4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Verified from official government sources
ADU regulations in Hennepin County are set by individual cities under Minn. Stat. §462.357 (municipal zoning enabling act). Minneapolis legalized ADUs in December 2014 under Title 20, Chapter 537.110 of the zoning code, allowing one ADU per zoning lot. The owner-occupancy requirement was repealed effective March 6, 2021, implementing Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan Policy 35. Detached ADUs are capped at 21 ft tall and 1,300 sq ft (or 16% of lot, up to 1,600 sq ft).
Hennepin County has no county shed ordinance; the county is fully incorporated, so shed rules come from each city. The 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (MN Rules Ch. 1309, adopting IRC R105.2) exempts one-story detached storage sheds 200 sq ft or smaller from a building permit statewide, but city zoning still applies. In Minneapolis, sheds fall under Zoning Code Chapter 537 with the same setback and lot-coverage rules as other detached accessory structures.
Hennepin County has no county-level zoning over garage conversions. Since 2012 every parcel sits inside an incorporated city, so each city's zoning code governs. Minneapolis Zoning Code Chapter 537 allows garages to be converted to detached ADUs by right in single- and two-family districts. The 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (MN Rules Ch. 1309) sets statewide habitability standards for any conversion to living space.
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.
2 cities in Hennepin County have their own accessory structures rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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