Anoka County, MN Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing ordinance
- Anoka County Ord. No. 2022-1, § 8.4
- Adopted
- June 28, 2022
- Applies within
- 1,000 ft of lakes, 300 ft of rivers
- Enforcing agency
- Public Health & Environmental Services Dept.
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor plus possible injunctive relief
- Appeal path
- Variance under § 3.5 / Minn. Stat. § 394.27
Summary
In unincorporated Anoka County land within 1,000 feet of a lake, pond or flowage, or 300 feet of a river or stream, Ordinance No. 2022-1 requires development to protect natural drainage first and use engineered stormwater controls only when the site can't handle runoff on its own.
8.4. Stormwater Management. 8.4.1. General Standards:
A. When possible, existing natural drainageways, and vegetated soil surfaces must be used to convey, store, filter, and retain stormwater runoff before discharge to public waters.
B. Development must be planned and conducted in a manner that will minimize the extent of disturbed areas, runoff velocities, erosion potential, and reduce and delay runoff volumes. Disturbed areas must be stabilized as soon as possible and appropriate facilities or methods used to retain sediment on the site.
C. When development density, topography, soils, and vegetation are not sufficient to adequately handle stormwater runoff, constructed facilities such as settling basins, skimming devices, dikes, waterways, ponds and infiltration may be used. Preference must be given to surface drainage, vegetation, and infiltration rather than buried pipes and man-made materials and facilities.
Full Breakdown
Anoka County Ordinance No. 2022-1, the Shoreland Management Ordinance adopted June 28, 2022, governs stormwater in shorelands of the county's unincorporated area, defined as land within 1,000 feet of the ordinary high water level of a lake, pond or flowage, or 300 feet of a river or stream (Sec. 40). 1 sets the general standard: existing natural drainageways and vegetated soil surfaces must be used to convey, store, filter and retain runoff before it reaches public waters; development must minimize disturbed areas, runoff velocities and erosion, and stabilize disturbed ground as soon as possible.
Only when density, topography, soils or vegetation can't handle the runoff may a project turn to constructed facilities such as settling basins, skimming devices, dikes, ponds or infiltration systems, and even then the ordinance favors surface drainage and vegetation over buried pipe. 0231. 3, and the Anoka County Public Health and Environmental Services Department (Sec. 4 before work proceeds. 5, decided under Minn. 27.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Ordinance No. 2022-1, including the Section 8.4 stormwater standards, is a misdemeanor under Section 2.2.1, whether or not a permit was ever obtained for the activity. The County may also go beyond a criminal citation: the County Attorney can bring an action for injunctive relief to prevent, restrain, correct or abate a violation or a threatened one, so an unpermitted grading or drainage project can be halted by court order in addition to any fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this stormwater rule apply anywhere in Anoka County?
Do I need a permit to regrade my shoreland lot?
What happens if I skip the permit and just start grading?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anoka County
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