Sartell, Minn., City Code title 4 ch. 8 (2026) § 4-8-1
Purpose and Intent
Operative Text
4-8-1: PURPOSE AND INTENT
A. Purpose: The purpose of this Ordinance is to protect, preserve, and promote the public health,
safety and general welfare of the residents of the City living in a rental property for the payment of
a rental charge. These general objectives include, among others, the following:
1. Maintain a quality character and stability of rental property within the City.
2. Correct and prevent rental housing conditions that adversely affect or are likely to adversely
affect the life, safety, general welfare and health, including the physical, mental, and social
well-being, of occupants of rental property within the City.
3. Provide minimum standards for cooking, heating and sanitary equipment necessary to the
health and safety of occupants of rental property.
4. Provide minimum standards for light and ventilation necessary to the health and safety of
occupants of rental property.
5. Provide minimum space standards to prevent overcrowding.
6. Provide minimum standards for the maintenance of rental property to prevent blight and
slums.
7. Preserve the value of land and buildings throughout the City.
B. Intent: The intent of this Ordinance is to establish and continue a rental property licensing,
inspection and maintenance program that corrects substandard conditions, maintains a standard
for rental units, provides a means for imposing license fees to help the City defray the costs
necessary for housing inspections and enforcement of this Ordinance, and provides for the quiet
enjoyment of the normal activities of life for occupants of rental properties and for the
neighborhoods in which such rental properties are located.
C. Savings Clause: With respect to rental disputes, and except as otherwise specifically provided by
the terms of this Ordinance, it is not the intention of the City to intrude upon the fair and accepted
contractual relationship between tenant and landlord. The City does not intend to intervene as an
advocate of either party, or to act as an arbiter, or to be receptive to complaints from a tenant or
landlord which are not specifically and clearly relevant to the provisions of this Ordinance. In the
absence of such relevancy with regard to rental disputes, it is intended that the contracting parties
exercise such legal rights as are available to them without the intervention of the City. Neither in
enacting this Ordinance is it the intention of the City to interfere or permit interference with legal
rights to personal privacy.Sartell, MN Code Title 4 Ch. 8 §§ 4-8-1–4-8-12 establishes a rental property licensing, inspection, and maintenance program aimed at protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of people living in rental housing within the city. The ordinance sets minimum standards for things like cooking facilities, heating, sanitation, light, ventilation, and space to prevent overcrowding and blight. Importantly, the city's role is limited to enforcing these specific housing standards — it does not position itself as an advocate, arbitrator, or mediator in general landlord-tenant disputes that fall outside the ordinance's scope.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Sartell, MN Code Title 4 Ch. 8 §§ 4-8-1–4-8-12, compliant rental property operators generally maintain their units in accordance with the city's minimum standards for sanitation, heating, cooking equipment, light, ventilation, and space. Operators typically obtain and keep current the required rental property license, which helps fund the city's inspection and enforcement program. Because the ordinance's savings clause limits the city's involvement to matters specifically covered by the code, landlords generally handle contractual or civil disputes with tenants through other available legal channels.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Sartell, MN Code Title 4 Ch. 8 §§ 4-8-1–4-8-12 is designed to ensure that rental units meet baseline standards for health and safety, including adequate heating, sanitation, light, ventilation, and space. Tenants living in conditions that may fall short of these standards can look to the city's rental licensing and inspection program as one avenue for addressing physical housing deficiencies. However, the ordinance's savings clause makes clear that the city does not intervene in general rental disputes outside its specific provisions, so tenants with broader concerns may wish to explore other legal rights or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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