Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Osakis, Minnesota

Osakis’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, structural alteration, remodeling, demolition, or moving of a building or structure within Osakis corporate limits.

  • Exceptions are those provided elsewhere in the ordinance.
  • City-adopted Building and Fire Code site-improvement review is in addition to Chapter 11 site and building design-plan review when applicable.
  • Applications are made on City-furnished forms.

  “Except as hereinafter provided, no person, firm, or corporation shall construct, erect, structurally alter, remodel, demolish or move any building or structure or parts thereof within the corporate limits of the City of Osakis without first securing a building permit from the City.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Dwellings inside Osakis city limits.

  • The cited zoning standard applies to dwellings; manufactured dwellings must also comply with Minnesota Statutes Chapters 327.31 to 327.35, as amended.

  “All dwellings shall be built according to the Building Code as adopted by the City Council”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Osakis city limits, which is divided into municipal zoning districts.

  • Land use remains subject to the applicable district and ordinance provisions.

  “The R-1, Low Density Residential District, was established to provide predominantly low density, single family residential uses in areas of the city where the lots are larger.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Osakis city limits.

  • District locations are shown on the City zoning map.
  • The City page identifies R-O, R-1, R-2, RM, C-1, C-2, C-3, and I-1 districts.

  “Chapter 19 - R-O, Old Town Residential District [...] Chapter 25, I-1, General Industrial District”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  • The requirement measures width at the narrowest portion from exterior-wall face to exterior-wall face and excludes a porch, sunroom, or similar room constructed as a permanent part of the principal structure.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 24 feet (Measured across the narrowest portion; does not include qualifying porch, sunroom, or similar room projection.)

  “The minimum widths of all dwellings shall be at least twenty-four (24) feet, measured from the face of the exterior wall across the narrowest portion.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  maximum total impervious surface coverage: <= 30 percent (R-1 lots.)

  “The total impervious surface coverage on a lot shall not exceed thirty (30) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family residences in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  • The lower of the stories limit or feet limit controls.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Single-family residences in R-1; whichever is less than 2.5 stories.) · maximum building stories: <= 2.5 stories (Single-family residences in R-1; whichever is less than 35 feet.)

  “All single family residences shall be limited to a maximum height of two and one-half (2.5) stories or thirty-five (35) feet, whichever is less.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of a motor home as living quarters inside Osakis city limits.

  • A motor home may be used as living quarters if situated in a permitted RV Park.
  • The work-project housing exception is separately subject to Zoning Administrator approval and removal within 30 days after work-project completion.

  “No garage, tent, accessory building or motor home shall at any time be used as living quarters, temporarily or permanently unless situated in a permitted RV Park.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tent occupancy or temporary tent use as living quarters inside Osakis city limits.

  • Tents may be used for play or recreational purposes but not as independent living quarters.
  • Temporary tents associated with a work project, used exclusively to house workers or other project personnel, require Zoning Administrator approval and must be removed within 30 days after work-project completion.

  work-project temporary housing removal deadline: <= 30 days (After completion of the work project.)

  “Tents, play houses or similar structures may be used for play or recreational purposes, but shall not be independent living quarters.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Owner-occupied manufactured homes in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  • The manufactured home must be at least 24 feet wide regardless of construction type.
  • Other applicable ordinance provisions apply.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 24 feet (Applies regardless of construction type.)

  “Owner Occupied, Single-family detached dwellings and manufactured homes which are not less than twenty-four (24) feet in width regardless of construction type.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage facilities for property inside Osakis city limits where municipal sewer is unavailable.

  • This applies only where municipal sewers are unavailable.
  • Sewage facilities must connect to approved septic tanks and disposal fields.

  “Where municipal sewers are not available all sewage facilities must be connected to approved septic tanks and disposal fields.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Newly constructed principal structures inside Osakis city limits.

  • Connection to City public sewer and water is required when facilities are within 300 feet from the proposed development or the development is in an area guided toward future urban development in the Comprehensive Plan.
  • A property served by private wastewater disposal must directly connect to public sewer within one year after sewer becomes available, subject to other City ordinances.
  • Where municipal sewer is unavailable, sewage facilities must connect to approved septic tanks and disposal fields.

  sewer/water availability distance: <= 300 feet (Applies to proposed development; City ordinance also separately applies where the development is in an area guided toward future urban development.) · private wastewater sewer-connection deadline after public sewer availability: 1 year (Subject to compliance with other City ordinances.)

  “All newly constructed principal structures must be connected to the City’s public sewer and water services when: 1. Said sewer/water facilities are within three hundred (300) feet from the proposed development”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Construction of a dwelling in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  • Each dwelling unit must have at least two off-street parking spaces.
  • The garage and cement-or-asphalt driveway requirement applies at the time of dwelling construction.

  minimum garage area: >= 440 square feet (Minimum two-stall garage at time of dwelling construction.)

  “A minimum of a two-stall garage of no less than 440 square feet shall be required at the time of construction of the dwelling with a cement or asphalt driveway.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development on land within the Floodway or Flood Fringe Districts inside Osakis city limits.

  • The floodplain ordinance applies to all land within City jurisdiction shown on the Official Zoning Map or attachments as within Floodway or Flood Fringe District boundaries.
  • All new structures, land uses, construction, location, extension, conversion, and structural alteration must fully comply with the ordinance and other applicable regulations.
  • Uses not listed as permitted or conditional in the Floodway and Flood Fringe Districts are prohibited.

  “A Permit issued by the designated City Official in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be secured prior to the erection, addition, modification, rehabilitation (including normal maintenance and repair), or alteration of any building, structure, or portion thereof”

• Short-term rentalsProhibited

  Rental of a single-family dwelling for less than one calendar month in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Osakis city limits.

  • The cited provision applies to non-owner-occupied single-family dwelling rentals in R-1.
  • The same provision requires rental periods of at least one calendar month, off-street parking compliance, a ceiling height of at least seven feet, adequate ventilation and fire escapes as determined by the Building Official, compliance with fire code, and prescribed household use.

  minimum rental period: >= 1 calendar month (Single-family dwelling rentals in R-1 under the cited provision.)

  “The unit must be leased or rented for a period of at least one calendar month. Rental of a single-family dwelling for periods for less than one calendar month are considered short-term rental and prohibited.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Osakis city limits.

  • For projects exempt from Chapter 11 application requirements that involve new construction, additions, or enlargements, a certificate of survey may be required if property pins are not found or established.
  • Property pins must be exposed and the project staked before permit issuance unless specifically waived by the Zoning Administrator.
  • The applicant must certify before approval that no delinquent property taxes, special assessments, interest, or City utility fees are due on the parcel.

  permit expiration if work does not commence: 180 days (Unless otherwise specified by the Building Code.) · permit expiration after suspension or abandonment: 180 days (Building Official may grant written extensions of no more than 180 days each upon timely written request and demonstrated justifiable cause.)

  “Application for a building permit shall be made on form(s) to be furnished by the City.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Osakis city limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Osakis city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Osakis city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Osakis city limits.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Osakis 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.