Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of McDonald, Ohio

Village of McDonald’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, location, alteration, or change of use of buildings or premises inside McDonald village limits.

  • Application for a preconstruction permit must be made before the listed work.
  • The application must provide the location, plot plan, plans, specifications, proposed dimensions and proposed use.
  • The Inspector has ten days after receipt to issue or refuse a building permit.
  • The proposal must comply with the Zoning Code and be accompanied by the proper building fee.
  • A permit expires 365 days after pickup; if work is not commenced within 60 days, a new application is required.
  • Emergency temporary structures may be permitted following a destructive emergency, including tents or trailers for six months.

  permit issuance decision period: <= 10 days (after receipt of the preconstruction-permit application) · permit expiration: 365 days (from date picked up by applicant) · commencement threshold: 60 days (new application required unless construction, location, change of use, or alteration commences) · emergency tent or trailer period: 6 months (at Inspector discretion after an emergency destroys all or part of a dwelling, building, or other structure)

  “Before constructing, locating, changing the use of or altering any buildings, including accessory buildings or changing the use of any premises, including fences, swimming pools and satellite receiving equipment, application shall be made to the Zoning Inspector's office for a preconstruction permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or premises inside McDonald village limits that is created, erected, changed, converted, altered, enlarged, or changed in use or structure.

  • The Zoning Inspector must issue the certificate and state that the proposed building or land use conforms to all ordinances.
  • Water and sewer connections must be approved by the Village Administrator before a certificate may issue.
  • A temporary certificate may issue during alterations or partial occupancy pending completion, for no more than six months.

  temporary certificate period: <= 6 months (during alterations or partial occupancy pending completion)

  “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued therefor by the Zoning Inspector stating that the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the requirements of all ordinances.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings inside McDonald village limits.

  • Previously platted areas have a 60-foot frontage minimum.
  • New future plats have an 80-foot frontage minimum.
  • The code also prohibits dividing or reducing a lot below applicable minimum lot-area, lot-width, or setback requirements.

  single-family frontage: >= 60 feet (previously platted areas) · single-family frontage: >= 80 feet (new future plats)

  “No single-family dwelling shall be erected on less than sixty foot frontage of lot area for previously platted areas and eighty foot frontage of lot area for new future plats.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of trailers as temporary replacement structures inside McDonald village limits after a destructive emergency.

  • The Zoning Inspector may temporarily suspend zoning regulations at discretion when fire, windstorm, flood, or another act destroys all or part of a dwelling, building, or structure and makes it uninhabitable or unusable.
  • Under those conditions, the Inspector may permit trailers for six months while the destroyed building is repaired or replaced.

  trailer use period: 6 months (only under the emergency temporary-structure provision)

  “Under such conditions the Inspector may permit the use of tents, trailers or building for a six-month period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Emergency temporary use of tents inside McDonald village limits.

  • The emergency must have destroyed all or part of a dwelling, building, or structure and made it uninhabitable or unusable.
  • The Inspector may permit tents at discretion while the destroyed building is repaired or replaced.
  • The permitted period is six months.

  tent use period: 6 months (only under the emergency temporary-structure provision)

  “In the event of an emergency, including fire, windstorm, flood or other act destroying totally or partially a dwelling house, building or other structure, making it uninhabitable or unusable, the zoning regulations herein may be temporarily suspended insofar as they may apply, at the discretion of the Inspector, by permitting a temporary structure to be used in the place of the destroyed building while it is being repaired or replaced.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Buildings or premises requiring a Certificate of Occupancy inside McDonald village limits.

  • A Certificate of Occupancy cannot be issued until water and sewer connections have been approved by the Village Administrator.

  “Such Certificate of Occupancy shall not be issued until water and sewer connections have been approved by the Village Administrator.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside McDonald village limits.

  • All fees must be paid before issuance of a building permit.
  • Fees may be altered from time to time to meet existing conditions and costs.
  • A person beginning work without first securing a permit must pay twice the fees before a permit is issued.

  unpermitted-work fee multiplier: 2 times (for construction, reconstruction, enlargement, change, maintenance, or use without first securing the required permit)

  “Any person who commences to construct, reconstruct, enlarge, change, maintain or use any building or land within the Village without first securing a building permit as provided herein shall be required to pay twice the fees as provided above prior to the issuance of any such building permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning/building permits inside McDonald village limits.

  • Applicants apply to the Zoning Inspector for a preconstruction permit.
  • The application identifies the exact location and includes a plot plan, plans and specifications, proposed locations and dimensions, proposed use, and Council-established processing fee.
  • The Inspector either issues a permit if the proposal accords with the Zoning Code and fee requirement, or refuses if it does not comply with the Building Code.
  • An applicant may file a written appeal with the Board of Zoning Appeals within 20 days after receiving a refusal.

  appeal filing period: <= 20 days (from receipt of the Zoning Inspector's refusal)

  “The application shall indicate the exact location of the proposed construction, alteration or change of use and shall include a plot plan, plans and specifications showing proposed locations and dimensions, of the building and the proposed use, and shall include a fee as shall be established by Council to cover the cost of processing the application, all of which shall be included in the permanent record of applications.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Building permits inside McDonald village limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside McDonald village limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside McDonald village limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside McDonald village limits.
• Setbacks — Buildings inside McDonald 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 McDonald 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.

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