Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Adrian, Minnesota

Adrian’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting or altering any structure, or moving or relocating a structure into, from, or within Adrian.

  • A City Office permit must be procured first.
  • The city issues permits only after applicable fees are paid and the application complies with ordinance requirements.
  • Permits are valid for 12 months from issuance.

  “No person(s) shall erect or alter any structure of any kind or move and/or relocate any structure or building by moving it from any point outside the city into the city, moving it from within the city to any point, without first procuring from the City Office a permit to do so.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Non-residential occupancies erected or altered inside Adrian.

  • Plan review and inspection are for Minnesota Accessibility Code compliance.

  “Non-residential occupancies that are erected or altered are subject to a plan review and inspection to ensure compliance with the Minnesota Accessibility Code.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and structures inside Adrian city limits.

  • Uses and structures must conform to Chapter 11 after its effective date.

  “This chapter shall be known and may be referred to as the “Zoning Ordinance” or the “Zoning Chapter” for the City of Adrian.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Adrian city limits.

  • The zoning-map boundaries and other applicable regulations are kept on file at the City Office.
  • All areas not in the Commercial and Industrial District are Residential District.

  “The boundaries of the zones established and adopted by the City of Adrian are located on the zoning map. The zoning map and other applicable regulations is kept on file at the City Office.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  One travel trailer, camper, motor-home, or recreational vehicle for each residential dwelling in Adrian.

  • It may temporarily house occupants for no more than 15 calendar days per year.
  • Separate text prohibits parking a camping trailer, bus, or recreational vehicle on city lots for habitation except as allowed by City Council to meet temporary resident needs.

  maximum occupancy duration: <= 15 calendar days per year (One travel trailer, camper, motor-home, or recreational vehicle per residential dwelling.)

  “For each residential dwelling, one travel trailer, camper, motor-home, or recreational vehicle may be used to temporarily house occupants for not more than 15 calendar days per year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in Adrian's Residential District.

  • A one-family manufactured home must conform with the cited Minnesota statutes and listed design standards.
  • Other manufactured structures not qualifying for the Residential District may be placed only in an approved manufactured-home park designated by the City Council.

  minimum structure width: >= 24 feet (Measured across the face of the exterior wall.)

  “The minimum width of the structure shall be no less than 24 feet measured across the face of the exterior wall;”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory structures on residential lots inside Adrian.

  “No accessory structure shall be used for human habitation or any kind.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dwellings on Adrian property abutting a city water or sanitary sewer main.

  • An outhouse, privy, or cesspool cannot be constructed on premises covered by the connection rule.

  “No building shall be used as a dwelling which is located on property which abuts a city water or sanitary sewer main, without being connected thereto and as to any such residence no outhouse, privy, or cesspool shall be constructed on the premises.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  A dwelling on Adrian property abutting a city water or sanitary sewer main.

  • The dwelling may not be used unless connected to the abutting city water or sanitary sewer main.
  • No outhouse, privy, or cesspool may be constructed on those premises.

  “No building shall be used as a dwelling which is located on property which abuts a city water or sanitary sewer main, without being connected thereto and as to any such residence no outhouse, privy, or cesspool shall be constructed on the premises.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway work in Adrian street right-of-way.

  • Any work in street right-of-way requires a permit.

  “No permit is needed for Landscaping or concrete pads smaller than 15 square feet, unless in street R.O.W. (any work done in street R.O.W. requires a permit)”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Activities listed in Adrian's floodplain ordinance inside city limits.

  • A permit must be obtained before conducting a listed activity.
  • The Zoning Administrator or other City Council-designated official administers and enforces the ordinance.

  “A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator prior to conducting the following activities:”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  City zoning permits for residential and commercial projects in Adrian.

  • All permit fees are due at application.
  • Fees double if construction begins before permit issuance and may also incur an investigation/inspection fee.

  new-home zoning permit fee: 100 USD (Includes blueprints.) · driveway zoning permit fee: 15 USD

  “Residential; [ ] $100.00 New Home (include blue prints) [ ] $50.00 Home addition [ ] $15.00 Other; __________________ [ ] $25.00 Garage [ ] $15.00 Driveway”

Rules another office applies inside Adrian

Adrian 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

  All houses in any Adrian residential district.

  • Porches, entries, overhangs, and attached accessory units are excluded from the minimum width and depth.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 22 feet (Excludes porches, entries, overhangs, and attached accessory units.) · minimum dwelling depth: >= 22 feet (Excludes porches, entries, overhangs, and attached accessory units.)

  “All dwellings shall have a minimum width and depth of not less than 22 feet, this shall exclude porches, entries, overhangs, or attached accessory units.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots or plots in Adrian on which a one-family or two-family dwelling is erected.

  • Width is measured at the building setback line.

  minimum lot width: >= 70 feet (At the building setback line.) · minimum lot depth: >= 110 feet

  “Every lot or plot on which a one-family dwelling or a two-family dwelling is erected shall have a width of not less than 70 feet at the building setback line, and a minimum depth of not less than 110 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New residences in Adrian's Residential District.

  • Corner lots must have a front yard on each street side.
  • Rear-yard depth is 25 percent of lot depth, or 18 percent of lot depth for a minimum corner lot.

  front setback: >= 30 feet (Measured from the front side of the lot to the structure, less overhang.) · side setback: >= 5 feet (Each of two side yards; subject to approved drainage.)

  “It is required that new residences are to be set back 30 feet from front side of said lot, to the structure, less overhang, and each residence shall have two side yards, each being not less than five feet in width, and subject to approved drainage.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Accessory structures on residential lots in Adrian.

  • The limit is the lesser of 15 percent of lot area or 75 percent of principal-building square footage.

  maximum accessory-structure lot coverage: <= 15 percent of lot area (Also may not exceed 75 percent of principal-building square footage.)

  “No accessory structure shall exceed 15% of the lot area or exceed 75% of the square footage of the principal building, whichever is less.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory structures in Adrian residential areas.

  • The applicable maximum is the lesser of the principal-building height or 20 feet.

  maximum accessory-structure height: <= 20 feet (Cannot exceed the height of the principal building.)

  “No accessory structure shall exceed the height of the principal building or 20 feet in a residential area, whichever is less.”

• Well permitLimited

  Water-supply, dewatering, and environmental wells constructed inside Adrian, unless a statutory exception applies.

  • The proposed-well notification and filing fee must be filed with the commissioner before construction.
  • The state notification preempts city permits or notifications unless authority has been delegated.

  “Except as provided in paragraph (d), a person may not construct a water-supply, dewatering, or environmental well until a notification of the proposed well on a form prescribed by the commissioner is filed with the commissioner with the filing fee in section 103I.208, and, when applicable, the person has met the requirements of paragraph (e).”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built structures inside Adrian city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Adrian city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Adrian city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Adrian city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Adrian 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.