Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Avon, Minnesota

Avon’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential and commercial work inside Avon city limits, including new construction.

  • The city directs applicants to its listed forms or to contact the certified building official to obtain a permit.

  “Building permits are required to reside, reshingle, remodel, replace windows/doors, decks, sheds and for all new construction projects.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated inside Avon city limits.

  • Application, administration, and enforcement are governed by Minnesota Rules part 1300.2100 as modified by chapter 1305, as amended.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, established pursuant to M.S. §§ 16B.59 through 166.75, as they may be amended from time to time, or as currently adopted by the State of Minnesota is hereby adopted as the building code for this jurisdiction.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Avon city limits.

  • Uses, structures, and land must conform to regulations for the district in which they are located.

  “No buildings, structures or land shall hereafter be used or occupied and no building structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered, except in conformity with all of the regulations herein specified for the district in which it is located.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured-home parks and R-2/R-3 districts inside Avon city limits.

  • Manufactured-home parks in R-2 and R-3 require a conditional-use permit and must meet the R-MH chapter requirements.
  • No manufactured home may be admitted to a park unless it meets applicable state, county, and city plumbing, heating, and electrical-installation codes.

  “Manufactured Home Parks are conditional uses in R-2 and R-3 zoning districts. Any Conditional Use Permit must meet requirements of this chapter.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways inside Avon city limits.

  • The city identifies this as a zoning-permit requirement.

  “Zoning permits are required for driveways, sidewalks, small utility, sheds, signs, fences, concrete/paving stone patios and walls.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits and subdivision applications inside Avon city limits.

  • Building-code permit fees are assessed according to city tables and Ordinance No. 139; the opened material did not provide the table amounts.
  • Subdivision application fees and escrow deposits are established by the City Council.

  “Permit fees shall be assessed for work governed by this code in accordance with the tables of this section and Ordinance No. 139. In addition, a surcharge fee shall be collected on all permits issued for work governed by this code in accordance with M.S. § 16B.70, as it may be amended from time to time.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Residential and commercial building permits inside Avon city limits.

  • Applicants may download available forms or contact the city for forms.
  • Separate zoning permits are required for the stated driveway, sidewalk, utility, shed, sign, fence, patio, and wall activities.

  “To obtain a permit for both residential and commercial uses, simply download the forms below (if available) or give us a call and we will be happy to provide you with the necessary forms.”

Rules another office applies inside Avon

Avon 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

  Single-family dwelling units erected in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Avon city limits.

  minimum floor area: >= 1000 square feet

  “Floor Area Requirements for Single-Family Dwelling Units: Single-family dwelling units erected in the R-1 District shall have a minimum floor area of one thousand (1,000) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Non-shoreland lots in the R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Avon city limits.

  • Shoreland-overlay lot dimensions differ by lake or stream, sewer service, and riparian status.

  minimum lot area: >= 10500 square feet (non-shoreland areas) · minimum lot width: >= 75 feet (non-shoreland areas)

  “Non-shoreland areas: Minimum lot size 10,500 square feet, minimum lot width 75 feet.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in Avon manufactured-home parks.

  • Non-shoreland and shoreland overlay limits differ.

  maximum site coverage: <= 50 percent (non-shoreland overlay areas) · maximum site coverage: <= 25 percent (shoreland overlay areas)

  “Maximum Site Coverage: 1. Non-shoreland overlay areas: No structure or combination of structures/impervious surface shall occupy more than fifty (50) percent of the lot area. 2. Shoreland overlay areas: No structure or combination of structures/impervious surface shall occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the lot area.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Avon city limits.

  • Non-shoreland and shoreland overlay limits differ.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (non-shoreland areas; alternatively two and one-half stories) · maximum building height: <= 25 feet (shoreland overlay areas)

  “Maximum Building Height: thirty-five (35) feet or two and one-half (2 ½) stories in non-shoreland areas and twenty-five (25) feet in shoreland overlay areas.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site septic systems proposed within Avon floodplain districts.

  • The permit is issued by the Zoning Administrator before construction of an on-site septic system.

  “A Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be secured [...] prior to the construction of a dam, fence, or on-site septic system;”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of an on-site septic system in Avon floodplain districts.

  • A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator must be secured before construction.

  “A Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be secured [...] prior to the construction of a dam, fence, or on-site septic system;”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Manufactured homes in Avon manufactured-home parks.

  • Each manufactured home must connect to central water and sanitary sewer; where public water is available to or at the park boundary, a connection must be provided to each home.

  “All manufactured homes shall be properly connected to a central water supply and a central sanitary sewer system. All water and sewer systems shall be constructed in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Planning Commission and City Council. Where a public water supply is available to the manufactured home park or at the boundary of the park, a connection to said public water supply shall be provided for each manufactured home.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Avon Floodway, Flood Fringe, and General Flood Plain Districts.

  • A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator is required before the enumerated construction, use, septic, repair, fill, excavation, and storage activities.
  • Applicants must first obtain all necessary state and federal permits before the city grants or processes applicable permits.

  “A Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be secured prior to the erection, addition, modification, rehabilitation (including normal maintenance and repair), or alteration of any building, structure, or portion thereof; prior to the use or change of use of a building, structure, or land; prior to the construction of a dam, fence, or on-site septic system; prior to the change or extension of a nonconforming use; prior to the repair of a structure that has been damaged by flood, fire, tornado, or any other source; and prior to the placement of fill, excavation of materials, or the storage of materials or equipment within the flood plain.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Avon or Stearns County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Avon city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Avon city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Avon city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Avon city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Avon 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.