Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Blue Hill Township, Minnesota

Blue Hill Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residential structures and listed construction work inside Blue Hill Township, where Sherburne County Planning and Zoning serves as the Township's zoning authority.

  • County applications for new homes and listed projects take at least 10 working days to process.
  • Work exempt from a building permit includes a one-story detached accessory structure with floor area not exceeding 200 square feet.
  • Other listed exemptions include retaining walls not over four feet measured from footing bottom to wall top unless supporting a surcharge; fences not over seven feet unless in floodplain or platted wetland easements; and decks or platforms not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade and not attached to a structure with frost footings.
  • The county notes that other permits may be needed for exempt work within a shoreland district or near a wetland.

  “A building permit is required for: A new structure. Altering or enlarging a structure. Finishing a basement.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Blue Hill Township, Sherburne County, Minnesota; Blue Hill Township identifies Sherburne County Planning and Zoning as its zoning authority.

  • Sherburne County Zoning Ordinance No. 292 provides land-use, development-standard, and environmental-protection regulations in unincorporated Sherburne County.
  • The county ordinance excludes Becker Township and portions of Haven Township within the Orderly Annexation area.
  • Applicable district and parcel controls must be determined from the current official zoning map and ordinance.

  “Sherburne County Planning and Zoning serves as Blue Hill Township's Zoning Authority.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Subsurface sewage treatment systems inside Blue Hill Township that are within Sherburne County's applicable SSTS jurisdiction.

  • Sherburne County Planning and Zoning administers the SSTS program, except in an incorporated or unincorporated area that administers an SSTS ordinance at least as restrictive as the county's.
  • It is unlawful to construct, install, modify, or replace an SSTS without the appropriate Department permit; a permit, variance, or conditional use does not remove responsibility to obtain another required permit.
  • An SSTS permit is required before installation, construction, repair, rejuvenation, modification, remediation, or replacement of a major component that alters the system's original function, design, or layout.
  • No SSTS permit is required for servicing or replacing minor components if the activity does not change capacity, function, or layout.
  • An SSTS permit is valid for no more than one year from issuance and may be extended no more than 12 months if construction began before the original expiration date.

  “The Sherburne County Planning and Zoning Department shall administer the SSTS program and all provisions of this Section.”

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.