Zoning, building permits and septic rules in St. Stephen, Minnesota

St. Stephen’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within St. Stephen city limits.

  • Uses and development are subject to the applicable mapped zoning district and ordinance provisions.

  “Subd. 1: Establishment of Districts. For the purpose of this Ordinance, the municipality is hereby divided into the following districts:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • Manufactured homes are restricted to residential districts.
  • They are permitted only if they comply with all applicable regulations.

  “"Manufactured homes" as defined in this Ordinance shall be restricted to residential districts, but shall be permitted only if they otherwise comply with all applicable regulations.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system other than for a single-family residence in the RR-1 Rural Single Family Residence District or R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • The owner must obtain a written Private Disposal Permit signed by the MPCA before construction.
  • The application must use an MPCA-furnished form and include plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary by MPCA.
  • A City Council-established permit and inspection fee is due when the application is filed.

  “Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, other than for a single-family residence, the owner shall first obtain a written Private Disposal Permit signed by the MPCA.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Property subdivision and platting inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • Ordinance 45 contains a required plat-approval procedure and separate regulations for minor subdivisions, development and improvements, preliminary plats, final plats, and lots, blocks, streets, and easements.

  “This ordinance shall apply to any subdivision or plat of real property located within the City of St. Stephen.”

• Permit processPartial

  Private wastewater disposal permits other than for a single-family residence in the RR-1 and R-1 districts inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • The applicant must use an MPCA-furnished application and provide supplemental plans, specifications, and other information MPCA deems necessary.
  • The written permit must be signed by MPCA before construction begins.

  “The application for the Permit shall be made on a form furnished by the MPCA, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications, and other information as are deemed necessary by the MPCA.”

Rules another office applies inside St. Stephen

St. Stephen 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

  Dwelling structures in the R-1 Single Family Residence District inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • The structure must be at least 21 feet wide and 30 feet long, measured from the exterior-wall face.

  minimum dwelling width: >= 21 feet · minimum dwelling length: >= 30 feet (Measured from the face of the exterior wall.)

  “The dwelling structure must be of a minimum width of twenty-one (21) feet and a minimum length of thirty (30) feet, as measured from the face of the exterior wall.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • Lots must comply with the Livability Standards in St. Stephen Ordinance No. 45.03.
  • A separately owned lot in a subdivision or plat recorded before enactment may be used for a single-family dwelling if it has at least 6,500 square feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 29500 square feet (0.68 acres; subject to Ordinance No. 45.03 Livability Standards.) · minimum average lot width in new plats: >= 125 feet · minimum street frontage: >= 50 feet

  “The minimum lot area shall be twenty-nine thousand five hundred (29,500) square feet (0.68 acres) and shall comply with the requirements under the Livability Standards contained in St. Stephen Ordinance No. 45.03.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District inside St. Stephen city limits.

  maximum building lot coverage: <= 35 percent

  “Lot Coverage Regulation: Not more than thirty-five (35) percent of a lot or plot of land shall be occupied by buildings.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residence District inside St. Stephen city limits.

  • The lower of the story or feet limit controls.

  maximum building height: <= 2 stories (Thirty feet, whichever is less.) · maximum building height: <= 30 feet (Two stories, whichever is less.)

  “Height Regulation: Maximum height of buildings may be two (2) stories or thirty (30) feet, whichever is less.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside St. Stephen city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside St. Stephen city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside St. Stephen city limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside St. Stephen city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside St. Stephen 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.