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

Lisbon’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Constructing, altering, repairing or moving a building inside Lisbon city

  • Application filed with city auditor and acted on by city council
  • Zoning permit also required under 15.21
  • Within fire limits, full plans and specifications must be submitted (14-104)

  building permit fee: per 10 cents per $100 of estimated cost USD (minimum $1, maximum $10)

  “any person desiring to construct, alter, repair or move a building or other heavy object into, within or through the city of lisbon must first make an application in writing for a permit”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction inside Lisbon city

  • Incorporates later amendments to the state building code
  • Copy kept on file with the city auditor

  “the state building code as defined in n.d.c.c. 54-21.3-03 is hereby adopted in full as the minimum standard for building construction in the city of lisbon.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings under construction with a permit inside Lisbon city

  • Inspection is 'as often as practical', not at fixed stages
  • Inspector may stop work that is defective or illegal

  “the building inspector, or fire warden, or other designated official, shall as often as practical, inspect all buildings or structures during construction for which a permit has been issued”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land within Lisbon city limits (and a half-mile extraterritorial area if the city elects it)

  • Agriculture is excepted (15.17)

  “this ordinance shall be known, and may be cited and referred to as the lisbon zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Lisbon city zoning districts

  • Official map is on file with the code administrator

  “15.41.1 a-1 agricultural district 15.41.2 r-1 single family residential district 15.41.3 r-2 multi family residential district 15.41.4 c-1 general commercial district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single family rural residential district inside Lisbon city

  • Two-family units need 12,000 sq ft
  • Interior lot width at least 60 ft for single family; corner lots at least 70 ft

  minimum lot area, single family: >= 8000 square feet

  “the minimum lot area shall be no less than eight thousand (8,000) square feet for single family units and twelve thousand (12,000) square feet for two (2) family units.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 multi family residential district inside Lisbon city

    “15.53.41 the minimum lot area in r-2 residential district for residential uses shall be: (a) six thousand (6,000) square feet for single family units; (b) eight thousand (8,000) square feet for two family units; and (c) two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet for each multi-family unit excluding the yard requirements.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single family rural residential district inside Lisbon city

  • Planning commission may require front setbacks up to 50 ft on lots abutting major thoroughfares

  front yard: >= 20 feet · rear yard: >= 20 feet · side yard: >= 8 feet

  “15.52.52 the minimum rear yard, measured from the rear lot line, shall be no less than twenty (20) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agricultural district inside Lisbon city

    “15.51.52 the minimum rear yard, measured from the rear lot line, shall not be less than thirty (30) feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single family rural residential district inside Lisbon city

  • Exception for institutional buildings and church steeples approved by planning commission
  • Accessory building side walls no higher than 10 ft

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (or 2.5 stories)

  “no building shall be more than two and one-half (2½) stories or thirty-five (35) feet high except institutional buildings and church steeples approved by the planning commission.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 agricultural district inside Lisbon city

    “15.51.61 the building height shall not exceed two and one-half (2½) stories or thirty-five (35) feet except for church steeples, farm related and communications structures.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in the R-2 multi-family district inside Lisbon city (R-1 allows them only as a conditional use, 15.52.34)

  • Must be on a permanent foundation or basement
  • Residences must be 24 feet or wider, roof pitch at least 3/12, approved skirting and siding
  • Mobile home parks are a conditional use in R-2 (15.53.33)

  minimum width: >= 24 feet

  “15.53.24 manufactured homes installed on permanent foundations or basements.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Use of land and buildings for agriculture inside Lisbon city

  • Agriculture as defined in 15.23.2
  • Exemption is from the zoning ordinance only, not from Chapter 14 building rules

  “15.17 exceptions these regulations shall not apply to the use of land and buildings for agriculture as defined herein.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Flood-prone land inside Lisbon city (F-1 floodplain district overlays all zoning districts)

  • Permitted uses limited to agriculture (habitation flood proofed), non-structural, utilities and recreation
  • Temporary structures are conditional uses

  “these regulations shall apply to all lands and structures prone to flooding in all zoning districts.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits inside Lisbon city

  • Fee returned if permit refused
  • Zoning permit fee not found

  building permit fee: per 10 cents per $100 of estimated cost USD (minimum $1, maximum $10)

  “together with a fee of ten cents per hundred dollars ($100.00) or fraction thereof of estimated cost of building to be constructed”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permits inside Lisbon city

  • Council acts on each application and its action is final
  • Applicant signs agreement to comply before issuance

  “it shall be the duty of the city auditor to file such application and to present the same to the city council at its next regular or special meeting”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Lisbon city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Lisbon city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Lisbon city
• Lot coverage — R-1 and A-1 districts inside Lisbon city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Lisbon city

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.