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

Tioga’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Tioga city

  • Plumbing and electrical codes are inspected and enforced by the state plumbing and electrical boards

  codes: 2024 IBC, IRC, IPMC, IFC

  “current codes adopted by city of tioga and the state of north dakota: 2024 international building code (ibc) 2024 international residential code (irc) 2024 international property maintaince code (ipmc) 2024 international fire code (ifc)”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Tioga city

  • Permit holder must notify city; appointments at least 24 hours in advance
  • Scope of inspections depends on the project
  • Plumbing and electrical inspected by state boards

  “inspections are a required part of the permitting process.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Permitted construction inside Tioga city

  • Issued only after all city and state plumbing and electric inspections pass and city fees are paid

  “the city will issue a certificate of occupancy once all inspections (city & state) plumbing and electric have been performed, found to be code compliant and all city fees paid.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Tioga city limits and its extraterritorial zone

  • Ordinance text references the city's extraterritorial zone

  “chapter 5 ("zoning - land use planning") be supplemented with the following regulations pertaining to conditional use permitting of and the operations surrounding recreational vehicle facility park within the city of tioga and its extraterritorial zone.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Tioga city

  • Districts listed in the setback table: R-1, R-2A, R-2M, R-3, MHD, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A-1

  “r-3 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 40 feet mhd 20 feet 5 feet 15 feet 30 feet c-1 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 30 feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in residential districts inside Tioga city

  • Pre-existing nonconforming lots as of February 1, 2023 are deemed varianced
  • Two-family: same area, 65 ft width

  single family lot area with alley: >= 8400 sq ft · single family lot area without alley: >= 9000 sq ft · lot width: >= 60 ft

  “a. dwelling, single family 8400 sq. ft. w/alley 9000 sq. ft. w/o alley 60 ft.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures by district (r-1, r-2a, r-2m, r-3, mhd, c-1, c-2, i-1, i-2, a-1) inside Tioga city

  • R-1 table row is garbled in extraction; R-1 front 25 ft, side 5 ft with alley
  • Corner/double-frontage lots need front yard on both streets

  a-1 front/side/rear: 25/10/20 feet · r-3 front/side/rear: 25/10/20 feet

  “r-3 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 40 feet mhd 20 feet 5 feet 15 feet 30 feet c-1 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 30 feet”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures by district inside Tioga city

  • R-3 40 ft, MHD 30 ft, C-1 30 ft; R-1 row garbled (30 ft and 20 ft values appear)

  r-3 height: <= 40 feet · mhd height: <= 30 feet

  “r-3 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 40 feet mhd 20 feet 5 feet 15 feet 30 feet c-1 25 feet 10 feet 20 feet 30 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV occupancy inside Tioga city and its extraterritorial zone

  • Occupancy through a recreational vehicle facility park conditional use permit
  • Permit may not issue for more than five years
  • Use table district permissions for RVs not resolved (garbled)
  • RVs not permitted in mobile/manufactured home parks

  “a permit issued by the city of tioga authorizing a campground facility for the parking and temporary occupation of "recreational vehicles"”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured and mobile homes inside Tioga city

  • Class A/B manufactured homes allowed by district use table (not fully resolved)
  • In the manufactured home district, no home older than 10 years may be installed
  • Manufactured home park/district tract at least 5 acres
  • Additional mobile homes (pre-1976) may not be imported

  “existing mobile homes currently located in tioga are allowed to remain but the importation of any additional mobile homes into the city is not allowed because they do not meet the current building code requirements.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Tioga city where no public sewer is available

  • Only where public sewer is not available
  • Permit and inspection fee $25 at application
  • No subsurface soil absorption permit where lot is under 20,000 sq ft

  permit and inspection fee: 25 USD

  “a permit and inspection fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Tioga city

  • City inspects within 24 hours of notice
  • Applicant notifies city before underground portions are covered

  “the applicant for the permit shall notify the city when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal inside Tioga city

  • Allowed only where public sewer is unavailable; must connect within 60 days once available
  • Subsurface absorption barred on lots under 20,000 sq ft

  minimum lot for subsurface absorption: >= 20000 sq ft

  “no permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings on property abutting a street or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer inside Tioga city

  • Public sewer must be within 300 feet of the property line
  • Connection within 60 days of official notice
  • Water connection rule not found

  distance to public sewer: <= 300 feet · connection deadline: 60 days (after official notice)

  “to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, within sixty (60) days after date to official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within three hundred (300) feet (61 meters) of the property line.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits inside Tioga city

  • Applications emailed to communityservices@cityoftioga.com
  • Planning and Zoning meets 2nd Monday of month 5:30pm; applications due the Wednesday before at 5 pm

  “residential building permit application - application for new construction, alteration, or remodel of a single family, two-family, or townhouse dwelling.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Construction inside Tioga city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Tioga city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Tioga city
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Tioga city
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Tioga 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.