Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Scandia, Minnesota

Scandia’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the City of Scandia, Minnesota.

  • The Development Code is administered by the City; applicable district and overlay-district standards apply.

  “SECTION 2.0 DISTRICTS 2.1 Establishment of Districts. The City is divided into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Scandia city limits.

  • District-specific and overlay-district regulations may apply.

  “2.1 Establishment of Districts. The City is divided into the following districts: (1) Agriculture District – Core (AG C) (2) Agriculture Preserves District (AP) (3) General Rural District (GR) (4) Village Neighborhood District (VN)”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units where permitted by the applicable Scandia zoning district.

  • No more than one accessory dwelling unit is permitted on a lot.
  • It must be owned by the owner or owners of the principal residential or commercial structure.
  • It must connect to an approved on-site waste disposal system.
  • It is subject to principal-dwelling setbacks and height standards.
  • A City administrative permit is required; rental also requires a lifetime, non-transferable occupancy permit.

  maximum accessory dwelling units per lot: 1 unit

  “I. No more than one ADU is permitted on a lot. II. The ADU must be owned by the same owner or owners of the principal residential or commercial structure. [...] IV. The ADU must be connected to an approved on-site waste disposal system that is sized adequately to support the new ADU and the existing Principal Structure. V. The ADU is subject to the same zoning dimensional setbacks and height standards identified in the Base Zoning District.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Scandia city limits.

  • The accessory dwelling unit must connect to an approved on-site waste disposal system.

  “IV. The ADU must be connected to an approved on-site waste disposal system that is sized adequately to support the new ADU and the existing Principal Structure.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Scandia city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Scandia city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for dwellings inside Scandia city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Scandia city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Scandia 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.