Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Tonka Bay, Minnesota

Tonka Bay’s own rules

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • The official Chapter X index lists R-1A, R-1B, R-2A, R-2B, R-3, C-1, C-2, and P district sections.

  “SECTION 1017 R-1A SECTION 1018 R-1B SECTION 1019 R-2A SECTION 1020 R-2B SECTION 1021 R-3 SECTION 1023 C-1 SECTION 1024 C-2 SECTION 1025 P DISTRICT”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of a travel trailer or motor home as living quarters inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • The prohibition applies at any time, whether temporarily or permanently.

  “No garage, tent, accessory building, travel trailer or motor home shall at any time be used as living quarters, temporarily or permanently.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tents inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • Tents may be used for play or recreational purposes.
  • A tent may not be used as living quarters at any time, temporarily or permanently.

  “No garage, tent, accessory building, travel trailer or motor home shall at any time be used as living quarters, temporarily or permanently. Tents, play houses or similar structures may be used for play or recreational purposes.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and platting of land within Tonka Bay city limits.

  • A plat must be prepared, approved, and acknowledged as prescribed by the ordinance before recording or validity.
  • The City Council must approve a plat before it may be recorded or valid.

  “Before any plat shall be recorded or be of any validity, it shall be approved by the City Council of Tonka Bay as having fulfilled the requirements of this Ordinance. No plat of any subdivision shall be entitled to be recorded in the Hennepin County Recorder’s Office or have any validity until the plat thereof has been prepared, approved, and acknowledged in the manner prescribed by this Ordinance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Direct access from homes on through lots or corner lots in residential zones inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • The restriction applies only to an arterial street designated by the Comprehensive Plan.
  • It applies to homes on through lots or corner lots in residential zones.

  “In addition, no home on a through lot or corner lot in any residential zone shall maintain direct access to any arterial street designated as such by the Comprehensive Plan.”

• Permit processPartial

  Subdivision plat approval inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • This evidence concerns subdivision plats, not every municipal permit type.

  “Before any plat shall be recorded or be of any validity, it shall be approved by the City Council of Tonka Bay as having fulfilled the requirements of this Ordinance. No plat of any subdivision shall be entitled to be recorded in the Hennepin County Recorder’s Office or have any validity until the plat thereof has been prepared, approved, and acknowledged in the manner prescribed by this Ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside Tonka Bay

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1A Single Family Residential District inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • Subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications set forth in the ordinance.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 75 feet

  “The following minimum requirements shall be observed in the R-1A District subject to additional requirements, exceptions and modifications set forth in this Ordinance: Subd. 1. Lot Area. Not less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. Subd. 2. Lot Width. Not less than seventy-five (75) feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal structures in Tonka Bay R-1A Single Family Residential District.

  • Corner lots have a 50-foot side yard on the side abutting a public right-of-way that is not a fire lane and an 8-foot side yard abutting a fire lane.

  front yard: >= 50 feet · interior side yard: >= 8 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet

  “Subd. 3. Principal Structure Setbacks. a. Front Yard. Not less than fifty (50) feet. b. Side Yards. 1. Interior Lots. Not less than eight (8) feet. 2. Corner Lots. Not less than eight (8) feet on the interior side yard, nor less than fifty (50) feet on the side yard abutting a public right-of-way not a fire lane and not less than eight (8) feet on the side yard abutting a fire lane. c. Rear Yard. Not less than twenty-five (25) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1A Single Family Residential District inside Tonka Bay city limits.

  • The cited district control specifies maximum floor-area ratio and rear-yard accessory-building coverage.

  maximum floor area ratio: <= 0.3 · accessory building rear-yard coverage: <= 25 percent

  “Subd. 1. Floor Area Ratio. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) shall be 0.30. Subd. 2. Accessory Building Coverage. No accessory building shall occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of a rear yard.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal and accessory buildings in Tonka Bay R-1A Single Family Residential District.

  principal building maximum height: <= 30 feet (2-1/2 stories maximum) · accessory building maximum height: <= 15 feet

  “Subd. 3. Principal Building Heights. Principal buildings shall be limited to a maximum height of two and one-half (2-1/2) stories or thirty (30) feet. Subd. 4. Accessory Building Height. Accessory buildings shall be limited to a maximum height of fifteen (15) feet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Tonka Bay city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Tonka Bay city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Tonka Bay city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of construction inside Tonka Bay city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Tonka Bay R-1A Single Family Residential District.

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.