TEMPORARY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS

Temporary “hoop house”, gambrel or typical pitched roofed buildings constructed of metal or plastic material and supported by metal or plastic tube frames have been appearing around the City of Brainerd. These buildings have been appearing without a building permit or verification of compliance with zoning requirements.

Most temporary buildings can be purchased at home improvement centers or are sometimes built of material that a property owner might store on a property. Temporary buildings are sometimes constructed with side and end walls or have tarp walls for protection. These buildings are constructed to shelter vehicles and recreational equipment and to store personal items.

The City of Brainerd has adopted the State Building Code that does not recognize these buildings as temporary. It specifies that that all buildings are required to comply with minimum standards for construction. Further, the State Building Code specifies that a building that exceeds 120 square feet (sf) in area be required to obtain a Building Permit.

Brainerd also has adopted Zoning Ordinance requirements for placement of all buildings on a property and it has also adopted building appearance standards that require all buildings to be compatible in appearance with other neighborhood buildings. Temporary buildings that have been constructed may not be incompliance with State Building Code or Zoning Ordinance requirements.

At its February 5, 2007 meeting, the Brainerd City Council was presented with information about the temporary building issue. The City Council determined that for safety and aesthetic reasons this situation should be addressed. It took action to inform the community that any property owner having a temporary building over 120 sf has until June 1, 2007 to be in compliance with the Building Code and Zoning Ordinance requirements or remove the building from the property.

In order to determine if a building permit can be issued, documentation showing that the building meets all applicable aspects of the Building Code will be required. If a building permit can be issued, to determine if zoning requirements are met, a plan showing the building location and a building photograph will be needed.

Any property owner that has a question about the required documentation for allowable temporary buildings, the procedure for obtaining a Building Permit, or, if there are questions about zoning requirements, should contact the City of Brainerd at 501 Laurel Street or call 218-828-2309.