Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Walnut Grove, Minnesota

Walnut Grove’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Changes to a property's footprint inside Walnut Grove city limits.

  • Permit applications are available at the city office.
  • Permits are subject to city ordinances concerning setback requirements and use.
  • City Council approval is required.

  “Building permits are required for changes to the footprint within your property.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures in Walnut Grove city limits.

  • Optional appendices, standards, and supplemental materials that are not mandatory parts of the Code are not adopted.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, one copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk has been adopted by Laws 1977, Chapter 381 as a uniform building code and applicable throughout the state. Such code is hereby confirmed as the building code of the City of Walnut Grove and incorporated in this Chapter as completely as if set out in full.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Walnut Grove city limits, Redwood County, Minnesota.

  • District boundaries are delineated on the city zoning map dated December 14, 2015; the original is filed with the City Clerk and open to public inspection.

  “9.201 Division of Districts. The City of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, is hereby divided into the following districts:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile, manufactured, or trailer homes installed as residences in Walnut Grove city limits.

  • Establishment of a mobile manufactured or trailer-home park requires a special permit.
  • A home may not have been manufactured more than 10 years before the permit application date.

  maximum age at permit application: <= 10 years (Applies to a mobile home, manufactured home, or trailer home moved onto or installed on real estate for residential use.)

  “Establishment of mobile manufactured, or trailer home parks require a special permit. Whether within such a park or at any other location in the City of Walnut Grove, no person, firm or corporation shall move onto or install on any real estate for use as a residence any mobile home, manufactured home or trailer home which shall have been manufactured more than 10 years prior to date of permit application.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Lots inside Walnut Grove city limits with a dwelling house or business building that abut a public street or alley containing a public sewer and water main.

  • The City must give written notice.
  • The owner or occupant must install an inside toilet and connect water and sewer within 30 days after notice.
  • For a new living or business building requiring toilet facilities, sewer and water mains must be in the adjacent street or alley and available to the lot owner.

  connection deadline after written notice: 30 days

  “It shall be the duty of every owner or occupant of any property inside the corporate city limits of said City which abuts upon a public street or alley wherein is constructed and laid a public sewer and water main, which property has a dwelling house or business building situated thereon, to install an inside toilet in said dwelling, house, or business property and make connection thereof, with the water and sewer in the street or alley adjacent thereto, within thirty (30) days after written notice is given to such owner or occupant, by the governing body of said City of Walnut Grove to install such inside toilet and make such water and sewer connections.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits for changes to a property's footprint inside Walnut Grove city limits.

  • Applications can be obtained at the city office.
  • The permit is subject to city setback and use ordinances.
  • City Council approval is required.

  “Permit applications can be obtained at the city office.”

Rules another office applies inside Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures erected within Walnut Grove's fire limits.

  • Fireproof-construction building height is unlimited.
  • The stated limits apply to structures erected within the fire limits.

  frame storage or unprotected metal building height: <= 1 story (Within fire limits.) · frame dwelling height: <= 2 stories (Within fire limits.)

  “Buildings and structures hereafter erected within the fire limits shall be limited as follows: The height of buildings of fireproof construction is unlimited. Buildings of frame construction of storage occupancy, or of unprotected metal construction of any occupancy shall not exceed one story in height. Frame dwellings shall not exceed two stories in height.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Walnut Grove or Redwood County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Walnut Grove city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Walnut Grove city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Walnut Grove city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Walnut Grove city limits.
• Setbacks — Principal residential structures inside Walnut Grove 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.