Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Royalton, Minnesota

Royalton’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Changes to houses or yard additions inside Royalton city limits.

  • The city list is nonexclusive and specifically identifies reroofing, residing, sheds or garages, and fencing.

  “Permits are needed for just about any change to your house or addition in your yard. Permits are needed, but not limited to:”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures within Royalton city limits.

  • The adopted code excludes optional appendix chapters.
  • The ordinance says it perpetually includes the most current edition of the Minnesota State Building Code.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, established pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 16B.59 to 16B.75, including all of the amendments, rules and regulations established, adopted and published from time to time by the Minnesota Commissioner of Administration, through the Building Codes and Standards Division is hereby adopted by reference for the City of Royalton, one copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk of Royalton.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land within Royalton city's corporate limits.

  • The ordinance states that more restrictive comparable requirements prevail.

  “The jurisdiction of this Ordinance shall apply to all of the area within the corporate limits of the City of Royalton, Minnesota.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes in the R-3 Multiple Family Residential District inside Royalton city limits.

  • Allowed only in mobile-home parks.
  • State Department of Health criteria and Ordinances 9-01 and 15-01 requirements must be complied with.
  • This is a conditional use.

  “Mobile homes only in mobile home parks provided that the criteria established by the State of Minnesota Department of Health and the requirements of Ordinances 9-01 and 15-01 are complied with.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Using an accessory building as a residence or dwelling unit inside Royalton city limits.

  • The prohibition does not apply where the zoning ordinance otherwise allows the use.
  • Earth-sheltered homes and basements used as part of family living space are separately addressed exceptions.

  “No basement, except when used as a portion of the living space of the family, or as an earth sheltered home, cellar, garage, tent or mobile home, or accessory building shall at any time be used as a residence or dwelling unit, temporarily or permanently except as elsewhere allowed in this Ordinance.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual sewage treatment systems within Royalton city limits.

  • The city adopts specified Minnesota Rules standards, as amended.
  • The permit is issued by the city's authorized building inspector.

  “No person shall install, alter, repair or extend any individual sewage treatment system within the City limits without first applying for and obtaining a permit from the City of Royalton's authorized building inspector”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing, altering, repairing, or extending an individual sewage treatment system within Royalton city limits.

  • Applicant must obtain the permit from the city's authorized building inspector.
  • Applicant must pay permit, design-approval, inspection, state, and related city costs in amounts designated by City Council.
  • The permit is valid for 12 months from issuance.

  permit validity: 12 months

  “No person shall install, alter, repair or extend any individual sewage treatment system within the City limits without first applying for and obtaining a permit from the City of Royalton's authorized building inspector and at the same time paying a fee for the permit, design approval, inspection fees. State fees and any other related costs to the City, in such amounts as the City Council shall designate. Such permit shall be valid for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of issuance.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Listed building permit work inside Royalton city limits.

  • Other building permits are based on project cost plus a surcharge fee.
  • The stated $75 and $1 fees apply to the listed reroof, reside, replacement-window, furnace/AC, plumbing-repair, demolition, and fireplace work.

  listed-work fee: 75 USD (plus $1.00 surcharge fee)

  “Re-roofs, re-sides, replacement windows, furnace/AC, plumping repairs, demo, and fireplaces are $75.00 plus the $1.00.”

• Permit processPartial

  City building permits inside Royalton city limits.

  • The page only publishes form-acquisition instructions, not a complete review or approval process.

  “Building Permit forms can be downloaded here, picked up at City Hall, or request one be mailed to you.”

Rules another office applies inside Royalton

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

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Royalton city limits.

  • Applies to principal and accessory buildings.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent (principal and accessory buildings)

  “Maximum Coverage. Lot coverage, for principal and accessory buildings, shall not exceed forty (40) percent of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential structures in the Agricultural/Rural Residence (A) District inside Royalton city limits.

  • Agricultural buildings are exempt.

  maximum stories: <= 2 1/2 stories (agricultural buildings) · maximum height: <= 35 feet (agricultural buildings)

  “Residential structures hereafter erected shall not exceed two and one-half (2 1/2) stories or thirty five (35) feet in height. Agricultural buildings shall be exempt from these requirements.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Royalton city limits.

    “Building Height. Residential Structures hereafter created shall not exceed 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet in height. Church spires, water towers and chimneys shall be exempt from these requirements.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Royalton city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Royalton city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Royalton city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Royalton city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Royalton 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.