Regulations
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 30, 2008
City Code Sections
| City Code Section Links | |||
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Changing Tenants Or Building Use
If you intend to change the use of a commercial or industrial property, you must notify the City of St. Louis Park to ensure that the new use complies with City zoning regulations. This requirement applies whether the usage change applies to one tenant (i.e., office space to physician's practice) or the entire building (i.e. retail to restaurant).
Step One -
Building owner or tenant completes a Certificate of Occupancy/Registration of Land Use form.
Step Two -
City staff review the proposed building use change and determine whether any further requirements must be met.
Step Three -
If the proposed use does not change the State Building Code occupancy classification and complies with the City zoning ordinance, a Registration of Land Use is issued.
No fee is charged.
OR
If the proposed use changes the building's State Building Code occupancy classification, a Certificate of Occupancy is required.
| Area (Square Feet) | Cost | ||
| Up to 25,000 sq. ft. | $250 | ||
| 25,001 - 75,000 sq. ft. | $350 | ||
| 75,001 - 150,000 sq. ft. | $500 | ||
| 150,001 sq. ft. & above | $750 |
- If no remodeling is planned to accommodate the new use, City staff will inspect the property for compliance with current State building code requirements for the proposed use. If corrections are needed, plans and permits may be required. Once work is completed and the building is in compliance, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
- If remodeling is planned to accommodate the new use, a building permit will also be required. (Only a building permit fee is charged; there is no additional charge for the Certificate of Occupancy.) City staff will review architectural drawings to ensure plans conform to City and State codes. As construction is completed, inspectors will verify that work complies with applicable codes. Once all remodeling is completed and has passed inspection, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
For more information, call the Inspections Department at (952) 924-2588
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Commercial Vehicle Parking
St. Louis Park city ordinance restricts where some commercial vehicles can be parked in residential areas.
- Oversize commercial vehicles cannot be parked in garages, yards, driveways or streets in residential neighborhoods. These vehicles must be parked at another location. An oversize vehicle is more than 8 ft. high, 22 ft. long, or 6,500 lbs. (empty weight).
- Mid-size commercial vehicles cannot be parked on residential streets or the portion of the driveway in front of the house line. They can be parked in the back yard or on the portion of the driveway alongside a house. A mid-size commercial vehicle is up to 8 ft. high, 22 ft. long or 6,500 lbs. (empty weight).
- Cars, minivans or small pickups with a logo or company name on them may be parked on driveways and residential streets.
Commercial vehicles temporarily at a house for construction, remodeling, or contract work are exempt from the ordinance while the work is underway.
For more information, call the zoning office at (952) 924-2592.
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Home Businesses
To retain the residential character of our neighborhoods, home businesses
- must be clearly incidental and subordinate to the home's residential use
- cannot alter the exterior of the property
- cannot be visible from the public right-of-way (street)
- cannot affect the residential character of the neighborhood.
In addition, home businesses must comply with these conditions
- All material and equipment must be stored in an enclosed structure.
- Only individuals who legally live in the home may be employed by the home business. (Exception: a licensed family day care may have one outside employee.)
- Only equipment and materials which are normally found in a home may be used to operate the business.
- No light or vibration can be discernable at the property line.
- No more than one wall sign can identify the home occupation. (This sign cannot be illuminated and may only be two sq. ft. or less.)
- Only one room or no more than 10 percent of the floor area (whichever is greater) can be used for the home business.
- The business cannot be operated in any attached or detached accessory building (i.e. garage, shed, etc.).
These businesses cannot be operated as a home occupation -
- Auto body or vehicle painting
- Motor vehicle sales and repair
- Retail sales
- Massage
- Medical and dental services
- Animal sale or handling (boarding, treatment or care for a fee)
- Beauty or barbershops
- Warehouse storage
- Manufacturing or processing.
For more information, contact Zoning Administrator Gary Morrison at
- (952) 924-2592
- gmorrison@stlouispark.org
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Renting Out Single-Family Homes or Duplexes
Owners who wish to rent out a single family home or duplex, must apply for an annual business license by January 1. This requirement also applies to owners who don't live in the home and who are allowing someone (even a relative) to live in the home or duplex without paying rent. The license fee is
- $80 per home
- $80 when only one side of a duplex is rented out and the owner lives on the other side
- $130 when both sides of a duplex are rented out.
This City ordinance enables a city staff member to inspect rental property once every two years to ensure it is being maintained to the minimum housing maintenance code requirements that apply to other homes as well as apartment buildings and businesses. Owners would need to correct any code violations, just as apartment owners and homeowners now do.
This requirement does not apply to- Rented condominiums and townhouses that are already regulated by their association's rules.
- Instances where the property owner lives in the home and rents out only a single room
- Instances where the property owner rents out the home for six or fewer months per year while the owner is out of town.
For more information, contact Ann Boettcher, Inspections Department, at (952) 924-2504 or aboettcher@stlouispark.org. For a form to print out and fax in, click here 
.
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Selling Commercial or Industrial Property
To help maintain the quality of all St. Louis Park properties, buildings must be inspected before they can be sold or ownership is transferred. To ensure you're ready for the closing, apply for your Property Maintenance Code inspection before or shortly after placing the property up for sale. A Property Maintenance Certificate must be presented to the buyer at the closing.
Step One -
Seller or seller's agent applies for an inspection and pays the inspection fee.
| Area (Square Feet) | Cost | ||
| Up to 25,000 sq. ft. | $250 | ||
| 25,001 - 75,000 sq. ft. | $400 | ||
| 75,001 - 150,000 sq. ft. | $600 | ||
| 150,001 sq. ft. & above | $800 |
Step Two -
A City inspector checks the building(s) and property to ensure it conforms with the Property Maintenance Code.
Step Three -
The inspector finds that the building and property comply with the code. A Property Maintenance Certificate is issued. The certificate is valid to transfer title for one year.
OR
Code violations are found and a corrections report is issued. Corrections are made and the property is re-inspected. Once the building complies with the code, a Property Maintenance Certificate is issued. The certificate is valid to transfer title for one year.
For more information, call the Inspections Department at (952)924-2588