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

Galesburg’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  A building or structure erected, added to, or structurally altered inside Galesburg city limits.

  • The City Auditor issues the permit.
  • The application must comply with chapter requirements.
  • Absent a written City Council order, a permit or certificate of occupancy cannot issue where construction, alteration, or use violates the zoning chapter.

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

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

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

  • The City Auditor must issue the certificate stating that the building or proposed use complies with the zoning chapter.
  • For a new erection or alteration, the certificate is issued within 30 days after approval.
  • A certificate application must accompany the building-permit application.
  • A temporary certificate for part of a building may be issued for no more than 30 days under City Council rules filed with the City Auditor.

  temporary certificate maximum duration: <= 30 days (Only for part of a building and under City Council rules and regulations filed with the City Auditor.)

  “No land shall be occupied or used and no building hereafter erected, altered or extended shall be used or changed in use until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued by the City Auditor, stating that the building or proposed use thereof complies with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Galesburg city limits, North Dakota.

  • The City zoning map is on file in the city auditor's office.

  “divided into use districts and area districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Galesburg city limits.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Zoning Map of the City of Galesburg on file with the city auditor.
  • Annexed property not yet included within a district is automatically R-2 until changed by ordinance amendment.

  “R-1 Residential Districts, Single-Family”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater-disposal systems inside Galesburg city limits where a public sewer is unavailable under §7.0303(4).

  • The permit is signed by the City superintendent.
  • System type, capacity, location, and layout must comply with North Dakota State Department of Health recommendations and regulations.
  • The ordinance does not interfere with additional requirements imposed by the local health officer.

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

• Septic permitRequired

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

  • The owner must obtain the written permit before construction begins.
  • The City form must be supplemented with plans, specifications, and other information the superintendent considers necessary.
  • The permit and inspection fee amount is blank in the posted ordinance.
  • No permit issues for a system that does not meet North Dakota State Department of Health recommendations and 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 Galesburg city limits.

  • The installation must be completed to the superintendent's satisfaction.
  • The superintendent may inspect at any construction stage.
  • The applicant must notify the superintendent before underground portions are covered when work is ready for final inspection.
  • The inspection must occur within 72 hours after notice.

  inspection timing after notice: <= 72 hours (For the final inspection after the applicant notifies the superintendent that the work is ready and before underground portions are covered.)

  “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.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal inside Galesburg city limits.

  • A private system is allowed only where a public sewer is unavailable under §7.0303(4).
  • Construction requires a written City permit and inspection.
  • Private-system construction must meet North Dakota State Department of Health recommendations and regulations.
  • No septic tank or cesspool may discharge to a natural outlet or ground surface.
  • When a public sewer becomes available as provided in §7.0303(4), direct connection is required and septic tanks, cesspools, and similar facilities must be cleaned of sludge and filled with suitable material.

  “Where a public sanitary or combined sewer is not available under the provisions of Section 7.0303 (4), the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Houses, buildings, and properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Galesburg city limits.

  • The property must abut a street, alley, or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer.
  • The public sewer must be within 200 feet of the property line.
  • The owner must receive official notice and connect at the owner's expense within the ordinance's blank number of days.
  • The rule expressly requires sewer connection; no equivalent mandatory water-connection rule was located.

  public sewer distance from property line: <= 200 feet (Connection follows official notice and applies according to the North Dakota plumbing code.)

  “The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the City, and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary sewer, is hereby required at the owner’s expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, within __________ days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 200 feet (61 meters) of the property line according to the North Dakota plumbing code.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Galesburg city limits.

  • The City Council adopts the permit-fee schedule by resolution.
  • When submittal documents are required, plan-review fees are paid at submission and are separate from permit fees.
  • An additional plan-review fee may apply for incomplete or changed submittals or deferred submittal items.

  plan review fee: 65 percent of building permit fee (When submittal documents are required by §106.3.2.) · additional plan review fee: 50 percent of building permit fee (If required for incomplete or changed submittals or deferred submittal items.)

  “permit fee schedule as adopted by resolution of the City Council”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits and associated certificates of occupancy inside Galesburg city limits.

  • A building permit must be issued before erection, addition, or structural alteration.
  • A certificate-of-occupancy application must be made with the building-permit application.
  • No excavation, erection, alteration, or repair permit may issue until a certificate-of-occupancy application has been made.

  “coincident with the application for a building permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders of residences inside Galesburg city limits.
• Inspections — General building inspections inside Galesburg city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Galesburg city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Galesburg city limits.
• Setbacks — Structures inside Galesburg 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.