Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cambridge, Minnesota

Cambridge’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated by the City of Cambridge building code inside the city.

  • The listed optional provisions include Appendix Chapter J of the 2012 International Building Code, Minnesota Rules chapter 1335, and Minnesota Rules chapter 1306, Special Fire Protection Systems Subp. 2.
  • ORD 807 is dated 7/21/25.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code is hereby incorporated in this ordinance as if fully set out herein.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the corporate limits of Cambridge city.

  • The chapter also states jurisdiction includes the established Urban Service Area I District.

  “In order to carry out the purpose of this chapter, the city shall be divided into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Cambridge city.

  • The listed residence districts include R-1, R-1A, R-2, and R-3.

  “Residence districts. (1) R-1, One Family Residence District. (2) R-1A, One Family Residence District. (3) R-2, One- and Two-Family Residence District.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles parked or stored in Cambridge residential districts.

  • A recreational vehicle may not be occupied for living, sleeping, or housekeeping while parked or stored.
  • One recreational vehicle may be used by nonpaying guests for sleeping for no more than seven consecutive days at one time or 14 total days in a calendar year.
  • The vehicle must be parked subject to the section's provisions.

  guest occupancy consecutive duration: <= 7 days (One recreational vehicle used by nonpaying guests of the property owner.) · guest occupancy annual duration: <= 14 days (One recreational vehicle used by nonpaying guests of the property owner.)

  “Such vehicle shall be parked subject to the provisions of this section and used for sleeping purposes for a period not to exceed seven consecutive days at one time or more than 14 days total in one calendar year.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater disposal systems where public sanitary sewer is not available inside Cambridge city.

  • The system must comply with city code and Minnesota Rules chapter 7080.

  “Prior to commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner(s) shall first obtain a written permit signed by the City.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Cambridge city where public sewer is unavailable.

  • The application must use the City form and be supplemented by plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary by the City.

  “The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the City, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary to the City.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted private wastewater disposal-system installations inside Cambridge city.

  • The permit does not become effective until installation is completed to the satisfaction of the City or its authorized representative.
  • The applicant must notify the City before underground portions are covered; the inspection is to occur within four hours of notice.

  “The inspection shall be made within four hours of the receipt of notice.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal inside Cambridge city where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

  • Private systems require a City written permit before construction.
  • The system must comply with Minnesota Rules chapter 7080.
  • When public sewer becomes available, direct connection is required within ten days and private tanks or similar systems must be addressed within 30 days.

  connection deadline after public sewer becomes available: 10 days

  “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 52.018, the building sanitary sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Structures discharging wastewater inside Cambridge city and adjacent to a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a City public sanitary sewer.

  • Connection is at the owner's expense.
  • An existing SSTS parcel with City sewer available must connect when its SSTS needs replacement or at point of sale.
  • A hardship exemption may be sought where the City sewer main is more than 300 feet from the parcel; the Council may impose conditions.

  hardship sewer-main distance: > 300 feet (Owner may request City Council exemption to construct a private SSTS.)

  “All structures which wastewater is discharged from and which is situated within the City and adjacent to any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located, or may in the future be located, a public sanitary sewer of the City shall be required at the owner(s) expense to install a suitable sanitary sewer service connection to the public sewer in accordance with provisions of this code.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Work governed by the Cambridge building code.

  • Fees are assessed under a fee schedule adopted by the municipality annually.
  • A surcharge is collected on permits under Minnesota Statutes 326B.148.

  “Permit fees shall be assessed for work governed by this code in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by the municipality on an annual basis.”

Rules another office applies inside Cambridge

Cambridge 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

  One-family dwellings in the R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Cambridge city.

  minimum floor area: 1050 square feet (One-family dwelling in R-1.)

  “BUILDING REQUIREMENTS One-Family Dwelling | DISTRICT 1,050 | | 900 | | 900 | 900”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  One-family dwellings in the R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Cambridge city.

  minimum lot area: 11000 square feet (One-family dwelling in R-1.)

  “One-Family Dwelling | R-1 11,000 | R-1A 9,400 | R-25 6,750 | R-36 6,750”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential structures in the R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Cambridge city.

  • Front yard may instead be the average depth of immediately adjacent front yards, but not less than 12 feet.
  • An attached garage may be six feet from an interior side line.
  • The standard two-foot roof overhang need not meet setback requirements; larger overhangs must meet the table setbacks.

  minimum front yard: 30 feet (Or average depth of immediately adjacent front yards, but not less than 12 feet.) · minimum rear yard: 30 feet (20 feet where yard abuts permanent open space.) · minimum interior side yard residential: 10 feet (Attached garage may be six feet from an interior side line.)

  “Residential9 | R-1 104 | R-1A 104 | R-25 6 | R-36 10 plus 5 for each additional story above first story”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential building or structure coverage in the R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Cambridge city.

  • The cited percentage is building/structure lot coverage only.

  maximum residential building/structure lot coverage: <= 25 percent (R-1 residential coverage.)

  “BUILDING REQUIREMENTS Residential (building/structure lot coverage only) | DISTRICT 25% | | 25% | | 25% | 25%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 One-Family Residence District inside Cambridge city.

  • A conditional-use permit may be allowed for higher buildings.

  maximum height: <= 30 feet (R-1; higher buildings may be allowed by conditional-use permit.)

  “BUILDING REQUIREMENTS Maximum Height Limit in Feet | DISTRICT 30 ft. | | 30 ft. | | 35 ft. | 50 ft8”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured-home complexes in the R-2 and R-3 residential districts inside Cambridge city.

  • The table defines C as requiring a City conditional-use permit before use or construction.
  • The table says no letter means the use is not allowed in the district.

  “DISTRICT | | C | C | USE Manufactured Home Complexes, pursuant to § 156.064”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building construction inside Cambridge city.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Cambridge city.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Cambridge city.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Cambridge city.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Cambridge 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.