Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Buhl, Minnesota

Buhl’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings or structures erected, reconstructed, moved, structurally altered to increase exterior dimensions, height, or floor area, or remodeled to increase dwellings or change use inside Buhl city limits.

  • Permit is issued by the Zoning Administrator.
  • A permit becomes void if work has not begun within six months or has not been substantially completed within one year.

  work commencement deadline: <= 6 months (from permit issuance) · substantial completion deadline: <= 1 year (from permit issuance)

  “No building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered to increase the exterior dimensions, height, or floor area or remodeled to increase the number of dwellings or accommodate a change in use of the building and/or premises or part thereof without a building permit issued by the Zoning Administrator.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Zoning-compliance inspections of buildings and land inside Buhl city limits.

  • This evidence establishes inspections for compliance with the zoning chapter, not a general construction-code inspection schedule.

  “Conduct inspections of buildings and the use of land to determine compliance with the terms of this chapter;”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land within Buhl city corporate limits.

  • The cited chapter is Buhl's zoning code.

  “This chapter which shall be known and cited as the City of Buhl Zoning Code”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory structures proposed to be occupied as separate dwelling units in all Buhl zoning districts.

  • The rule concerns an accessory structure occupied as a separate dwelling unit.

  “An accessory structure can not be occupied as a separate dwelling unit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Buhl zoning building-permit applications.

  • The fee is set by the City Council; the reviewed code does not state an amount.

  “All applications for building permits shall be accompanied by the fee as set by the City Council”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Buhl zoning building-permit applications.

  • Applications are made on forms furnished by the Zoning Administrator and must be accompanied by the City Council-set fee.
  • The chapter lists information required where applicable.

  “All applications for building permits shall be accompanied by the fee as set by the City Council and shall be made on forms furnished by the Zoning Administrator and shall include the following where applicable:”

Rules another office applies inside Buhl

Buhl 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

  Residential structures in Buhl's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  minimum main exterior wall width: >= 20 feet (at the narrowest point of the structure)

  “The main exterior walls of each residential structure shall not be less than 20 feet wide at the narrowest point of the structure.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Buhl's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • Corner lots or lots fronting more than one street have separate requirements.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (single-family dwelling) · minimum street lot width: >= 45 feet (single-family dwelling) · minimum building-line lot width: >= 75 feet (single-family dwelling)

  “Single-Family Dwelling | 10,000 sq. ft. | 45 feet | 75 feet | 30 feet | 25 feet | 6 feet | 16 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Buhl's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • Setbacks are measured from property lines.
  • Corner lots or lots fronting more than one street have separate requirements.

  front yard: >= 30 feet (single-family dwelling) · rear yard: >= 25 feet (single-family dwelling) · least side yard: >= 6 feet (single-family dwelling) · sum of side yards: >= 16 feet (single-family dwelling)

  “Single-Family Dwelling | 10,000 sq. ft. | 45 feet | 75 feet | 30 feet | 25 feet | 6 feet | 16 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buhl's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • The cited limit is maximum impervious-surface coverage.

  maximum impervious surface coverage: <= 35 percent

  “Maximum impervious surface coverage shall not exceed 35%.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential buildings in Buhl's R-2 High Density Residential District.

  • Public and semipublic buildings, churches, cathedrals, temples, hospitals, or schools may reach 60 feet if set back one additional foot from all lot lines for every foot over 36 feet.

  maximum residential building height: <= 36 feet (specified public, semipublic, religious, hospital, and school buildings may reach 60 feet with additional setback)

  “No residential building, hereafter erected or altered, shall exceed 36 feet in height. Provided, however, public and semipublic buildings, churches, cathedrals, temples, hospitals, or schools may be erected to a height of 60 feet when set back from all lot lines not less than one foot, in addition to required yard dimensions, for each foot such building exceeds 36 feet in height.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Buhl or St. Louis County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Buhl city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Buhl city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Building occupancy inside Buhl city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Buhl city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Buhl 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.