Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Nevis, Minnesota

Nevis’s own rules

• InspectionsLimited

  Manufactured homes entering a lot in Nevis city.

  • The home must meet the Minnesota Building Code.

  “Must meet Minnesota Building Code and be inspected by the City of Nevis’ Building Inspector prior to entry onto a lot within the city.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the City of Nevis.

  • The ordinance regulates land by districts.

  “This ordinance shall be known, cited, and referred to as the Nevis Zoning Ordinance. It is an Ordinance regulating the use of land in the City of Nevis by districts, including the regulation of the location, size, use and height of buildings, the placement of buildings on lots, and the density of population for the purpose of promoting the public health, safety, order, convenience and general welfare of Nevis.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Non-park manufactured homes in Nevis residential districts.

  • Must meet the listed roof-pitch, size, foundation, width, eave, building-code, and inspection criteria.
  • The source specifically addresses residential districts.

  minimum-dwelling-area: >= 900 square feet · minimum-manufactured-home-width: >= 24 feet (measured from face of exterior wall)

  “Non-Park Manufactured Homes are permitted in all residential districts of the City of Nevis. Manufactured homes not located in a permitted manufactured home park must meet the following criteria:”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage treatment systems where permitted inside Nevis city.

  • The city zoning ordinance incorporates Minnesota Rules 7080-7083 for SSTS.

  “Approval of private sewage treatment systems, where permitted, must be obtained from the City of Nevis Public Works Department.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Approved private sewage treatment systems inside Nevis city.

  • The rule requires submission of an inspection report within 60 days of approval, but the opened text does not establish who must perform the inspection.

  inspection-report-submission: <= 60 days (after approval)

  “A copy of the inspection report must be submitted to the City of Nevis within 60 days of approval.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage treatment systems inside Nevis city where municipal connection is not required or private systems are otherwise permitted.

  • Systems must meet or exceed Minnesota Rules 7080-7083.
  • City Public Works approval must be obtained where private systems are permitted.
  • An inspection report must be submitted within 60 days of approval.

  “All private individual sewage treatment systems must meet or exceed Minnesota Rules 7080-7083 for Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS); and are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Ordinance.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Occupied dwellings, businesses, or buildings with plumbing on qualifying parcels inside Nevis city.

  • The parcel must abut a street, avenue, or alley containing a municipal water or sewer main.
  • The served structure's parcel boundary must be within 200 feet of the municipal utility main as determined by City Public Works.

  maximum-distance-to-municipal-utility-main: <= 200 feet (determined by the City of Nevis Public Works Department)

  “Each lot, piece or parcel of property in the City of Nevis, abutting on any street, avenue or alley in which a municipal water or sewer main is laid, and having an occupied dwelling, business, or any building with plumbing system thereon, is required to be connected with the municipal system of the city, provided the parcel boundary of the property containing such structure served is within 200 feet of the municipal utility main as determined by the City of Nevis Public Works Department.”

Rules another office applies inside Nevis

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

• Building permitRequired

  Code-regulated construction inside Nevis city, whose ordinance adopts the Minnesota State Building Code.

  • Specified small accessory structures, fences, and other work listed in Minnesota Rules 1300.0120 are exempt; ordinary repairs are also addressed in that rule.

  “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical, electrical, plumbing system, or other equipment, the installation of which is regulated by the code; or cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single- and two-family dwelling units in the Residential District of Nevis city.

  • Mobile homes in a mobile home park are excepted from the permanent-foundation and minimum-width provisions.

  minimum-floor-area: >= 900 square feet

  “All single and two-family dwellings shall have a minimum floor area of nine hundred (900) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  One- and two-family structures in Nevis Residential District.

  • The source also sets larger multi-family lot-area requirements.

  minimum-lot-area: >= 10500 square feet (one- and two-family)

  “Lot Area One and two-family 10,500 sq. ft. Multi-family 14,000 sq. ft. plus 1,500 sq. ft. per additional unit”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in Nevis Residential District.

  • Corner lots have a 20-foot side-yard setback on the street side.
  • Accessory structures have a 5-foot rear-yard setback.

  front-yard: >= 30 feet · side-yard: >= 10 feet · rear-yard-principal-building: >= 30 feet

  “Setbacks: Front yard 30 feet Side yard 10 feet Side yard, corner lot 20 feet on street side Rear yard – principal building 30 feet Rear yard – accessory structures 5 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  One- and two-family dwellings in Nevis Residential District.

  • Multi-family and permitted commercial uses have an 80 percent maximum impervious surface.

  maximum-impervious-surface: <= 60 percent (one- and two-family dwellings)

  “Maximum Impervious Surface:One and two-family dwellings 60% Multi-family & permitted commercial uses 80%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in Nevis Residential District.

  • Accessory buildings may be 30 feet on lots greater than one acre.

  maximum-dwelling-height: <= 35 feet · maximum-accessory-building-height: <= 25 feet (30 feet on lots greater than one acre)

  “Maximum Building Height: Dwelling Units 35 feet Accessory buildings 25 feet (30 feet on lots with greater than 1 acre)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Code-regulated work inside Nevis city, whose ordinance adopts the Minnesota State Building Code.

  • The state rule requires a written application, site identification, proposed use and occupancy, construction type, required construction documents, valuation, signature, and other information required by the building official.

  “To obtain a permit, the applicant shall file an application in writing on a form furnished by the Department of Building Safety for that purpose.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Nevis city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Nevis city limits.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Nevis city.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Nevis city.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Nevis city.

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.