City of Isanti, MN Minimum Standards

Responsibility of owners. The owner of a dwelling shall be responsible for the maintenance of that structure and for meeting the provisions of this chapter. Those responsibilities may not be abrogated by a private agreement.

Removal of basic equipment or facilities. No owner, operator, or occupant shall cause any facility or equipment which is required under this chapter to be removed from or shut off from any occupied building or dwelling unit, except for such temporary interruptions as may be necessary while actual repairs or alterations are in progress or during temporary emergencies.

(1)

Foundations, exterior walls, roofs. The foundation, exterior walls, and exterior roof must be substantially watertight and in sound condition and repair. The foundation must adequately support the building at all points. Every exterior wall must be free of deterioration, holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or timbers, and any other condition that might admit rain or dampness to the interior portion of the walls or to the exterior spaces of the building. Exterior walls must be free of graffiti. All exterior wood surfaces must be protected from the elements by a protective covering or treatment. If 25% or more of the exterior surface is unprotected or the covering is blistered or peeling, the affected surface must be restored with a compatible protective covering or treatment. If the exterior surface of the pointing of any brick, block, or stone wall is loose or has fallen out, the surface must be repaired.

(2)

Grading and drainage. Except for wetland and approved ponds, every yard, court, walkway, driveway, and other portions of the premises on which a building stands must be graded and drained so as to be free of standing water. The water must not be drained onto adjacent properties except as provided in legally recorded easements or other documents.

(3)

Windows, doors, and screens. Every window, exterior door, and other exterior opening must be substantially tight and in sound condition and repair. Every window, other than a fixed window or storm window, must be capable of being easily opened. Every window, door, and frame must be constructed and maintained in such relation to the adjacent wall construction as to exclude rain, wind, and pests from entering the building. Every openable window in a rental facility or unit must be supplied with screens of not less than 16 mesh per inch during the insect season. Every openable window in a residential rental unit must be equipped with an approved lock if located less than six feet above the adjacent grade.

(4)

Landings at doors. There must be a floor or a landing on each side of a door having a width not less than the width of the door or, in the case of a sliding door or atrium door, a width not less than six feet, and a length measured in the direction of travel of not less than 36 inches for residential facilities and 44 inches for nonresidential facilities. Landing surfaces more than 30 inches above the grade below must include a guardrail complying with the Minnesota State Building Code.

(5)

Floors, interior walls, and ceilings. Every floor, interior wall, and ceiling must be kept in sound condition and good repair. Every floor must be free of loose, warped, protruding, or rotting floor materials. Every interior wall and ceiling must be free of holes, cracks, and loose plaster and must be maintained in a tight, waterproof condition. Paints with a lasting toxic effect must not be used. The floor of every toilet room, bathroom, and kitchen must have a smooth, hard, nonabsorbent surface capable of being easily maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Nothing herein prevents the use of carpeting in such rooms, provided that the underlying floor complies with the requirements of this subsection.

(6)

Heating. No person is allowed to occupy, or to permit another person to occupy, any building or any part thereof that does not have heating facilities which are properly installed, which are maintained in safe and good working condition, and capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and water closet compartments in every dwelling unit located therein to a temperature of at least 68° F., at a distance of three feet above floor level and three feet from exterior walls from October through May. Gas or electric appliances designed primarily for cooking or water heating purposes are not heating facilities within the meaning of this subsection. Portable heating equipment employing flame and the use of liquid fuel does not meet the requirements of this subsection and is prohibited. No owner or occupant is allowed to install, operate, or use a space heater employing a flame that is not vented outside the structure in an approved manner.

(a)

No fuel-burning heater shall be of a portable type.

(b)

Every fuel-burning heater shall have a fire-resistant panel beneath it.

(c)

Every fuel-burning heater shall be properly vented to a chimney or duct leading to outdoor space.

(d)

Every heater located within three feet of a wall shall be equipped with insulation sufficient to prevent overheating of the wall during periods of maximum operation.

(e)

Every heater smoke pipe shall be equipped with guards properly constructed of nonflammable material at the point where the pipe goes through a wall, ceiling, or partition.

(7)

Fire extinguisher. All rental units shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 2A 10BC. The extinguisher shall be located within the individual dwelling unit or common hallway or corridor within 75 feet of the dwelling unit door.

(a)

Fire extinguishers will be checked to ensure proper servicing at least every two years as a requirement of obtaining a rental license. A tag with the name of the servicing company and the service date shall be affixed to the extinguisher and shall remain affixed unit the next servicing.

(8)

Carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed and maintained per Minn. Stat. § 299F.51.

(9)

Electrical service in dwellings. Every dwelling unit and all public and common areas must be supplied with electric service, functioning over current protection devices, electric outlets, and electric fixtures which are properly installed, maintained in safe and good working condition in compliance with the edition of the National Electric Code in effect as of the date of construction or improvements thereto, and connected to a source of electric power in a manner prescribed by state and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations.

(10)

Light and ventilation. No person is allowed to occupy, or to permit another person to occupy, any dwelling or dwelling unit which does not comply with the following:

(a)

Habitable room light and ventilation. Except where there is supplied some other device affording adequate ventilation and approved by the Compliance Official, every habitable room must have at least one window facing directly outdoors which can be opened easily. The minimum total of openable window area in every habitable room is the greater of 10% of the floor area of the room or 10 square feet. At least 1/2 of the required window area must be openable.

(b)

Nonhabitable room ventilation. Every bathroom and water closet compartment and every laundry and utility room shall contain at least 50% of the ventilation required for habitable rooms contained in Subsection B(10(a) above, except that no windows are required if such rooms are equipped with a ventilation system which is approved by the Compliance Official.

(c)

Public corridor and stairway light. Every public corridor and stairway in every common interest or rental facility must be adequately lighted by natural or electric light at all times at one footcandle at floor level. Every public corridor and stairway in structures containing not more than two dwelling units must be supplied with conveniently located light switches controlling the adequate lighting system which may be turned on when needed, instead of full-time lighting.

(11)

Door locks. No person is allowed to occupy, or permit another person to occupy, any dwelling or dwelling unit unless all exterior/exit doors of the dwelling or dwelling unit are equipped with safe, functioning locking devices. Residential common interest and rental facilities with common entrances must be furnished with door locks as follows:

(a)

Every door that is designed to provide ingress or egress for a dwelling unit within a common interest or rental facility must be equipped with an approved lock that has a dead locking bolt or sliding bolt lock. Such door must be openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort.

[Amended 2-20-2024 by Ord. No. 805]

(b)

All multiunit rental structures with a central entrance lobby shall have a Fire District or Fire Agency lock box installed as one of the requirements for issuing a rental license.

[Amended 2-15-2022 by Ord. No. 768]

(12)

Kitchen. Every dwelling unit must have a room, or portion of a room, in which food may be prepared or cooked, which has an adequate circulation area, and is equipped with the following:

(a)

A kitchen sink in good working condition and properly connected to an approved water supply system, which provides at all times an adequate amount of heated and unheated running water under pressure, and which is connected to an approved sewer system.

(b)

Cabinets or shelves for the storage of eating, drinking, and cooking equipment and utensils, and for food that does not require refrigeration for safe keeping, and a counter or table for food preparation. Such cabinets or shelves and counter or table must be adequate for the permissible occupancy of the dwelling unit, and of sound construction furnished with surfaces that are easily cleanable and that will not impart any toxic or deleterious effect to food.

(c)

A stove or similar device for cooking food and a refrigerator for the safe storage of food at or below 40° F., which are properly installed with all necessary connections for safe, sanitary, and efficient operation.

(13)

Toilet facilities. Within every dwelling unit there must be a nonhabitable room equipped with a flush water closet in good working condition.

(14)

Lavatory sink. Within every dwelling unit there must be a lavatory sink. Such lavatory sink may be in the same room as the flush water closet or, if located in another room, the lavatory sink must be located in close proximity to the door leading directly into the room in which the flush water closet is located.

(15)

Bathtub or shower. Within every dwelling unit there must be a nonhabitable room equipped with a bathtub or shower in good working condition having an entrance door which affords privacy, unless the facilities are accessed only through a bedroom which does have such an entrance door.

(16)

Bedrooms. All areas used for sleeping must be habitable rooms, and provided with an emergency escape/rescue window meeting the Minnesota State Fire Code.

(17)

Stairways, porches, and balconies. Every stairway, inside or outside of a dwelling, and every porch, balcony, and deck must be kept in safe and structurally sound condition. Stairs, guardrails, and handrails must conform and comply with the edition of the to the Minnesota State Building Code in effect as of the date of construction or improvements thereto. Every porch, balcony, and deck 30 inches or more above grade must have a guardrail that conforms to the edition of the Minnesota State Building Code in effect as of the date of construction or improvements thereto. Except in a single occupancy residential facility, stairways having two or more risers must be provided with handrails on both sides.

(18)

Access. Access to or egress from each dwelling unit may not pass through any other dwelling unit.

(19)

Exterior lighting. Exterior parking areas and walkways must be illuminated a minimum of one footcandle at grade level. This provision does not apply to areas accessory to single-family and two-family dwellings.

(20)

Yards. Every yard on improved property must provide lawn or combined ground cover of vegetation, garden, hedges, shrubbery, and related ground cover meeting Section 15 of the Zoning Code.

(21)

Discontinuance of service or facilities. No owner, association, operator, or occupant may allow any service, facility, equipment, or utility required under this Code to be removed from or shut off from or discontinued for any occupied building or portion thereof, except for such temporary interruptions as may be necessary while actual repairs or alterations are in process, or during temporary emergencies, or in accordance with state and local laws and ordinances.

(22)

Site plans and building permits. All buildings, structures, and premises subject to the provisions of this section must comply with the provisions and conditions of any approved site plan and building permit.