Dakota County does not set residential livestock limits; keeping horses, goats, cattle or other farm animals is governed by your city's zoning, which generally restricts livestock to agriculturally zoned or large lots. Feedlots also follow state MPCA and Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture rules.
Livestock keeping is a land-use matter regulated by each city under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462 (and by townships/the county only for truly rural, unincorporated land under Ch. 394). In suburban Dakota County most cities confine cattle, horses, goats, sheep and swine to agricultural zoning districts or to minimum-acreage residential lots, with density and setback standards specific to each city. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture maintains guidance on how local livestock ordinances interact with state law, and larger operations must also comply with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency feedlot rules (Minn. R. Ch. 7020). For a specific address, the controlling standards come from that city's zoning code, not from a general county ordinance.
Enforced by the city as a zoning violation (fines, abatement, removal of animals); feedlot violations are enforced by MPCA/state agencies.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting is allowed and encouraged in Dakota County. State law bans putting yard waste in the trash, and the county runs free organics (food-scrap...
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Dakota County has no artificial-turf ordinance. Whether synthetic lawn is allowed, and any coverage or drainage limits, is decided by your city's zoning and ...
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Minnesota law requires every city to allow managed natural landscapes of native or nonnative grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs, even over eight inches tall. D...
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Rain barrels and rain gardens are legal in Dakota County and encouraged for stormwater and groundwater protection. There is no county permit for residential ...
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Dakota County does not set watering restrictions. Your city or water utility does, typically odd/even address-day sprinkling and no midday watering during su...
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Minnesota's Noxious Weed Law requires all landowners to control noxious weeds. The mayor of each city and town supervisors serve as local weed inspectors; Da...
See how Dakota County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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