Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Rush City, Minnesota

Rush City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and most remodeling, alteration, and repair work inside Rush City; Chisago County processes the permits.

  • The County page states permits are required for all new construction and most remodeling, alteration, and repair work; demolition permits are also required.

  “Building Permits are required for all new construction and most remodeling, alteration and repair work in Chisago County. Demolition permits are also required. This office enforces the building code in all townships of Chisago County, as well as the cities of: Center City, Chisago City, Harris, Lindstrom, Rush City, Shafer, Stacy, and Taylors Falls.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Site improvements and construction subject to City-adopted building and fire codes inside Rush City.

  • Site-plan approval does not establish compliance with City-adopted building and fire codes.

  “The review and approval of site improvements pursuant to the requirements of City adopted building and fire codes shall be in addition to the site plan review process established under this section.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Rush City city limits.

  • Uses, buildings, structures, and land must conform to the regulations of the district in which they are located.

  “No buildings, structure, or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered except in conformity with all of the regulations herein specified for the district in which it is located.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts established within Rush City.

  • Newly annexed areas are considered A-1 Agricultural unless otherwise classified.

  “The following zoning districts are hereby established within Rush City: A-1: Agricultural District RR: Rural Residential District R-1: Single-Family District R-2: Two-Family District R-3: Multiple Family District M-1: Manufactured Home Park District B-1: Highway Business District B-2: General Business District (GBD) I-1: Light Industrial District I-2: General Industrial District C-1: Conservation, Parks and Open Space District P-1: Public and Semi-Public District”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural uses seeking City site-plan review inside Rush City.

  • The exemption applies except in cases specifically cited within the zoning chapter; it is an exemption from the site-plan-review requirements, not a general exemption from all City, state, regional, or federal requirements.

  “Except in those cases specifically cited within this chapter, the following shall be exempt from the foregoing requirements of this chapter: A. Agricultural uses.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning petitions and permits described in Rush City's zoning ordinance.

  • Fees are payable at filing and are not refundable.
  • Applicants may be required to reimburse legal, engineering, planning, postage, publication, or other professional costs, and officials may require a deposit before the final hearing.

  “Any person filing a petition requesting an amendment, appeal, adjustment, conditional use permit, interim use permit, variance or other permit described within this Chapter shall pay a fee according to the schedule established by the City Council.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Administrative/zoning permits inside Rush City.

  • A pre-application meeting may be required.
  • The application must be filed by the owner or designated agent on City forms and accompanied by the City fee-schedule fee.
  • The City gives written notice of an incomplete application within 15 days and decides a complete application within 60 days.

  incomplete-application notice: <= 15 days (From date of submission.) · decision on complete administrative permit application: <= 60 days (From date of submission.)

  “The City shall notify the applicant, in writing, of an incomplete application within fifteen (15) days of the date of submission. [...] The City shall make a determination on approval or denial of the administrative permit within sixty (60) days from the date of submission of a complete application.”

Rules another office applies inside Rush City

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in Rush City's R-1 Single-Family District.

  minimum lot area: >= 12000 square feet (For a dwelling unit.) · minimum lot width: >= 80 feet

  “A. Lot area of not less than twelve thousand (12,000) square feet for a dwelling unit is required. B. Lot width of not less than eighty (80) feet is required.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in Rush City's R-1 Single-Family District.

  • Corner lots have a 30-foot minimum side yard adjacent to street rights-of-way.

  front setback: >= 30 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet (Side yards not adjacent to street rights-of-way.) · rear setback: >= 30 feet

  “A. A front yard setback of not less than thirty (30) feet is required. B. Side yards not adjacent to street right-of-ways require a minimum of ten (10) feet. C. A rear yard with a depth of not less than thirty (30) feet is required. D. Corner lots, (side yards adjacent to street right-of-ways) require a minimum of thirty (30) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in Rush City's R-1 Single-Family District.

  • Impervious-surface limits apply separately to the front yard and required side and rear yards.

  maximum building lot coverage: <= 33 percent (Principal and accessory buildings combined.) · maximum front-yard impervious surface: <= 40 percent · maximum required side and rear yard impervious surface: <= 50 percent

  “No more than 33% of the lot shall be covered by the principal and all accessory buildings combined. In addition, no more than 40% of the front yard may be covered with “impervious surfaces” which include but are not limited to driveways, sidewalks, or parking stalls. No more than 50% of the required side and rear yards may be covered with impervious surfaces which include but are not limited to tennis courts, cement patios, or detached decks.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • None — Impervious-surface coverage in Rush City's RR Rural Residential District.

    “H. Maximum impervious surface coverage: None.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in Rush City's RR Rural Residential District.

  • Accessory buildings are regulated under §1005.01, General Requirements, Subd. 3.

  maximum principal-building height: <= 35 feet (Two and one-half stories, whichever is less.)

  “1. Principal buildings: Two and one half (2.5) stories or thirty-five feet (35'), whichever is less. 2. Accessory buildings: As regulated by Section 1005.01: General Requirements, Subd. 3 Accessory Structures of this Chapter.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in Rush City's R-1 Single-Family District.

    “Maximum building height is 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Rush City or Chisago County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Rush City.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Rush City.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Rush City.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Rush City.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Rush City.

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.