Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Montgomery, Minnesota

Montgomery’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Projects in Montgomery for which the City requires a building permit, including homeowner work on the building the homeowner occupies.

  • The appropriate building-permit application must be completed before work begins.
  • Homeowners are typically allowed to perform work on the building they occupy after the permit is issued.
  • Commercial projects are stated to require a design professional under state law.

  “Complete the appropriate building permit application BEFORE you beginning working on the proposed project. Homeowners are typically allowed to perform the work on the building they occupy after the building permit is issued.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Homeowners performing work on the building they occupy in Montgomery.

  • The homeowner is typically allowed to perform the work only after the building permit is issued.

  “Homeowners are typically allowed to perform the work on the building they occupy after the building permit is issued.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Permitted projects within Montgomery city limits.

  • Required inspections depend on the type of permitted work.
  • The City advises the permit holder of required inspections when the permit is issued.

  “You will be advised of required inspections for the type of work being performed, when a permit is issued.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Property in Montgomery subject to Chapter 3 water-meter requirements.

  • No certificate of occupation may issue until the Chapter 3 requirements have been met.

  “No certificate of occupation shall be issued by any City building official for any property until the requirements of this Chapter have been met.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land within Montgomery city limits.

  • The zoning code lists R-1, R-2, R-3, R-A, R-MH, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1, I-2, and PUD districts.

  “of this Chapter, the City of Montgomery is hereby divided into the following zoning districts. R-1 Single-Family Residential District R-2 Medium Density Residential District R-3 Multiple-Family Residential District R-A Residence Agricultural District R-MH Residential Manufactured Home Park District”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles or trailers used as dwelling units within Montgomery city limits.

  • Use may not exceed fourteen total calendar days per calendar year.
  • A recreational vehicle may not be used as a permanent dwelling.

  maximum dwelling use: <= 14 calendar days per calendar year

  “No recreational vehicle or trailer shall be used as a dwelling unit in excess of fourteen (14) total calendar days per calendar year.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Use of an accessory building as a permanent dwelling within Montgomery city limits.

  • The rule addresses accessory buildings used as permanent dwellings; it does not establish the treatment of every possible attached or internal accessory dwelling configuration.

  “No basement, garage, tent, trailer, recreational vehicle or accessory building shall be used as a permanent dwelling.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Residence on property within Montgomery city limits without active City sewer and water service.

  • The prohibition is limited to residence on property lacking both active City sewer and water service.

  “unlawful for any person within the City to reside”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Any person residing on property within Montgomery city limits.

  • The city code makes residence without active City sewer and water service unlawful.

  “It is unlawful for any person within the City to reside on property which does not have active City sewer and water service. It is unlawful for any landowner within the City to allow any person to reside on the landowner’s property when that property does not have active City sewer and water service.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits within Montgomery city limits.

  • The published fee applies to a zoning permit; other permit fees were not established by this claim.

  zoning permit fee: 30 USD

  “The fee for a zoning permit is $30. It is the property owner's responsibility to determine where the property lines are located.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in Montgomery city limits.

  • Some permits may issue immediately.
  • Other permits may require Building Inspector, City Staff, or City Engineer review.
  • All required fees must be paid before issuance.
  • Work commenced or completed without the proper permit may be subject to double the normal fee.

  “Drop off the completed building permit to City Hall. Some permits like window replacement, roofing, and siding can be issued immediately. Others will need to be reviewed by the Building Inspector for building code compliance, City Staff for zoning compliance, or the City Engineer for grading and other various components to the project.”

Rules another office applies inside Montgomery

Montgomery 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 Montgomery's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  • Dwellings must be attached to a permanent foundation.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 22 feet

  “All dwellings must be at least 22 feet in width and attached to a permanent foundation.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in Montgomery's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent

  “Maximum lot coverage: 50 percent J. The depth of the front yard of a lot shall be 25 feet deep unless the average depth of at least two existing front yards”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in Montgomery's R-1 Single-Family Residential District.

  maximum principal-structure height: <= 35 feet · maximum accessory-structure height: <= 20 feet

  “Maximum building height: 35 feet principal structures; 20 feet accessory structures”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Construction within Montgomery city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land within Montgomery city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy within Montgomery city limits.
• Who permits septic — Individual sewage-treatment systems inside Montgomery city limits.
• Septic permit — Individual sewage-treatment systems inside Montgomery 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.