Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lester Prairie, Minnesota

Lester Prairie’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and structures regulated by the city code inside Lester Prairie city.

  • Exemptions include retaining walls not over four feet unless supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids; specified small water tanks, low platforms/walks/driveways, painting, limited awnings, certain above-grade pools, movable cases/counters/partitions, and temporary stage sets/scenery.
  • parameters[]},

  “No building or structure regulated by this code shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished unless a separate building permit for each building or structure has first been obtained from the City.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Public-sewer service connections inside Lester Prairie city.

  • The connection may be performed only by a regularly licensed contractor or state licensed plumber.

  “The permit fee for making service connection is determined in accordance with the schedule listed in the State Building Code as adopted by the City of Lester Prairie.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  A building subject to the landscaping provision in Lester Prairie city.

  • Weather permitting, plantings must be installed before issuance of the final certificate of occupancy; exposed ground must be landscaped within 60 days after a building is constructed on a lot.

  “Weather permitting, all plantings shall be planted prior to the issuance of a final certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within the incorporated area of Lester Prairie city.

  • Uses not specifically permitted or denied in a zoning district are considered prohibited; an amendment may be initiated after a City study.

  “The use, height and area regulations shall be uniform in each zoning district and the incorporated area of the City is hereby divided into the following districts which shall be known by the following respective symbols and names:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  The incorporated area of Lester Prairie city.

  • The zoning map is on file at City Hall; the City is responsible for maintaining it and recording amendments.

  “The location and boundaries of the zoning districts established by this ordinance are hereby set forth on the zoning map entitled The Lester Prairie Zoning Map. Said map shall be on file at City Hall and is hereinafter referred to as the "zoning map".”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel and motor home coaches used as temporary dwellings on land in Lester Prairie city.

  • Use is limited to a period not over four weeks; residing in a basement or foundation structure before completion of the total structure is not permitted.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 4 weeks (Travel and motor home coaches)

  “It shall not be lawful for any person to erect or occupy a temporary dwelling on any lot or parcel of land in the city except that travel and motor home coaches can be used for such purpose for a period of not over four (4) weeks.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Lester Prairie city.

  • The owner must obtain a written City permit before construction; the application must use the City form and be supplemented by plans, specifications, and other required materials.

  “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 Lester Prairie 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 when work is ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered.

  “A permit for a private wastewater disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the City or its authorized representative. The City or its representative shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the City when work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Wastewater disposal inside Lester Prairie city where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

  • A private system must comply with City on-site sewer rules; Minnesota Rules chapter 7080 applies as amended; no septic tank or cesspool may discharge to a natural outlet.

  “The type, capacities, location and layout of a private wastewater disposal system shall comply with all requirements of Minn. Rules Chapter 7080, as it may be amended from time to time, entitled, “Individual Sewage Treatment System Standards.” No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Property inside Lester Prairie city abutting a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a City public sanitary sewer.

  • The owner must connect at the owner's expense within 90 days after official notice; failure allows the City to make the connection and assess the cost as a property lien.
  • parameters[]],

  “The owner(s) of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within the City and abutting on 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, is hereby required at the owner(s)' expense to install a suitable service connection to the public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  New subdivision plats inside Lester Prairie city.

  • Lots must equal or exceed district minimum size and width and conform to Minnesota statutes and City ordinances and regulations.

  “No proposed plat of a new subdivision shall hereafter be approved unless the lots within such plat shall be equal to or exceed the minimum size and width as required for the district in which the property is located, and unless the plat fully conforms with the statutes of the State of Minnesota, and ordinances and regulations of the City.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Public-sewer service-connection permits inside Lester Prairie city.

  • The fee is determined by the State Building Code schedule adopted by the City; a new sewer connection also carries a $2,000 connection charge payable before connection.

  new sewer connection charge: 2000 USD (Paid to the City Clerk before connection)

  “There shall be imposed a connection charge in the amount of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) for each new sewer connection which must be paid to the City Clerk prior to such connection being made.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  City building and zoning permit applications inside Lester Prairie city.

  • Applicants file a written City-furnished form; exempt structures needing zoning review require a zoning permit and must be completed within 180 days of issuance.

  zoning-permit completion period: <= 180 days (Structures requiring a zoning permit but not a building permit)

  “To obtain a permit, the applicant shall first file an application therefor in writing on a form furnished by the City for that purpose.”

Rules another office applies inside Lester Prairie

Lester Prairie 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

  One-family dwellings in the R-1 One and Two Family Residential District inside Lester Prairie city.

  • The schedule also requires 45-foot street-line frontage, 75-foot building-line frontage, a 25-foot front yard, eight-foot minimum side yard, 20-foot sum of side yards, and a 25-foot rear yard.

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 square feet (One Family Dwelling in R-1)

  “One Family Dwelling 8,000 45' 75' 25' 8' 20' 25'”

• SetbacksSpecified

  One-family dwellings in the R-1 One and Two Family Residential District inside Lester Prairie city.

  • Corner lots must have at least ten percent more frontage at the building line and lot area than otherwise required for one- and two-family dwellings.

  front yard: >= 25 feet (One Family Dwelling in R-1) · least side yard width: >= 8 feet (One Family Dwelling in R-1) · sum of side yards: >= 20 feet (One Family Dwelling in R-1) · rear yard: >= 25 feet (One Family Dwelling in R-1)

  “One Family Dwelling 8,000 45' 75' 25' 8' 20' 25'”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 One and Two Family Residential District inside Lester Prairie city.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent (R-1 district)

  “Maximum Lot Coverage. Lot coverage shall not exceed thirty (30) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential buildings in the R-1 One and Two Family Residential District inside Lester Prairie city.

  • Public and semi-public buildings, churches, cathedrals, temples, hospitals, and schools may reach stated greater heights if each foot above 35 feet receives an additional one-foot setback from every lot line.

  maximum residential height: <= 35 feet (Or two and one-half stories in R-1)

  “No residential building, hereafter effected or altered, shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet or two and one-half (2 1/2) stories in height.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  General farming uses and accessory buildings in the AG Agricultural District inside Lester Prairie city.

  • The exemption does not excuse compliance with setback and yard requirements.

  “General farming uses and accessory buildings shall exempt from all other provisions of this ordinance provided they comply with setback and yard requirements.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lester Prairie or McLeod County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Lester Prairie city.
• Inspections — Building inspections for general residential construction inside Lester Prairie city.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Lester Prairie city zoning districts.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Lester Prairie city.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Lester Prairie 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.