Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Gem Lake, Minnesota

Gem Lake’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New dwellings and listed modifications to existing structures inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire suppression/alarm system, sewer and water, and zoning.
  • New dwellings require plans, energy calculations, a Certificate of Survey, visible corner stakes, house staking, and city-engineer elevations before issuance.

  “Building permits are required for the construction of a new dwelling and for various modifications to existing structures. Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire suppression/alarm system, sewer and water and zoning.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Projects subject to the city's stormwater/erosion-control packet inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • Before final CO, disturbed areas must be sodded or have established turf.
  • A temporary conditional CO may be obtained when seasonal conditions prevent final turf establishment, subject to packet conditions.

  “Before a Final Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is issued and/or before the escrow money can be released:”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • The Planning Commission assists with administration and enforcement; City Council is the final authority on zoning matters.

  “Members of the Planning Commission are responsible for assisting city staff with the administration and enforcement of the city’s comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance, and land-use policies.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • The zoning map is dated September 2017 and may be amended.

  “The boundaries of the above districts are hereby established on that certain map entitled “City of Gem Lake Zoning Map,” dated September 2017 and from time to time amended, which map is properly approved and hereinafter referred to as the “Zoning Map”.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, installation, modification, replacement, or operation of SSTS inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • A construction permit is not required for minor repairs or component replacements that do not alter the original function, capacity, location, design, layout, or function.
  • Where an SSTS permit is required, a valid SSTS construction permit must be issued before a building or land-use permit may issue.

  “Section 21. Permit Required. It is unlawful for any person to construct, install, modify, replace, or operate a SSTS without the appropriate permit from the Department.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Work on driveways within the public right-of-way inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • Requires city engineer permit-application review.

  “Work proposed to be done within the public right-of-way, including sidewalks, driveways, tree planting, etc, also requires a permit application review by the City Engineer.”

Rules another office applies inside Gem Lake

Gem Lake 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 sizeSpecified

  RE Single Family Estate Residential District inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • Existing estates are generally larger; future subdivision is discussed in the ordinance.

  minimum lot size: 5 acres

  “The minimum lot size in the “RE” zoning district is five (5) acres, but most of the existing ‘estates’ are located on land parcels much larger than five (5) acres.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in Gem Lake's shoreland district.

  • Water-oriented accessory structures are subject to separate standards.

  structure setback from ordinary high water mark: >= 150 feet (Other than water-oriented accessory structures managed by Section 21)

  “No structure, other than water-oriented accessory structures managed by this Section, shall be placed within 150 feet of the ordinary high water mark of the water body.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Gem Lake shoreland district.

  • Applies to buildings and impervious surfaces.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “The maximum lot coverage by buildings and impervious surfaces is 25%.”

• Building heightSpecified

  RE Single Family Estate Residential District inside Gem Lake city limits.

  • Back and side facades may reach 45 feet only with a conditional use permit meeting ordinance criteria.

  principal structure maximum height: <= 35 feet · accessory structure maximum height: <= 25 feet

  “No principal structure shall exceed thirty-five (35'0") feet in height and no accessory structure shall exceed twenty-five (25'0") feet in height measured from the ground six (6'0") feet from the primary front entrance to the highest point of the roof structure.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Gem Lake or Ramsey County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Residential construction inside Gem Lake city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Gem Lake city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Gem Lake city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Gem Lake city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Gem Lake 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.