Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hanska, Minnesota

Hanska’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Manufactured homes placed in residential districts inside Hanska city limits.

  • The manufactured home must comply with all zoning regulations for its district.
  • Any other required permits must also be obtained.
  • The home must comply with applicable Minnesota statutes regulating manufactured homes.
  • Connection to city utilities is required if available.

  “A building permit and any other required permits shall be obtained for manufactured homes.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Buildings subject to the Minnesota Accessibility Code inside Hanska city limits.

  • The adopted code is the Minnesota Accessibility Code under Minnesota Statutes sections 326B.01 through 326B.998 and Minnesota Rules chapter 1341.
  • The ordinance states that a building subject to the accessibility code may not be constructed, reconstructed, substantially altered, or changed in use unless it will comply.

  “The Minnesota Accessibility Code, established pursuant to M.S. §§ 326B.01 - 326B.998, as they may be amended from time to time, and as provided for in Minn. Rules Ch. 1341, as it may be amended from time to time, is adopted as the building code for accessibility in this city.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Building-sewer construction and connection work inside Hanska city limits.

  • The applicant must notify the City Clerk when the building sewer and connection are ready for inspection.
  • If the city has adopted the State Building Code, connection is supervised by the Building Official or representative; otherwise the Utilities Superintendent performs the inspection.
  • No backfill may occur until work is inspected and approved or certification is received.

  “The applicant shall notify the City Clerk when the building sewer and connection is ready for inspection. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the Building Official or the Building Official's representative, if the city has adopted the State Building Code. If the city has not adopted the State Building Code, the Utilities Superintendent shall perform the inspection.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater-disposal systems inside Hanska city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

  • The city requires the private system to comply with the sewer-code subchapter and Minnesota Rules chapter 7080.
  • Additional requirements may be imposed by the MPCA or Minnesota Department of Health.

  “Prior to commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the city.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater-disposal system inside Hanska city limits.

  • The owner must obtain a written permit signed by the city before construction.
  • The city may require plans, specifications, and other information with the application.

  “Prior to commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the city. The application for the permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary to the city.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted private wastewater-disposal systems inside Hanska city limits.

  • The permit is ineffective until installation is completed to the satisfaction of the city or its authorized representative.
  • The applicant must notify the city before underground portions are covered when work is ready for final inspection.
  • The inspection must be made within 24 hours after notice.

  inspection completion period after notice: <= 24 hours

  “The city or its representative shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the city when work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 24 hours of the receipt of notice.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal inside Hanska city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

  • Private wastewater disposal is limited to locations where public sewer is unavailable under section 51.18.
  • The system must comply with the sewer-code subchapter and Minnesota Rules chapter 7080.
  • Construction requires a city permit and inspection.
  • Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and similar facilities are otherwise unlawful except as provided in the chapter.

  “Where a public sewer is not available under the provisions of § 51.018, the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this subchapter and Minn. Rules Ch. 7080, Design Standards for Individual Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems, as they may be amended from time to time.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Homes and buildings inside Hanska city limits where municipal water and public sanitary sewer are available.

  • New homes or buildings must connect to municipal water if water is available to the property.
  • Existing homes or buildings must connect when municipal water becomes available within the period determined by City Council.
  • Sewer connection is required when the property is adjacent to a public-sewer street, alley, or right-of-way and the sewer is within 200 feet of the wastewater-generating structure.
  • A future building on property adjacent to public sewer must connect immediately.

  public-sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (Measured from the structure generating wastewater.) · sewer connection deadline after public sewer becomes operational: <= 365 days (For covered existing properties.)

  “The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes from which wastewater is discharged, and which is situated within the city and adjacent to any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located, or may in the future be located, a public sanitary sewer of the city shall be required at the owner's expense to install a suitable service connection to the public sewer in accordance with provisions of this code within 365 days of the date the public sewer is operational; provided, the public sewer is within 200 feet of the structure generating the wastewater.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building-sewer connection permits inside Hanska city limits.

  • Applications must be made by the owner or authorized agent and the party employed to perform the work.
  • The application must state location, owner name, building street number, and occupancy.
  • The city may require plans, specifications, or other pertinent information.
  • The applicant must notify the city when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection.

  “Applications for permits shall be made by the owner or authorized agent and the party employed to do the work, and shall state the location, name of owner, street number of the building to be connected and how occupied.”

Rules another office applies inside Hanska

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

• Well permitLimited

  Water-supply wells constructed inside Hanska city limits.

  • A water-supply well ordinarily requires advance notification to the state commissioner, not necessarily a construction permit.
  • The rule excludes monitoring wells, dewatering wells, and owner-installed drive-point water-supply wells regulated under separate parts.
  • Construction, deepening through a confining layer, or casing work below the frost line cannot occur until notification is made.

  “The owner of the property where a water-supply well is to be located, the property owner's agent, a licensed well contractor, or for a drive-point water-supply well, a limited drive-point well or dug well/boring contractor must submit notification of construction of the proposed water-supply well to the commissioner according to this part.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hanska or Brown County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Hanska city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered residences inside Hanska city limits.
• Local zoning — Land inside Hanska city limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Hanska city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Hanska 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.