Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Pease, Minnesota

Pease’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, demolition, excavation, electrical, plumbing, and heating work inside Pease city limits.

  • The city directs persons unsure whether a permit is needed to call City Hall before starting a project.

  “Building permits are required within the city limits. Includes construction, demolition, excavating, electrical, plumbing and heating.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Pease city limits.

  • The city ordinance page identifies "Zoning & Residential Streets & Sidewalks" among ordinances in place, but the operative zoning text and district schedule were not published on the opened page.

  “Zoning & Residential Streets & Sidewalks”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  City building-permit applications inside Pease city limits.

  • Permits may be picked up at City Hall during Monday, Wednesday, and Friday hours of 9 AM to 12 PM, or printed from the PDF attachment.
  • Completed applications are to be returned to AllSpec Services.

  “Building permits can be picked up at city hall during regular business hours: Monday-Wednesday-Friday 9AM to 12PM or Building Permits can also be printed from the PDF attachment. Please fill out and return to AllSpec Services.”

Rules another office applies inside Pease

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Unsewered land inside Pease city limits, unless Pease has adopted and enforces its own SSTS regulations.

  • The county ordinance excludes cities or townships that have adopted and enforce their own SSTS regulations.
  • Land held in trust by the United States on behalf of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is excluded.

  “The regulations herein governing SSTS shall apply to all areas of the County, except those held in trust by the United States on behalf of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and cities/townships that have adopted and enforce SSTS regulations on their own behalf.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, installation, modification, replacement, operation, or repair of an SSTS on unsewered land inside Pease city limits where the county SSTS ordinance applies.

  • The county ordinance does not apply where Pease has adopted and enforces its own SSTS regulations.
  • Permit must be obtained from the county before the listed SSTS work.

  “It is unlawful for any person to construct, install, modify, replace, or operate a SSTS without a permit. A permit shall be obtained from the County prior to the installation, construction, replacement, modification, alteration, repair, rejuvenation, remediation, or capacity expansion of a SSTS.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New or replacement SSTS on unsewered land inside Pease city limits where the county SSTS ordinance applies.

  • The county ordinance does not apply where Pease has adopted and enforces its own SSTS regulations.
  • Installer must notify the county at least 24 hours before a required inspection.
  • Required inspections apply as applicable: soil verification, tank inspection, and soil-treatment-system inspection.

  “Compliance inspections must be performed on new or replacement SSTS to determine compliance with Minnesota Administrative Rules and the provisions of this ordinance. It is the responsibility of the SSTS installer to notify the County, during the hours of operation of County offices, at least 24 hours before any required inspection.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Unsewered land inside Pease city limits where the county SSTS ordinance applies.

  • The county ordinance does not apply where Pease has adopted and enforces its own SSTS regulations.
  • All sewage must be treated and dispersed by an approved SSTS or a system permitted by the MPCA.

  “This ordinance regulates the siting, design, installation, alteration, operation, maintenance, monitoring, and management of all SSTS within the identified jurisdiction including but not necessarily limited to: individual SSTS, cluster or community SSTS, privy vaults, and other non-water carried SSTS. All sewage within the identified jurisdiction shall be treated and dispersed by an approved SSTS that is sited, designed, installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance or by a system that has been permitted by the MPCA.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Pease or Mille Lacs County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built structures inside Pease city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Pease city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Pease city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Pease city limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Pease 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.