Garrison, ND — Government & Regulations

Garrison is a city of 1,462 residents in McLean County, North Dakota, operating under a council-manager form of government governed by North Dakota Century Code Title 40. This page documents the city's government structure, municipal code, licensing requirements, building and zoning rules, public safety framework, and housing context — drawing on state statutes, Census data, and FEMA disaster records. This page follows the same standard structure used for every town in the United States on Authority Network America.

Overview

Garrison sits on the south shore of Lake Sakakawea in McLean County, a county of 9,771 residents that serves as the primary layer of county-level governance above the city. The city functions as a regional service hub for the surrounding agricultural and lake-recreation economy, with a municipal government responsible for utilities, zoning, ordinances, and local public safety.

The governance framework described here is grounded in North Dakota state law. Where Garrison has adopted local ordinances, those rules supplement — and cannot contradict — the statutes set by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and enforced by state agencies. Residents and businesses operating in Garrison are subject to both layers simultaneously.

Government Structure

Governing authority: N.D.C.C. Title 40, which establishes the legal framework for all North Dakota municipalities.

Garrison operates under the modern council form of government as authorized by N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 4.1. Under this structure, an elected city council holds legislative authority — adopting ordinances, approving budgets, and setting policy — while day-to-day administration is delegated to appointed city staff. The council exercises its powers through ordinances governed by N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 11.

Key statutory powers and their chapter sources:

  1. General municipal powers — N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 5, authorizing the city to regulate land use, levy taxes, and operate utilities.
  2. Home rule authority — N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 5.1, permitting cities to adopt home rule charters that expand or modify default statutory structures.
  3. Municipal utilities — N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 33, governing water, sewer, and electric services operated by the city.
  4. Municipal budget law — N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 40, setting the annual budget process and fiscal controls.
  5. Economic development tools — N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapters 57, 57.1, 58, and 63, covering industrial development, tax exemptions for new businesses, urban renewal, and Renaissance Zones.

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly sets the outer boundaries of municipal authority. No city ordinance can override state statute.

Municipal Code

Garrison's municipal ordinances are published by Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/nd/garrison-city-north-dakota. The Municode library is the official repository for the city's codified law, covering zoning, utilities, business regulation, public conduct, and local administrative procedures.

The municipal code is the first place to check for:
- Zoning classifications and permitted land uses
- Local business licensing requirements
- Utility connection and service rules
- Local nuisance and property maintenance standards

If the city changes how or where it publishes its ordinances, this page will be updated to point to the current official source.

Scope note: The municipal code governs activity within Garrison's corporate limits. Unincorporated areas of McLean County fall under county zoning authority (N.D.C.C. Title 11, Chapter 33) rather than city ordinances. State statutes and federal regulations operate on top of both layers.

Licensing and Professional Requirements

Governing authority: N.D.C.C. Title 43, Occupations and Professions.

Professional licensing in North Dakota is a state-level function. There is no separate city-issued contractor or trades license in Garrison — state licensure through the applicable Title 43 chapter is the controlling credential.

Key licensing chapters relevant to construction and trades work in Garrison:

Trade / Profession N.D.C.C. Chapter
General Contractors Title 43, Chapter 7
Electricians Title 43, Chapter 9
Plumbers Title 43, Chapter 18
Water Conditioning Contractors Title 43, Chapter 18.1
Sewer and Water Installers Title 43, Chapter 18.2
Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors Title 43, Chapter 19.1
Home Inspectors Title 43, Chapter 54
Real Estate Professionals Title 43, Chapter 23

State licensing boards under the North Dakota Secretary of State and relevant professional boards administer these chapters. Workers performing regulated trades in Garrison without the appropriate state license are in violation of state law, not merely a local rule.

Building and Development

Governing authority: N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapters 47 and 48; Municode (Garrison city ordinances).

Garrison has no locally adopted building code as of the April 2026 municipal code verification. This means there is no separate city-level building inspection or permit process derived from a locally adopted construction standard. However, state-level requirements and utility rules still apply to all construction activity.

Zoning in Garrison is governed by N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 47, which authorizes cities to adopt zoning ordinances dividing the city into districts with defined permitted uses, setbacks, and density standards. The city's planning commission operates under N.D.C.C. Title 40, Chapter 48, which governs master plans and land use planning processes.

In practice, a contractor should treat state code and any county requirements as the controlling standards, and use the city's zoning and utility rules to check site-specific constraints.

For development outside the city limits but within McLean County, subdivision regulation falls under N.D.C.C. Title 11, Chapter 33.2, administered by the county. The McLean County government is the appropriate contact for unincorporated land use questions.

Public Safety

Governing authority: N.D.C.C. Title 18, Fire Prevention and Control.

The State Fire Marshal, operating under N.D.C.C. Title 18, Chapter 1, sets the baseline fire safety code for all of North Dakota. Chapter 18, Section 8 establishes general fire prevention provisions applicable statewide. Rural fire protection districts, authorized under Chapter 18, Section 10, may serve areas around Garrison that are outside city fire department coverage.

Local ordinances can add fire and safety requirements, but they cannot undercut the statewide fire code or State Fire Marshal authority. The North Dakota Department of Health also administers environmental and public health standards that interact with local emergency response.

Emergency management at the county level coordinates with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services for disaster preparedness and response, a framework that has been activated repeatedly in McLean County through federal disaster declarations.

Disaster Declarations

McLean County, which includes Garrison, has been included in 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966. The following are the FEMA major disaster declarations on record:

Declaration Type Date
DR-4888 Severe Storm, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds 2025-09-11
DR-4660 Severe Winter Storm and Flooding 2022-07-13
DR-4509 COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-04-01
DR-4128 Severe Storms and Flooding 2013-07-12
DR-1981 Flooding 2011-05-10
DR-1901 Severe Winter Storm 2010-04-21
DR-1829 Severe Storms and Flooding 2009-03-24
DR-1616 Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow 2005-11-21
DR-1376 Severe Storms, Flooding, Ground Saturation 2001-05-28
DR-1334 Severe Storms, Flooding, Ground Saturation 2000-06-27
DR-1279 Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow, Ice, Tornadoes 1999-06-08
DR-1174 Severe Flooding, Winter Storms, Snowmelt 1997-04-07
DR-1157 Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard Conditions 1997-01-12
DR-1118 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams 1996-06-05
DR-1050 Severe Storms, Flooding, Ground Saturation 1995-05-16
DR-1001 Severe Storms and Flooding 1993-07-26
DR-581 Severe Storms, Snowmelt, and Flooding 1979-04-26
DR-256 Flooding 1969-04-18
DR-220 Severe Storms and Flooding 1966-07-09

The frequency of flooding and severe winter storm declarations — 13 of the 19 declarations involve flooding or winter weather — reflects the operational risk environment that shapes Garrison's emergency preparedness obligations and informs responsible floodplain and stormwater management under city zoning rules.

Housing Snapshot

The following figures are drawn from the Census American Community Survey 2022 and provide context for understanding the scale of Garrison's permit, zoning, and housing policy environment.

Metric Value Source
Total housing units 727 ACS Table B25001
Occupied units 637 ACS Table B25003
Vacant units 90 ACS Table B25002
Owner-occupied 493 ACS Table B25003
Renter-occupied 144 ACS Table B25003
Ownership rate 77.4% Derived from ACS B25003
Median home value $178,900 ACS Table B25077
Median rent $705 ACS Table B25064
Median household income $70,813 ACS Table B19013

With 493 owner-occupied units out of 637 total occupied units, Garrison's 77.4% ownership rate is notably high relative to national averages. The 90 vacant units — 12.4% of the total stock — represent a meaningful share for a city of this size, a figure relevant to any analysis of housing supply or redevelopment priorities. The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency administers state-level housing programs that may apply to Garrison residents and property owners.

Government Contacts and Resources

The following are the primary official sources for Garrison government information:

If a link changes, this page will be updated to keep pointing at the current official source; Authority Network America never mirrors paywalled or unofficial copies.

For a broader orientation to how North Dakota government works across all levels, see key dimensions and scopes of North Dakota government and the North Dakota county government overview.

The following authorities provide additional context for residents, businesses, and professionals in this area:

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)

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