Fence Regulations in Stearns County, MN (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Stearns County, Minnesota.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Stearns County's zoning ordinance caps residential fences at six feet under Section 7.12.1.A, but a fence inside the required front yard cannot exceed four feet. No fence may sit in a public right-of-way, and none may block a driveway's sightline onto the road.
Stearns County Fence Height Limits by Yard
Some RestrictionsStearns County Ordinance No. 439, Sec. 7.12.1
Fences may be installed and maintained in any yard along or adjacent to a property line, in accordance with the requirements contained in this section. ... No fence shall be constructed in any public right-of-way. No fence in a residential district shall exceed six (6) feet in height. Fences within the required front yard shall not exceed four (4) feet in height. No fence shall impede the visio...
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls in Stearns County's Shoreland Overlay District need a shoreland alteration permit under Ordinance 439 Section 10.2.14.I before they can be built. Wall height is measured from ground level to the top of the wall, and any wall or series of walls exceeding four feet in cumulative height on a bluff or steep slope needs a plan signed by a Minnesota licensed professional engineer.
Stearns County Shoreland Retaining Wall Permits
Some RestrictionsStearns County Ordinance No. 439 (Land Use and Zoning), § 10.2.14.I
I. Retaining Walls. The construction of retaining walls are subject to the requirements in Section 10.2.14B and D of this Ordinance and shall only be authorized by either a minor or major shoreland alteration permit. Wall height as it pertains to this Section is measured from the ground surface to the top of the wall. Wall components below grade shall not be included in wall height determinatio...
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