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

Cavalier’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings or structures erected, added to, or structurally altered inside Cavalier city limits.

  • Permit is issued by the zoning administrator.
  • Construction or use violating Chapter Six cannot receive a permit unless the Board of Adjustment issues a written order.

  “No building or structure shall be erected, added to or structurally altered until a permit therefore has been issued by the zoning administrator.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings or structures under construction for which a city permit has been issued.

  • Inspections occur as often as practical.
  • The building official, fire chief, or another designated official may stop work for defective or illegal work.

  “The building official, or chief of fire department, or other designated official, shall as often as practical, inspect all buildings or structures during construction for which a permit has been issued to see that the provisions of law are complied with and that construction is prosecuted safely.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cavalier city limits.

  • Uses and structures must conform to regulations for the district shown on the official zoning map.

  “No building, structure or premises shall be used or occupied, and no building or part thereof or other structure shall be erected, raised, moved, placed, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, or altered except in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the district, as shown on the official map, in which it is located.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Cavalier city limits.

  • District boundaries are on the Zoning Map of the City of Cavalier maintained in the city auditor's office.

  “The boundaries of these districts are hereby established as shown on a map entitled “The Zoning Map of the City of Cavalier” which is on file in the office of the city auditor. This map, with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby made a part of this chapter.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction or development within Cavalier city jurisdiction, including placement of manufactured homes.

  • Development permit is furnished by the City Auditor.
  • Planning and Zoning Committee grants or denies applications.
  • Application may require scaled duplicate plans and the listed elevation, floodproofing, and watercourse information.

  “A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or development begins within the community, including the placement of manufactured homes to determine if the proposed location is within a floodplain. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the City Auditor.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning building permits inside Cavalier city limits.

  • The amount is set by the City Council; no dollar amount is stated in the cited provision.

  “One copy of such layout or plot plan shall be returned when approved by the zoning administrator together with such permit to the applicant upon the payment of a fee as set by the City Council.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for zoning building permits inside Cavalier city limits.

  • Two copies of a scaled layout or plot plan must be submitted.
  • Plan must show lot dimensions, exact size and location of building and accessory buildings, and other information needed for enforcement.
  • A City Council-set fee is payable when the approved plan and permit are returned.

  plot plan copies: 2 copies

  “There shall be submitted with all applications for building permits two copies of a layout or plot drawn to scale showing the actual dimensions of the lot to be built upon, the exact size and location on the lot of the building and accessory buildings to be erected and such other information as may be necessary to determine and provide for the enforcement of this ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside Cavalier

Cavalier 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 sizeNone

  Single-family and two-or-more-family residential units under § 6.0701 inside Cavalier city limits.

  • Building-permit applications require a detailed plot plan showing distances.
  • The City Council decides permit issuance after considering nearby and adjacent structures.

  “There shall be no minimum lot area for single family or for to or more family units, but all applications for building permit must have a detailed plot plan, showing distances, and it shall be in the discretion of the City Council as to whether or not a building permit shall be issued, after taking into consideration the proximity of other structures in the immediate area, and on adjacent lots.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured/mobile homes in the R-3 Residential District Mobile Home district inside Cavalier city limits.

  • Mobile homes are subject to the listed R-3 mobile-home-park standards, including five-acre minimum park size, eight-home maximum density, required open space, lot dimensions, utility hookups, parking, emergency access, and state-agency compliance.

  minimum mobile-home park area: >= 5 acres · maximum mobile homes: <= 8 homes per gross acre · minimum mobile-home space area: >= 5000 square feet

  “In a mobile home district, the following buildings and uses are permitted: 1. Mobile Homes are subject to the following restrictions: a. Mobile home parks shall contain a minimum of five (5) acres of land and a maximum of eight (8) mobile homes per gross acre.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Cavalier city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Cavalier city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Cavalier city limits.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Cavalier city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Cavalier 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.