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

Rules another office applies inside Fullerton

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

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  An owner installing an onsite wastewater treatment system on the owner's own premises inside Fullerton city limits.

  • This is an exemption from the state installer-license requirements only; the owner must still obtain the system permit under section 33.1-21-01-06.

  “An individual installing a system on the individual's premises is exempt from the requirements of this section. The individual shall obtain a permit for the system in accordance with section 33.1-21-01-06.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Onsite wastewater treatment systems, commonly called septic systems, inside Fullerton city limits.

  • The Department of Environmental Quality has rulemaking authority; permits are issued by the applicable local permitting authority.

  “Except as otherwise provided by law, the department has the exclusive authority to adopt rules regarding licensing, permitting, and inspections of onsite wastewater treatment systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, or extension of an onsite wastewater treatment system inside Fullerton city limits.

  • Regular system maintenance does not require a permit.
  • The permit is issued by the permitting authority with jurisdiction where the work occurs.
  • A permit ordinarily may not be issued without a valid installer license; an individual installing on that individual's own premises is excepted.
  • A permit is valid for no more than 12 months from issuance.
  • For flows of 2,500 gallons per day or greater, plans and specifications must be prepared by a North Dakota-registered professional engineer and approved by the Department of Environmental Quality before construction begins.

  permit validity: <= 12 months (From date of issuance.) · engineering-review threshold: >= 2500 gallons per day (Plans/specifications and Department of Environmental Quality approval are required before construction begins.)

  “A person may not construct, alter, repair, or extend any system without first obtaining a permit from the permitting authority. Regular system maintenance does not require a permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Use of an onsite wastewater treatment system instead of public sewer inside Fullerton city limits.

  • A permit is required before constructing, altering, repairing, or extending a system, except for regular maintenance.
  • A new system requires a minimum one-acre lot.
  • Water from household plumbing must pass through a septic tank or higher level of treatment before discharge to soil.
  • Where underground dispersal is not feasible, the permitting authority may review alternative collection and disposal methods.
  • A system may not be installed in frozen ground.

  minimum lot size for new onsite system: >= 1 acre

  “The minimum lot size in which a new system may be installed is one acre [.405 hectares]. [...] Water carried from bathrooms, kitchens, laundry fixtures, and other household plumbing must pass through a septic tank or higher level of treatment prior to its discharge into the soil. If underground dispersal for treatment is not feasible, the permitting authority may review alternative methods of collection and disposal.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  A proposed onsite wastewater treatment system inside Fullerton city limits where public sewer availability is relevant to the septic permit.

  • The permitting authority may deny a septic-system permit when public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line.
  • The exception is written documentation that the sewer authority denied connection.
  • The rule does not itself establish a citywide mandatory public-sewer connection requirement.

  public sewer distance from property line: <= 200 feet (The permitting authority may deny the onsite-system permit unless the sewer authority provides written documentation of denial of connection.)

  “The permitting authority may deny a permit for the construction of a system if a public sewer system is available within two hundred feet [60.96 meters] of the property line unless written documentation indicates denial of connection from the sewer authority.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Buildings used for agricultural purposes inside Fullerton city limits to the extent the state building-code chapter applies.

  • The exemption does not apply to a place of human habitation.
  • The exemption does not apply to a building used by the public.
  • This source does not establish whether Fullerton has elected to administer and enforce the state building code.

  “Any building used for agricultural purposes, unless a place of human habitation or for use by the public, is exempt from this chapter.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Onsite wastewater treatment-system permits inside Fullerton city limits.

  • The fee must be set by the applicable permitting authority; no Fullerton-specific fee schedule was located.

  “The permit must be issued by the permitting authority within the jurisdictional limits where the work is being done. The fee for the permit must be set by the permitting authority.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Process for an onsite wastewater treatment-system permit inside Fullerton city limits.

  • The permit must come from the permitting authority with jurisdiction where the work occurs.
  • A permit may not be issued without a valid installer license, except for an individual installing a system on that individual's own premises.
  • The permit is valid for no more than 12 months from issuance.
  • Approval, modification, denial, or revocation must be in writing.
  • Permit conditions varying from the chapter must relate to a variance request.

  permit validity: <= 12 months (From date of issuance.)

  “The permit must be issued by the permitting authority within the jurisdictional limits where the work is being done. [...] Permit approval, modification, denial, or revocation must be done in writing. Permit conditions that vary from the provisions of this chapter must be related to a request for variance in accordance with section 33.1-21-01-15.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Fullerton city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption and enforcement inside Fullerton city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Fullerton city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Fullerton city limits.
• Local zoning — Land inside Fullerton 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.