Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ashby, Minnesota

Ashby’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residential or commercial construction, accessory structures, residential remodeling changing a structure's size, and commercial remodeling inside Ashby city limits.

  • Regular maintenance and replacement do not require a residential land-use permit.
  • A land-use permit cannot be issued until any zoning-amendment, conditional-use-permit, or variance application has been acted upon by the City Council.
  • State-licensed residential contractors must be licensed before issuance where state licensure is required.

  “No structure shall be constructed until a land use permit has been obtained from the City Clerk. Land Use Permits will be required for all new construction, whether it is residential or commercial; including, but not limited to accessory structures.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Ashby city limits, Grant County, Minnesota.

  • The ordinance states that district boundaries are delineated on the official zoning map, which is maintained in the City Office.
  • Structures and land must conform to regulations for the district in which located.

  “City of Ashby, County of Grant, State of Minnesota Ordinance 151 An Ordinance Establishing a Zoning Code This Ordinance shall replace Ordinance 5A “An Ordinance Establishing a Zoning Code for the City of Ashby and Providing for the Administration Thereof.””

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Ashby city limits.

  • District boundaries are delineated on the official zoning map, adopted by reference and maintained in the City Office.

  “ZONING DISTRICTS 151.20 CLASSIFICATION OF ZONING DISTRICTS. (A) R-1 Single Family Residential District (B) R-2 Multi-Family Residential District (C) Industrial and Commercial Business Districts (D) Ag/Residential”

• Well permitLimited

  Private wells inside Ashby city limits where municipal water is available and a municipal-water connection is made.

  • Private wells may provide water only other than for human consumption after connection.
  • There may be no cross-connection between the private well and municipal water supply.
  • If a well is not used after municipal connection, the owner must comply with stated disconnection and sealing requirements and Minnesota well-abandonment law.

  “Private wells, to provide water for other than human consumption, may be constructed, maintained and continued in use after connection is made to the water system; provided, there is no means of cross-connection between the private well and municipal water supply at any time.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  New homes or buildings inside Ashby city limits where municipal water is available to the property.

  • Existing homes or buildings must directly connect within a period determined by the City Council when municipal water becomes available.
  • Where water is unavailable to a new home or building, the city determines whether and under what conditions its system will be extended.
  • A private well may be used only for non-human consumption after connection, with no cross-connection to municipal supply.

  “All new homes or buildings shall connect to the municipal water system if water is available to the property.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for city site plans, conditional-use permits, land-use permits, variances, other city approvals, and zoning amendments inside Ashby city limits.

  • Applications must be in writing on a city form submitted to the City Clerk.
  • Every application must contain a legal property description and statement of the specific action sought.
  • The city may request additional information.
  • The city ordinarily must act within 60 days, with a one-time extension of up to 60 additional days unless the applicant agrees in writing to more time.

  initial final-action period: <= 60 days (unless application is not accepted under Ordinance 151.50) · one-time extension: <= 60 days (unless applicant approves a longer extension in writing)

  “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this ordinance, all applications for any site plan, conditional use permit, land use permit, variance, or for any other city approval required by this ordinance, or to amend this ordinance, shall be made in writing on a form provided by the city to the City Clerk.”

Rules another office applies inside Ashby

Ashby 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 sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ashby city limits.

  • The stated minimums are subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in the ordinance.

  minimum lot area: 10000 square feet (100 x 100) · minimum lot width: 75 feet

  “Lot requirements and setbacks. The following minimum requirements shall be observed in an R-1 District, subject to additional requirements, exceptions and modifications set forth in this ordinance: (1) Lot area. 10,000 square feet (100 x 100).”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ashby city limits.

  • The front-yard rule has an exception for existing structures: the front setback is determined in line with existing structures on the same street.
  • The stated minimums are subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in the ordinance.

  front yard: >= 30 feet (existing structures use the in-line setback of existing structures on the same street) · side yard: >= 6 feet (one side; measured from outer edge of eaves to lot line) · side yard: >= 8 feet (other side; measured from outer edge of eaves to lot line) · rear yard: >= 15 feet

  “Front yards. Not less than 30 feet; except in the case of existing structures, the front set-back will be determined to be in-line with those existing structures on that same street.”

• Building heightSpecified

  C-1 Commercial Business District inside Ashby city limits.

  • The height rule does not apply to grain elevators or grain-storage facilities having no outside access.

  maximum building height: <= 45 feet (or 3 stories, whichever is less; excludes specified grain elevators and grain-storage facilities) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (or 45 feet, whichever is less; excludes specified grain elevators and grain-storage facilities)

  “Building requirements; height. No structure shall exceed 3 stories or 45 feet, whichever is less. This requirement would not apply to grain elevators ors grain storage facilities which have no outside access.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural uses in the Ag/Residential District inside Ashby city limits.

  • The exemption applies only when land is used for agricultural purposes.
  • If land is used for residential purposes, it follows R-1 Single-Family Residential District guidelines.

  “Lot requirements, setbacks, and building requirements– There are no lot requirements, setbacks, and building requirements if it is used for agricultural purposes. If the land is used for residential purposed, it will follow the same guidelines as R-1 Single-Family Residential District.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots in the R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ashby city limits.

  • The lot must front on and have ingress and egress by a public right-of-way.

  “Access. All lots shall front on and have ingress and egress by means of a public right-of-way.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Ashby city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Ashby city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Ashby city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Ashby city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ashby 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.