Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lismore, Minnesota

Lismore’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting or relocating a structure or building inside Lismore city limits.

  • Permit must be procured from the City Clerk-Treasurer, approved by the Council, before work or relocation begins.
  • Interior or exterior work that does not change the footprint does not require a zoning permit.
  • New attached or detached additions require a permit.

  “No person may erect any structure of any kind, (as to the outside dimensions of any structure already erected), or relocate any structure or building [...] without first procuring from the City Clerk-Treasurer a permit to do so, approved by the Council, before such work or relocation is commenced.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lismore city limits.

  • Land uses and structures must be permitted for their district or allowed through proceedings under the ordinance.

  “Unless otherwise allowed by proceedings pursuant to the provisions of this Ordinance, it is unlawful to hereafter initiate the use of any land, buildings or structures other than those stated herein as “permitted uses” for the district in which the land lies.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Lismore city limits.

  • Future annexed land is placed in the Residential District unless the Council assigns it to another use district.

  district: Commercial and Industrial District · district: Residential District

  “For the purpose of this Ordinance, the City is divided into the following use districts: Subd. 1. Commercial and Industrial District. Subd. 2. Residential District.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Camping trailers, buses, and recreational vehicles parked on private property inside Lismore city limits for habitation.

  • The Council may allow temporary needs of City residents.
  • The ordinance separately limits parking on public streets to 24 hours.

  “Except as may be allowed by the Council to meet the temporary needs of City residents, no camping trailer, bus, or recreational vehicle shall be parked upon private property for the purpose of habitation.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  One-family manufactured homes in Lismore's Residential District.

  • The home must conform with Minnesota Statutes sections 327.31 through 327.35 as amended through Laws of 1994.
  • It must meet the ordinance's foundation, roof-pitch, width, siding, and City-utility-connection design standards.
  • Nonqualifying vehicles and manufactured structures are permitted only in a Council-designated approved mobile-home park.

  minimum structure width: >= 24 feet (Measured from face of exterior wall.) · minimum roof pitch: >= 3/12 (Flat or shed roofs are not permitted.)

  “One-family manufactured homes built in conformance with Minnesota Statutes, Section 327.31 through 327.35, as amended through laws of 1994, are permitted provided the following design standards are met [...] (2) roof lines must have at least a 3/12 pitch; flat or shed roofs are not permitted; (3) the minimum width of the structures shall be 24 feet measured from face of exterior wall; [...] (5) connection to City utilities.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Residences inside Lismore city limits on property abutting a City water or sewer main.

  • The residence must connect to the City main.
  • An outhouse, privy, or cesspool cannot be constructed on those premises.

  “No building shall be used as a residence which is located on property which abuts a City water or 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 residence inside Lismore city limits on property abutting a City water or sewer main.

  • The residence may not be used unless connected to the abutting City water or sewer main.
  • No outhouse, privy, or cesspool may be constructed for such a residence.

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

• Driveway accessRequired

  Pavement installed for a driveway inside Lismore city limits.

  • The ordinance also requires permits for pavement installed for a patio or kennels.

  “Any pavement installed for a driveway, patio or kennels is required to have a permit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Lismore zoning permits.

  • Fees are determined by Council resolution, kept in the City Clerk-Treasurer's office, and uniformly enforced.
  • The fee accompanies the application and is refunded if the permit is not granted.

  “Fees for such permits shall be determined by the Council and fixed by its resolution, a copy of which shall be in the office of the City Clerk-Treasurer and uniformly enforced. The fee shall accompany said application and in the event the said permit is not granted, such fee shall be refunded.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications to erect, alter, or relocate structures inside Lismore city limits.

  • Application is made at the City Clerk-Treasurer's office.
  • It must state the structure's nature and proposed use or occupancy and be accompanied by the specified lot-and-structure sketch.

  “Any person desiring to erect, alter, or relocate any structure with the City, shall make the same in the office of the City Clerk-Treasurer. Said application shall state the nature of such structure or building [...] the purpose or purposes for which the same is to be used or occupied, and shall be accompanied by a sketch”

Rules another office applies inside Lismore

Lismore 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

  Dwellings in Lismore's Residential District.

  minimum floor area: >= 750 square feet (Dwellings.) · minimum building width: >= 22 feet

  “B. Building: l. Minimum floor area - Dwellings - 750 square feet. [...] 4. Minimum width - 22 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures subject to Lismore Ordinance No. 71, Section 10.

  street setback: >= 25 feet · lot line setback: >= 5 feet

  “Standards I. Street setback- minimum of 25 feet. 2. Lot line setback- minimum of 5 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings subject to Lismore Ordinance No. 71, Section 10.

  • Farm buildings, storage buildings, and accessory buildings are excepted from this maximum.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (Except for farm buildings, storage and accessory buildings.) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (The lesser of three stories or 35 feet; except for farm buildings, storage and accessory buildings.)

  “3. Maximum height - except for farm buildings, storage and accessory buildings the lesser of three stories or 35 feet.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  All new construction or replacement of a subsurface sewage treatment system inside Lismore city limits.

  • The applicable local ordinance determines the manner and timing of inspection.

  “An inspection shall be required for all new construction or replacement of a system to determine compliance with applicable requirements. The manner and timing of inspection may be determined by the applicable local ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Lismore city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Lismore city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Lismore city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Lismore city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Lismore 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.