Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Upsala, Minnesota

Upsala’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Upsala city limits.

  • Compliance is subject to the State Building Code followed by the City.

  “The City of Upsala follows the State Building Code.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings and land uses inside Upsala city limits subject to zoning-ordinance compliance review.

  • The ordinance authorizes inspections as necessary to determine compliance; it does not establish a universal inspection schedule in the located text.

  “Conduct inspections of buildings and land use as necessary to determine compliance with this Ordinance.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside the corporate limits of Upsala city, Minnesota.

  • The ordinance states that where its conditions differ from comparable legal requirements, the more restrictive or higher standard prevails.

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

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Upsala city limits.

  • The subdivider or authorized representative must apply in writing for approval under the ordinance's procedures before contracts or offers to sell lots and before land-use permits issue.

  “The subdivider, or duly authorized agent or representative, shall apply in writing for approval any proposed subdivision in accordance with the procedures set forth within this chapter.”

• Driveway accessNot required

  City land-use-permit requirement for driveways inside Upsala city limits.

  • This finding is limited to the City's land-use-permit list and does not establish whether another road authority requires an access permit.

  “THE FOLLOWING DOES NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT When you are in doubt, call the City office at 573-4950 Building demolition Siding Shingles Driveways”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use permits and related applications inside Upsala city limits.

  • No permit is issued and no rezoning, variance, conditional-use permit, subdivision, or amendment request is considered until fees are paid in full.
  • Applicants bear City costs exceeding original fees.
  • After-the-fact applications pay twice the original fee.
  • Municipal corporations and governmental agencies are exempt from ordinance fee requirements.

  new residential structure fee, 0 to 1,500 square feet: 200 USD · new residential structure fee, over 1,501 square feet: > 300 USD · subdivision plat fee: 500 USD

  “0 to 1,500 square feet - $200 Over 1,501 square feet - $300”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use permits inside Upsala city limits.

  • Requests must be made to the Zoning Administrator.
  • Applications must contain a scaled site plan showing structures to be erected or moved onto the lot and emergency 911 addressing numbers.
  • Permits must be posted visibly from the nearest public roadway.
  • The permit becomes void after one year of inaction unless otherwise determined by the Zoning Administrator.

  permit validity: 1 year (unless otherwise determined by the Zoning Administrator)

  “Requests for a land use permit shall be made to the Zoning Administrator.”

Rules another office applies inside Upsala

Upsala 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

  Single-Family Residential (R1) district inside Upsala city limits.

  • The 15,000-square-foot minimum applies to two-family lots; the 10,000-square-foot minimum applies to single-family lots.

  single-family buildable lot area: >= 10000 square feet · two-family buildable lot area: >= 15000 square feet

  “Buildable lot area - square foot minimum: 10,000 (single-family), 15,000 (two-family)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-Family Residential (R1) district inside Upsala city limits.

  • Local-street, county/state-highway, side/rear, and sign setbacks differ.

  local-street right-of-way setback: >= 30 feet · county and state highway right-of-way setback: >= 30 feet · side and rear setback: >= 5 feet

  “Setback, right-of-way, local streets - feet, minimum: 30 Setback, right-of-way, county and state highway - feet, minimum: 30 Setback, side and rear - feet, minimum: 5”

• Well permitRequired

  New water-supply wells inside Upsala city limits.

  • Before drilling, the contractor or well owner must submit a notification form and appropriate fee to MDH.
  • The located MDH page distinguishes water-supply-well notification from construction permits that apply to certain other wells or borings.

  “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a delegated well program* must be notified before well construction begins. The MDH notification form, which is similar to a permit, must be submitted by the well contractor or the property owner and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Upsala city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Upsala city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Upsala city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Upsala city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Upsala 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.