Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Argusville, North Dakota

Argusville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, relocation, alteration, or excavation for a building in Argusville city limits, including mobile homes.

  • Roof, siding, and window replacement do not require a building permit.
  • Permit issuance depends on conformity with zoning and building provisions.

  “Any person or persons intending to construct or reconstruct or reconstruct or relocate a building or make alteration, shall, before proceeding with the work, or commencing any excavation in connection with it, shall obtain a permit from the Zoning Administrator.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings in Argusville city limits.

  • City amendments to the State Building Code are stated in Title V.

  “the City Council of said City of Argusville, by this section hereby approves and adopts such rules and regulations, as so modified, for use and application in the City of Argusville, North Dakota”

• InspectionsRequired

  Completed buildings, including placed mobile and manufactured homes, in Argusville city limits.

  • Inspection is the stated condition for issuance of the certificate of occupancy.

  “The Zoning Administrator shall issue a certificate of occupancy upon inspection of the completed building, including placement of mobile homes and manufactured homes”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Argusville city limits.

  • The Development Code also applies one mile outside corporate limits, but this claim is limited to city limits.

  “These regulations shall apply to all lands within the corporate limits of the City of Argusville, North Dakota and one mile outside of its corporate limits, know as extra territorial planning area.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Argusville city zoning jurisdiction.

  • The zoning district map is on file with the City Auditor and forms an integral part of the code.

  “The following zoning districts are hereby established to carry out the purposes of this Code: [...] Agricultural District. [...] Residential District. [...] Commercial District. [...] Industrial District.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles, travel trailers, and other trailers used for recreational purposes or temporary occupancy in Argusville city limits.

  • Use is limited to 30 days per year.

  maximum occupancy duration: <= 30 days per year

  “The use of recreational vehicles, travel trailers and other trailers used for recreational purposes or temporary occupancy shall be limited to thirty (30) days per year within the City limits of the City.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured units in the Residential District of Argusville.

  • Manufactured units must be placed on a permanent foundation or basement.
  • A building permit is required before construction or placement activity covered by § 10.2.3.

  “Single family detached dwelling units including manufactured units placed on a permanent foundation or basement, but not including mobile homes.”

• Who permits septicLocal

  On-site sewage disposal inside Argusville corporate limits.

  • The city requires new development to connect to city sewer.

  “Construction and use of septic tanks, privies, and cesspools is prohibited within the corporate limits of the City.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Septic tanks, privies, and cesspools within Argusville corporate limits.

  • New development must connect to the city sewer system.

  “Construction and use of septic tanks, privies, and cesspools is prohibited within the corporate limits of the City.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  All new development within Argusville city limits.

  • The rule expressly requires connection to the city sewer system; the opened source did not establish a comparable universal water-connection requirement.

  “all new development within the City shall be connected to the City sewer system.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Land and buildings for agricultural uses in Argusville’s Development Code jurisdiction.

  • The exemption is limited to agricultural uses as defined by the code.

  “These regulations shall not apply to the land and buildings for agricultural uses, as herein defined.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats within Argusville city limits.

  • Final plats require City Council approval before the Zoning Administrator signs them.

  “The Zoning Administrator shall sign the final plat, if the City Council has approved the final plat subject to the provisions of Chapters 4-07, 4-08, and 4-09 of this Code.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Dwelling units on lots in Argusville city limits.

  • The opened code text establishes public-street abutment, not a separate driveway-permit process.

  “no dwelling unit shall be built on a lot which does not abut a dedicated public street.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Development Code permits in Argusville city limits.

  • Applicants must also pay processing costs; no permit issues until those costs are paid.

  new-construction fee: 50 USD (value of work from $501 to $20,000) · new water and sewer hook-up to city line: 200 USD

  “$501 to $20,000 [...] $50.00 [...] New water & sewer hook-up to City line $200”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in Argusville city limits.

  • Application must include the described legal description and map; issuance depends on conformance with zoning and building provisions.

  “Each application for a building permit shall be accompanied by a legal description and a map showing the actual dimension of the lot to be built upon, the size, shape and location of the building for observing the yard requirements of this Code.”

Rules another office applies inside Argusville

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Agricultural District lots in Argusville.

  • The 40-acre standard is for agricultural uses; non-farm residential and non-residential uses each have a two-acre minimum.

  minimum lot area: >= 40 acres (agricultural uses)

  “For agricultural uses, the area shall not be less than forty (40) acres.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family residential lots in the Residential District of Argusville.

    “The minimum lot area for single family units shall be seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential District in Argusville.

  • Dimensions are shown in the city’s zoning requirements summary.

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet · side yard: >= 10 feet

  “The minimum front yard, measured from the front lot line, shall be no less than twenty-five (25) feet. [...] The minimum rear yard, measured from the rear lot line, shall not be less than twenty-five (25) feet. [...] The minimum side yard, measured from the side lot line, shall not be less than ten(10) feet on each side of a lot.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural District in Argusville.

    “The minimum front yard, measured from the centerline of any public road or street, shall not be less than one hundred (100) feet. [...] The minimum rear yard, measured from the rear lot line shall not be less than fifty (50) feet. [...] The minimum side yard, measured from the side lot line shall not be less than fifty (50) feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural District in Argusville.

  • Heights for manufacturing agricultural products and radio/TV towers are determined by City Council; towers and church steeples are excepted from the other-use limit.

  maximum residential building height: <= 35 feet

  “The building height for residential buildings shall not exceed two and one half stories (2½) or thirty five (35) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential District in Argusville.

    “No building shall be more than two and one half (2½) stories or thirty five (35) feet high, excepting church steeples.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Argusville city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of completed buildings in Argusville city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Argusville city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots in Argusville city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Argusville 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.