Washington County, MN Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

2, 'Accessory Structures,' requires a building permit for any accessory structure and a Certificate of Compliance for agricultural buildings in the Shoreland Management and St. Croix River Management Overlay Districts. 2(D)(1), all domestic farm animal structures, feedlots and manure storage sites must be set back 100 feet from any property line, 50 feet from an existing well or residential structure on the same parcel, and 200 feet from a well, residential structure, or seasonal or year-round surface water on or near an adjacent parcel. 2(D)(2) bars placing the structure, feedlot or manure storage on slopes exceeding 13 percent.

2(D)(3) prohibits siting within 100 feet of ground where seasonally high groundwater or mottled soil sits closer than four feet to the surface, based on six-foot soil borings. 2(D)(4) bars placement in marshes or wetlands identified by predominant vegetation or soils. 2(3)(B) caps overall accessory structure size by lot area (720 to 2,500 square feet on parcels under 20 acres, unlimited on larger parcels if agricultural) inside the overlay districts. These standards apply only in the unincorporated county and townships; Woodbury, Stillwater, Oakdale, Cottage Grove and Forest Lake regulate farm animals under their own city codes.