Washington

1. Confirm jurisdiction (no City of Washington in Martin County) (~1d)
   Verify that the parcel is in unincorporated Martin County; the City of Loogootee and the Town of Shoals have separate municipal authority. There is no incorporated Washington in Martin County, so any ADU permit is handled by the county.
2. Soil evaluation and septic feasibility (~21d)
   Engage a licensed soil scientist for percolation and soil-profile evaluation. Karst geology in southern Martin County and proximity to NSA Crane influence septic system sizing.
3. Septic permit from Martin County Health Department (~14d)
   Submit soil report and proposed septic design to the Martin County Health Department; permit issuance is a hard precondition for the building permit. Existing systems may need expansion to accommodate a second residential unit.
4. Improvement Location Permit (county building permit) (~1d)
   Apply at the Martin County Commissioners' office (129 Main St., Shoals, IN 47581; 812-247-3731) with the septic permit, site plan, building plans, and contractor information. Application demonstrates the unit is 'clearly incidental and secondary' to the primary dwelling.
5. County plan/zoning review (~14d)
   Martin County Area Planning Commission staff review for setbacks, agricultural-overlay compliance, and lot density. Rural lot sizes typically accommodate ADUs with comfortable separation.
6. State residential code compliance (~7d)
   Confirm Indiana Residential Code (675 IAC, IRC 2018 base) compliance for foundations, framing, MEP, and energy. State Building Standards Admin fee applies.
7. Construction inspections
   Schedule footing, foundation, framing, MEP rough, insulation, and final inspections through the county building inspector. Septic install gets a Health Department final.
8. Final inspection and occupancy (~5d)
   Pass building and septic finals; structure may be occupied. There is no separate municipal certificate of occupancy in unincorporated Martin County.

• Long-term rental: yes Rural long-term rental permitted; landlord-tenant law per IC 32-31.
• Short-term rental: with-restrictions (Indiana state innkeeper's tax; Martin County does not impose a separate STR registration) STR-friendly given proximity to Hoosier National Forest, Spring Mill State Park, and NSA Crane gate traffic. Health Department septic capacity is the operational constraint.
  • Indiana innkeeper's tax applies (county-specific rate)
  • HOA covenants enforceable on the rare HOA parcel
  • Septic capacity must support guest occupancy
• Office rental: no Unincorporated zoning treats accessory residential as residential only.
• Home office: yes Home occupation customary in rural parcels with no signage limits in agricultural districts.
• Studio / workshop: yes Personal art/workshop use allowed.
• Agriculture: yes Martin County is heavily agricultural; livestock and farm uses are largely by-right outside any zoning overlay.
• Relative support: yes Multigenerational and farm-help housing common; explicitly contemplated under 'clearly incidental and secondary' standard.

• Indiana Homestead Standard Deduction — Owner-occupied homestead deduction preserved on primary residence; ADU does not displace.

Staff: Martin County Commissioners (County executive body - approves Improvement Location Permits), Martin County Health Department (Septic permits and inspections), Martin County Area Plan Commission (Zoning and subdivision review)

• Water: Martin County Rural Water (rural unincorporated areas) or private well · 30d connect · $4,500
• Sewer: Private septic system (unincorporated) · 30d connect · $9,500
• Electric: Daviess-Martin County REMC (rural electric cooperative) · 30d connect · $2,100
• Gas: Vectren / CenterPoint Energy (where lines exist) or propane (most rural parcels) · 30d connect

Realistic total: best 8mo · typical 12mo · worst 20mo

Rural contractor pool is small; lead times stretch in spring/summer when farm work competes for trades.

Modular pathway Indiana Department of Homeland Security - Industrialized Building Systems · inspectors are rare with modular · 1 modular permits (last 24mo)

Two-lane US-50 and SR-450 are the main routes; bridge weight limits and rural turn radii constrain module width. NSA Crane proximity also adds escort considerations on certain corridors.

State ADU loans:

• Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) (State of Indiana)
• USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing programs (USDA Rural Development - Indiana)

Rural Indiana profile; tornado/hail loss profile is the primary premium driver, not the ADU itself.

Negligible HOA prevalence in unincorporated Martin County; covenants concentrated in a handful of newer subdivisions.

• flood-zone — FEMA SFHA along East Fork White River, Lost River, and Beaver Creek - significant SFHA acreage in Martin County · +14d · +8% cost
  Finished-floor elevation requirements; flood vents on enclosed below-base areas; large karst valleys in south county. (map)
• other — NSA Crane (Naval Surface Warfare Center) blast and clear-zone setbacks affect parcels adjacent to base boundary · +21d · +5% cost
  Parcels near NSA Crane fenceline subject to noise, EMI, and security-zone constraints worth verifying with the base community-relations office. (map)