Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Carlos, Minnesota

Carlos’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New garages inside Carlos city limits.

  • Garage construction must comply with Title 15, Land Use and Zoning, §§ 151.21, 151.25, 151.26, and 151.28.

  “Yes. A building permit is required to construct a new garage in the City of Carlos.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

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

  • The code applies to construction, reconstruction, substantial alteration, or change in use of buildings subject to the Accessibility Code.

  “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.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Carlos city limits.

  • The official zoning map controls if there is a discrepancy with another map, ordinance, or source.

  “(A) R-1 Single Family Residential District (B) R-2 Multi-Family Residential District (C) C-1 Central Business District (D) C-2 Central Business District (E) I Industrial (F) Rural Residential and Agricultural District”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  New homes and buildings inside Carlos city limits where municipal water or public sewer is available.

  • New homes or buildings must connect to municipal water when water is available to the property.
  • Existing wastewater-generating structures must connect within 365 days after an operational public sewer is within 200 feet; future buildings on property adjacent to public sewer must connect immediately.
  • Where public sewer is unavailable under § 51.018, the building sewer must connect to a private wastewater disposal system.

  public sewer proximity: <= 200 feet (Public sewer must be operational and within this distance of the wastewater-generating structure.) · existing-structure sewer connection deadline: 365 days (After the public sewer becomes operational and is within 200 feet.)

  “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.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Carlos city limits.

  • The chapter is not effective until the stated zoning and County Recorder filing requirements are met.
  • Subdivisions in shorelands or floodplains are governed by applicable city shoreland or floodplain ordinances where those ordinances are in effect.
  • Subdivisions creating one or more parcels, tracts, or lots under five acres must be platted except as provided in Chapter 152.

  platting threshold: < 5 acres (Applies to a subdivision creating one or more parcels, tracts, or lots; Chapter 152 exceptions apply.)

  “Any subdivision creating parcels, tracts, or lots which results in one or more parcels, tracts or lots of less than five acres shall be platted, except as provided in this chapter.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Residential and commercial building-permit applications inside Carlos city limits.

  • Applicant should read all required information, print and complete the building-permit form, and return it to City Hall.

  “Take a moment to read all required information provided. Then print and fill out the building permit application form and return to city hall.”

Rules another office applies inside Carlos

Carlos 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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in Carlos Rural Residential and Agricultural District.

  • Upland is land above the 100-year flood elevation or non-wetland; requirements are subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in Chapter 151.

  minimum upland lot area: >= 2.5 acres (Rural Residential and Agricultural District.) · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet (Rural Residential and Agricultural District.) · minimum lot depth: >= 300 feet (Rural Residential and Agricultural District.)

  “Lot area. A minimum of two and one-half acres of upland area, upland being land above the 100-year flood elevation or non-wetland. (2) Lot width. A minimum of 200 feet. (3) Lot depth. A minimum of 300 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in Carlos R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

    “Lot area. 10,000 square feet (100 x 100). (2) Lot width. 75 feet.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes in Carlos R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • Manufactured homes must meet the standards in § 151.24.

  “Manufactured homes which meet the standards set forth in ' 151.24.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Allowed (with conditions) — Manufactured homes in Carlos Rural Residential and Agricultural District.

    “Manufactured homes which meet the standards set forth in ' 151.24.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Carlos city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Carlos city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Structures inside Carlos city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Carlos city limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Carlos 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.