Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Higdem Township, Minnesota

Higdem Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, addition, or alteration of a building or structure, including deck construction, on land inside Higdem Township that is outside incorporated municipal limits.

  • A permit must be secured from the Zoning Administrator before the listed work.
  • No permit is required for normal maintenance and repairs, including siding, shingling, storm-window installation, painting, plumbing and electrical repairs, insulation, and installation of heating or air-conditioning units and water heaters.
  • No permit may be issued for property that violates the ordinance until the violation is removed, corrected, or ceased.

  “A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be secured prior to: The erection, addition, or alteration of any building, structure, or portion thereof (and including such related activities as construction of decks);”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Higdem Township, Polk County, Minnesota, which the county identifies as a township and which is outside incorporated municipal limits.

  • Polk County states that its zoning ordinance applies countywide except in incorporated municipalities.
  • Polk County states that it participates in cooperative joint zoning with townships that chose to retain local control of township-specific issues; the opened official sources did not identify a Higdem-specific cooperative-joint-zoning rule or township ordinance.

  “Polk County’s Zoning Ordinance is applied countywide, excluding incorporated municipalities (cities that enforce their own zoning regulations). Polk County participates in cooperative joint zoning with those Townships that wanted to retain local control of township-specific issues.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Installation or alteration of sewage treatment systems on land inside Higdem Township that is outside incorporated municipal limits.

  • A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator must be secured before installation or alteration of a sewage treatment system.
  • In shoreland areas, a permit authorizing an addition to an existing structure must require reconstruction or replacement of an identified nonconforming sewage treatment system under Section 21.
  • The county ordinance requires private sewage treatment systems to meet or exceed Minnesota Pollution Control Agency standards described in Minnesota Rule 7080 and Section 21 of the ordinance.

  “The office of the Zoning Administrator is hereby established, for which the Board of County Commissioners may appoint such employee or employees of the County as it may deem proper. [...] The duties of the Zoning Administrator shall include the following, and all other duties as specified elsewhere in this ordinance: [...] b. Issue Building Permits, Septic System Permits, and Land Alteration Permits; and maintain records thereof.”

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.