Resources

Handbook for Minnesota Cities Chapter 15: Environmental Regulations

Handbook Chapter

Find out about the most significant environmental regulations to help protect and improve your city’s natural resources.

Published Dec 21, 2023.

Handbook for Minnesota Cities Chapter 13: Comprehensive Planning, Land Use and City Owned Land

Handbook Chapter

Learn about land use ordinances to establish zoning and subdivision regulations, and basics of city land acquisition.

Published Dec 20, 2023.

Handbook for Minnesota Cities Chapter 2: Change of Boundaries, Status, and Name

Handbook Chapter

Learn the procedures for incorporating, consolidating, and dissolving cities and the related procedures of concurrent annexation and detachment.

Published Jul 25, 2023.

Subdivision Guide for Cities

Information Memo

Learn the framework of municipal subdivision regulation, a basic building block in city land use and development plans.

Published Nov 2, 2021.

Planning and Zoning 101

Information Memo

Learn the basics of why and how cities engage in land use planning and regulation.

Published Jun 24, 2021.

Zoning Decisions

Information Memo

Learn the nature of a city’s decision-making authority and the legal standards associated with variances, conditional use permits, and nonconformities.

Published Jun 24, 2021.

Land Use Ordinance Updates

Keep your land use ordinances up to date in key areas to avoid land use problems and claims.

Published Jun 15, 2021.

Taking the Mystery out of Findings of Fact

Explore how to create a written explanation of a land use decision to make defensible decisions.

Published Jun 14, 2021.

Sign Ordinances and the First Amendment

Design a sign ordinance for your city that meets First Amendment requirements for protecting various forms of speech.

Published Jun 14, 2021.

Land Use Variances

Learn about variances as a way cities may allow an exception to part of their zoning ordinance.

Published May 21, 2021.