Bolthole Index

Crow Wing County, Minnesota

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Emily, Minnesota

Emily, Minnesota (Crow Wing County) requires a city land use permit for new and replacement dwellings, accessory structures and expansions1. The city administers its own zoning under Code Chapter 152, not Crow Wing County's ordinance2. Septic permit questions go to the city Planning & Zoning office3. Private wells need no city permit4.

At a glance

Zoning
City zoning under Code Chapter 152, not the county ordinance2
Building permit
City land use permit required for new dwellings, accessory structures and expansions1
Septic
Contact the city Planning & Zoning office3
Wells
No city permit; installers get a state permit4
Minimum dwelling
576 square feet, 20 feet wide, on a foundation5
RV living
Permit contact required for stays over 14 days6
Minimum lot (NR / RP)
2 acres buildable in NR; 5 acres in RP78

Who to call

Planning & zoning

City of Emily Planning & Zoning

Land use permits, zoning, septic (SSTS) permit questions, RV stays over 14 days and driveways inside Emily city limits

(218) 763-2480

zoning@emily.net

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Emily means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Emily, Minnesota have zoning?

Yes. Emily administers its own land use ordinance, Code Chapter 152, and the city's planning page says the county land use ordinance does not govern property inside city limits2. Chapter 152 lists open space, forest preservation, forest residential, shoreline residential, neighborhood residential, rural preservation, downtown mixed-use, commercial transition/light industrial, shoreline commercial, recreation and highway mixed-use districts, plus separate overlay districts9.

Two districts cover most residential lots. In Neighborhood Residential (NR), a lot needs a buildable area of at least 2 acres and 100 feet of width7. In Rural Preservation (RP), which the code describes as not served by municipal sewer and water, the minimum buildable area is 5 acres8. Dwellings anywhere in the city must be at least 576 square feet and 20 feet wide, on a foundation5. Both districts cap dwellings and accessory structures at 25 feet1011.

What are the setbacks and lot coverage limits in Emily?

In both NR and RP, structures need at least 10 feet from side and rear lot lines and 30 feet from a city road right-of-way1213. Along county or state roads the setback is 50 feet13. Wetlands and streams carry an additional 50-foot setback13.

Impervious coverage tops out at 20 percent in NR, with up to 5 percent more by conditional use permit if a stormwater plan meets the city's test14. In RP the limit is 15 percent15. Near a lake, the city's permit list says no structures are allowed in lake setbacks16.

Do you need a building permit in Emily, and who issues it?

Emily calls its permit a land use permit, and the city requires one for all new and replacement structures including dwellings and accessory structures, expansions of existing structures, hoop buildings, stairways, and grading or shoreline work1. The city Planning & Zoning office is the place to start17. Fees for accessory structures are based on square footage, and the city links a fee schedule16. Once issued, a permit allows one year to start and two years to finish; extensions need a written request to zoning@emily.net18.

We could not confirm whether the city or another office enforces the Minnesota State Building Code, handles inspections or issues certificates of occupancy inside Emily, so ask Planning & Zoning before you design. Crow Wing County does not issue building permits for incorporated cities19.

How do septic permits work in Emily?

The city's planning page answers a septic system with "yes" and routes the question to Planning & Zoning, and it posts an SSTS permit application and a list of state-licensed septic designers3. An accessory structure without a primary dwelling needs a septic site suitability design16. We could not confirm whether Crow Wing County also reviews or inspects septic systems inside city limits, so confirm that with the city office17.

For the county, conventional drain fields rate poorly: none of Crow Wing County's soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. Minnesota lets counties, cities and townships issue most septic construction permits21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Emily?

A camper or RV on a lot in Emily needs contact with Planning & Zoning if the stay runs longer than 14 days6. In the NR district the code allows a recreational vehicle to be stored if it sits at least ten feet from any property line and outside the ordinary high water setback6. We could not confirm whether the city allows long-term living in an RV, or any rule on tiny homes or manufactured homes, so ask the city office before you plan on it17.

Any dwelling must meet the 576-square-foot minimum and sit on a foundation5. In NR, guest quarters must be 400 to 600 square feet and no taller than 15 feet22. Rentals of any length need a city license23.

Building a home in Emily: the steps, in order

  1. Call Planning & Zoning at (218) 763-2480 or email zoning@emily.net to confirm your district, setbacks and permit needs17.
  2. Get a septic site suitability design from a state-licensed designer and submit the SSTS permit application3.
  3. Submit the land use permit application with the fee, which is based on square footage for accessory structures16.
  4. For a well, hire an installer, who must get a state permit; the city requires none4.
  5. For a driveway, call Planning & Zoning; a road approach onto a city road needs no permit but you must contact city maintenance first24.
  6. Start within one year and finish within two18.

What stays with Crow Wing County, and what to check before you buy?

Crow Wing County's land use rules cover unincorporated land, not Emily parcels, so check which side of the city line a parcel sits on before using either rulebook19. For land outside Emily, see the Crow Wing County page.

Minnesota's owner-builder exemption concerns the state contractor-license requirement and does not waive local permits25. Floodplain rules appear in Code Chapter 153, but we could not confirm what they require, so ask Planning & Zoning about any parcel near water26. Lot splits and subdivisions also go through the city26. Crow Wing County's effective property tax rate is 0.8 percent27.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether the city or the county enforces the State Building Code, inspections or certificates of occupancy inside Emily; ask the Planning & Zoning office17.
  • Septic oversight inside city limits is routed to city Planning & Zoning, but we could not confirm whether Crow Wing County also reviews systems there3.
  • Structures are not allowed in lake setbacks, and a driveway in the shoreland district needs a permit24.
  • Do not apply Crow Wing County's unincorporated rules to Emily parcels; the city sets its own2.

Sources

  1. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  2. Emily, MN Code of Ordinances (American Legal Publishing) overview (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  4. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  5. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  6. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  7. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  8. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  9. Emily Code Chapter 152 Land Use and Subdivisions (zoning district list and table of contents) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  10. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  11. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  12. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  13. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  14. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  15. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  16. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  17. City of Emily Planning & Zoning (cityofemily.com)
  18. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  19. Land Use Permits Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. SSTS design (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Emily Code §152.036 Neighborhood Residential (NR) and §152.037 Rural Preservation (RP) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  23. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  24. City of Emily Planning & Zoning page (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  25. Minnesota Statutes § 326B.805, quoted and re-checked
  26. Emily Code Chapter 152 Land Use and Subdivisions (zoning district list and table of contents) (Emily), quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Emily

Emily’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New and replacement dwellings and accessory structures, and expansions of existing structures, inside Emily city limits

    • The city page calls this a land use permit; it does not state whether the city or Crow Wing County issues building permits and inspections under the building code.
    • Also requires a permit for fabric structures (hoop buildings), stairways, and dirt moving (grading)/shoreline alterations.
    • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
    “all new and replacement structures including dwellings and accessory structures, all expansions to existing structures, fabric structures (hoop buildings), stairways, and dirt moving (grading)/shoreline alterations require a permit.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Emily city limits; the city administers its own land use ordinance (Code Chapter 152) rather than Crow Wing County's ordinance.

    • The city's planning page states that the county land use ordinance does not govern property inside city limits, so county zoning should not be applied to Emily city parcels.
    • Chapter 152 covers zoning districts, subdivisions and land use permits; the land use matrix (§152.043) and general provisions (§152.030) were not read.
    “land use permits are required for most exterior projects within city limits.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts for land inside Emily city limits

    • Districts listed in Code Chapter 152: open space (os), forest preservation (fp), forest residential (fr), shoreline residential (sr), neighborhood residential (nr), rural preservation (rp), downtown mixed-use (dmu), commercial transition/light industrial (ct), shoreline commercial (sc), recreation (rec), highway mixed-use (hmu); overlay districts are listed separately.
    • Only the table of contents and the nr, rp, fr, sr, dmu and ct district text were read.
    “zoning districts § 152.030 general. § 152.031 open space district (os).”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwellings inside Emily city (city-wide as stated on the planning page)

    • The dwelling must be on a foundation.
    • Stated on the city's Planning & Zoning page; the code section that adopts this was not read.

    minimum dwelling width: >= 20 feet · minimum dwelling floor area: >= 576 square feet

    “minimum dimensions for a dwelling are 576 square feet and 20 feet wide. the dwelling must be on a foundation.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Neighborhood Residential (NR) district, the main residential district, inside Emily city

    • Lot width minimum of 100 feet also applies.
    • Animal unit and rural conservation subdivision density (1 acre per unit) are also stated in the NR table.

    buildable lot area: >= 2 acres · lot width: >= 100 feet

    “buildable lot area - acres, minimum 2 building above highest ground water level - feet, minimum 3”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Neighborhood Residential (NR) district inside Emily city

    • Additional setbacks: sign 1 foot; un-platted cemetery or archeological site 50 feet; wetland or stream 50 feet.
    • Guest quarters and fence rules apply separately (§152.036(c)).

    corner side yard setback: >= 30 feet · rear yard setback: >= 10 feet · side yard setback: >= 10 feet · city road right-of-way setback: >= 30 feet · county or state road right-of-way setback: >= 50 feet

    “setback, corner side - feet, minimum 30 setback, rear - feet, minimum 10 setback, right-of-way, city road - feet, minimum 30”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Impervious coverage in Neighborhood Residential (NR) district inside Emily city

    • Impervious coverage may be increased by 5% through a conditional use permit if a stormwater retention plan contains the five-year, 24-hour storm on the parcel and runoff to adjacent water bodies is eliminated.

    maximum impervious coverage: <= 20 percent (up to 5% more by conditional use permit)

    “impervious coverage - percent maximum 20% lot width - feet, minimum 100”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Neighborhood Residential (NR) district inside Emily city: dwelling and accessory structure height

    • Guest quarters may not exceed 15 feet in height (§152.036(c)(1)).

    maximum dwelling height: <= 25 feet · maximum accessory structure height: <= 25 feet

    “building height, dwelling - feet, maximum 25 impervious coverage - percent maximum 20%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Campers and recreational vehicles on private land inside Emily city

    • Stays longer than 14 days require contact with and permitting through the city Planning & Zoning office.
    • Code §152.036(c)(3) (NR district): a recreational vehicle may be stored if kept at least ten feet from any property line and outside the ohw setback.
    • Use-table limits (§152.043) for long-term RV occupancy were not read.

    stay length before city permit contact: > 14 days

    “camper/rv? yes, if longer than 14 days. please contact planning & zoning.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Guest quarters on a lot in the Neighborhood Residential (NR) district inside Emily city; this is the code's only accessory-dwelling-type provision read

    • Must be located along with the principal structure on the smallest lot meeting the NR lot requirements.
    • Must not exceed 15 feet in height.
    • Shall not be treated as an accessory dwelling unless the land use matrix confirms it; the matrix (§152.043) was not read.

    guest quarters minimum size: >= 400 square feet · guest quarters maximum size: <= 600 square feet · guest quarters maximum height: <= 15 feet

    “shall be a minimum of 400 square feet and maximum of 600 square feet and shall not exceed 15 feet in height.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Septic (SSTS) permits for property inside Emily city

    • The city page routes septic questions to the city Planning & Zoning office and lists an SSTS permit application.
    • State licensed septic designers are listed by the city; whether Crow Wing County also reviews or inspects SSTS inside city limits was not confirmed.
    “septic system? yes. please contact planning & zoning”
  • Well permitNot required

    Private water wells on property inside Emily city

    • No city well permit is required; well installers must obtain a permit from the State of Minnesota.
    “well? no city permit required. well installers will be required to get a permit from the state of mn.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and lot splits of land inside Emily city

    • The city's planning page lists a lot split, subdivision and rezoning application.
    • Subdivision standards are in Chapter 152 of the Code; the standards text itself was not read.
    “subdivision standards administration and enforcement chapter 153: floodplain management”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Road approaches and driveways onto city roads inside Emily city

    • No permit is required for a road approach, but city maintenance personnel must be contacted before the project starts.
    • Driveways are routed to planning and zoning; driveways in the shoreland district need a permit per the city page.
    “road approach? no permit, however you need to contact city maintenance personnel prior to start of project.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term and long-term rental properties inside Emily city

    • A rental license is required; the Code rental chapter (Chapter 150) was not read for conditions.
    “short or long term rental property? license is required. please contact planning & zoning for more information.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Accessory structure land use permit fees inside Emily city

    • The city page links a fee schedule; that schedule was not opened, so amounts are unknown.
    • Fee is based on square footage for accessory structures.
    “accessory structures such as sheds, pole barns, decks, garages, porches, hoop fabric sheds, etc.? yes. please contact planning & zoning. the fee is based on the square footage.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Permit timing and application process for land use and building permits inside Emily city

    • Permits allow one year to start and two years to finish; extensions require written request to zoning@emily.net and approval from the zoning administrator.
    • Application forms are posted on the city site (land use permit, SSTS permit, variance, conditional use permit and others); the review steps were not described on the page.

    start deadline after permit: 1 year · completion deadline after permit: 2 years

    “building permits allow one year to start the project and two years to finish the project.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Emily or Crow Wing County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for Emily city building permits
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Emily city
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Emily city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Emily city
  • Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Emily city
6 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Emily publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Crow Wing County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Crow Wing County: county rules, score and offices