City Code & Zoning
City of St. Louis Park City Code
The City Code is a codification of the ordinances of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, pursuant to authority granted the City Council by Minnesota Statutes and the Charter for the City of St. Louis Park. The ordinances of the City were first adopted in 1920 and re-codified in 1958, 1976, and 2001.
The Code of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is published online as a convenience to citizens and the business community. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material published online, the official edition of the City Code is maintained by the City Clerk. Note that the City Council may have made amendments, additions or deletions to the City Code subsequent to the latest online version of the Code.
Zoning related information, including the Zoning Code, Chapter 36, is listed below the City Code sections. For zoning related inquiries, please call Community Development, (952) 924-2575. Building related questions can be directed to our Inspections Department, (952) 924-2588.
City Code online last updated on: July 8, 2009
Search City Code 
in a searchable PDF format
City Code Sections
| City Code Section Links |
print article
Zoning Code Chapter 36
The Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 36 of City Code, establishes regulations and minimum requirements controlling the location, construction, alteration and use of structures and land within the city.
The ordinance creates use districts, which regulates what activities are permitted in different parts of the city. For example, the city Council may determine that a heavy industrial zone is not appropriate in a certain location because of its proximity to sensitive environmental features or residential districts. Zoning also creates minimum and maximum standards for yard area (setbacks), architectural materials, height, and parking. The purpose of the ordinance is the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the community.
Associated with the Zoning Ordinance is the official zoning map. This map shows the different districts and their boundaries. St. Louis Park has eleven different zoning districts. The zoning district associated with a property can be found on the map; the standards for each district are located in the Zoning Ordinance.
The zoning district of a property may be modified by the City Council; often, zoning districts change when redevelopment occurs. When considering modifications to the Official Zoning Map, the City Council considers the request of the applicant, the recommendations of City Staff and the Planning Commission, and the guidance found in the Comprehensive Plan.
To view the Zoning Ordinance:
View the Zoning Ordinance
Interactive Zoning Map
View the Official Zoning Map
To apply for an amendment to the Official Zoning Map, please use this application.
| Zoning Codes | |||
Chapter 36 Table of Contents  |
|||
| Article I--In General Purpose, rules, definitions |
|||
| Article II--Administrative and Enforcement Registration of land use, application process, public hearings |
|||
| Article III--General Provisions |
|||
|
Article IV Zoning Districts |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||
| Article V--Special Provisions Parking, Sign Regulations, Lighting, Landscaping, CUP & PUD process |
|||
| Article VI--Nonconformities |
***For Zoning information specific to your property, please contact the Community Development Department at (952) 924-2575.
print article
Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
A conditional use is a land use activity that cannot be classified as a permitted use in a particular zoning district because of unique characteristics that require extensive review. Each zoning district has uses that are classified as conditional. For example, gas stations and drive-through windows are classified as conditional uses in the C-2 "General Commercial" zoning district. The City Council classifies uses as conditional if the use might result in negative impacts for surrounding property owners. The CUP process allows the use to occur, but ensures that appropriate measures are taken to avoid potential negative impacts.
The CUP application procedure begins when a property owner applies to conduct a use which is classified as conditional in a particular zoning district. The applicant first works with City Staff to ensure that the complete application is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and meets all the conditions for the use listed in the Zoning Code. Next, the applicant will go before the Planning Commission; at that meeting, a public hearing is held regarding the proposed use. Finally, CUPs are approved by the City Council after the Council has an opportunity to consider the impacts of the use upon surrounding properties, the city as a whole, and the advice of the Planning Commission. The CUP process can be as short as two months from the date of application to approval by the City Council.
print article
Informational Handouts
- Setbacks handout
- Detached Residential Garage Handout
- Landscaping Guidelines
- St. Louis Park Tree List
- For more handouts and permit information click here
print article
Posting Signs
Open house, for sale, for rent and other temporary signs cannot be posted on public property trees or public right-of-way, including
- Curbside areas of lawns
- Utility poles
- Traffic signs.
Signs placed on public property will be removed.
City ordinance also regulates the size and placement of permanent signs.
For more information, contact Zoning Administrator Gary Morrison at
- (952) 924-2592
- gmorrison@stlouispark.org
print article
Property Lot lines
Before you build any structure or install landscaping, you must verify the location of your property lines. Here are several ways to determine your lot lines
- Locate your lot's corner irons. Often, you can use a metal detector to find your property's corner irons. Usually, these are 18 inch metal pipes that were buried in each of the four corners of your yard when the parcel of land was subdivided. The invisible line connecting the four property irons forms your property line.
- Come to City Hall to see if there is a lot survey on your property on file. (City Hall is located at 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard; come to the second floor service counter.)
- Hire a registered land surveyor. Land surveyors are listed in the yellow pages under the "Surveyors - Land"
And, don't forget, the first five feet of land from the curb into your property is not private property. This strip is public right-of-way and is reserved for public uses such as sidewalks, boulevard trees and storing plowed snow. Adjacent property owners may not install fences or make any permanent changes to boulevards. Landscaping on public property would have to be removed if it infringes on a public use (i.e., a new sidewalk will be installed).
Property owners are, however, responsible for shoveling adjacent public sidewalks and mowing the strip of grass along the boulevard.
For more information about boulevards, call (952) 924-2555. For more information about lot lines, call (952) 924-2575.
print article
Roomers and Boarders
In residential zoning districts, the resident family may take in up to two boarders if the roomers live in the common household with the family and use common cooking and kitchen facilities.
Residents living in mixed-use zoning districts may not take in roomers or boarders. For more information, call (952) 924-2592.
