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

Buffalo’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings, structures, concrete work, and excavations inside Buffalo city limits.

  • A City-issued permit is required before enumerated work begins.
  • Applications must be submitted to the City Auditor.

  “No building, structure, or concrete work shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, moved, relocated or excavation made thereof, or work begun thereon until a building permit has been issued by the city. All building permit applications must be submitted to the City Auditor.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and specified appliances in Buffalo city, North Dakota.

  • The ordinance incorporates the North Dakota State Building Code and future updates and amendments, subject to stated local-condition modifications.

  “City of Buffalo hereby adopts said code as so modified.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Buffalo city limits, North Dakota.

  • The City Planning & Zoning Commission reviews proposed zoning-ordinance amendments, site plans, and plat applications and makes recommendations to the City Council.

  “The Planning & Zoning Commission reviews proposed amendments to zoning ordinances, site plans and plat applications”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Residential building permits inside Buffalo city limits.

  • Fees may be amended by City Council resolution.
  • Class 2A expires after one year; the remaining fee is waived if completed within one year; one six-month extension may be granted.
  • Class 2B and 2C have separate fees and expiration/extension rules.
  • A variance request must accompany the building-permit application if needed and has a $25 fee.

  Class 2A new-home permit fee: 250 USD ($25 due at application; remaining $225 waived if completed within one year) · Class 2B permit fee: 150 USD ($15 due at application) · Class 2C permit fee: 100 USD ($10 due at application) · variance request fee: 25 USD (when a variance is needed)

  “A Class 2A building permit is required to be submitted for all new home construction. The fee is $250.00 with $25.00 due at the time of application. The class 2A permit expires one year from the date it is issued. If the building is not completed within one year from the date of issuance, then the remaining $225.00 must be paid. If it is completed with the one year time frame, the remaining $225.00 fee is waived. The City Council may grant one six-month extension upon the request of the applicant.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Residential building-permit applications inside Buffalo city limits.

  • Applications must be submitted to the City Auditor.
  • The application requires a drawing locating all structures and property-line distances or it will not be reviewed.
  • A variance requires additional paperwork.
  • The ordinance index says the building permit must be signed by a council member before approval.

  “This must be included with your request or it will not be reviewed.”

Rules another office applies inside Buffalo

Buffalo 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 septicMixed (with conditions)

  Onsite wastewater-system installation inside Buffalo city limits when an onsite system is used.

  • The State licenses installers.
  • The installer must obtain a permit from the applicable local public health unit before work begins.
  • Local codes apply.

  “All installers must obtain a license from the department, which is issued at no cost, and secure a permit from their local public health unit before beginning work on a system. Installers are required to follow local codes, and licenses may be revoked for cause under NDCC 23.1-07.1-03 (Licensing).”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an onsite wastewater treatment system inside Buffalo city limits.

  • The permit is from the applicable local public health unit.
  • The installer must obtain the permit before beginning work.
  • Installers must also obtain a State license and follow local codes.

  “secure a permit from their local public health unit before beginning work”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Buffalo city limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Buffalo city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Buffalo city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Buffalo city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Buffalo 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.