Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Shafer, Minnesota

Shafer’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering, or moving a building or structure inside Shafer city limits.

  • A building permit must be secured first.

  “Hereafter no person shall erect, alter, or move any building or structure or part thereof without first securing a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Shafer city limits.

  • Optional Minnesota State Building Code chapters are excluded unless specifically adopted by ordinance.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, as adopted by the Commissioner of Administration pursuant to the Minnesota Statutes chapter 16B.59 through 16B.75, including all the amendments, rules and regulations established, adopted and published from time to time by the Minnesota Commissioner of Administration, through the building Codes and Standards Division is hereby adopted by reference with the exception of the optional chapters, unless specifically adopted in this ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Shafer city limits.

  • District boundaries are established on the filed Zoning Map of the City of Shafer, Minnesota.

  “Boundaries of the above districts are hereby established as shown on that certain map entitled "Zoning Map of the City of Shafer, Minnesota", which is properly approved and filed in the office of the clerk and hereinafter referred to as the "Zoning Map."”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1 high-density residential district inside Shafer city limits.

  • The standard applies to dwelling ground-floor area in R-1; it does not by itself establish every permissible tiny-home form or district.

  minimum ground floor area per dwelling: >= 900 square feet (R-1 Single Family Residential (High Density) district)

  “Subd. 3. Minimum Ground Floor Area Per Dwelling. 900 square feet. Subd. 4. Foundation Requirements. Foundation width: All dwelling units shall have a foundation of at least 24 feet in width which supports the exterior walls of the unit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Subdivisions inside Shafer city limits where central water or sewer cannot be extended.

  • The City Council may permit individual water and sewer systems only where city facilities are not available for extension.
  • Systems must comply with appropriate state and city laws, ordinances, and regulations.

  “Where city water and sewer facilities are not available for extension into the subdivision, the Council may permit the use of individual water and sewer systems in accordance with appropriate state and city laws, ordinances and regulations.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  A parcel inside Shafer city limits served by a roadway with a rural ditch section.

  • A building permit may issue if the applicant installs a culvert that avoids obstruction of water flow, as determined by the City Engineer, or if the City Engineer determines no culvert is necessary.

  “No building permit shall be issued for any parcel served by a roadway with a rural ditch section until the applicant installs or is served by a driveway culvert of a type and in a manner such as to avoid obstruction of water flow, as determined by the City Engineer, or until the City Engineer determines that no culvert is necessary.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building-code permits inside Shafer city limits.

  • Permit fees are assessed according to Chapter 12's fee schedule; a surcharge is also collected on permits for work governed by the code under Minnesota Statutes section 16B.70.

  “Permit fees shall be assessed for work governed by this code in accordance with the fee schedule in chapter 12 of the City of Shafer City Code. In addition, a surcharge fee shall be collected on all permits issued for work governed by this code in accordance with Minnesota statute 16B.70.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications for projects inside Shafer city limits.

  • Applications are online only.
  • A site plan is required for projects affecting setbacks, including an addition, deck, or garage.
  • New split/plat applications are not accepted until a new parcel number is created and entered in the County system.

  “APPLICATIONS ARE ONLINE ONLY NOW via our Online Permitting Portal. Call our department to schedule all inspections or for questions at 651-213-8370. We are unable to process credit/debit card payments by phone.”

Rules another office applies inside Shafer

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in Shafer's R-1 Single Family Residential (High Density) district.

  minimum ground floor area per dwelling: >= 900 square feet

  “Subd. 3. Minimum Ground Floor Area Per Dwelling. 900 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Shafer's R-1 Single Family Residential (High Density) district.

  • The larger 11,000-square-foot standard applies where a lot abuts more than one listed public street, road, highway, or transportation right-of-way.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (Lot abuts not more than one city street, county road, state or federal public highway, or public transportation right-of-way) · minimum lot area: >= 11000 square feet (Lot abuts more than one city street, county road, state or federal public highway, or public transportation right-of-way)

  “Subd. 2. Yard Requirements. Minimum Lot Area: 10,000 square feet for any lot which abuts not more than one city street, county road, state or federal public highway or public transportation right-of-way, 11,000 square feet for any lot which abuts more than one city street,”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in Shafer's R-2 Multiple Family Housing district.

  • Accessory buildings have five-foot rear and side setbacks under the stated exception.

  front yard setback: >= 25 feet · rear yard setback: >= 10 feet (Accessory buildings: 5 feet) · side yard setback: >= 10 feet (Accessory buildings: 5 feet)

  “Front Yard Setback: 25 feet Rear Yard Setback: 10 feet Side Yard Setback: 10 feet Subd. 2(b) Exception for Accessory Buildings. (06-2013) For accessory buildings as allowed and defined in the Code, the rear and side yard setbacks shall be 5 feet each.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Shafer city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Shafer city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of construction inside Shafer city limits.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Shafer city limits.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy in recreational vehicles on private land inside Shafer 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.