Blaine, MN Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Blaine, MN, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit type
- Administrative permit, no hearing required
- Size cap, R-1/R-1A/R-1AA/R-1B/DF
- 50% of home or 960 sq ft
- Size cap, RE/FR
- 50% of home or 1,200 sq ft
- Occupancy limit
- Two adults plus their children
- Parking requirement
- 3 off-street spaces, home plus ADU
- Citation
- Blaine City Code § 129-23(a)
Summary
In the City of Blaine, an attached accessory dwelling unit is a permitted use in the R-1, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1B, RE, FR and DF districts with an administrative permit, capped at 50 percent of the home's finished square footage or 960 square feet, 1,200 in RE and FR, under Sec. 129-23(a).
(a)Generally. ... Attached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are allowed as permitted use in the R-1, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1B, RE, FR and DF districts when accessory to a single family home with an administrative permit and must comply with the following standards:(1)Must meet living space setbacks.(2)No more than one door may be located on the front façade of the home unless designed in a manner to minimize the visibility from the street of the second door, subject to zoning administrator approval. ... (4)Maximum size of 50 percent of the finished square footage of the primary residence or 960 square feet, whichever is less in the R-1, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1B, and DF districts. Maximum size of 50 percent of the finished square footage of the primary residence or 1200 square feet, whichever is less in the RE and FR districts.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 129-23(a) of Blaine's zoning code allows one attached accessory dwelling unit as a permitted use on a single-family lot in the R-1, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1B, RE, FR, and DF districts, approved through an administrative permit rather than a public hearing. The ADU has to meet the district's living space setbacks and sit on a permanent foundation, and it is capped in size: 50 percent of the primary home's finished square footage or 960 square feet, whichever is less, in the R-1, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1B, and DF districts, rising to 1,200 square feet in the more spacious RE and FR districts.
Design has to match the house: the ADU must meet the district's architectural standards and be consistent in color and material with the primary home, and no more than one entry door can face the front façade unless the second door is designed to be inconspicuous from the street, subject to the zoning administrator's sign-off. Occupancy is capped at two adults, plus their children, at no more than one person per 150 square feet, and the unit cannot have more than two bedrooms. The property needs at least three off-street parking spaces shared between the home and the ADU, and a parking spot on the driveway apron in front of a garage does not count toward that total. Only one ADU is allowed per property, and utilities cannot be separately metered from the primary home.
Violations & Fines
Building or occupying an ADU that exceeds the size cap, adds a prohibited extra bedroom, or skips the administrative permit is a zoning violation the city enforces through the general penalty in Sec. 1-7: a fine of up to $1,000.00, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, plus prosecution costs, with a continuing violation counted as a separate offense each day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can an accessory dwelling unit be in Blaine?
Do I need a public hearing to build an ADU in Blaine?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blaine
How Blaine compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Blaine to another location·View the Minnesota accessory structures overview
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