Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Cowley, Wyoming

Town of Cowley’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, constructing, reconstructing, moving, or changing the use of buildings, structures, or land inside Cowley town limits.

  • No permit may issue unless plans fully conform to Chapter 152.
  • Accessory buildings under 200 square feet do not require a permit.

  accessory-building exemption threshold: < 200 square feet (Accessory buildings under this threshold do not require a permit.)

  “Accessory buildings under 200 square feet do not require a permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cowley town limits.

  • The town's Development Code establishes district-specific land-use controls.

  “To carry out the provisions of this chapter, the town is divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Cowley town limits.

  • The published districts are R-1 Residential, C-1 Downtown Commercial, C-2 Business Park, P Public Uses, FP Floodplain, MH Mobile Home Court, and MF Multi-Family Dwelling.

  “To carry out the provisions of this chapter, the town is divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Minor and major subdivisions inside Cowley town limits.

  • The code provides separate review tracks for minor and major subdivisions.

  “An application for a minor subdivision shall be reviewed by the Commission.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Development-code permits and applications inside Cowley town limits.

  • The Council may establish and update the schedule by resolution.
  • The code text reviewed does not state the current dollar amounts.

  “The Council may, by resolution, establish and update a fee schedule for permits, determinations, applications, and other services under this chapter”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Development applications inside Cowley town limits.

  • The published Development Code identifies separate reviews for single-family/duplex/accessory-building, minor-subdivision, and major-subdivision/multifamily applications.

  “Compliance permits for major subdivisions and construction of multi-family buildings shall be reviewed by the Commission and Council.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Cowley

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  One- and two-family dwellings in Cowley's R-1 Residential District.

  • Major subdivisions also have an average-lot-size minimum that varies by number of lots.

  minimum lot size: 7000 square feet (One- and two-family dwellings.)

  “7,000 square feet for one- and two-family dwellings.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in Cowley's R-1 Residential District.

  • Listed roof and utility features are exempt from the height limit.
  • The limitation also does not apply to buildings located more than one foot from setback lines for each two feet of building height.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Measured from average ground level around the building.)

  “The maximum allowable building height as measured from the average ground level around the building shall be 35 feet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Cowley town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Cowley town limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Cowley town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Cowley town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — One- and two-family dwellings in Cowley's R-1 Residential District.

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 Cowley 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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