Crime and Justice

The Great Carport Uprising of 2015 underway in Burnsville

Bob CollinsBob Collins Jul 29, 2015
11

They’re coming for your carports, Burnsville!

The Star Tribune reports that residents of a mobile home park are fighting mad after being told their carports violate state and city laws and have to go.

Some of the residents are suing the city, saying it doesn’t have the right to inspect the goings-on in mobile home parks.

One woman got three violations from the city inspectors: a carport, a wheelbarrow (she used it for gardening) and trash cans in view of the public.

The residents, if they think their carports comply with state law, can file for a variance as long as they include the $750 fee and $1,000 for an escrow account. But many in the mobile home park say they’re on fixed incomes and can’t afford that kind of cash.

An attorney for the residents say they were never told exactly what in the state code makes their carports illegal.

For the record, here’s the state administrative rule on the subject:

1309.0309 SECTION R309, GARAGES AND CARPORTS.
Subpart 1. IRC section R309.1, Floor surface. Section R309.1 is amended to read as follows:
R309.1 Floor surface. Garage floor surfaces may be concrete, asphalt, sand, gravel, crushed rock, or natural earth.

Subp. 2. IRC section R309.2, Carports. Section R309.2 is amended to read as follows:
R309.2 Carports. Carports shall be open on at least two sides. Carport floor surfaces may be concrete, asphalt, sand, gravel, crushed rock, or natural earth. Carports not open on at least two sides shall be considered a garage and shall comply with the provisions of this section for garages.

§Subp. 3. IRC section R309.4, Automatic garage door opening systems. Section R309.4 is amended to read as follows:
R309.4 Automatic garage door opening systems. All automatic garage door opening systems that are installed, serviced, or repaired for garages serving residential buildings shall comply with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 325F.82 and 325F.83.

Subp. 4. IRC section R309.5, Fire sprinklers. Section R309.5 is amended to read as follows:
R309.5 Fire sprinklers. Attached garages of two-family dwellings and townhouses shall be protected by fire sprinklers and installed in compliance with section R313.3.