Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Askov, Minnesota

Askov’s own rules

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-builder declarations submitted with Askov land-use/building permit materials.

  • Owner must be building or improving their own property.
  • Owner must not be in the business of building on speculation or for resale.
  • This must be the first residential structure built or improved by the owner in the past 24 months.
  • A Property Owner Waiver is required if no contractor license number is listed.

  prior residential structures built or improved: <= 1 structure (in the past 24 months)

  “I hereby affirm that I am exempt from the State Contractor’s License Law: I am building or improving my property by myself. I claim to be exempt from the State License requirements because I am not in the business of building or speculation or for resale and this is the first residential structure that I have built or improved in the past 24 months.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land use within Askov city limits.

  “Zoning Ordinances [...] Chapter 1 [...] Chapter 2 [...] Chapter 3 [...] Chapter 4 [...] Chapter 5 [...] Chapter 6 [...] Subdivision”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, alteration, repair, or extension of an individual sewage treatment system inside Askov city limits.

  • Permit is specific to the installation, alteration, repair, or extension.
  • Applicant pays the fee in the annually adopted master fee schedule.
  • Permit is valid six months from issue.
  • Application must be written, signed, and include the legal description, plot plan, complete plans, and required supporting information.

  permit validity: 6 months

  “No person shall install, alter, repair, or extend any individual sewage treatment system in the city without first obtaining a permit therefor from the council or its authorized representative for the specific installation, alteration, repair or extension;”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted individual sewage treatment systems inside Askov city limits.

  • No part of the system may be covered until inspected and accepted by the council.
  • Applicant must notify the clerk when ready.
  • Council inspection is due within 48 hours after notice.
  • Owner or occupant must provide council access at reasonable times.
  • System cannot be placed or replaced in service until defects are corrected; each needed reinspection costs $25.

  inspection timing after notice: <= 48 hours · reinspection fee: per 25 USD (for each necessary reinspection)

  “No part of the system shall be covered until it has been inspected and accepted by the council. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant for the permit to notify the clerk that the job is ready for inspection or re-inspection, and it shall be the duty of the council to make the indicated inspection within 48 hours after receiving notice.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Individual sewage disposal systems inside Askov city limits.

  • Sites under five acres require a non-leaching tank.
  • Sites of at least five acres require a septic system.
  • City permit and inspection requirements apply.

  site area: < 5 acres (requires a non-leaching tank) · site area: >= 5 acres (requires a septic system)

  “A site of less than 5 acres requires a non- leaching tank, not less than 5 acres a septic system.”

• Well permitRequired

  Construction or reconstruction of a well involving drilling or casing insertion inside Askov city limits.

  • Permit is from the council.
  • Written application must use the clerk's form and include the annually scheduled fee or at least feasibility-study cost.
  • Council may deny only on findings, by resolution, that public health, safety, and welfare require denial.

  “Before proceeding within the city with construction or reconstruction of any well, which involves drilling or casing insertion, the owner of the premises upon which the well is located or to be located shall obtain a permit from the council.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  City of Askov land-use permit applications.

  • The published form states the fee is due with the application.

  land-use permit application fee: 50 USD

  “THERE IS A $50 FEE DUE WITH THE APPLICATION. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: CITY OF ASKOV”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  City land-use permit applications inside Askov city limits.

  • Applicant must submit the completed permit to the City Office for processing.
  • Land-use form requires project address, parcel number, description, project dimensions, and a sketch showing distances from all property lines.
  • Work must be completed within one year of permit approval.

  completion period after approval: <= 1 year

  “Please email or bring your completed permit to the City Office for processing.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — General residential building construction inside Askov city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Askov city limits.
• Inspections — General building construction inside Askov city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — General occupancy of buildings inside Askov city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Askov 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.