Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Silver Lake, Ohio

Village of Silver Lake’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Silver Lake village limits.

  • Zoning includes district regulations and a zoning map.

  “For the purpose of this Zoning Code the following classification of districts is hereby established in the Municipality:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Silver Lake village limits.

  • Published code contents list Residential, Park and Recreational, and Institutional District chapters, together with a districts-established and zoning-map chapter.

  “Residential District. [...] Park and Recreational District. [...] Institutional District.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Main buildings in Silver Lake's Residential District.

  • The regulations are subject to modifications for legally established nonconforming uses.
  • The code states that its requirements are additions to requirements elsewhere in the code.

  minimum dwelling unit area, one-story building: 1500 square feet · minimum dwelling unit area, two-story building: 2000 square feet

  “Lots in the Residential District shall be occupied by no more than one (1) residential building per lot and further, shall be developed and maintained in accordance with the following regulations, except as modified by the provisions herein for legally established nonconforming uses.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Main buildings in Silver Lake's Residential District.

  • Subject to modifications for legally established nonconforming uses.

  minimum lot size: 20000 square feet · minimum lot width at building line: 120 feet · minimum street frontage: 75 feet · minimum lot depth: 150 feet

  “The following are all minimum dimensions, unless otherwise noted. In the case of yard dimensions, requirements are measured from the lot line (front, rear, or side, as the case may be) to a main building. [...] (a) Lot size, minimum square feet 20,000 square feet (b) Lot width at building line 120 feet (c) Street frontage 75 feet (d) Lot depth 150 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Main buildings in Silver Lake's Residential District.

  • Front setback may vary up to 20 percent of adjacent-residence setback, but not below the stated front-setback requirement.
  • Rear yards abutting Crystal Lake, Silver Lake, or the Cuyahoga River must equal 50 percent of lot depth.
  • Specified intervening-property lake lots have the alternative rear-yard condition stated in § 1133.03(k).

  front yard setback depth: 50 feet · side yard setback depth: 10 feet (Corner lots: 30 feet from side street.) · rear yard setback depth: 40 feet (Except as provided in § 1133.03(k).)

  “(f) Front yard setback depth 50 feet (g) Side yard setback depth 10 feet corner lots, from side of street 30 feet (h) Rear yard setback depth 40 feet (except as provided in (k) below)”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings in Silver Lake's Residential District.

  • For new construction taller than 30 feet, as-built height must be field verified by a registered land surveyor and submitted to the Village Zoning Inspector at the owner's expense.
  • Chimneys may exceed the dwelling-height limit, but no more than 15 feet above the roofline.

  maximum dwelling height: <= 2.5 stories · maximum dwelling height above finished grade: <= 33 feet

  “thirty-three (33) feet above finished grade”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits inside Silver Lake village limits.

  • The contents identify conditions for issuance, application requirements, review and approval, expiration, renewal, fees, and deposits; the operative details were not retrieved.

  “The following procedures are established to govern the review of applications for subdivisions and zoning permit approvals.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Silver Lake village limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Silver Lake village limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Silver Lake village limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Silver Lake village limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Silver Lake village limits.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.