Building Permits

Township Building Official
 Nancy J. Scott, CBO#2099, AllSpec Services, LLC 320-293-5298 or email: building@lyndentownship.net.

Lynden township has adopted the Minnesota Building Code and issues all construction site and building permits outside of shoreland. Stearns County issues all permits in shoreland which is defined as 1000′ from a lake or 300′ from a river. In addition, property along the Mississippi River in the township falls under the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “Wild & Scenic River” designation and is thus subject to additional regulation.

Please contact AllSpec Services before starting the building process. They will be able to advise you on their needs and the building process, including plan specifications. 

Construction site (zoning) permits are required for all projects including agricultural buildings. (Building permits are not required for agricultural buildings.) Construction Site Permits are required from Lynden Township Planning & Zoning or Stearns County Environmental Services before building. Lynden Township manages permits outside of shoreland whereas Stearns County Environmental Services manages permits within shoreland.

MN Building Code requires the issuance of a permit to “construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the
occupancy of a building or structure.” Permits are also required for reshingling, residing, window replacement, mechanical and plumbing replacements / installations (such as water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, etc.).

Projects that do not require a building permit include the following:

  • One-story detached accessory structures, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet (however a Construction Site Permit may be required)
  • Fences not over seven feet high (by ordinance a fence can only be 6 feet high in Stearns County)
  • Retaining walls that are not over four feet high
  • Decks and platforms not more than 30 inches above grade
  • Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
  • Prefabricated swimming pools installed entirely above ground (Stearns County requires all pools to be fenced.)
  • Swings and other playground equipment
    A complete list of detailed information about projects that do not need a permit is available in subpart 4.

All projects that create a new structure or change the floor plan, the footprint or roofline of an existing structure are required to have a plan submitted for review prior to issuance of a building permit and the scheduling of any inspections. These plans will be reviewed for compliance with local ordinances and the Building Code. Once approved, the plans will be the basis of permit issuance and subsequent inspections.

If you are unsure what permits are required for your project, please contact Lynden Township Building Official Nancy Scott of AllSpec Services at 320-293-5298 or email: building@lyndentownship.net.
The mailing address for building permit correspondence is as follows:

AllSpec Services
14562 Ronneby Road
Foley, MN  56329

Building Permit Applications: (Click on an application to open it.)
Lynden Construction Site Permit Application
Building Permit Application
Mechanical Permit Application
Plumbing Permit Application

Please note the Construction Site Permit (CSP) Application is an 8 page document so it may take a moment to load (4 pages to complete and 4 pages of instructions and information). All applications have fillable form fields so they can be filled out online then printed for signature. An original (non-electronic) signature is required on all applications.

The following documents outline the procedure for obtaining a permit and the required inspections:
Permit Procedure
Requirements to Submit a Permit
Detailed Site Plan Requirements
List of Required Inspections

Information about the fees associated with building permits is available in Ordinance #11.

Driveway / Approach Permits for Lynden Township roads can be submitted to James Kantor. You can contact him at 320-281-9339 or planning@lyndentownship.net. Contact Stearns County Highway Department for access from a county road.

A driveway permit application is required for all new access points from township roads. The application is available by clicking the link below:

Driveway / Approach Permit Application

Building Permits Issued: (Click on the year to access the report)
2024 Building Permits
2023 Building Permits
2022 Building Permits
2021 Building Permits
2020 Building Permits
2019 Building Permits
2018 Building Permits
2017 Building Permits
2016 Building Permits
2015 Building Permits
January-April 2015 Building Permits
2014 Building Permits