Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Alexandria, Minnesota

Alexandria’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Alexandria city limits for which the City building code requires a permit.

  • A fee is doubled when regulated work starts before obtaining the required permit.
  • The cited provision does not enumerate every category of residential construction requiring a building permit.

  “Where work for which a permit is required by this code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining said permit, the fees above specified shall be doubled”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Alexandria city limits.

  • The most current Minnesota State Building Code is adopted by reference, except optional chapters unless separately adopted by City ordinance.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, established pursuant to Minn. Stat. 16B.59 to 16B.73, one copy of which is on file in the office of the Building Official, is hereby adopted as set forth herein as the building code, including all codes, for the City of Alexandria.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Additional permitted uses in Alexandria's General Flood Plain District.

  • The use must be permissible in the established underlying zoning district.
  • A Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy are required under the cited floodplain provision.

  “The following uses may be permitted in the General Flood Plain District only if permissible in the established underlying zoning district and only after the issuance of a Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Alexandria city limits.

  • The ordinance divides the City into use districts and regulates development and land use.

  “This Ordinance shall divide the City into use districts and establish regulations in regard to location, erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration and use of structures and land.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Alexandria city limits.

  • District locations and boundaries are set on the Zoning Map of Alexandria kept on file with the Zoning Administrator.
  • Annexed territory is R-1 unless special action places it in another district.

  “The following zoning classifications are hereby established within the City of Alexandria.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  All single-family dwellings inside Alexandria city limits.

  • Footings and foundations must comply with the Minnesota State Building Code.

  minimum building width: >= 24 feet · minimum first-floor area: >= 576 square feet

  “All single-family dwellings shall have a minimum building width of at least twenty-four (24) feet, have a minimum first floor area of at least five hundred and seventy-six (576) square feet, and the building footings and foundation must comply with the Minnesota State Building Code.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in Alexandria's General Flood Plain District.

  • In existing manufactured-home parks in the General Flood Plain District, replacement is allowed only if the cited floodplain conditions and Subdivision 4(B)(7) are met.
  • New manufactured-home parks and expansions are subject to subdivision provisions and other applicable subdivision ordinances.

  “Manufactured homes in existing manufactured home parks that are located in the General Food Plain District are non-conforming uses and may be replaced only if in compliance with the provisions of Subdivision 4 B 7 of this Ordinance and the following conditions:”

• Septic permitRequired

  New, replacement, or function-altering SSTS work in unsewered areas inside Alexandria city limits.

  • Minor repairs or component replacements that do not alter system function, treatment capacity, location, design, layout, or function do not require an SSTS construction permit.
  • Where an SSTS construction permit is required, it must be approved before a Building Permit may be issued.

  “An SSTS construction permit shall be obtained by the property owner or an agent of the property owner from the City prior to the installation, construction, replacement, modification, alteration, and repair or capaCity expansion of an SSTS.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Alexandria city limits where municipal water becomes available to the site.

  • The quoted requirement specifically concerns connection to municipal water; no corresponding citywide sewer-availability rule was verified in this research.

  “Connection to the municipal water system is required only when the municipal water system is available to the site. All buildings shall connect when municipal water becomes available.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Proposed subdivisions in Alexandria's floodplain district.

  • Land unsuitable because of flooding, inadequate drainage, water supply, or sewage treatment facilities cannot be subdivided.
  • Floodplain lots must be capable of containing a building site at least one foot above the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation.

  building-site elevation above Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation: >= 1 foot (Applies to lots within the floodplain district.)

  “No land shall be subdivided which is held unsuitable by the City Planning Commission for reason of flooding, inadequate drainage, water supply or sewage treatment facilities. All lots within the flood plain district shall be capable of containing a building site at least one (1) foot above the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Additional permitted uses in Alexandria's General Flood Plain District.

  • The use must be permissible in the established underlying zoning district.
  • The cited provision applies to additional permitted uses, including accessory structures, fill, and extraction.

  “The following uses may be permitted in the General Flood Plain District only if permissible in the established underlying zoning district and only after the issuance of a Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Private/vacation home rentals inside Alexandria city limits.

  • The operator must apply on Agency forms, pay the required fee, and receive approval, including plan-review approval if required.
  • A valid license is required; licenses are issued for a calendar year and expire December 31.
  • Horizon Public Health is the City-established agency for enforcement and administration.

  “Any person desiring to operate a private/vacation home rental shall first make application for a license on forms provided by the Agency, pay the required fee, and receive approval for operation, including plan review approval if a plan review is required.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Alexandria city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for ordinary residential construction inside Alexandria city limits.
• Lot coverage — Land inside Alexandria city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Alexandria city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Alexandria 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.