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General
Q: When does the City Council meet?
A: The City Council usually meets on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at
6:30 pm in City Hall.
Q: When is City Hall open?
A: City Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, City Hall is
closed for all observed holidays.
Building Inspection
Q: Do I need a building permit for replacement of roofing, siding, windows,
and/or doors?
A: Yes.
Q: What size building does not require a building permit?
A: 10' x 12' (120 square feet) or smaller does not require a building permit. The
building must meet the required side, rear, and front yard zoning setbacks.
Q: Do I need a building permit for resurfacing existing driveways or adding
sidewalks?
A: No, as long as you don't impact side, rear, and front yard zoning setbacks.
Q: Do I need a building permit for replacing kitchen appliances (refrigerator,
stove, etc.) or interior painting and/or flooring?
A: No.
Q: Do I need a building permit for replacement of a furnace/boiler or water
heater?
A: Yes.
Q: Do I need a building permit for a swimming pool?
A: Yes.
Q: Do I need a building permit to put up a fence?
A: You need to have a fence permit to put up a fence. If the fence is over 6 feet
high, a building permit will be required with the fence permit.
Q: Can I, the homeowner, do construction work on my property?
A: Yes, however, you still need the appropriate zoning and building permits.
Q: If I hire someone to work on my property, do they have to be licensed?
A: Yes, Minnesota law requires all residential building and remodeling contractors to
be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Q: How do I get an address for my new house?
A: Once your building permit has been issued, the Building Official will assign a
street address.
Q: How do I get a 9-1-1 address sign for my new house?
A: All 9-1-1 address signs are ordered periodically. An employee from the Street
Department will install the address sign and signpost. However, signs cannot
be installed when the ground is frozen (typically November through April). If
your sign has not been installed after one month of occupancy, please call
729-3600.
Q: What do I do if my 9-1-1 sign is damaged/faded or if I would like a new
blue 9-1-1 sign?
A: You can order a new 9-1-1 sign by calling City Hall at 729-3600. The cost for
the address sign, signpost and installation is $60. The cost for the address sign
and bracket only, without signpost and installation is $30.
Q: What type of foundations are acceptable for single and double family
dwellings?
A: There are four types of foundations allowed:
1. Full basement.
2. Frost walls with a footing.
3. Slab on grade (required to be prepared by a MN Registered Engineer).
4. Post/piers (required to be prepared by a MN Registered Engineer).
Q: What is the minimum width for a single family dwelling?
A: The minimum width dimension of a single family dwelling is 22 feet.
Q: If I install new replacement egress windows, do I have to modify the
window size to meet the legal egress standards?
A: Replacement windows can be installed in the original size opening as long as the
new window replacement does not reduce the opening size by 2 or more inches.
Q: Can I install a floor drain in my garage?
A: Yes, but the drain cannot discharge to the dwelling's sewer or septic system.
Q: What is the minimum frost depth for foundations?
A: 60" (5 feet).
Q: What is the ground snow load factor?
A: 60 psf.
Q: What is the snow load for roof systems?
A: 42 psf.
Q: What is the design wind speed for our region?
A: 90 mph.
Finance/Taxes
Q: Who determines my property value?
A: The City contracts with the St. Louis County Assessor's Office for assessing
services.
Q: Who collects the City's Sales Tax?
A: The Minnesota Department of Revenue collects the sales tax for the City.
Contact the Department of Revenue for questions concerning the collection
process.
Q: What does the City Sales Tax pay for?
A: The City's Sales Tax pays the debt service for the construction and expansion of
the City's sewer trunkline, the new 650,000 gallon water tank, and the Gov't
Services Building.
Q: Why are my property taxes so much higher than "Joe's in the city of
XYZ"?
A: Your property taxes are primarily determined by:
- value of your property
- city, county, and school tax rates
- the amount of aid received by the city, county, and school
These factors vary from city to city and account for the discrepency in the
amount of property taxes paid.
Q: Do high taxes translate into high spending?
A: No, the only way to determine if a city is high spending is to look at their actual
expenditures and the services the city provides.
Utility Billing
Q: Do we offer Electronic Bill Pay?
A: No, we currently do not offer electronic bill pay through our website, however we
do accept payments from on-line bill pay from your bank.
Q: Do we offer a special rate for watering lawns?
A: No, you will be billed for water and sewer usage during that time, so remember
to be conservative and water in the evenings.
Q: How do I find out if there are any levied or pending assessments on my property?
A: You will need to submit a request to the Utility Department. Include your name,
property address and parcel number.
Q: How do I get hooked up to City water and sewer?
A: You must come in to our office at 5105 Maple Grove Road and fill out
applications, pay for hook up charges and any other charges that may apply to
your property location. You must also hire your own Contractor to install your
service line. We recommend you hire an Excavator that has Insurance. Once
your line is in place and inspected, we will install your meter and begin billing
you for usage on a monthly basis.
Q: What do I have to do if I am moving?
A: You need to call our office (218) 729-3600 to inform us of your moving date,
new address and name of new owner. On the day you move, we will take a final
reading and mail you your last billing statement.
Q: What is your after hour Utilities Emergency Phone Number?
. 1-877-797-9839.
Q: Who do I contact in order to have my Well or Septic Tested?
A: St. Louis County Health Department – Sewage Treatment System Permit & Well
Water Testing Division at (218) 725-5200.
Q: Why is there a service charge on my bill?
A: It is a monthly charge that is applied to all customers to cover the cost of labor
and materials for providing you with water and sewer service. It is not a late
fee.
Q: Why is my bill so high this month?
A: Remember your monthly bill is based on how much water you use. It will
fluctuate based on your usage.
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