Bloomington is heavily impacted by MSP International Airport. The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) manages noise abatement. MN §473.192 requires acoustic construction standards in airport noise zones. Bloomington is party to a noise mitigation agreement with MAC alongside Minneapolis, Richfield, and Eagan.
Bloomington City Code §12.99 prohibits animal noise that can be heard outside the building or premises and occurs repeatedly over at least 14 minutes at an average of 12 or more noises per minute. Lifetime animal license ($25) required for all dogs.
Bloomington enforces quiet hours 10 PM–7 AM weekdays and 9 PM–9 AM weekends. Power equipment including lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, and snow blowers prohibited during quiet hours. City Code §10.30 prohibits any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise likely to disturb a reasonable person.
Bloomington prohibits many commercial vehicles on residential property including boom trucks, cargo trucks, dump trucks, semi-tractors, tow trucks, and mobile construction equipment. Vehicles over 7 ft 6 in tall face additional restrictions. Permitted vehicles may park only in garages, on approved paved driveways, or unpaved driveways not required to be paved.
RVs may not be parked on any public street for more than 12 hours in 24 hours without Police approval. RVs are never allowed on boulevard portions of rights-of-way. On residential property, outdoor RV storage requires hard-surfaced areas with setback compliance and visual screening.
Bloomington requires vehicles parked on improved surfaces. Front lawn parking prohibited. Driveway modifications require permits.
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 168B governs abandoned vehicle definitions, impoundment, notice requirements, and disposal statewide. Local units of government must follow the procedural framework for towing, lienholder notice, and auction of abandoned motor vehicles.
Minnesota's State Building Code and electrical statutes set baseline standards for EV charging installations. State law also limits HOA restrictions on EV charging, ensuring residents have a uniform statewide right to install charging equipment.
Bloomington enforces weed abatement under local and state law. MN Stat. §18.75 (Noxious Weed Law) enforced by county agricultural inspectors.
Boulevard trees are managed jointly by the city and property owners. Diseased trees (EAB, Dutch Elm, Oak Wilt) are removed under the city's Tree Disease Management program at no charge. City Code §18.04 authorizes orders to treat or remove diseased trees. §18.06 regulates tree planting. MN §561.04 imposes treble damages for unauthorized removal of others' trees.
Bloomington regulates swimming pool enclosures under City Code Sec. 14.443 (public/licensed pools, Chapter 14 Article V) and Sec. 15.108 (private residential pools), in addition to MN Rules Chapter 4717 (State Pool Code) and Minn. Stat. 144.1222 (Abigail Taylor Pool Safety Act). Private residential in-ground pools must be enclosed by a fence 4 to 6 feet high with no opening greater than 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates with the latch at minimum 4 feet high. Public pools require a 4-foot fence (existing) or 5-foot fence (new construction). The city also enforces the State Building Code's pool barrier provisions adopted under Minn. Stat. 326B.106 (which adopts IRC Appendix G/AG105).
Minnesota Rule 4717 regulates public spas and hot tubs identically to pools, requiring MDH licensure, water testing, and anti-entrapment drains. Residential spas follow ISPSC barrier and electrical rules under the State Building Code.
Minnesota State Building Code adopts ISPSC standards and requires construction permits for residential and public pools statewide. Local jurisdictions enforce the code but cannot adopt less restrictive standards under Minn. Stat. 326B.121.
Minnesota Department of Health rules under Minn. R. Chapter 4717 govern public pool operation including water quality, lifeguarding, and safety equipment. The rules apply uniformly to all licensed public pools statewide.
Short-term rentals are prohibited in Bloomington under City Code Section 14.577(b), so the city does not collect a short-term rental license fee or a host-paid lodging tax on STRs. Bloomington does levy a 3 percent transient lodging tax on hotels, motels, and similar lodging establishments under authority of Minnesota Statutes Section 469.190, but that tax presumes a lawfully operating commercial lodging establishment, not a prohibited transient rental of a dwelling unit.
Because Bloomington City Code Section 14.577(b) prohibits short-term rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days as transient lodging, there is no STR-specific noise standard. Any noise complaint at a property being used unlawfully as an STR is enforced under Bloomington's general noise ordinance in City Code Chapter 10 and the rental occupancy limits in Section 14.577, in addition to the underlying transient-lodging prohibition itself.
Bloomington has no short-term rental parking regulations because City Code Section 14.577(b) prohibits transient lodging of fewer than 30 consecutive days in any dwelling unit. Parking at a property used as an unlawful STR is governed by the standard residential parking rules in the Bloomington Zoning Code and the on-street and overnight parking provisions in Chapter 9 of the City Code, the same rules that apply to every other home in the city.
Short-term rentals are prohibited in Bloomington. City Code §14.577(b) bans all rentals of less than 30 consecutive days, classified as transient lodging under §14.568. No STR license is available. The City Council reaffirmed this ban in August 2024.
Most Hennepin County cities require short-term rental hosts to carry $1 million liability insurance specifically endorsed for short-term rental use. Standard homeowner policies typically exclude commercial rental activity, so a separate STR rider is needed.
Hennepin County cities cap STR occupancy at two persons per bedroom plus two additional, with hard maximums often set at 10-12 guests regardless of unit size. Minneapolis and Bloomington enforce strict per-night counts to prevent party-house conversions.
Minnesota does not preempt local breed-specific legislation. Some MN cities have breed bans. MN Stat. §347.50 covers dangerous dogs based on behavior.
Beekeeping is allowed in Bloomington. Hives less than 25 ft from property line require a 6-ft flyway barrier. Rooftop hives prohibited on residential structures. Hives may not be inside dwellings or garages. Number of hives limited by lot size. MDA apiary registration required (annual, free).
Bloomington requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. MN Stat. §347.50 covers dangerous dogs.
Bloomington City Code §12.120 prohibits keeping or selling wild animals as pets. No person may keep any wild animal on their property. Feeding wild animals (raccoons, deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, etc.) also prohibited under §12.122.
Hennepin County does not regulate backyard chickens or livestock countywide; rules are set by individual cities. Minneapolis allows up to 30 hens with a permit, while suburban cities like Bloomington and Edina have varying coop and setback requirements.
Hennepin County prohibits feeding deer and bears under Minnesota DNR rules and city ordinances. Several cities, including Minnetonka and Bloomington, restrict feeding of waterfowl and wildlife near lakes to reduce nuisance and disease risks.
Hennepin County Public Health and HCSO investigate animal hoarding under Minnesota cruelty statutes 343.21 and city pet-limit ordinances. Cases often involve seizure, criminal charges, and required mental-health evaluations for owners.
Bloomington allows attached and internal ADUs in single-family zones under City Code §21.302.03. ADUs must have independent cooking, sanitary, and sleeping facilities. The city is currently developing amendments that may expand detached ADU options. Owner-occupancy and rental licensing requirements apply.
Sheds and accessory buildings regulated under City Code §21.301.19. Buildings under 200 sq ft are exempt from building permits. Max height 12 ft for non-garage accessory buildings. Minimum 5-ft side yard setback. Total accessory building area limited to the ground floor living area of the house plus 120 sq ft.
Garage conversions to ADUs may be possible under Bloomington's evolving ADU ordinance (§21.302.03). Currently, attached/internal ADUs are allowed. All garages must accommodate a code-complying driveway even if one is not proposed at time of permit. Garage-related regulations are in §21.301.19.
Hennepin County has no county-level carport ordinance because all parcels lie within incorporated cities. Each city regulates carports under its zoning code. In Minneapolis, carports are accessory structures under Zoning Code Chapter 537 and follow the same setback, lot coverage, and height standards as detached garages. The Minnesota State Building Code (MN Rules Ch. 1309) requires a building permit for permanent carports.
Bloomington City Code §21.301.08 limits fences to 4 ft in front setbacks, 6 ft on side/rear lots, and up to 8 ft where residential abuts nonresidential use. No building permit required for fences 7 ft or under. Height measured including fence body plus max 6 inches above natural grade. Posts may extend 12 inches above fence body.
Minnesota has no shared fence cost statute. Each property owner responsible for their own fence. MN Stat. §561.02 prohibits spite fences.
Minnesota State Building Code adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with state amendments, setting uniform pool barrier rules statewide. Local governments cannot adopt weaker standards, ensuring consistent fencing, gate, and entrapment protections.
Minnesota law (MN §624.20-624.25) heavily restricts fireworks. Only non-explosive, non-aerial novelty items (sparklers under 100g, snakes, smoke devices) are legal for consumers. Aerial fireworks, firecrackers, Roman candles, and skyrockets are illegal. Must be 18+ to purchase. Legal items prohibited on public property.
Portable fire pits and recreational fires allowed in Bloomington under strict conditions: contained in pit no larger than 3 ft diameter x 2 ft height, 25 ft from combustibles, constantly attended, dry clean firewood only, extinguishing equipment required, and no use when winds exceed 10 mph.
Recreational fires and portable fire pits are permitted in Bloomington with conditions: fire pit max 3 ft diameter by 2 ft height, 25 ft setback from combustible structures, must be constantly attended, and prohibited when winds exceed 10 mph. Open burning otherwise prohibited except by permit.
Minnesota State Fire Code, adopted from the 2020 IFC, governs propane storage in Hennepin County. Residents may store cylinders up to 100 pounds outdoors with setbacks; larger tanks require fire marshal review and a city building permit.
Hennepin County does not require defensible-space clearance like western states, but Minnesota DNR Firewise programs and city nuisance codes require homeowners to remove dead trees and excess brush near structures, especially in wooded suburbs.
Minnesota DNR designates statewide and regional wildfire restriction zones during elevated fire danger, suspending all burning permits. Restrictions apply uniformly within designated zones regardless of city or county boundaries.
Minnesota Statutes section 28A.152 establishes the statewide cottage food exemption, allowing home producers to sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods directly to consumers after registering with the Department of Agriculture, preempting inconsistent local food rules.
Minnesota Statutes sections 245A.14 and 462.357 require cities to treat licensed family child care homes as a permitted residential use, preempting restrictive zoning. DHS licenses providers statewide under Chapter 245A and Rules 9502 and 9503.
Bloomington regulates floodplain development through City Code Sec. 21.208.01 (Flood Hazard (FH) Overlay District), adopted under the authority of Minn. Stat. Ch. 103F (Floodplain Management) and consistent with Minn. Rules Ch. 6120 and 44 CFR Parts 59-72. The FH Overlay is an overlay zoning district encompassing a Floodway and Flood Fringe based on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study for Hennepin County, with current FIRM panels effective November 4, 2016. The Minnesota River and its bluff form the principal flood source along Bloomington's southern boundary. A floodplain permit from the Planning Manager is required before any development, and the regulatory flood protection elevation (RFPE) is at least 2 feet above the regional flood elevation.
Hennepin County and its watershed districts require erosion and sediment control measures on grading projects to prevent runoff into lakes, creeks, and the Mississippi River.
The 2021 Hennepin County Climate Action Plan sets a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and guides county operations, transportation, energy, and waste programs.
Hennepin County limits unnecessary idling of county fleet vehicles and encourages voluntary idling reduction across cities to cut emissions and protect air quality near schools and hospitals.
Hennepin County requires stormwater management practices on construction and redevelopment sites to protect lakes, rivers, and the Mississippi River watershed under county and watershed district rules.
Minnesota State Building Code, adopted under Minn. Stat. 326B, requires sprinklers in new multifamily, hotel, and most assisted-living buildings. New single-family homes generally do not require sprinklers after a 2017 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling.
Hennepin County Public Health investigates pest complaints in rental and food-service properties. Minnesota State Building Code and city housing maintenance codes require owners to keep dwellings free of rodents, cockroaches, and bed bugs.
Hennepin County enforces Minnesota Statutes 144.9501 to 144.9512 governing lead hazards in pre-1978 housing. Hennepin County Public Health performs lead inspections, mandates abatement, and runs grant programs for low-income owners and renters.
Elevators in Hennepin County buildings are regulated under Minnesota Statutes 326B.184 and inspected by the MN Department of Labor and Industry. Annual inspections, valid certificates, and licensed mechanics are required for residential and commercial elevators.
Minnesota Statute 471.9996 allows rent control only if approved by city or county voters at general election. Saint Paul passed rent stabilization in 2021. Minneapolis voters authorized enabling in 2021 but the council has not enacted implementation. Hennepin County itself has no rent control.
Minnesota Statute 504B.178 caps security deposits at no specific amount but requires landlords return deposits within 21 days of lease termination with itemized deductions. Landlords must pay 1% annual interest on held deposits and face triple damages plus $500 punitive damages for bad-faith withholding.
Most Hennepin County cities license rental properties annually with periodic inspections. Minneapolis runs a tier-based system based on violation history; Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, and Plymouth conduct triennial inspections. Hennepin County itself does not license rentals; rules come from each city.
Minneapolis adopted a non-renewal just-cause ordinance in 2022 requiring landlords to state one of nine approved reasons before refusing to renew a lease. Hennepin County itself has no just-cause rule; Bloomington, Edina, and other suburban cities follow Minnesota state law allowing non-renewal without cause.
Hennepin County administers Housing Choice Vouchers through the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Metro HRA, and several suburban PHAs. Wait lists are long but state source-of-income protection means landlords may not refuse vouchers categorically.
Minnesota Statute 363A.09, amended in 2023, bans landlord refusal to rent based on lawful source of income including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, SSI, child support, and veteran benefits. Hennepin County and all member cities follow this statewide protection.
Hennepin County itself has no sit-lie ordinance. Minneapolis prohibits lying or obstructing public sidewalks under MCO 385.65, applied selectively. Suburban cities such as Bloomington and Edina enforce general loitering and obstruction rules but no sit-lie-specific bans.
Hennepin County coordinates encampment outreach through the Twin Cities Continuum of Care, with cleanup operations led by Minneapolis Public Works for city-owned land and Hennepin County for parks and county facilities. Notice and outreach precede most clearings, though encampments in active rights-of-way can be cleared with shorter notice.
Hennepin County operates the Adult Shelter Connect intake hub and funds bridge housing through Catholic Charities, Avivo Village, Simpson Housing, and Salvation Army. Avivo Village pioneered the indoor tiny-home model in 2020. Shelter rules cover sobriety, curfew, and stays.
Minnesota Food Code requires most licensed food establishments in Hennepin County to employ at least one Certified Food Protection Manager who has passed an ANSI-accredited exam.
Hennepin County and member cities require property owners to prevent rodent harborage, eliminate infestations, and store garbage in rodent-proof containers under nuisance and public-health codes.
Minnesota habitability law and Hennepin County rental inspection programs require landlords to address bed bug infestations promptly, with treatment costs typically borne by the property owner.
Hennepin County Public Health, jointly operated with Minneapolis, inspects food establishments under MN Statutes Chapter 157 and licenses restaurants countywide except in delegated cities.
Hennepin County provides free residential sharps disposal at drop-off facilities and partner pharmacies under its household hazardous waste program; sharps in trash or recycling are prohibited.
Several Hennepin County cities, including Minneapolis, restrict flavored tobacco and menthol sales to adult-only tobacco stores under home-rule public-health authority preserved by Minn. Stat. 461.
Minn. Stat. 609.685 prohibits selling tobacco, vape, and nicotine products to anyone under 21, with statewide retailer ID checks; Hennepin County cities license retailers and run compliance checks.
Hennepin County cities license vape and e-cigarette retailers under their general tobacco licensing programs, with state nicotine sales rules under Minn. Stat. 461 and Minn. Stat. 609.685 applying.
Minnesota authorizes local buffer rules between cannabis businesses and schools, daycares, residential treatment facilities, and parks, capped by reasonable distance limits under Minn. Stat. 342.13.
Minn. Stat. 342.17 grants priority cannabis licensing to social equity applicants including residents of high-cannabis-enforcement areas, veterans, and prior cannabis-offense individuals across Hennepin County.
Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis through HF 100 in 2023; Hennepin County cities may adopt reasonable zoning under Minn. Stat. 342.13 but cannot ban licensed retailers.
Adults 21 and older in Hennepin County may grow up to eight cannabis plants per household under Minn. Stat. 342.09, with no more than four mature plants flowering at one time.
Cannabis delivery in Hennepin County requires an OCM-issued cannabis delivery service license under Minn. Stat. 342.40, with state-set vehicle, age verification, and chain-of-custody rules.
Hennepin County residents report water main breaks and customer-side leaks to their city utility, while sewer leaks affecting Met Council interceptors are routed to regional wastewater services.
Most Hennepin County cities follow odd-even lawn watering schedules to comply with Minnesota DNR water appropriation rules and protect aquifers serving Lake Minnetonka and the Mississippi River corridor.
Minn. Stat. 471.9998 partially preempts plastic bag bans, prohibiting outright local bans but allowing fees, recycling rules, and reusable bag programs in Hennepin County cities.
Minneapolis and several Hennepin County cities prohibit expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers, requiring recyclable or compostable alternatives at restaurants and food service operations.
Minnesota has no statewide plastic straw ban, but with the 2023 repeal of Minn. Stat. 325E.045 preemption, cities may impose upon-request rules and switch to compostable alternatives.
Hennepin County Code Chapter 16 regulates tree removal, replacement, and protection on county-owned land and along county highways, supporting the Climate Action Plan canopy goals.
Hennepin County and its cities require replacement plantings when trees are removed for development, supporting the Climate Action Plan canopy and equity targets.
Hennepin County prioritizes tree planting and forest investments in historically underserved neighborhoods, addressing canopy gaps tied to redlining and heat-island disparities.
Minnesota's Heritage Tree Program under DNR forestry recognizes notable trees but does not impose statewide removal restrictions on private property. State law primarily governs shade tree disease management and public-land protections through Minn. Stat. 89 and 18G.
Hennepin County supports transit-oriented development along METRO Blue, Green, Orange, and future Blue Line Extension corridors with grants, station-area planning, and affordable housing tools.
Hennepin County cities use density bonuses, reduced parking, and tax-increment financing to encourage affordable housing aligned with Met Council allocations and county housing goals.
Hennepin County's Comprehensive Plan guides countywide infrastructure, while individual cities adopt zoning consistent with Met Council Thrive MSP 2040 and forthcoming Imagine 2050 frameworks.
Drone operators in Hennepin County must follow FAA rules near MSP Airport, HCMC's helipad, and other controlled airspace, including LAANC authorization and special use restrictions.
Commercial drone operators in Minnesota must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and register their aircraft with both the FAA and the Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics under Minn. Stat. 360.55, paying state aircraft registration tax annually.
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 360 classifies unmanned aircraft as aircraft subject to FAA regulation and state aeronautics rules. The Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics governs registration and operation, preempting most local airspace ordinances.
Hennepin County cities license tobacco retailers under Minn. Stat. 461.12, with annual fees, compliance checks, and a statewide minimum purchase age of 21 set by Minn. Stat. 609.685.
Secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers in Hennepin County must hold a city license and report transactions to the Automated Pawn System used by Minneapolis Police and the Sheriff.
Hennepin County cities require massage therapists and businesses to hold a city license, with background checks and zoning standards designed to deter sex-trafficking activity.
Tattoo and body-piercing technicians in Hennepin County must hold a Minnesota Department of Health license under Minn. Stat. 146B, with shop inspections and bloodborne-pathogen training.
Hennepin County cities use social-host ordinances to fine adults who host gatherings where minors consume alcohol, layered on top of standard noise and disorderly-conduct rules.
Adults 21 and older may possess cannabis in Hennepin County under Minn. Stat. 342, but smoking or vaping it in public, schools, and most workplaces remains a petty misdemeanor.
Open containers of alcohol are prohibited in vehicles statewide and on most public streets and parks across Hennepin County, with limited exceptions for licensed events and patios.
Minnesota's Freedom to Breathe Act bans smoking in indoor workplaces and bars, and many Hennepin County cities extend the ban to parks, patios, and transit stops.
Hennepin County does not have a hotel worker retention ordinance, leaving job protections during ownership changes governed by collective bargaining and federal WARN Act notice requirements.
Hennepin County has no countywide hotel living-wage law, but Minneapolis and St. Paul require hotel workers to be paid the local large-employer minimum wage, which exceeds the Minnesota state floor.
Hennepin County levies a 0.5 percent county lodging tax on top of the 6.875 percent Minnesota sales tax, with cities like Minneapolis adding their own lodging taxes for a typical 13 to 15 percent total.
Minnesota does not preempt local minimum wages under Minn. Stat. 177.24, allowing Minneapolis and Saint Paul to set higher floors. The Minnesota state minimum is $11.13 in 2026.
Minnesota's statewide Earned Sick and Safe Time law at Minn. Stat. 181.9445 took effect January 2024, requiring all Hennepin County employers to provide paid sick leave, with stricter Minneapolis and Saint Paul rules.
Minnesota does not preempt local scheduling laws, allowing cities like Minneapolis to enforce predictive scheduling and wage theft ordinances on top of state wage standards in chapter 177.
Hennepin County is a Welcoming County that limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. State law under Minn. Stat. 626.8474 bars local police from making civil immigration arrests.
Minnesota does not require private employers to use E-Verify, and the state has not enacted a general E-Verify mandate, leaving federal I-9 verification as the universal standard for hiring.
Minnesota issues permits to carry pistols under the Minnesota Citizens' Personal Protection Act, codified at Minn. Stat. 624.714, with sheriffs administering shall-issue permitting for qualified applicants.
Minnesota statute 471.633 broadly preempts local firearms regulation, reserving authority over the lawful sale, transfer, possession, carrying, transportation, storage, and use of firearms to the state legislature.
Minnesota law treats open carry of a pistol the same as concealed carry, requiring a permit under Minn. Stat. 624.714, while long-gun open carry is generally lawful absent local discharge or trespass issues.
Minnesota requires a permit to carry a pistol on or about the person or in a vehicle under Minn. Stat. 624.714, with state preemption barring stricter local rules under Minn. Stat. 471.633.
Minnesota agricultural zoning combines local authority under chapter 394 county planning with state feedlot rules in Minn. Stat. 116.07, while Right to Farm protections in 561.19 limit nuisance challenges.
Minnesota's Right to Farm law in Minn. Stat. 561.19 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when they have operated for at least two years and comply with applicable laws.
Minnesota Statute 500.215 voids private covenants that prohibit or unreasonably restrict solar energy systems on residential property. The statute applies statewide and supersedes restrictive HOA declarations and deed restrictions.
Minnesota Statute 462.357 subdivision 1g and 500.30 protect solar access by limiting how cities and HOAs may restrict solar installations. Local permits must focus on safety, not aesthetics, under the statewide solar access framework.
Minnesota state law bans appliances, electronics, tires, lead-acid batteries, and mercury-containing devices from solid waste disposal. These items must be recycled through approved channels regardless of local bulk pickup rules.
Minnesota law requires commercial buildings in the seven-county metro and large cities to provide recycling, and bans certain materials from landfills statewide. Counties must implement recycling programs meeting state-set diversion goals.