Zoning, building permits and septic rules in St. Anthony, Minnesota

St. Anthony’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Accessory buildings and retaining walls inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • A building permit is required for accessory buildings over 200 square feet.
  • A building permit is required for retaining walls over four feet in height.

  accessory-building threshold: > 200 square feet (Building permit required over this size.) · retaining-wall threshold: > 4 feet (Building permit required over this height.)

  “A building permit is required for accessory buildings over 200 square feet. [...] If the wall is over four feet in height a building permit is required.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Saint Anthony Village city limits in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties.

  • Land use is governed by Chapter 154 zoning controls and applicable permits.

  “CHAPTER 154: ZONING CODE Section General Provisions 154.001 Title 154.002 Intent and purpose 154.003 Scope”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • District controls are contained in Chapter 154.

  “Districts 154.020 Division of city into districts 154.021 Zoning map 154.022 District boundaries R-1 Single-Family District”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of travel trailers, campers, and other recreational vehicles as dwellings, or for sleeping or housekeeping, in any Saint Anthony zoning district.

  “Travel trailers, campers, and other recreational vehicles may not be parked in any zoning district for use as a dwelling or for sleeping or housekeeping purposes.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • Final plat must be prepared and certified by a registered surveyor.
  • Council action, recording, taxes, and title evidence requirements apply.

  council action period after filing: <= 30 days · recording deadline after Council approval: <= 30 days (Otherwise final-plat approval is void.)

  “The final plat must be prepared and certified to by a registered surveyor in compliance with this code, state law, and the requirements of the county. [...] The City Council shall act on the final plat within 30 days after it was filed with the City Manager or designee. If the final plat is approved by City Council resolution, the subdivider must record it with the County Recorder or Registrar of Titles within 30 days after the date of approval; otherwise the approval of the final plat will be deemed void.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Replacement sidewalk work in the right-of-way, including a driveway, inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • Applies when replacing existing sidewalk located in the right-of-way.

  “If replacing existing sidewalk located in the right of way, a driveway, sidewalk, curb-cut permit is required.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • The listed projects include fences, retaining walls, accessory buildings under 200 square feet, walkways, and projects subject to setbacks.

  “Zoning permits are processed through the City of St. Anthony. Please complete the appropriate permit application using our online permit portal. Zoning permits are required for fences, retaining walls, accessory buildings under 200 square feet, walkways, and any other project that is subject to setbacks.”

Rules another office applies inside St. Anthony

St. Anthony does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 Single-Family District inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • First-floor minimum varies by dwelling-story type.
  • Finished lowest-level rooms in compliant split-level dwellings may be included in the first-floor minimum.

  one-story first-floor minimum: 1000 square feet · one-and-one-half-story first-floor minimum: 900 square feet · two-story first-floor minimum: 750 square feet

  “Each dwelling must contain the following minimum floor areas on the first floor: One-story dwellings | 1,000 square feet One and one-half story dwellings | 900 square feet Two-story dwellings | 750 square feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 Single-Family District inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • The code excepts lots allowed under § 154.227.

  interior-lot minimum area: >= 9000 square feet (Except as allowed in § 154.227.) · corner-lot minimum area: >= 11000 square feet (Except as allowed in § 154.227.)

  “No dwelling may be constructed or placed on an interior lot of less than 9,000 square feet, or less than 75 feet in width at the building setback line, or a corner of less than 11,000 square feet or less than 90 feet in width at the building setback line, except as allowed in § 154.227.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 Single-Family District inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • Front setback is the greater of 30 feet or adjacent-lot average.
  • Side-yard and rear-yard standards apply as stated in § 154.039.

  minimum individual side yard: >= 5 feet · minimum combined side yards: >= 15 feet · minimum street-side yard: >= 30 feet · minimum rear yard: >= 25 feet (Or 20% of total lot depth, whichever is greater.)

  “The front yard must have a depth equal to the greater of 30 feet or a distance equal to the average of the front yard depths of the two adjacent lots. [...] Dwellings must have two side yards the combined width of which is at least 15 feet, and each side yard must be at least five feet wide. A side yard adjacent to a street must be at least 30 feet wide. [...] The rear yard must have a depth equal to the greater of 20% of the depth of the entire lot or 25 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential structures in the R-1 Single-Family District inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  • Limit varies by whether lot area is at least 9,000 square feet.

  maximum coverage, lots at least 9,000 square feet: <= 35 percent · maximum coverage, lots below 9,000 square feet: <= 40 percent

  “The lot coverage for residential structures on lots with an area 9,000 square feet and above may not exceed 35%. The lot coverage for residential structures on lots with an area less than 9,000 square feet, may not exceed 40%.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 Single-Family District inside Saint Anthony city limits.

  maximum dwelling height: <= 25 feet · maximum stories: <= 2 stories

  “Height. No dwelling may exceed 25 feet in height or contain more than two stories.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Saint Anthony city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building construction inside Saint Anthony city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Saint Anthony city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Saint Anthony city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Saint Anthony 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.