Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cleveland, Minnesota

Cleveland’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The city zoning administrator is identified as the City Clerk and Maintenance Superintendent.

  “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cleveland.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R-2 Manufactured Home Park District inside Cleveland city limits.

  • Manufactured homes are permitted when placed in manufactured-home parks as defined by the ordinance.
  • The park provisions apply to new manufactured-home park developments, not existing facilities or parks.
  • The home must meet applicable state, county, and city installation-code requirements.

  “Manufactured Homes when placed in manufactured home parks as defined in Section 10000.03, Subd. 46.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The applicant must provide plans, specifications, and other information the city considers necessary.
  • A private system is used where public sewer is not available under Article III, Section 4.

  “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 inspectionRequired

  Installation of a private wastewater disposal system inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The permit does not become effective until installation is completed to the satisfaction of the city or authorized representative.
  • The applicant must notify the city before underground portions are covered.
  • The inspection must be made within 72 hours after notice.

  inspection timing: <= 72 hours after receipt of notice

  “The inspection shall be made within 72 hours of the receipt of notice.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal inside Cleveland city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

  • Private disposal requires a written city permit and inspection.
  • The system must comply with Individual Sewage Treatment System Standards.
  • No septic tank or cesspool may discharge to a natural outlet.

  “Where a public sewer is not available under the provisions of Article III, Section 4, the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provision of this Article.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Future buildings on property adjacent to a city public sanitary sewer inside Cleveland city limits.

  • Existing properties may be required to connect at owner expense within 30 days when public sewer is operational and within 500 feet of the wastewater-generating structure.
  • Capacity must be available for new sanitary-sewer connections.

  public-sewer distance: <= 500 feet (Existing wastewater-generating structure) · connection time: <= 30 days (After public sewer is operational)

  “All future buildings constructed on property adjacent to the public sewer shall be required to immediately connect to the public sewer.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land designated floodplain inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The official floodplain zoning district map is adopted by reference.
  • The opened excerpt did not establish a specific development-permit procedure.

  “No new structure or land shall hereafter be used and no structure shall be located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the terms of this Ordinance”

Rules another office applies inside Cleveland

Cleveland 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

  Structures in the A-1 Agricultural District inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The one-acre minimum does not apply where connected to municipal utilities.
  • Legally platted lots of record when the ordinance passed may be used for permitted uses despite less area or width.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (Unless connected to municipal utilities)

  “Every lot or tract of land upon which a structure is erected shall have an area of not less than one (1) acre unless it is connected to municipal utilities.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — One- or two-family dwellings in the R-1 Residential District inside Cleveland city limits.

    “Every lot on which a one or two family dwelling is erected shall contain an area of not less than 9,500 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Residential District inside Cleveland city limits.

  • Front setback on remaining lots in a block with two or more residences facing the same street is determined by the average existing setback.
  • Corner lots require a front setback on each road or highway side.

  front yard: >= 30 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet (Each side) · rear yard: >= 25 percent of lot depth (Accessory buildings have separate limits)

  “Each lot shall have two side yards, each yard having a width of not less than five (5) feet on each side of the building.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Multiple-family dwellings in the R-1 Residential District inside Cleveland city limits.

  • The cited maximum-ground-coverage provision is specific to multiple-family dwellings.

  maximum ground coverage: <= 35 percent of lot or plot (Multiple-family dwellings)

  “For multiple family dwellings, not more than thirty-five (35) percent of a lot or plot shall be occupied by buildings.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in the R-1 Residential District inside Cleveland city limits.

  • Church spires, belfries, domes without usable space, and chimneys may exceed the limit if they do not conflict with air-traffic requirements.
  • Multiple-family dwellings have a separate 45-foot/three-story limit.

  maximum height: <= 30 feet (General R-1 structures) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (General R-1 structures)

  “For multiple family dwellings, structures shall not exceed three (3) stories or forty-five (45) feet in height.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cleveland or Le Sueur County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building work inside Cleveland city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Cleveland city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Cleveland city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building work inside Cleveland city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New residential construction inside Cleveland 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.