Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hendrum, Minnesota

Hendrum’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures, buildings, accessory buildings, systems, equipment, and changes of occupancy inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Single- and two-family applications require a completed application and building and site plans.
  • Applicants must comply with all Hendrum City ordinances before permit issuance.
  • The Building Official issues an approved permit after review and permit-fee payment.

  “Hereafter, no person shall erect, construct, develop, alter, remodel, destroy, change occupancy or move any kind of use, structure, building, accessory building, or any parts thereof, repair, erect, install enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical, electrical, plumbing system, or other equipment without first securing a building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hendrum city limits.

  • The ordinance divides the city into zones or districts and regulates compatible residential and business uses.

  “to divide the City into zones or districts as to the compatible use of land and structures for residential and business purposes;”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational-vehicle occupancy on residential parcels inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Only one recreational vehicle per residential parcel is allowed.
  • Occupancy is for non-residents, for no more than 14 days in one year, and only for noncommercial use with no fee paid to the landowner, occupant, or renter.

  maximum occupancy period: <= 14 days per year (One recreational vehicle per residential parcel; non-residents only; noncommercial and no fee paid.)

  “Temporary parking and occupancy of one recreational vehicle per residential parcel shall be allowed for non-residents of the City for a maximum of a fourteen (14) day period in any one year if such parking and occupancy otherwise complies herewith.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Individual or private sewage-disposal systems inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Where a public sewer is available, building liquid wastes must be discharged to it; the ordinance provides an exception for special handling requirements for business or industrial waste.

  “No individual or private sewage disposal system shall be allowed within the city.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Hendrum city limits where the public sewer system is available.

  • The exception is where the ordinance provides special handling requirements for business or industrial waste.
  • Connection/installation requires a city permit.

  “No individual or private sewage disposal system shall be allowed within the city. The MN Building and Plumbing Code provides that where a public sewer system is available, liquid wastes from a building must be discharged into the public sewer, except where special handling requirements for business or industrial waste are provided in this ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land in Hendrum's mapped Floodplain District.

  • The district is an overlay superimposed on existing zoning districts.
  • The floodplain standards are additional requirements; the more restrictive standard controls in a conflict.

  “The Floodplain District is an overlay districts that is superimposed on all existing zoning districts. The standards imposed in the overlay district are in addition to any other requirements in this ordinance. In case of a conflict, the more restrictive standards will apply.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Identified zoning permits and applications inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Fees are set by resolution at the annual meeting, are due on filing, are nonrefundable, and are placed in the city's general fund.

  “Charges shall be made for the identified permits and applications and shall be established by resolution at the annual meeting. The fees are payable at the time of filing an application and are not refundable.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Applications must include the required submittals; approval depends on conformity with the ordinance and building-code requirements; a fee payment is required before approved permit issuance.

  “Completed building permit forms and required submittal documents shall be submitted to the City of Hendrum City Clerk. The City Clerk shall forward a copy of all submittal items to the Building Official for Building Code and Ordinance Review.”

Rules another office applies inside Hendrum

Hendrum 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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Hendrum city limits, including the R single- and two-family residential district.

  • The zoning ordinance's dimensional schedule applies by district.

  R district minimum lot area: 7000 square feet (Schedule also displays a 10,000-dup notation.)

  “SCHEDULE OF ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS FOR AREA, BULK, PLACEMENT, AND LAND USE INTENSITY R R M C-I I-1 Minimum Lot Area in Square Feet 7,000 sf 10,000 dup 6,500 sf 2,500 add’tl dup 3,500/dup None None”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Hendrum city limits, including the R single- and two-family residential district.

  • The percentage is stated as maximum coverage for all structures and paved structures.

  R district maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent (Applies to all structures and paved structures.)

  “Maximum Lot Coverage (all structures & paved structures) 30% 50% 45% 100% 80%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Hendrum city limits, including the R single- and two-family residential district.

  • The schedule separately lists principal and accessory structures.

  R district principal-structure maximum height: <= 30 feet (Two stories.) · R district accessory-structure maximum height: 1 story

  “Maximum Height  Principal Structure 2 stor/30’ [...]  Accessory Structure 1 story 1 story 1 story 1 story 1 story”

• Well permitLimited

  New water-supply wells inside Hendrum city limits.

  • Before drilling, the contractor or well owner must submit a notification form and appropriate fee to the Minnesota Department of Health.
  • Some other wells or borings, including monitoring wells and bored geothermal heat exchangers, require an MDH construction permit and written approval before work starts.

  “Prior to the start of drilling a water-supply well, the Contractor or well owner must submit a “notification” form, with the appropriate fee, to MDH.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Hendrum city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Hendrum city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Hendrum city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Hendrum city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Hendrum 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.