Building Codes in USA

Thongkhoun Pathana

Dec 7, 20222 min read

Updated: Dec 8, 2022

Before you develop any project in your land or before you buy land. Know your town and city Zoning Ordinance.

A zoning ordinance is a rule that defines how property in specific geographic zones can be used. Zoning ordinances may also regulate lot size, placement, density, and the height of structures.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A zoning ordinance is a rule that defines how property in specific geographic zones can be used.
Zoning ordinances may also regulate lot size, placement, density, and the height of structures.
Zoning rules vary greatly by region, but their most general, shared purpose is to separate residential property use from commercial property use.

Zoning Types

The main types of zoning are industrial, commercial, residential, and agricultural. Other types of zoning used in some municipalities include historic, school, hospital, and airport zoning. Within the main categories, there are usually designations for density of units. For example, in some areas, residential zoning includes designations like R-2 for up to two residential units per acre or R-4 for up to four residential units per acre. Designations like R-2 and R-4 mean very different things depending on the municipality, so check with your local zoning office to see what it means in yours.

Each city has its own Building or Engineering Department

How the Building Process Work

After you know the land you purchased or Building you purchased per zoning area you want to Build or Renvovations or Change Use.

Zoning Board of Appeal ZBA REQUIREMENTS
Contact Town or City Department or Building Official
Planning Review as Required for New Building. Consult your building official per town and city requirements. Every projects are different and depending on your scope of work, scale of the project.
ZBA required, Zoning Board Appeal ZBA
Site Plan by Surveyor
Civil Engineering for stormwater and septic, parking lot if any and required for the public building.
Wetland Commission Approval if any wetland nearby, required surveying
Architectural conceptual planning as required for the ZBA
Submission for ZBA For Approval of the Zoning.
After ZBA Approval, Planning Review As required for the Building Permit.
Civil Engineerin
Landscape Architecture
Geotec Report
Architecture
Structure
Mechanical
Electrical
Plumbing
Full sets of Professional Design, stamped and sealed to submit ONLINE OR IN PERSON.
Planning Review, owner paid fees for reviewing. Time duration depending on the complexity of the project.
For Residential might be different and less requirements, again consult with your local building official and your local architect or engineer.
It is depend on your Scope of Work or what you are trying to do with your House, Land to Develop and use meaning kind of building, from private house, homr renovations, building renovations, new building for restaurant, temple, church, business retail or manufacture.
After the Planning Review is Approved, your General Contractor or Owner can pull out a Building Permit and Paid Fees base n your Construction Cost Estimates.