Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lowry, Minnesota

Lowry’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, alteration, or movement of a listed container or building for residential, recreational, commercial, or industrial use on a lot inside Lowry city limits.

  • A building/use permit must be secured before the listed work.
  • Permit application is made to the City Council.
  • The City Clerk issues the permit only after City Council determines the plans comply with the ordinance.

  “No person, or other legal entity, shall erect, alter or move any portable storage container, soft sided, plastic, metal or wood construction building or part thereof to be used for residential, recreational, commercial or industrial purposes upon a lot without first securing a building/use permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lowry city limits in Pope County, Minnesota.

  • The cited subdivision ordinance refers to the Lowry City Zoning Ordinance; district-specific controls were not extracted from the published materials reviewed.

  “Board of Adjustment. The zoning board of adjustment established pursuant to the Lowry City Zoning Ordinance.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures on lots used for residential purposes inside Lowry city limits.

  side-line setback: >= 6 feet (Residential-purpose lots.) · public highway or street setback: >= 30 feet (Residential-purpose lots.)

  “That lots used for residential purposes shall have the structure placed so as to be not less than six feet from the side lines of the lot and not less than 30 feet from any public highway or street.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of a trailer house as a residential home inside Lowry city limits.

  • A trailer house may be used as a residential home only if it is already located on a lot.
  • An already-located trailer may be removed and replaced only with City Council permission.
  • Current empty lots may not be used for this type of home.

  “No trailer house, whether left or removed from it’s chassis shall be used for residential homes within the City of Lowry unless already located on a lot. Those trailers may be removed and replaced with the permission of the City Council but current empty lots will not be used for this type of home.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  All buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes within Lowry city limits.

  • The property owner bears the cost of connecting to an existing water main and city sanitary sewer when the lot has water and sewer services.
  • The new curb stop must be installed as directed by the City.

  “municipal water supply [...] municipal sanitary sewer.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivided inside Lowry city limits.

  • The owner or authorized agent must apply for and receive approval before land is subdivided.
  • Minor subdivisions require preliminary and final subdivision plats; major subdivisions require sketch, preliminary, and final plats.
  • A public hearing is required on all subdivision applications before preliminary-plat approval unless otherwise provided by law or charter.

  “Before any land is subdivided [...] shall apply for and receive approval”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building/use-permit applications inside Lowry city limits.

  • Each application must be accompanied by the applicable fee payable to the City.
  • If an application is denied, the fee is returned.
  • After-the-fact permits cost two times the regular fee.

  newly constructed home permit fee: 100-200 USD (Based on main-floor square footage: 0-1,000 square feet is $100; 1,001-1,500 square feet is $150; 1,501-2,000 square feet is $200.)

  “Each application shall be accompanied by a fee payable to the City of Lowry in accordance with the following: A. Newly constructed homes shall be based on the square footage of the main floor as follows: 1. 0 to 1000 square feet $100.00 2. 1001 to 1500 square feet $150.00 3. 1501 to 2000 square feet $200.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building/use-permit applications inside Lowry city limits.

  • Application is made to the City Council.
  • Applicants must supply the specified project information and a scaled plan.
  • For a prebuilt structure, manufacturer specifications must accompany the application.

  “The application for a permit shall be made to the City Council with information on owner, address for the construction project and type of construction planned. Each applicant shall provide a plan drawn to scale showing the dimensions of the lot to be built upon, location of the utilities, size and location of the building and/or accessory buildings to be erected and any other information necessary to enable the City Council to determine compliance with this ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Lowry city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Lowry city limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Lowry city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Lowry city limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Lowry 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.