Washington County, MN Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Arterial road setback
- 150 ft from centerline or 75 ft from ROW
- Pipeline easement setback
- 50 feet minimum
- Sight corner triangle
- 50-ft legs, 2.5-10 ft clearance zone
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county and townships only
- Enforcing agency
- Washington County Zoning Administrator
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, fine and/or imprisonment
Summary
Washington County's Development Code sets structure setbacks from arterial roads, underground pipelines and street corners across the unincorporated county and its townships. The minimum setback along any road the Comprehensive Plan designates an Arterial is 150 feet from the centerline or 75 feet from the right-of-way, whichever is greater. Structures must also clear buried pipeline easements by 50 feet.
(5) Corner Lots – Sight Corners. In order to maintain a clear line of vision through sight corners, nothing other than seasonal crops shall be placed or allowed to grow, which impedes vision between a height of two and one-half (2 1/2) and ten (10) feet above the intersecting street centerline grades, within the triangular sight corner which is encompassed within the area between the right of way lines of intersecting streets and a line connecting points that are a distance of fifty (50) feet... (6) Setbacks Along Arterials. The minimum setback for all structures is one hundred fifty (150) feet from the centerline, or seventy five (75) feet from the right-of-way (whichever is greater), along roads designated as "Arterials" in the Comprehensive Plan. ... (18) Structures must be setback a minimum of fifty (50) feet from underground pipeline easements.
Full Breakdown
1(6) of the Washington County Development Code fixes the arterial setback at 150 feet from the road centerline or 75 feet from the right-of-way line, whichever distance is greater, for any road the county's Comprehensive Plan designates an Arterial. 1(18) adds a separate 50-foot minimum setback from underground pipeline easements for any structure. 5 and 10 feet above the street centerline grade. 1(4): flues, eaves and awnings up to 3 feet, steps, chimneys, sidewalks and stoops up to 3 feet, and exposed wheelchair ramps, bay windows and doors up to 3 feet.
Waterfront parcels carry additional setbacks under Chapter Five (Lower St. Croix River Bluffland) and Chapter Six (Shoreland Management), which stack on top of these general standards rather than replacing them. These rules govern Washington County's unincorporated townships; Stillwater, Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove, Forest Lake and the county's other incorporated cities enforce their own zoning setbacks. The County Zoning Administrator reviews building permit applications for setback compliance, and the Board of Adjustment and Appeals hears variance requests from these dimensional standards.
Violations & Fines
Chapter One Section 15.1 of the Development Code makes a violation of any Development Code provision, including these setback standards, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both, plus the cost of prosecution. The Zoning Administrator will not issue a Certificate of Compliance for a structure built inside a required setback, which blocks the building permit and can force relocation or removal of the encroaching structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this setback apply inside Stillwater or Woodbury?
What road counts as an Arterial for the 150-foot setback?
Can I build a wheelchair ramp inside a required setback?
Does lakefront property face extra setback rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.