Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Hermosa, South Dakota

Town of Hermosa’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hermosa town limits.

  • Town zoning is divided into ten district types.

  “For the purpose of promoting the public health, safety, morals, convenience, and the general welfare of the community, the town is hereby divided into districts of ten different types, each being of such number, shape, kind, and area, and such common unity of purpose, and adaptability of use that are deemed most suitable to carry out the purpose of this chapter.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Hermosa town limits.

  • District list includes RS, R1, R2, RU, CO, GI, AG, GP, FW, and RA.

  “RS Residential stick built R1 Stick built or manufactured homes R2 Manufactured homes RU Recreational Use CO Commercial GI General Industrial AG Agricultural GP Government/Public Use FW Floodway District RA Residential Agriculture”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R1 and R2 zoning districts inside Hermosa town limits.

  • R1 is identified as stick-built or manufactured homes; R2 is identified as manufactured homes.

  “R1 Stick built or manufactured homes R2 Manufactured homes”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Hermosa town limits.

  • The prohibition is expressly subject to provisions later in Chapter 51.

  “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cess pool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Hermosa town limits.

  • Fee is set by the Board of Trustees under the current fee schedule.
  • A specific current dollar amount was not published in the opened section.

  “If the application is approved, the applicant may then purchase the building permit from the Treasurer at a price set by the Board of Trustees. The price shall be in an amount set by the Board of Trustees, as per the current fee schedule.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hermosa

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

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Main and accessory buildings in the RS Residential District inside Hermosa town limits.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent (Main and accessory buildings in RS.)

  “Maximum lot coverage. Main and accessory buildings shall cover not more than 40% of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Main buildings in the RS Residential District inside Hermosa town limits.

  • Exception is cross-referenced to § 155.57.

  maximum main-building height: <= 35 feet (Except as provided in § 155.57.) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (Except as provided in § 155.57.)

  “Height regulations. No main building shall exceed two and one-half stories or 35 feet in height, except as provided in § 155.57.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Hermosa or Custer County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Hermosa town limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Hermosa town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Hermosa town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Hermosa zoning districts.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Hermosa town 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 Town of Hermosa 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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