Bolthole Index

Washington County, Minnesota

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in West Lakeland Township, Minnesota

West Lakeland Township, Minnesota sets its own zoning, and the township zoning administrator enforces it1. Building permits are required for any building or structure and come from the township building official2. Septic permits come from Washington County Public Health and Environment, not the township3.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance, enforced by the township zoning administrator1
Building permit
Required for each building or structure; issued by the township building official2
Septic permit
Required from Washington County for new systems3
Main residential district
SFE: 2.5-acre minimum lot, 160 feet of road frontage4
Minimum home size
1,010 square feet for a one-floor home5
RV living
Not allowed as a dwelling, except a temporary trailer after a disaster6
Detached accessory dwelling
Prohibited7
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption for owners who will live in the home; permits still apply8

Who to call

Building permits

West Lakeland Township Building Inspector

Building permits for West Lakeland Township; plan review and inspections

651-436-7669

[email protected]

PO Box 126, Lakeland, Minnesota 55043

Zoning

West Lakeland Township Town Clerk

Township contact for zoning approval questions and building permit applications

[email protected]

959 Paris Ave Circle N, West Lakeland Township, MN 55082

Septic permits

Washington County Public Health and Environment - Septic (SSTS)

Permits, inspects and enforces compliance for on-site septic (SSTS) systems countywide, including new installation, repair, abandonment and point-of-sale compliance inspections

651-430-6655

[email protected]

Washington County Government Center, Room 4600, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082

Online permits →

Roads & driveways

Washington County Public Works Department - Access Permits

Issues access permits for new driveways, field entrances and street connections onto Washington County highways; the county's own guidance directs building-permit questions to the city or township where the property sits

651-430-4300

11660 Myeron Road North, Stillwater, MN 55082

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in West Lakeland Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does West Lakeland Township, Minnesota have zoning?

Yes. West Lakeland Township has its own zoning ordinance, part of its 2017 town code, and the township zoning administrator is the enforcement officer1. The published districts are single family estate (SFE), neighborhood commercial, highway commercial, conservancy and an airport overlay9.

In the SFE district, the main single-family district, the minimum lot is 2.5 acres with at least 160 feet of frontage on a public road4. Principal buildings need setbacks of 50 feet front, 25 feet side and 50 feet rear10. Lot coverage tops out at 25 percent11, and buildings stop at 35 feet tall12.

Land in the shoreland or Lower St. Croix bluffland districts follows Washington County shoreland rules instead of the SFE table4. A home must be at least 20 feet wide across its main portion, and a one-floor home needs 1,010 square feet5. Ask the Town Clerk which district a parcel sits in13.

Do you need a building permit in West Lakeland Township, and who issues it?

Yes. West Lakeland Township requires a separate building permit for each building or structure erected, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved or demolished, issued by the township building official2. Washington County itself points building permit questions to the township or city where the property sits14.

The township's Building Inspector is the contact for building permits15. Principal buildings must meet the Minnesota building code, with manufactured homes built to the state manufactured home code instead16. Dwellings must sit on a permanent foundation17.

The township's permit checklist asks for zoning approval if needed, a survey or site plan, a septic system permit from Washington County and a driveway access permit for state or county roads13. Incomplete applications can be refused13. Fees are set by the township board; the township posts a building permit fee schedule on its site18.

How do septic permits work in West Lakeland Township?

Washington County Public Health and Environment issues septic permits for land inside West Lakeland Township, and the township code requires new principal buildings to meet the county's septic regulations19. A permit is needed to install a new tank or soil treatment area, to repair or replace a system, or to change or expand the building it serves3.

The county lists a $868 single-family installation permit and a $237 site review fee plus $102 per lot3. Installing before getting a permit costs $343 more20. The installer must schedule inspections before backfilling, and a compliance inspection is required before selling a property with a septic system unless one was done in the last 3 years21.

New unsewered parcels need at least 1 contiguous acre of accessible buildable land22. Washington County rates only about 6.6% of its soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a soil evaluation and possibly an engineered system23. Call20 before you make an offer.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in West Lakeland Township?

Not as a regular dwelling. The township code bars using a recreational vehicle, trailer, mobile home, garage or accessory building as a dwelling unit except where it specifically allows it6. The one exception is a trailer or mobile home used temporarily after a fire, tornado or other disaster destroys an occupied home: the owner must apply for a building permit within six months of placement and remove the trailer within three months of a certificate of occupancy for the new home6.

Detached accessory dwellings are prohibited7. We found no township statement on tiny homes, and the 1,010-square-foot minimum for a one-floor home would likely rule out most of them5. Ask the Town Clerk before planning one13. We could not confirm any township rule on short-term camping on private land.

Building a home in West Lakeland Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and any shoreland or bluffland overlay with the Town Clerk, and check the lot meets the district's size and frontage rules13.
  2. Get a soil and site review and a septic permit from Washington County Public Health and Environment3.
  3. If the driveway meets a county road, get an access permit from Washington County Public Works before any building permit issues24.
  4. Gather a survey or site plan and building plans, then apply to the township Building Inspector15.
  5. Build to the Minnesota building code on a permanent foundation, and schedule septic inspections before backfilling16.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy before living in the home25.

An owner who builds a home to live in is exempt from Minnesota's residential contractor licensing, but permits and inspections still apply8.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy

Washington County's subdivision regulations do not apply in West Lakeland Township, so splitting land is a township matter26. Private roads are not allowed in new subdivisions created after the zoning ordinance took effect27. The county still runs septic permits20, and county access permits for driveways onto county highways start at $150 for a residential driveway14.

Floodplain development needs a permit in Minnesota, and some townships administer it; we could not confirm who does in West Lakeland, so ask the Town Clerk28. We also could not confirm township rules on private wells; state law requires a well notification29.

Washington County's effective property tax rate is about 1%30, with a median bill of $4,012 a year31. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 13 miles from the county center32. For land outside the township, see the Washington County page.

Watch-outs

  • The township code we reviewed dates from 2017, so ask the Town Clerk for any amendments before you buy1.
  • Unsewered new parcels need at least 1 contiguous acre of buildable land, and slopes and setbacks reduce what counts33.
  • A mobile home or trailer cannot serve as a temporary home while you build, except after a disaster destroys an occupied home6.

Sources

  1. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) - Washington County, MN (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. West Lakeland Township Town Clerk (westlakeland.govoffice2.com)
  14. Washington County Public Works Department - Access Permits (washingtoncountymn.gov)
  15. West Lakeland Township Building Inspector (westlakeland.govoffice2.com)
  16. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Washington County Public Health and Environment - Septic (SSTS) (washingtoncountymn.gov)
  21. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) - Washington County, MN (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  24. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. Washington County Development Code Chapter Three — Subdivision Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  27. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked
  28. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 103I.205: Well Construction (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  30. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  32. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data
  33. West Lakeland Town Code adopted May 8, 2017 (township website PDF) (West Lakeland Township), quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for West Lakeland Township

West Lakeland Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Any building or structure erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved or demolished inside West Lakeland township

    • Permit is a separate building permit for each building or structure, issued by the building official.
    • Plans submitted for checking with no action by the applicant for 90 days are returned to the applicant, and a new fee is required to renew action.
    • Section 6.2 frost footings: a building permit is required for any structure where frost footings are required at 42 inches or more.
    “without first obtaining a separate building permit for each such building or structure from the building official.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    New principal buildings and dwellings inside West Lakeland township

    • Principal buildings must meet or exceed the Minnesota building code and the other listed state and county standards.
    • Manufactured homes meet the Minnesota manufactured home building code in lieu of the state building code.
    • Section 6.5.1 requires dwellings to be placed on a permanent foundation and anchored in compliance with the Minnesota state building code.
    “6.6.1 all principal buildings shall meet or exceed the minimum standards of the minnesota building code, the minnesota state uniform fire code, the minnesota department of health, the minnesota pollution control agency, and the washington county individual sewage treatment system regulations, except that manufactured homes shall meet or exceed the requirements of the state of minnesota manufactured home building code in lieu of the minnesota state building code.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New residence inside West Lakeland township

    • The certificate of occupancy is referenced only in the temporary-trailer provision for a home destroyed by fire, tornado or other natural disaster; the procedure for issuing it was not located.
    • Section 6.7.2 contemplates a certificate of occupancy being issued for the new residence.
    “the town building inspector shall not issue a certificate of occupancy for any structure unless it is served by a driveway meeting the safety specifications set forth in the code.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside West Lakeland township limits, under the township's own zoning ordinance

    • The zoning ordinance is part of the township's 2017 town code (chapters on zoning regulations, density and lot requirements, general development standards and building permits).
    • Township zoning administrator issues the permits and conducts compliance inspections under this ordinance.
    “the town zoning administrator is designated as the administrative and enforcement officer for the provisions of this ordinance.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside West Lakeland township limits

    • Table of contents lists districts: SFE single family estate, NC-B neighborhood commercial/business, HC-B highway commercial/business, conservancy, and an airport overlay district.
    • Shoreland and bluffland land is governed by Washington County shoreland rules adopted by reference (section 5.1); use tables for each district were not read in full.
    “4 zoning regulations, zoning maps, districts and uses 4.1 zoning regulations 4.2 zoning districts 4.3 ‘sfe’ single family estate district and uses”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family residences in all districts where single family dwellings are permitted inside West Lakeland township

    • Two-story or split-level: main living floor at least 800 square feet on a single level; any other living floor at least 400 square feet, including second floors.
    • At least three livable rooms; no room except the bath less than seven feet wide.
    • Minimum main-portion width of 20 feet (section 6.5.1).

    minimum floor area, single living floor residence: >= 1010 square feet · minimum main living floor, two-story or split-level residence: >= 800 square feet (other living floors at least 400 square feet)

    “where there is only one living floor, any residence shall contain at least 1010 square feet. there shall be at least three livable rooms. no room except the bath shall be less than seven (7) feet wide.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Land in the SFE single family estate district inside West Lakeland township (the main single-family residential district)

    • Section 5.1: this chapter does not apply to land in the shoreland overlay district or the lower St. Croix bluffland and shoreland district; those follow Washington County shoreland rules adopted by reference.
    • Conservancy district (section 5.3.2) requires 20 acres minimum and is not a residential district.

    minimum lot size: >= 2.5 acres · minimum frontage on a public road: >= 160 feet

    “5.3.1 in the "sfe" single family estates district, the following lot requirements must be met. minimum lot size minimum frontage on a public road maximum lot coverage minimum building setbacks front side rear maximum building height 2.5 acres 160 feet 25% 50 feet 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — New parcels created inside West Lakeland township that are not served by public sanitary sewer
      “all new parcels created, which are not served by public sanitary sewer, must have at least one (1) contiguous acre of accessible buildable land.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in the SFE single family estate district inside West Lakeland township

    • Structures along roads designated as arterials in the township comprehensive plan must be 150 feet from the centerline or 75 feet from the right-of-way, whichever is greater (section 6.4.3).
    • Unclassified water body setbacks apply under section 6.4.4 and the Washington County shoreland rules.

    front setback: >= 50 feet · side setback: >= 25 feet · rear setback: >= 50 feet

    “5.3.1 in the "sfe" single family estates district, the following lot requirements must be met. minimum lot size minimum frontage on a public road maximum lot coverage minimum building setbacks front side rear maximum building height 2.5 acres 160 feet 25% 50 feet 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the SFE single family estate district inside West Lakeland township

    • Maximum lot coverage 25 percent under the SFE table.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

    “5.3.1 in the "sfe" single family estates district, the following lot requirements must be met. minimum lot size minimum frontage on a public road maximum lot coverage minimum building setbacks front side rear maximum building height 2.5 acres 160 feet 25% 50 feet 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal buildings in the SFE single family estate district inside West Lakeland township

    • Maximum building height 35 feet under the SFE table.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “5.3.1 in the "sfe" single family estates district, the following lot requirements must be met. minimum lot size minimum frontage on a public road maximum lot coverage minimum building setbacks front side rear maximum building height 2.5 acres 160 feet 25% 50 feet 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Living in a recreational vehicle or trailer on land inside West Lakeland township

    • After a fire, tornado or other natural disaster destroys an occupied residence, the owner may temporarily use a trailer or mobile home as living quarters if a building permit is applied for within six months of placement and the trailer is removed within three months of issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the new residence.
    • Other provisions of the township code still apply.
    “no cellar, garage, recreational vehicle or trailer, mobile home, basement with unfinished exterior above, or accessory building shall be used at any time as a dwelling unit except as specifically authorized herein.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes used as dwellings inside West Lakeland township

    • Dwellings must be placed on a permanent foundation and anchored in compliance with the Minnesota state building code.
    • Manufactured homes must meet the Minnesota manufactured home building code instead of the state building code.
    • Minimum dwelling size and other dimensional rules still apply.
    “except that manufactured homes shall meet or exceed the requirements of the state of minnesota manufactured home building code in lieu of the minnesota state building code.”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Accessory buildings used as dwelling units inside West Lakeland township (detached accessory dwellings)

    • Exception: a temporary trailer or mobile home after a disaster, under section 6.7.2 conditions.
    • Attached accessory units are not addressed in the text read.
    “no cellar, garage, recreational vehicle or trailer, mobile home, basement with unfinished exterior above, or accessory building shall be used at any time as a dwelling unit except as specifically authorized herein.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site (non-sewered) sanitation for principal buildings inside West Lakeland township

    • On-site systems must meet the Washington County individual sewage treatment system regulations.
    • Each new unsewered parcel must have at least one contiguous acre of accessible buildable land (section 6.6.2).
    “6.6.2 buildable land. all new parcels created, which are not served by public sanitary sewer, must have at least one (1) contiguous acre of accessible buildable land.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Creating new lots or plats inside West Lakeland township

    • Major subdivisions require preliminary plat submittals listed in section 12.7 (maps, soil borings submitted to county, wetland delineation, topography).
    • Private roads are not allowed in new subdivisions created after the zoning ordinance's effective date (section 6.10.4).
    • Section 12.17 requires a financial guarantee for required improvements.
    “12.7.1 the following information shall be submitted for preliminary plat review.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning and building permit fees inside West Lakeland township

    • Fees are set by the township board; the schedule in section 3 (Permit fees and escrow fund) was not opened, so no dollar amounts are recorded.
    “collect fees, as set by the township board, for all applications, permits, or other matters covered under the provisions of this zoning ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside West Lakeland Township

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage treatment systems (septic) on land inside West Lakeland township, administered by Washington County

    • The township code requires principal buildings to meet the Washington County individual sewage treatment system regulations.
    • Washington County Public Health and Environment issues the SSTS permits and inspections.
    “you will need a permit in washington county if you will do any of the following: install new septic tanks and/or soil treatment area.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installing a septic tank or soil treatment area on land inside West Lakeland township (county permit applies in Washington County)

    • Permit is also required to repair or replace a system or component, and to change the use, expand or modify the building or facility the system serves.
    • Permit fees are non-refundable.
    • Listed fee: single family dwelling installation permit $868; review application fee $237 plus $102 per lot; failure to obtain a permit before installation $343 (fees as flattened in the page text; page does not state an effective date).

    single family dwelling installation permit fee: 868 USD (county fee table as flattened on page; no effective date stated) · septic review application fee: 237 USD (plus $102 per lot)

    “you will need a permit in washington county if you will do any of the following: install new septic tanks and/or soil treatment area.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic systems on land inside West Lakeland township (county inspection program)

    • Installation inspections: soil treatment area inspected after distribution media is installed and before backfilling; sewage tanks for commercial or advanced treatment systems inspected too.
    • Compliance inspection required before selling or transferring a property with a septic system, unless a compliance inspection was done within 3 years or a new system was installed within 5 years with a valid certificate.
    • Compliance inspections must be done by a licensed compliance inspector; the county does not allow waivers.
    “installation inspections must be scheduled 24 hours prior to work or inspection being done.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Access drives onto roads where Washington County public works issues an access permit, in or near West Lakeland township

    • Access permit is issued by Washington County public works before any building permit issues.
    • County engineer sets location, size and design of access drives and may limit their number for public safety (section 6.10.3).
    • Trigger for the county access permit was inferred from the surrounding text; the full paragraph was not read.
    “access drives onto county roads shall require an access permit from the washington county public works department. this permit shall be issued prior to the issuance of any building permits.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside West Lakeland township
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside West Lakeland township
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside West Lakeland township
  • Well permit — Private water wells inside West Lakeland township
  • Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home inside West Lakeland township must connect to public water or sewer
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that West Lakeland Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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