Building Department

The City of St Francis Building Department is responsible for administering the Minnesota State Building Code. This site is intended to provide you, our customer, with information to help you negotiate your way through the permitting process and to make your project a positive experience and comply with the applicable requirements. Please take time to browse through our site. If you have any comments or questions regarding our website or your experience with the St Francis Building Department, we would appreciate hearing from you.

Property Surveys

The city has property surveys for most homes constructed after 1990.  If you would like a copy of your survey, please contact the city.

Development Standards

Development Standards are created for all new construction and/or development projects within the City.  Development Standards are the specifications and requirements for construction.   All new residential and commercial construction, by owner or developer, are required to use the Standards for any work being completed which is included in them.  Design Standards not only affect building permits for new construction, but also many topics such as erosion, water, sewer and driveways as included.  These are the standards for construction in all zoning districts within the City of St. Francis.

Call 811 Before You Dig

If you are planning to do any digging in connection with your building project, you must call Gopher State One Call at (800) 252-1166 to arrange for utility companies to mark the buried utility lines near your project. This service is free, but you should call at least 48 hours prior to digging.

Remember, your home or business is an investment. If your construction project does not comply with the codes adopted by the local jurisdiction, the value of your investment could be reduced. Property insurers may not cover work not done without property permits and inspections. If you decide to sell your home, it is common for future buyers and realtors to examine city records to verify proper permits and inspections were obtained and successfully completed.

Your permit also allows the code official to protect the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction and ensuring public health, safety and welfare. By following code guidelines, your completed project will meet minimum standards of safety and will be less likely to cause injury to you, your family, friends and future owners.