Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Belle Plaine, Minnesota

Belle Plaine’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures in Belle Plaine city.

  • Optional Minnesota State Building Code chapters do not apply unless specifically adopted by ordinance.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, established pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 326B includes all of the referenced amendments, rules and regulations and is hereby adopted by reference with the exception of the optional chapters, unless specifically adopted in this ordinance.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings or structures erected or moved inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • A satisfactory final inspection by the Building Official is required before the certificate of occupancy is issued.

  “Said certificate is applied for coincident with the application for a building permit and issued following satisfactory final inspection by the Building Official.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any building or structure erected or moved inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • The certificate states compliance with the zoning ordinance and applicable state building-code sections; it is issued after satisfactory final inspection.

  “No building or structure hereafter erected or moved shall be occupied or used in whole, or in part, for any purpose whatsoever until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Building Official stating that the building or structure complies with all of the provisions within this Ordinance and applicable state building code sections.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Zoning districts and the official zoning map are incorporated into the City ordinance.

  “For the purposes of this Ordinance, the City is hereby divided into districts, as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which, together with all explanatory matter thereof, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be part of this Ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • The official zoning map is on file with the Zoning Administrator and has the same force and effect as text fully set forth in the ordinance.

  “For the purposes of this Ordinance, the City is hereby divided into districts, as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which, together with all explanatory matter thereof, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be part of this Ordinance.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Approved accessory dwelling units under Section 1107.25 are exempt from the stated dwelling-unit restriction.

  “No accessory building, automobile, boat, boat trailer, camper, camper top, garage, motor home, recreational vehicle, storage area, tent, tractor, trailer, tree house, truck, wagon, or similar item shall at any time be used as dwelling, temporarily or permanently. Accessory dwelling units approved under City Code Section 1107.25 are exempt from this Section.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • A manufactured dwelling moved into the City must meet the Manufactured Home Building Code. In other districts, a manufactured home must conform to Section 1105.09 to qualify for a conditional-use permit.

  “No manufactured dwelling shall be moved into the City that does not meet the Manufactured Home Building Code as defined in Minnesota Statutes. Manufactured homes in other districts shall conform to the provisions of this Section in order to qualify for a conditional use permit to be located in that district.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in residential districts inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • An interim-use permit is required; the unit must be internal to or attached to a single-family detached dwelling; detached units are prohibited; one unit maximum per detached dwelling; owner occupancy and homestead status are required.

  minimum ADU gross floor area: >= 300 square feet · maximum ADU gross floor area: <= 900 square feet (Also no more than 40% of the principal structure's gross floor area.)

  “Accessory Dwelling Units, where allowed as accessory uses in residential districts, shall require issuance of an interim use permit based on the procedures set forth and regulated by Section 1103.12 of the Belle Plaine City Code.”

• Well permitRequired

  A private water system intended to provide water for human consumption inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • The applicant must first apply for public-water connection; only when the City determines connection is not feasible is a permit granted, subject to applicable state and local regulations.

  “Upon determination by the City that it is not feasible to connect the applicant's premises to the public water system the applicant shall then be granted a permit to install a private water system in accordance with all appropriate State and local regulations.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  Private water systems intended to supply water for human consumption inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • A private system is allowed only where public water is not accessible; the applicant must first apply for public connection; when public water becomes available, connection is required.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to install a private water system which is intended to provide water for human consumption in the City except in cases where the public water is not accessible to the premises where the private systems are requested.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivision or platting inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Every division for lease or sale into two or more lots, parcels, or tracts, and combinations producing a parcel larger than 30,000 square feet, must comply; listed exceptions apply.

  combined-parcel threshold: > 30000 square feet (A combination of two or more lots that results in this size must comply.)

  “Every division of land for the purpose of lease or sale into two (2) or more lots, parcels or tracts within the incorporated area of the City of Belle Plaine or any combination of two or more lots which would result in a parcel over thirty thousand (30,000) square feet shall proceed in compliance with this Ordinance.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  City water and sanitary-sewer connections inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • The Council sets the water and sewer connection-permit fees by resolution; connection charges can also apply.

  “The fee for the permit for both water main connections and the permit for sewer connections shall be as set by the Council from time to time by resolution.”

Rules another office applies inside Belle Plaine

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Principal buildings in the R-3 Single and Two-Family Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • The stated minimum floor areas distinguish two-bedroom from three-plus-bedroom dwellings.

  two-bedroom principal-building minimum floor area: >= 960 square feet · three-plus-bedroom principal-building minimum floor area: >= 1040 square feet

  “Principal Building: 1. Minimum: a. Two Bedrooms: nine hundred sixty (960) square feet. b. Three plus Bedrooms: one thousand forty (1,040) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family and two-family lots in the R-3 Single and Two-Family Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Two-family requirements include both total lot area and area per unit.

  single-family minimum lot area: >= 8000 square feet · two-family total minimum lot area: >= 10500 square feet · two-family minimum lot area per unit: >= 5250 square feet

  “1. Lot Area: a. Single-Family: 1. Eight thousand (8,000) square feet. b. Two-Family: 1. Total: Ten thousand five hundred (10,500) square feet. 2. Per Unit: Five thousand two hundred fifty (5,250) square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the A-2 Rural Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

    “1. Lot Area: a. Minimum: Twelve thousand (12,000) square feet. b. Maximum: Two and one-half (2½ ) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the A-2 Rural Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Corner lots have a 20-foot side-yard setback on the side abutting a public street.

  front-yard setback: >= 30 feet · interior-side-yard setback: >= 10 feet · rear-yard setback: >= 30 feet

  “3. Setbacks: Principal Building: a. Front Yard: Thirty (30) feet. b. Side Yard: 1. Interior Lot: Ten (10) feet. 2. Corner Lot: Twenty (20) feet on the side yard abutting onto a public street. c. Rear Yard: Thirty (30) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-3 Single and Two-Family Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

    “3. Setbacks: Principal Building: a. Front Yard: Thirty (30) feet. b. Side Yard: 1. Interior Lot: a. Five (5) feet. b. Zero (0) feet if the principal buildings share a common wall.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the A-2 Rural Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  • Accessory structures, including detached garages, may not occupy more than 25% of the rear yard.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “No structure or combination of structures shall occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-3 Single and Two-Family Residential District inside Belle Plaine city limits.

  principal-building maximum height: <= 35 feet · accessory-building maximum height: <= 15 feet

  “1. Maximum Height: a. Principal Building: Thirty-five (35) feet. b. Accessory Building: Fifteen (15) feet.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Belle Plaine floodplain districts.

  • The permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator before conducting the activities covered by Section 1105.16; development must meet all applicable standards in that section.

  “Permit Required. A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator to verify if a development meets all applicable standards outlined in this Section prior to conducting the following activities:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Belle Plaine or Scott County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Belle Plaine city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Belle Plaine city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Belle Plaine city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Belle Plaine city limits.
• Who permits septic — On-site sewage treatment systems inside Belle Plaine 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.