Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Medicine Lake, Minnesota

Medicine Lake’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the City of Medicine Lake, Minnesota.

  • Zoning districts and their boundaries are established by the city zoning regulations and official zoning map.

  “The following zoning districts are hereby established within the City of Medicine Lake:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Medicine Lake city limits.

  • District locations and boundaries are set forth on the official zoning map on file with the City Clerk.

  “The following zoning districts are hereby established within the City of Medicine Lake: (a) Residential Districts. (1) "R-l" Residential - Single Family District. (2) "R-2" Residential - Single Family and Two Family District. (b) Business District. (1) "B-l" Neighborhood Business District.”

• Permit processPartial

  New structure and addition planning within Medicine Lake city limits.

  • For projects involving more than 200 cubic yards of cut or fill, or disturbance of more than 10,000 square feet, the city says a Storm Water Pollution Control Plan is required.
  • The city planning page directs applicants to submit site and grading/drainage plans to the City Planner for review.

  cut or fill threshold: > 200 cubic yards (A Storm Water Pollution Control Plan will be required.) · disturbed-area threshold: > 10000 square feet (A Storm Water Pollution Control Plan will be required.)

  “Submit a site plan and grading/drainage plan to the City Planner for review [...] If your project involves more than 200 cubic yards of cut or fill, OR disturbs more than 10,000 square feet of a property, a Storm Water Pollution Control Plan (SWPCP) will be required.”

Rules another office applies inside Medicine Lake

Medicine Lake 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 Residential Single Family District inside Medicine Lake city limits.

  • Subject to additional requirements, exceptions and modifications set forth in the zoning chapter.

  minimum lot area: 12500 square feet · minimum average lot width, interior lot: 50 feet · minimum average lot width, corner lot: 100 feet

  “The following minimum requirements shall be observed in an "R-1" District subject to additional requirements, exceptions and modifications set forth in this Chapter: (a) Lot Area: Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) square feet. (b) Average Lot Width: Interior lot – Fifty (50) feet; Corner lot - One Hundred (100) feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Residential Single Family District inside Medicine Lake city limits.

  maximum impervious surface: <= 40 percent

  “§3100.7 Maximum Lot Coverage. (a) Impervious Surface: Forty (40) percent maximum.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Residential Single Family District inside Medicine Lake city limits.

  • Accessory-building height is governed by §1000.4.

  maximum principal-building height: <= 35 feet

  “§3100.6 Maximum Building Height. (a) Principal building: Thirty-five (35) feet. (b) Accessory building: Per §1000.4 of this Chapter.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Medicine Lake or Hennepin County directly.

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Medicine Lake city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Medicine Lake city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Medicine Lake city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Medicine Lake city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — R-1 Residential Single Family District inside Medicine Lake 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.