Moving to Bloomington, MN?

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.

Construction with power equipment allowed weekdays 7 AM–10 PM and Saturdays 9 AM–9 PM. No construction permitted on Sundays. Bloomington City Code §10.29.02 governs all construction noise including electric, diesel, and gas-powered machines.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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.