Zoning, building permits and septic rules in West Concord, Minnesota

West Concord’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside West Concord city limits that is subject to the building code and requires a permit.

  • The permit must be obtained and applicable fees paid before covered work is performed.
  • A building permit expires if construction or alteration is not commenced within 180 days after issuance.

  permit commencement deadline: 180 days after issuance (Construction or alteration for which the building permit was issued is not commenced.)

  “It is unlawful for any person to perform work subject to the building code for which a permit is required without having obtained such permit and paid the fees required by appendix II of the code.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-occupied single-family dwellings and accessory buildings inside West Concord city limits.

  • Applies to repairs, additions, replacements, and alterations to plumbing, heating, or electrical systems.
  • Work may be performed only by a bona fide owner who resides in the dwelling or the owner-occupant's immediate family.
  • The applicant must file an affidavit that the person doing the work is qualified.
  • Other applicable building-code provisions remain applicable.

  “All such work in connection therewith may be performed only by a person who is a bona fide owner of such dwelling and a resident therein, or a member of the owner-occupant's immediate family.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building work within West Concord city limits.

  • The city code incorporates the Minnesota State Building Code.
  • No optional code chapters are adopted without change.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, established pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, sections 16B.59 to 16B.75, is adopted as the building code for the City.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land, buildings, structures, and uses inside West Concord city limits.

  • Land, buildings, structures, and uses must conform to the zoning code.
  • The code describes its standards as minimum requirements.

  “In order to classify, regulate and restrict the location of trades, industries, and other land uses, the following districts are established and continued within the city:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside West Concord city limits.

  • The zoning district map accompanies and is part of the code.
  • The code lists Ag, R-1, R-2, Commercial, Industrial, Transitional, and Adult Establishment Overlay districts.

  “Ag- Agriculture district R-1 Low density residential district R-2 Medium density residential district C - Commercial district I - Industrial district T - Transitional district AE - Adult Establishment Overlay District.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  City building-code permits and zoning applications inside West Concord city limits.

  • The published fee schedule says it will be updated annually or as needed.
  • The fee schedule document is a 2022 resolution; users should confirm the currently applicable fee schedule with the city.
  • The building-code chapter also requires a state surcharge in addition to permit fees.

  plumbing permit fee: 15 USD (The published schedule also lists a $5.00 surcharge.) · mechanical permit fee: 15 USD (The published schedule also lists a $5.00 surcharge.)

  “Building Code Fees: [...] Plumbing $15.00 ($5.00 surcharge) [...] Mechanical $15.00 ($5.00 surcharge)”

Rules another office applies inside West Concord

West Concord 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

  Manufactured homes in the R-1 low-density residential district inside West Concord city.

  • This stated floor-area minimum applies to manufactured homes permitted in R-1.

  minimum manufactured-home floor area: >= 960 square feet

  “manufactured homes permitted in this district must be at least 24 feet in width, have a minimum floor area of 960 square feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal structures in the Ag agricultural district inside West Concord city.

  • The stated height limit does not apply to listed structures and roof appurtenances in § 520.15.
  • Certain permitted public and institutional buildings may be up to 75 feet if side and rear yards are increased one foot for each two feet above the district height limit.

  maximum principal-structure height: <= 35 feet (Subject to § 520.15 height-limit exceptions.)

  “520.13. Building heights. A side of a principal structure may not exceed the following height in the district indicated. [...] 35' [...] Ag”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal structures in the R-1 low-density residential district inside West Concord city.

    “520.13. Building heights. A side of a principal structure may not exceed the following height in the district indicated. [...] 35' [...] R-1”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational-vehicle parks in the Ag agricultural district inside West Concord city.

  • A recreational-vehicle park is a conditional use in the Ag district.
  • This finding does not establish permission for long-term RV occupancy on an individual private residential lot.

  “Subd. 3. Conditional uses. The following are conditional uses in the Ag - agricultural district. [...] h) Recreational vehicle park.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R-1 low-density residential district inside West Concord city.

  • The manufactured home must be at least 24 feet wide and contain at least 960 square feet of floor area.
  • It must have a conventional-style roof line, conform with surrounding homes and buildings, meet building-code regulations, and be on a permanent continuous frost-free foundation.

  minimum manufactured-home width: >= 24 feet · minimum manufactured-home floor area: >= 960 square feet

  “Single family dwellings including manufactured homes, provided manufactured homes permitted in this district must be at least 24 feet in width, have a minimum floor area of 960 square feet, have a roof line such as used on conventional on-site constructed homes and buildings and which are in conformity with the homes and buildings in the surrounding neighborhood, meet all building code regulations, and be built or erected on a permanent, continuous frost free foundation.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask West Concord or Dodge County directly.

• Inspections — General building-code construction inside West Concord city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside West Concord city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside West Concord city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside West Concord city limits.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside West Concord 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.