Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Medina, Minnesota

Medina’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Persons intending to erect, alter, or move a building or structure inside Medina city limits, including agricultural buildings or structures.

  • The rule is stated as being for enforcement of the zoning ordinance.

  “a building permit shall be required of all persons intending to erect, alter, or move any building or structure, including agricultural buildings or structures.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Medina city limits.

  • The Planning & Zoning Department implements the City's Zoning Ordinance.

  “The City of Medina Planning & Zoning Department is responsible for implementing the City's Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Subdivision Ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Medina city limits.

  • The official City Code Book publishes a zoning-district chapter and district-provisions chapter.

  “820 Subdivision Regulations 825 Zoning – Administration 826 Zoning – District Provisions 827 Zoning – Zoning Districts 828 Zoning – Performance Standards & Enforcement”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Accessory dwelling units inside Medina city limits.

  • This is an ADU minimum, not a verified minimum for principal single-family dwellings.

  minimum habitable space: >= 300 square feet (Accessory dwelling unit)

  “The accessory dwelling unit shall contain a minimum of 300 square feet of habitable space;”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Medina city limits.

  • No more than one ADU may be on a property.
  • An ADU is barred where there is a lodging room or second residential dwelling.
  • In SR, UR, R1, and R2 districts, it must be attached to the principal single-family structure.
  • The lot must have an existing single-family dwelling.
  • The unit is subject to size, bedroom, parking, ownership, occupancy, design, setback, utility-service, and potentially additional City Council conditions.

  minimum habitable space: >= 300 square feet · maximum bedrooms: <= 2

  “No more than one accessory dwelling unit shall be located on a property.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site septic-system construction in Medina's floodplain district.

  • The Zoning Administrator administers and enforces the ordinance.
  • The permit exemption stated in this provision concerns farm fences only.

  “The Zoning Administrator is hereby designated by the City Council to administer and enforce this ordinance.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and plats inside Medina city limits.

  • The Planning Department processes subdivision and plat requests under the City's Subdivision Ordinance.

  “The Planning Department processes requests for building permits, subdivisions, plats, variances, conditional use permits, and site plans.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Residential building permits inside Medina city limits.

  • Permits without review usually have a set fee.
  • Permits requiring plan review have a valuation-based fee communicated through the permit portal.
  • Online credit-card payments carry a service fee.

  “Other residential and commercial permits that require plan review, the permit fee will be based upon valuation and communicated via the permit portal.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applicants inside Medina city limits.

  • A completed form and City Council-established fee are submitted to the Zoning Administrator.
  • Issuance is conditioned on conformity with the zoning ordinance and other City codes and regulations.

  “Completed building permit forms and a fee as may be established by resolution of the City Council shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator.”

Rules another office applies inside Medina

Medina does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New, altered, or nonconforming uses in Medina's floodplain district.

  • A certificate of zoning compliance must be issued by the Zoning Administrator before a building, land, or structure may be occupied or used.

  “No building, land or structure may be occupied or used in any manner until a certificate of zoning compliance has been issued by the Zoning Administrator”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in Medina's RR-UR Rural Residential-Urban Reserve district.

  • Road right-of-way is excluded.
  • The site may reach 30 percent with LID features and/or BMPs so that no net runoff increase occurs, as determined by the City Engineer.

  hard surface coverage: <= 20 percent of lot area (excluding road right-of-way)

  “Hard surface coverage may not exceed 20 percent of the lot area, excluding road right-of-way.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Placement of recreational vehicles in any Medina floodplain district.

  • This claim does not resolve RV occupancy outside floodplain districts.

  “Placement of recreational vehicles is prohibited in any floodplain district.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Construction of an on-site septic system in Medina's floodplain district.

  • A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator before construction.
  • A farm fence does not require a permit under this provision.

  “The construction of a dam, fence, or on-site septic system, although a permit is not required for a farm fence as defined in this ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development activities in Medina's floodplain district.

  • The listed activities require a permit from the Zoning Administrator before they are conducted.
  • Normal maintenance and repair requires a permit only when it constitutes a substantial improvement.
  • A public-waters work permit application is an exception for relocation or alteration of a watercourse.

  “A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator prior to conducting the following activities:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Medina or Hennepin County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Medina city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building work inside Medina city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Medina city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Principal residential lots inside Medina city limits.
• Setbacks — Principal residential structures inside Medina city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.