Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ortonville, Minnesota

Ortonville’s own rules

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage-disposal facilities inside Ortonville city limits.

  • Private sewage disposal is prohibited when adequate and feasible city facilities are available.
  • Where public sanitary sewer is unavailable, the building sewer must connect to a private system complying with city rules and Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080.
  • New private systems and extensions require written city approval of the system plan and materials.

  “connected to a private sewage disposal system”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Properties and future buildings inside Ortonville city limits that abut municipal water or public sewer as specified.

  • Water connection is required where real property abuts a city street with municipal water lines.
  • A wastewater-discharge property must connect within 180 days after public sewer becomes operational when sewer is within 150 feet of the wastewater-generating structure and in an adjacent public right-of-way or sewer easement.
  • Future buildings on property adjacent to public sewer must connect immediately.
  • New sewer connections are prohibited without sufficient downstream capacity.

  sewer distance: <= 150 feet (Public sewer must be in a public right-of-way or sewer easement adjacent to the property.) · existing-property sewer connection deadline: 180 days (Measured from date public sewer is operational when stated distance and location conditions are met.)

  “connect to the water lines. [...] connect to a public sewer”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New structures, land uses, and structural changes within the Floodway, Flood Fringe, and General Flood Plain districts inside Ortonville city limits.

  • Applies to mapped floodway, flood fringe, and general flood plain areas.
  • Uses not listed as permitted or conditional uses in the cited sections are prohibited.
  • New and replacement manufactured homes and certain recreational vehicles are subject to the floodplain chapter's general provisions and §§ 153.090 through 153.092.

  “A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator in conformity with the provisions of this chapter shall be secured prior to the erection”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  New sanitary-sewer service connection permits inside Ortonville city limits.

  • The city may waive the fee for repair work.
  • The person or firm performing the work must be city-licensed; following approval, a $2,000 performance bond is required before permit issuance.

  new sewer connection permit fee: 10 USD (City may waive fee requirements for repair work.) · performance bond: 2000 USD (Required after permit-application approval for work on a sewer service connection.)

  “Application for permit to perform work on a sewer service connection within the city shall be made on a form supplied by the city by the person or firm who will be performing the work to the city along with a fee of $10 for the installation of a new connection. The city may waive the fee requirements for repair work.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Work on a sanitary-sewer service connection inside Ortonville city limits.

  • Work requires a written city permit.
  • The city issues a permit after application approval and receipt of a $2,000 performance bond.

  “No person, unless authorized by a written permit from the city shall make, install, repair, alter, disturb, uncover, open or break any sewer connection to the sanitary sewer system of the city. Permits for connection of a new sewer service or repairs to an existing service shall be issued by the city after consideration of the application for the permit with regard to compliance with other sections of this chapter.”

Rules another office applies inside Ortonville

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual septic systems inside Ortonville city limits.

  • Big Stone County regulates septic systems within city limits.

  “The county regulates all septic systems in the county, including those within city limits. Contact a licensed designer, installer or pumperfrom the area or contact our office with further questions.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Property transfers involving a septic system inside Ortonville city limits.

  • Applies to sellers before transfer; exemptions include parcels without buildings or plumbing fixtures, transfers not requiring a Certificate of Real Estate Value, certain contract-for-deed transfers, buildings connected to municipal wastewater, a valid Certificate of Compliance, and specified holding tanks.
  • A new-system Certificate of Compliance remains valid for 5 years; an inspected existing system that passes remains valid for 3 years.

  “Sellers must also provide inspections by a licensed inspector to buyers prior to the transfer of property in the county.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Ortonville or Big Stone County directly.

• Building permit — General residential building construction inside Ortonville city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Ortonville city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Ortonville city limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Ortonville city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Ortonville city 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.