Zoning, building permits and septic rules in De Graff, Minnesota

Rules another office applies inside De Graff

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

• Building permitRequired

  Code-regulated building or system work inside De Graff city limits where the State Building Code is administered.

  • The rule applies to construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and regulated gas, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or other equipment.
  • The code contains work exemptions; an exemption does not authorize work that violates the code or other applicable laws or ordinances.
  • The official city source did not establish which official administers permits in De Graff.

  “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical, electrical, plumbing system, or other equipment, the installation of which is regulated by the code; or cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings of the type governed by the State Building Code, including construction inside De Graff city limits.

  • The State Building Code does not apply to agricultural buildings except for the stated state-inspection/rulemaking and skylight exceptions.
  • Whether De Graff administers and enforces the code locally was not established by an official city source.

  “The State Building Code is the standard that applies statewide for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, and use of buildings and other structures of the type governed by the code.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Code-regulated buildings inside De Graff city limits for which a certificate of occupancy is sought.

  • The stated inspection is a condition for issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
  • The official city source did not establish De Graff's inspection administrator or its inspection stages.

  “After the building official inspects a building or structure and finds no violations of the code or other laws that are enforced by the Department of Building Safety, the building official shall issue a certificate of occupancy containing the following:”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings or structures inside De Graff city limits governed by the State Building Code.

  • Existing legal occupancy may continue without change.
  • A building official may issue a temporary certificate before completion if the occupied portion is safe.
  • The official city source did not establish De Graff's certificate-issuing official.

  “No building or structure shall be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building, structure, or portion of a building or structure shall be made until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy for the building or structure under this part.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings inside De Graff city limits with respect to State Building Code application.

  • The State Building Code still applies to agricultural buildings for state inspections required or rulemaking authorized by Minnesota Statutes sections 103F.141, 216C.19 subdivision 9, and 326B.36.
  • Translucent panels or skylights without raised curbs must have equivalent load-bearing capacity to the surrounding roof.

  “The State Building Code does not apply to agricultural buildings except: (1) with respect to state inspections required or rulemaking authorized by sections 103F.141; 216C.19, subdivision 9; and 326B.36; and (2) translucent panels or other skylights without raised curbs shall be supported to have equivalent load-bearing capacity as the surrounding roof.”

• Permit processPartial

  State-Building-Code-regulated work inside De Graff city limits where the code is administered.

  • The owner or authorized agent must apply to the building official and obtain the required permit before the described work.
  • The official city source did not establish a De Graff-specific application office or local process.

  “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical, electrical, plumbing system, or other equipment, the installation of which is regulated by the code; or cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask De Graff or Swift County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside De Graff city limits.
• Local zoning — Land inside De Graff city limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside De Graff city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside De Graff city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside De Graff 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.