Subd. 1. Certificate of occupancy.
a. No building or structure hereafter erected or moved, or that portion of an existing structure or building erected or moved, shall be occupied or used in whole or in part for any purpose whatsoever until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued by the Building Official starting that the building or structure complies with all of the provisions within this chapter.
b. The certificate shall be applied for coincidentally with the application for a building permit, conditional use permit and/or variance and shall be issued within ten days after the Building Official shall have found the building or structure satisfactory and given final inspection. The application shall be accompanied by a fee as established by City Council ordinance.
Subd. 2. Zoning permits. A zoning permit shall be required for activities that do not require building permits but for which it is necessary to determine compliance with zoning requirements such as setbacks, impervious surface coverage, structure height, and the like. Pursuant to M.S. § 15.99, an application for a zoning permit shall be approved or denied within 60 days from the date of its official and complete submission unless extended pursuant to statute or a time waiver is granted by the applicant. Pursuant to M.S. § 15.99, the city staff is hereby authorized to extend the 60 day time limit by a time period not to exceed 60 additional days, provided written notice of such extension is provided to the applicant before the end of the initial 60 day period. The permit shall expire within six months if the applicant has not completed the project. Items requiring a zoning permit include the following:
a. Accessory buildings that do not require building permits.
b. Driveways.
c. Sport and tennis courts.
d. Retaining walls higher than three feet (no separate permit required when a building permit is required for grading).
e. Above-ground fireplaces and cooking facilities, but not including portable appliances.
f. Residential decks that do not require building permits, as well as patios, terraces, sidewalks, steps, stoops, and other similar at-grade improvements.
g. Playground equipment or systems occupying more than 64 square feet of ground area or exceeding six feet in height.
h. Fences as regulated by § 1201.03 Subd. 2.f.
i. Temporary signs.
j. Portable storage facilities not associated with a valid building permit and located on property for more than 30 days in a 12-month period.
k. Ground-mounted solar energy systems not requiring a building permit, consistent with § 1201.03 Subd. 23.
(1987 Code, § 1201.07; Am. Ord. 501, passed 3-25-2013; Am. Ord. 575, passed 12-14-2020)