▼

Planning

Show All Answers

1. How may I request a zoning inspection for a Building, Zoning Use, or Sign Permit?

Submit all zoning inspection requests through the online Zoning Inspection Request Form

2. Do I need a building permit to build / put up a shed?

For sheds/storage buildings: If any dimension of a shed is greater than or equal to 12 feet, or if the total area of the structure is greater than or equal to 144 square feet, then a building permit is required.  Please visit the Mecklenburg County Permitting website to learn if your proposed project requires a building permit.

If all dimensions of a shed are less than 12 feet and the area of the structure is less than 144 square feet under you will only need a Zoning Use Permit. 

3. How do I apply for a sign permit?

Sign Permits must be submitted electronically through the Internet Permitting and Inspection System for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

• Internet Permitting and Inspection System for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County

Each Sign Permit application must include the following for Town zoning approval:

• Plot Plan showing the location of the sign and distance from Right-of-Way and Sight Triangle
• Drawings showing all dimensions of the sign including the area of changeable copy and ground clearance

If you have questions regarding the applicability of a Master Sign Program for your proposed sign, please contact the Town of Huntersville Planning Department, 704-875-7000.

Effective July 1, 2019: Town Zoning fees will be included in the cost of each Sign Permit.

Click here for more information about Sign Permits

4. Do I need a building permit to construct a deck?

Yes, you will need a building permit to construct a deck since it is a load bearing structure. Be sure to obtain a building permit before you begin construction.

Building permit applications and residential plot plan forms should be submitted to Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement. Homeowners and contractors can apply for permits online or in person.

For more information on how and where to obtain your building permit, call or visit Residential Services at 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, or simply call the Residential Technical Answer Center (RTAC) at 980-314-CODE(2633) or email rtac@mecklenburgcountync.gov.  

5. Do I need a building permit?

Residential Customers

Residential Customers should contact the Mecklenburg County Residential Technical Answer Center (RTAC) to determine if a building permit is needed. Call 980-314-CODE(2633) or visit the RTAC website.

Residential Customers in need of a permit:

• All building permits must be submitted electronically through the Internet Permitting and Inspection System for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
• Effective 05/01/19: All zoning reviews and inspections for residential and commercial building permits will be conducted by Town of Huntersville Planning Department Staff.

Commercial Customers

Commercial Customers who are upfitting existing spaces/buildings will need to contact Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement 980-314-CODE(2633) for information about commercial plan review and permitting.  The Huntersville Planning Department reviews all commercial upfits via Mecklenburg County’s electronic review system for zoning compliance.

Commercial Customers who are interested in constructing new buildings or upfitting an existing building for a new use will need to contact the Huntersville Planning Department 704-875-7000 about the Commercial Site Plan review process and/or the Change of Use process for Land Development before beginning the building permit process with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement.

6. What are my setbacks?

Due to variable setbacks within the Town of Huntersville, it is best to contact Planning Staff at 704-875-7000 to verify the setbacks on your property.

7. What is my property zoned?

To find out what your property is zoned please contact the Town of Huntersville Planning Department at 704-875-7000.

8. Does my property have impervious restrictions?

Most properties in Huntersville located on the west side of I-77, and some properties to the east side of I-77, are located in a watershed overlay district and do have impervious restrictions. To find out if there are impervious restrictions on your property, contact Planning Staff at 704-875-7000.

9. What does impervious mean?

Impervious ground cover is any structure or ground cover consisting of asphalt, concrete, stone, brick, terrazzo, roofing, ceramic tile or any other natural or man-made material that prevents the absorption of surface water into the soil.

Further, Built-upon Area (B.U.) shall include that portion of a development project and/or lots that are covered by impervious or partially impervious cover including buildings, pavement, gravel areas (e.g. roads, parking lots, paths), recreation facilities (e.g. tennis courts), etc. (Note: Wooden slatted decks and the water area of a swimming pool are considered pervious.)

10. What is the commercial permitting process?

Commercial Customers who are upfitting existing spaces/buildings will need to contact Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement 980-314-CODE(2633) for information about commercial plan review and permitting.  The Huntersville Planning Department reviews zoning for all commercial upfits via Mecklenburg County's electronic review system.

Commercial Customers who are interested in constructing new buildings or upfitting an existing building for a new use will need to contact the Huntersville Planning Department 704-875-7000 about the Commercial Site Plan review process and/or the Change of Use process for Land Development before beginning the building permit process with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement.

11. What is the residential building permitting process?

All building permit applications must be submitted online by the property owner or owner's agent from Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement located at:

2145 Suttle Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28208
Phone: 980-314-CODE(2633) 

If the property is located within a subdivision, the zoning review will electronically routed to County Staff for completion.

For manufactured homes, subdivisions with special conditions, and properties located outside subdivisions, the zoning review will be electronically routed to Town Staff for completion. A zoning review fee may apply.

Effective 05/01/19: All zoning reviews and inspections for residential and commercial building permits will be conducted by Town of Huntersville Planning Department Staff.

For more information on how and where to obtain your building permit, call or visit Residential Services at 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, or simply call the Residential Technical Answer Center (RTAC) at 980-314-CODE(2633) or email rtac@mecklenburgcountync.gov.  For questions about zoning, contact the Huntersville Planning Department at 704-875-7000.

Office hours for both Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement and the Huntersville Planning Department are Monday through Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.

12. Who can answer my questions about residential building codes?

Contact the Mecklenburg County Residential Technical Answer Center (RTAC) at 980-314-CODE(2633) for questions regarding residential building codes.

13. Who can answer my questions about commercial building codes?

Contact the Mecklenburg County Commercial Technical Answer Center (CTAC) at 704-336-3829 for questions regarding commercial building codes.

14. Can I operate a business from my home?

The Huntersville Zoning Ordinance has a provision for residents to operate a business from their home with the following conditions found in Article 9.19: A home occupation is a permitted accessory to any dwelling unit (except manufactured housing) in accordance with the following requirements:

1. The home occupation must be clearly incidental to the residential use of the dwelling and must not change the essential residential character of the dwelling.
2. A home occupation conducted in an accessory structure shall be housed only in a garage or other accessory structure typically associated with a dwelling.
3. The use shall employ no more than one person who is not a resident of the dwelling.
4. A home occupation housed within the dwelling shall occupy no more than 25 percent of the total floor area of the dwelling.
5. There shall be no visible outside display of stock in trade which is sold on the premises.
6. There shall be no outdoor storage or visible evidence of equipment or materials used in the home occupation, excepting equipment or materials of a type and quantity that could reasonably be associated with the principal residential use.
7. Operation of the home occupation shall not be visible from any dwelling on an adjacent lot, nor from a street.
8. Only vehicles used primarily as passenger vehicles will be permitted in connection with the conduct of the home occupation.
9. The home occupation shall not utilize mechanical, electrical, or other equipment which produces noise, electrical or magnetic interference, vibration, heat, glare, or other nuisances outside the dwelling or accessory structure housing the home occupation.
10. Home occupations shall be limited to those uses which do not draw clients to the dwelling on a regular basis.
11. Outdoor kilns used for the firing of pottery shall be provided with a semi-opaque screen to obstruct the view from the street and from adjacent properties located in residential districts, shall have a secured work area, and shall be a minimum of 10 feet from abutting property lines.
12. No business identification or advertising signs are permitted.

You may obtain the Zoning Use Application-Home Occupation (PDF) here or from the Town of Huntersville Planning Department.

Complete Zoning Use Permit Applications shall be emailed to permits@huntersville.org or may be mailed to the Planning Department (see below for mailing options). 

The Zoning Use Permit Fee for a Home Occupation may be submitted electronically through the Planning and Zoning Fees form.

Physical Address: 105 Gilead Road | Third Floor (Fed Ex, UPS, and Couriers)

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 664 | Huntersville, North Carolina 28070 (USPS)

Attention: Planning Department

Please make checks payable to: Town of Huntersville

Memo: Property Address

15. Do I need a business license?

The Town of Huntersville does not require business licenses.

16. Who can I contact about high grass or other nuisances?

Contact the Code Enforcement Technician at 704-766-2219 or complete the online complaint form to report high grass or other nuisances.

17. Who can I contact about zoning violations?

Contact the Code Enforcement Technician at 704-766-2219 or complete the online complaint form to report zoning violations.

18. Who can I contact about the minimum housing code?

For minimum housing issues located within the Town of Huntersville corporate limits contact Code Enforcement Staff at 704-766-2219. For minimum housing issues located outside the Town of Huntersville corporate limits, in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, contact Daren Bishop with Mecklenburg County at 980-314-3112. If you are unsure if the property is located in the Town corporate limits, you may contact the Huntersville Planning Department at 704-875-7000 and a staff member will be happy to assist you.

19. How may I request a zoning verification letter?

Email the Planning Department (planning@huntersville.org) with the property address or Tax Parcel ID. Staff will reply with the expected processing time and instructions for fee submission. If you are requesting zoning verification for multiple properties, Staff will confirm the total review fee.

Zoning verification letter fees may be paid electronically through the Planning and Zoning Fees form or made payable by check to the Town of Huntersville as directed below.

Physical Address: 105 Gilead Road | Third Floor (Fed Ex, UPS, and Couriers)

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 664 | Huntersville, North Carolina 28070 (USPS)

Attention: Planning Department

Payable to: Town of Huntersville

Memo: Property address(es) or Parcel number(s)

The review fee for a Zoning Verification Letter can be found within the most current Fee Schedule.

20. Permits

Where do I get a building permit?

• Building permits and issued through Mecklenburg County.

Do I need a building permit for a deck, patio, swimming pool, or accessory dwelling unit?

• Decks, swimming pools, and accessory dwelling units all require building permits. 
• At-grade concrete or paver patios do not require building permits. 
  • We recommend you review Impervious restrictions to see if this applies to your property.

Do I need a zoning permit?

• All items that require a building permit will automatically be routed by Mecklenburg County to Huntersville for zoning approval, please review the ’notes’ in the Mecklenburg Permitting system for any requests for additional information. 
• If your project does not require a building permit, it may require a zoning permit. Common zoning permits are for sheds, home-based businesses, family care homes, mobile food sales, home daycares, temporary seasonal markets, construction trailers, and commercial change of use. This list does not include all items that may require a zoning permit. To inquire if your project requires a zoning permit contact us at permits@huntersville.org. 

21. Impervious Area or Built-Upon Area

What does impervious area refer to?

• Impervious Surface means a surface that because of its composition and/or its use impedes the natural infiltration of water. 

Why do we have impervious restrictions? 

• State and local regulations (specifically water supply watershed protection ordinances and postconstruction ordinances) protect streams and lakes in Mecklenburg County from pollution by restricting activities in the land areas that drain to them. Built-upon area (also called impervious area) is a source of pollution that is controlled by these regulations. Pollutants, such as oil and chemicals, deposited on these surfaces wash straight to creeks and lakes in runoff during rain events causing negative water quality impacts.  

What materials are considered impervious?

• Built-upon area is defined as both impervious and partially impervious cover including buildings, pavement, gravel, recreational facilities (tennis courts, etc.) but does not include wooden slatted decks and the water area of a swimming pool.

Do all properties have impervious restrictions? 

• Built-upon area restrictions apply to all properties located in water supply watershed restriction areas and most all other properties in Mecklenburg County. Properties developed in Huntersville after July 1, 2007, are likely subject to built-upon area restrictions. 

How do I determine if my property has impervious restrictions? 

• To determine if a property is located in a water supply watershed restriction area, go to http://charmeck.org (select “Departments”, select “Geospatial Information Services”, select “POLARIS 3G”). Enter the property address or PID in the search field (upper left corner) and select “Floodplain, Zoning & Watershed Info” at the lower-left portion of the screen. If a “Watershed Class” such as PA or Ca is indicated under the heading “Watershed District” at the bottom left portion of the screen, then the property is located in a water supply watershed restriction area and is likely subject to the built-upon area requirements. To view the specific watershed ordinances and guidelines, click on “Detailed Information” at the bottom left portion of the screen
• If a property is located in a subdivision, the maximum built upon area allocated to that property can be obtained from the approved recorded plat, which is sometimes available by using the “Legal Desc.” link on the left side of the screen in POLARIS under the property address. This will take you to the Register of Deeds website for viewing of the recorded plat. While viewing the recorded plat you will see on the left-hand side of the page a “Related Documents” link. Click this link to see if there is a revised plat that may include changes to allotted impervious restrictions. The revised plat will be noted as MAP/R. Should you want to go back to the previous plat click the back button. If the property in question is not located in a subdivision or if the subdivision was approved prior to the effective date of the regulation, then the maximum allowed built upon area can be obtained by reviewing the applicable regulation as described above.
• If you need assistance determining the impervious restrictions you can email the property address to planning@huntersville.org and request assistance with impervious calculations. One of our Planners will be happy to assist you. 

Are there types of structures/surfaces that I could use that would not be considered impervious?

• Slatted wood decks and walkways (such as a handicap ramp) do not count as impervious surfaces. If, however, a deck is enclosed to create a screened porch or sunroom, the roof means it now becomes impervious and must be counted towards any maximum allowance.
• NOTE: Products marketed as permeable pavers have not been approved by Mecklenburg County for use as permeable. These items will count as impervious surface.