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

St. Charles’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, alteration, wrecking, or moving of a building or structure within St. Charles city.

  • Interior residential alterations, repairs, or changes do not need a building permit when they do not affect exterior dimensions or change existing use and occupancy.
  • The Zoning Administrator issues a permit only after determining that plans and the application comply with Chapter 152.

  “Except as provided in this section, no person, firm or corporation shall construct, erect, alter, wreck or move any building or structure or parts thereof within the city without first obtaining a building permit from the city.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction governed by St. Charles's building-code chapter inside city limits.

  • Optional State Building Code chapters are excepted unless specifically adopted.
  • The city adopted no optional provisions identified in the current Building Code edition.

  “The Minnesota State Building Code, as adopted by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry pursuant to M.S. Ch. 326B, as may be amended from time to time, including all of the amendments, rules and regulations established, adopted and published from time to time by the Minnesota Commissioner of Labor and Industry, through the Building Codes and Standards Unit, is hereby adopted by reference with the exception of the optional chapters, unless specifically adopted in this section.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Plumbing-system installations described in the city building-code chapter inside St. Charles city.

  • Inspection is as required by the plumbing code.
  • The rule includes, but is not limited to, Minn. Rules § 1300.0215.

  “A plumbing system installation, as described herein, shall be subject to inspection as required by the plumbing code, including but not limited to Minn. Rules § 1300.0215.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building erected or structurally altered in St. Charles city, or a building whose use is altered.

  • The certificate is a certificate of zoning compliance.
  • For a new or altered building, application is made to the Zoning Administrator as part of the building-permit application.

  “A certificate of zoning compliance shall be obtained before any building erected or structurally altered is occupied or the use of the building is altered.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside St. Charles city limits.

  • The zoning map and related data are on file for public inspection at City Hall and in the Winona County Office of Register of Deeds.

  “For the purpose of zoning, the city is divided into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside St. Charles city.

  • District boundaries are shown on the zoning map, which is adopted as part of Chapter 152.
  • General regulations in § 152.41 apply to all districts, with additional regulations in specific district sections.

  districts: A-1, R-1, R-1M, R-1-0, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1, I-2, PUD

  “For the purpose of zoning, the city is divided into the following districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family attached dwellings in the R-1 District.

  • All other appropriate R-1 District zoning requirements apply.
  • Applicant must record the stated covenant and deed restriction on properties abutting the common lot line.

  minimum lot area: >= 7500 square feet (Single-family attached dwelling.) · minimum lot width: >= 75 feet (Single-family attached dwelling.) · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet (Single-family attached dwelling.)

  “Total lot area must be at least 7,500 square feet, with a minimum width of 75 feet and a minimum depth of 100 feet. All other appropriate R-1 District zoning requirements apply; and”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family attached dwellings in the R-1 District.

  • All other appropriate R-1 District zoning requirements apply.
  • Applicant must record the stated covenant and deed restriction on properties abutting the common lot line.

  minimum side-yard distance between each side yard line and structure: >= 10 feet (Single-family attached dwelling.)

  “The minimum distance between each side yard line and the structure must be 10 feet;”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Industrial manufactured homes in the R-1 One and Two-Family Residence and Single-Family Attached District.

  • The home is subject to all provisions of § 152.17.
  • Each manufactured-home unit must be served by public sewer, water, and utility systems and placed on continuous, weight-bearing frost footings around its perimeter.

  “The following uses shall be permitted in the R-1 Residence District: [...] Industrial manufactured homes subject to all provisions of this section;”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Sewer or water connections to municipal utility service inside St. Charles city.

  • A connection may not proceed until the Public Works Director determines adequate service exists or proper provisions have been made.
  • The applicant provides service-line installation from main to property line, including installation, street, curb, and landscaping costs when required.

  “No connection to any city utility shall proceed until the Public Works Director has determined that adequate utility service exists serving the property, or that proper provisions for installing adequate service have been made.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits governed by the city building-code chapter.

  • Fees are based on construction valuation and/or fee for service and must be reasonable, fair, and proportionate to service costs.
  • A state surcharge is collected on permits for work governed by the building-code chapter.

  “Permit fees shall be assessed for work governed by this chapter in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by the City of St. Charles. In addition, a surcharge fee shall be collected on all permits issued for work governed by this chapter in accordance with M.S. § 326B.148, as the same may be amended from time to time.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for a building permit inside St. Charles city.

  • The application must be made to the Zoning Administrator on city-furnished forms.
  • A construction or alteration application must include a scaled plan showing lot dimensions and the size and location of principal and accessory buildings.
  • Other information may be required for enforcement of the city code.

  “Application for a building permit shall be made to the Zoning Administrator on forms to be furnished by the city.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside St. Charles city.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside St. Charles city.
• Building height — Principal residential buildings inside St. Charles city.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of an RV on private land inside St. Charles city.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside St. Charles city.

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.