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

St. James’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside St. James city limits. The city administers its own Chapter 156 Zoning ordinance (general provisions, performance standards, administration and enforcement, R-1, R-2, B-2, B-3, B-4, I-1, I-2 and SP districts).

  • Use variances may not be issued (§ 156.055(a)(1)).
  • Variances require a public hearing and board of adjustment action (§ 156.055(c)).
  • The conclusion is limited to the parts of Chapter 156 that were opened; the general provisions section (§§ 156.001-156.038) was not reached in this run.

  “the r-1 (one- and two-family residential) district is intended for low density residential development in those areas where the development fits the land use plan and its policies, and where municipal utilities are available.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside St. James city limits

  • Only the R-1 district's dimensional and use standards were extracted in this run. R-2, B-2, B-3, B-4, I-1, I-2 and SP district standards remain to be read.
  • The official zoning map was not opened.

  “multiple family residential district (r-2) service business district (b-2) general business district (b-3) highway commercial business district (b-4) planned industrial district (i-1) general industrial district (i-2) shoreland protection district (sp)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal structures in the R-1 (one- and two-family residential) district inside St. James city limits

  • Corner lots: the front yard setback standard applies to all street side areas of a lot (§ 156.075).
  • Narrow legally-created lots of record: exceptions shall apply to legally-created lots of record that are too narrow to conform to this requirement. in this instance, the side yard shall be reduced to 15 feet. (§ 156.075)
  • Garage accessed from an alley: rear yard setback is five feet; side yard setback is five feet (table notes).

  front yard setback: 25 feet · rear yard setback: 20 feet (five feet for a garage accessed from an alley) · side yard setback: 8 feet (five feet for a garage accessed from an alley; 15 feet reduction for narrow legally-created lots of record)

  “front yard 25 feet height regulations 30 feet lot coverage 35% maximum lot coverage by any impervious surface minimum lot area 9,000 feet minimum lot width 75 feet rear yard 20 feet* side yard 8 feet**”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 (one- and two-family residential) district inside St. James city limits

  • Measured as impervious surface coverage of the lot.

  maximum lot coverage by impervious surface: <= 35 percent

  “lot coverage 35% maximum lot coverage by any impervious surface”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 (one- and two-family residential) district inside St. James city limits

  • Height measurement method was not located in the R-1 section.

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet

  “front yard 25 feet height regulations 30 feet lot coverage 35% maximum lot coverage by any impervious surface”

• Living in an RVLimited

  One recreational vehicle parked on a residential lot in the R-1 district as an accessory use, when used by the resident occupant

  • Only one recreational vehicle is allowed.
  • The vehicle may not encroach on any dedicated public rights-of-way, platted rights-of-way, public easements, or utility easements.
  • The vehicle, in its entirety, must be located on the driveway, and parked in compliance with § 151.27 and all other applicable code sections.
  • Use as a dwelling is not authorized by this accessory use; the R-1 permitted uses are one- and two-family dwellings and parks (§ 156.071).
  • Occupancy of an RV as a dwelling in other districts or on other lots was not located in this run.

  recreational vehicles per lot: 1 vehicle

  “(e) parking of one recreational vehicle when used by the resident occupant so long as the vehicle does not encroach on any dedicated public rights-of-way, platted rights-of-way, public easements, or utility easements. the vehicle, in its entirety, must be located on the driveway, and parked in compliance with § 151.27, and all other applicable code sections;”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing developments in the R-2 (multiple family residential) district inside St. James city limits, as a special use

  • Allowed only as a special use, and only for developments meeting the criteria in the city code. The criteria were not located in this run.
  • No manufactured-home rule for the R-1 district was found; R-1 permitted uses are one- and two-family dwellings and parks (§ 156.071).

  “(b) manufactured housing developments meeting the criteria in the city code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new dwellings inside St. James city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside St. James city limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside St. James city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for new dwellings inside St. James city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside St. James 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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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