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

Ellendale’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and structures erected, added to, structurally altered, or remodeled inside Ellendale city limits.

  • Remodeling excludes merely maintenance and requires a more-than-de-minimis value increase as determined by City Council.
  • Permit requires City Auditor issuance after City Council approval.
  • Residential permits are valid 18 months; commercial permits 24 months; Council may grant a continuation requested at least one month before deadline.

  “No building or structure shall be erected, added to, structurally altered or remodeled until a permit therefore has been issued”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Structures in Ellendale R-2 Residential District.

  • R-2 structures must comply with one of the listed codes.
  • This finding does not establish a citywide adoption edition.

  “All structures shall comply with the: Uniform Building Code (UBC), International Building Code (IBC), or the North Dakota State Building Code”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Ellendale city limits.

  • Zoning districts and boundaries are established in Chapter Five.

  “the City of Ellendale, North Dakota is hereby divided into six (6) districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Ellendale city limits.

  • Boundaries are established on the official zoning map on file with the City Auditor.

  districts: C-1, C-2, R-1, R-2, M-1, M-2

  ““C-1” - Commercial and Industrial District “C-2” – Commercial District “R-1” - Residential District “R-2” – Residential District “M-1” – Mixed District “M-2” – Mixed District”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater disposal systems serving property inside Ellendale city limits.

  • The city superintendent signs permits and conducts/receives notice for inspection.
  • Systems must comply with North Dakota State Department of Health recommendations and regulations.

  “the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Ellendale city limits where public sanitary or combined sewer is unavailable under section 6.0403(4).

  • Written permit must be signed by the superintendent before construction.
  • Application must include plans, specifications, and other information the superintendent deems necessary.
  • System must comply with North Dakota State Department of Health recommendations and regulations.

  permit and inspection fee: 50 USD (May be refundable upon satisfactory compliance with the article.)

  “Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of private wastewater disposal systems inside Ellendale city limits.

  • Permit is not effective until installation is completed to superintendent satisfaction.
  • Applicant must notify superintendent when ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered.
  • Inspection must occur within 72 hours after notice.

  inspection period after notice: <= 72 hours

  “The inspection shall be made within seventy-two (72) hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal serving property inside Ellendale city limits where public sewer is unavailable under section 6.0403(4).

  • Requires city written permit, inspection, and compliance with state health recommendations and regulations.
  • When public sewer becomes available, direct connection is required within 60 days and private facilities must be cleaned and filled.
  • Privies, vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and similar sewage-disposal facilities are otherwise unlawful except as provided.

  sewer-connection deadline after availability: <= 60 days

  “Where a public sanitary or combined sewer is not available [...] the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Human-occupancy, employment, recreation, or other properties inside Ellendale city limits abutting a public sanitary sewer within 200 feet of the property line.

  • Connection is required at owner's expense within 90 days after official notice.
  • The 200-foot availability rule also applies to water connections.
  • Uninhabitable buildings may not be connected or occupied.

  public sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (Measured according to the North Dakota plumbing code from the property line.) · connection deadline after official notice: <= 90 days

  “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 200 feet”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural use of real estate inside Ellendale city limits.

  • Agricultural use requires an Agricultural Use Permit unless the stated Dickey County Fair exception applies.
  • Permit expires five years after issue or upon transfer, whichever occurs first.
  • Certain pre-May 1, 2015 uses receive grandfathered permits subject to listed conditions.
  • Dickey County Fair activities are exempt only from seven days before through seven days after the fair.

  permit fee: 5 USD (Waived for qualifying grandfathered permits.) · permit duration: 5 years (Expires earlier upon transfer of ownership.)

  “Agriculture use of real estate within the City of Ellendale shall be strictly prohibited unless the property owner has applied for and been granted an Agricultural Use Permit”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction or development inside Ellendale city limits under the floodplain ordinance.

  • Development permit is required before construction or development begins.
  • City Council administers applications.
  • If a building site is flood-prone, new construction and substantial improvements must meet listed flood-hazard-reduction standards.

  “A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within the community.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Ellendale city limits.

  • City Auditor issues permit after City Council approval.
  • Application requires two copies of a scaled layout or plot showing lot dimensions and building/accessory-building location.
  • Fees are submitted with application and held in escrow until approval or refunded if denied.

  “There shall be submitted with all applications for building permits two copies of a layout or plot drawn to scale”

Rules another office applies inside Ellendale

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Main structures in Ellendale R-2 Residential District.

  • Applies to fully enclosed first-floor main-structure area and excludes open porches and garages.
  • Residence may not exceed two stories when viewed from the street.

  minimum first-floor area: >= 1400 square feet (Excludes open porches and garages.)

  “The fully enclosed first floor area of the main structure, exclusive of open porches and garages, shall not be less than 1400 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in Ellendale R-1 Residential District.

  • Each lot requires two side yards; neither may be less than 50% of required front-yard depth.
  • Corner-lot side yard on a side street may not be less than 10 feet.
  • Built-up street-block averaging may reduce front yard, but not below 10 feet.

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 15 feet · side yard: >= 50 percent of required front-yard depth (Two side yards required.)

  “There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet from the front lot line.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings and accessory buildings in Ellendale R-1 Residential District.

  • Different maximum applies to inside and corner lots.

  maximum coverage, inside lot: <= 50 percent · maximum coverage, corner lot: <= 60 percent

  “No building with its accessories shall occupy in excess of fifty (50) percent of an inside lot nor an excess of sixty (60) percent of a corner lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in Ellendale R-1 Residential District.

  maximum height: <= 40 feet

  “No building shall exceed forty (40) feet in height.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Manufactured dwelling units built to HUD standards in Ellendale R-2 Residential District.

  • Modular dwellings are permitted if compliant with UBC, IBC, or the North Dakota State Building Code.
  • The same R-2 provision prohibits dwellings constructed on metal frames to which wheels may be attached for transport.

  “Manufactured dwelling units built to US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards are prohibited.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Recorded plat lots in Ellendale R-2 Residential District.

  • No recorded plat lot may be subdivided unless approved by majority City Council vote.
  • Two or more recorded plat lots may be combined into one parcel.

  “No recorded plat lots may be subdivided, unless by majority vote of city council.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Ellendale city limits.
• Inspections — General residential building inspections inside Ellendale city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Ellendale city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Ellendale city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Ellendale 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.