain development permit20.

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

Septic and private water systems stay with the Perry County Health Department, and driveway permits on county roads come from the county engineer1519. Subdivision of land outside municipalities is regulated under Ohio law, so check before splitting a parcel21.

For rules on land outside the township, see the Perry County page. County-level figures: the effective property tax rate is 0.9% and the median bill is $1,656 a year2223. Farmland averages about $6,172 an acre24.

Watch-outs

  • Dwellings never qualify as agriculture-exempt under the township resolution, so a farm exemption does not remove the zoning permit for a house25.
  • Searches for Reading zoning commonly return the City of Reading in Hamilton County, which is not this township1.
  • We could not confirm the zoning administrator's contact details, permit fees or building inspection arrangements, so ask the Reading Township trustees or fiscal officer who the zoning administrator is2.

Sources

  1. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Mid-East Ohio Building Department, quoted and re-checked
  5. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Perry County, Ohio | Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  7. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Minor Subdivision / Lot Split Application, quoted and re-checked
  12. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Mid-East Ohio Building Department (muskingumcountyoh.gov)
  15. Perry County Health Department (health.perrycountyohio.gov)
  16. Rule 3701-29-09 | Site review and permits for STS installation and operation (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Private Water Systems | Perry County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  19. Perry County Engineer's Office (perrycountyengineer.com)
  20. Rule 1501:22-1-04 | Floodplain management criteria, quoted and re-checked
  21. Perry County Subdivision Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
  25. Reading Township Zoning Resolution, Perry County, Ohio (amended 2018, effective January 1, 2019) (Reading Township), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Reading Township

Reading Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Unincorporated area of Reading Township, Perry County

    • Adopted under ORC Chapter 519; amended resolution passed December 3, 2018
    • Seed URL (amlegal 'reading') is the City of Reading in Hamilton County, not this township
    “the following districts are hereby created in order that the unincorporated area of reading township, perry county, ohio, may be divided into one or more such districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Unincorporated Reading Township zoning districts

    • Districts: farm/residential (FR), R-1 residential, manufactured and mobile homes, planned unit development
    • Uses not expressly authorized are prohibited unless approved by the board of zoning appeals
    “the following districts are hereby created in order that the unincorporated area of reading township, perry county, ohio, may be divided into one or more such districts: farm/residential, r-1 residential, manufactured and mobile homes, planned unit development district.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Farm/Residential (FR) district, Reading Township

    • Exclusive of porch, basement and garage
    • R-1 district minimum dwelling size not located

    minimum living space: >= 900 sq ft (exclusive of porch, basement and garage)

    “for any residential dwelling unit (exclusive of the porch, basement and garage) - 900 square feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Farm/Residential (FR) district, Reading Township

    • Road frontage and lot width 200 feet

    minimum lot size: >= 1 acre

    “section 6070 – fr- farm / residential district minimum lot area: minimum lot size shall be one (1) acres.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Residential district, Reading Township

    • Front setbacks measured from the center line of the road or street
    • Dwellings must meet Perry County board of health water and sewer requirements

    side yard: >= 5 feet · front yard: >= 30 feet (from road center line) · rear yard: >= 40 feet

    “road frontage 40 feet lot width 40 feet side yard setback 5 feet front yard setback 30 feet rear yard setback 40 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles/travel trailers in unincorporated Reading Township

    • Recreational vehicle may not be considered a dwelling in FR and R-1 districts
    • Travel trailers are temporary use, not more than 90 days, and not a residential dwelling

    travel trailer temporary use: <= 90 days

    “a travel trailer is designed to be used as temporary (not more than 90 days) and shall not be used as a residential dwelling.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured homes in unincorporated Reading Township

    • Allowed in any district permitting single family housing if all other district criteria are met
    • Must sit on a permanent perimeter foundation
    “manufactured homes are permitted in reading township per the ohio revised code. these homes are permitted in any zoning district that permits single family residential housing, so long as they comply with all other criteria of that district.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural buildings/structures in unincorporated Reading Township

    • Dwellings never qualify as agriculture exempt
    • Agricultural structures on lots over one acre but under five acres are subject to setback lines
    • Lot-size thresholds for fuller exemption not captured
    “buildings or structures incident to the use of land for agricultural purposes on lots greater than one acre but less than five acres are subject to all setback lines, set forth in this resolution.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Zoning permits for construction in unincorporated Reading Township

    • Zoning permit only; building-code permits not established in this source
    • Permit issued only in conformity with the resolution unless BZA issues administrative review, conditional use or variance order
    “no building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit therefore issued by the zoning administrator.”

Rules another office applies inside Reading Township

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems for homes inside Reading Township not on public sewer

    • Township zoning requires compliance with Perry County health department regulations
    • R-1 dwellings must meet Perry County board of health water and sewer disposal requirements
    “all proposed residential structures and manufactured homes not being connected to a public sewer system, shall have a private sewage disposal system that complies with the perry county health department regulations.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Reading Township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Reading Township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Reading Township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Reading Township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Reading Township
15 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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

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