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

Abercrombie’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

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

  • The Board of Adjustment may issue a written order; construction or use violating Chapter 6 cannot receive a permit or certificate of occupancy.

  “If you need a building permit, please contact Kevin at 701-640-4649.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land occupied or used, and buildings erected, altered, extended, used, or changed in use, inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • Application must be made coincident with the building-permit application; the certificate is issued within seven days after approved erection or alteration; a temporary certificate for part of a building may be issued for no more than 30 days under Board of Adjustment rules.

  temporary certificate maximum duration: <= 30 days (For a part of a building and under Board of Adjustment rules and regulations.)

  “certificate of occupancy shall have been issued”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • An applicant seeking to exceed the limit must obtain a special exception from the Board of Adjustment.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (An applicant may seek a special exception from the Board of Adjustment.)

  “No building shall exceed 35 feet in height. An applicant wishing to exceed 35 feet in height shall seek a special exception from the Board of Adjustment to exceed the height restrictions.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Occupancy or human habitation in a recreational vehicle inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • A recreational vehicle may be occupied or used for human habitation only if located in a licensed recreational vehicle park; vehicles on vacant private premises must be unoccupied, not used for human habitation, and North Dakota licensed.

  parking duration limit: <= 72 hours (Applies to parking on any street, alley, highway, public place, or land owned by any person.)

  “A Recreational Vehicle may not be occupied or used for human habitation, unless located in a licensed recreational vehicle park, and the same constitutes a nuisance under this ordinance.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Abercrombie city limits where public sewer is not available under § 7.0303(4).

  • A written permit signed by the city superintendent is required before construction; the application requires City-provided form and plans, specifications, or other information deemed necessary by the superintendent; permit and inspection fee is set by resolution; no permit issues if the system fails applicable North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality recommendations or regulations.

  “Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the City, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted private wastewater disposal systems inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • The permit is ineffective until installation satisfies the superintendent; the applicant must notify the superintendent when ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered; inspection is made within 72 hours after notice.

  inspection after notice: <= 72 hours (Applicant must notify the superintendent when work is ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered.)

  “A permit for a private wastewater disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the superintendent. The superintendent shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Premises or buildings used or occupied for residence purposes within Abercrombie corporate limits.

  • For property abutting a public sanitary sewer, connection is required after official notice only where the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line; the owner bears the expense and must connect within 14 days after official notice.

  sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (Measured from property line according to the North Dakota plumbing code.) · connection after official notice: <= 14 days (Applies to property abutting a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a public sanitary sewer within 200 feet of the property line.)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to use or occupy or permit to be used or occupied for residence purposes, any premises or building within the corporate limits of this City without first making or causing to be made proper connections with the City’s sewer and water facilities and mains.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • The building-permit fee is set by city resolution; the current fee amount was not stated in the opened ordinance.

  “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 as set by resolution.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • Submit two copies of the scaled layout or plot showing lot dimensions and exact building and accessory-building size and location, plus other information needed for ordinance enforcement; payment is set by resolution.

  scaled 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 Abercrombie

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single-family residential district inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • Building permit and certificate-of-occupancy requirements apply; variance authority rests with the Board of Adjustment under Chapter 6.

  front yard: >= 35 feet · side yard each side: >= 10 feet · rear yard: >= 10 feet

  “In R-1 districts there shall be: 1. A front yard of not less than 35 feet. 2. A side yard on each side of not less than 10 feet. 3. A rear yard of not less than 10 feet.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction or development within a special flood hazard area inside Abercrombie city limits.

  • The ordinance applies to special flood hazard areas in the city zoning jurisdiction; application may require duplicate plans showing specified site and elevation information; Richland County Emergency Management Director or designee administers and grants or denies development permits; the City Council may amend that designation.

  “A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any special flood hazard area established in Section 3.2. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the local administrator and may include, but not be limited to: plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill storage materials, drainage facilities; and the location of the foregoing.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Abercrombie city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Abercrombie city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Abercrombie city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Abercrombie city limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Abercrombie 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.