Stearns County, MN Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing map
- 1999 DNR Native Plant Communities map, App. C
- Permit prerequisite
- DNR must delineate boundary first
- Clearing ban
- Except safety, farmland, driveways, mining
- Biodiversity clearing
- Needs Department-approved plan
- Building rights
- Not reduced by Sec. 7.7.2.E
Summary
Stearns County's Land Use and Zoning Ordinance No. 439, Section 7.7, protects native plant communities the Minnesota DNR identified on its 1999 County map. Any parcel that overlaps a mapped community must have the DNR delineate the exact boundary before the Environmental Services Department issues a land use or building permit, and nonagricultural development must avoid encroaching on or disturbing the identified area.
Native plant communities have been identified in Stearns County by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. These plant communities are important to biological diversity in Minnesota and should be protected when feasible. ... All nonagricultural use of land and all placement of structures shall avoid encroaching upon or disturbing such native plant communities. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shall delineate the location of the native plant community prior to issuance of land use and building permits. All clearing of vegetation in the delineated area, except for safety purposes, farmland, driveways and mining, is prohibited. Clearing of vegetation for the purpose of enhancing or maintaining the biodiversity of the area is permitted provided that a plan has been submitted to and approved by the Department.
Full Breakdown
' The standards apply to every parcel shown on the DNR's 1999 map, 'Native Plant Communities and Rare Species of Stearns County, Minnesota,' attached to the ordinance as Appendix C. A, all nonagricultural use of land and all placement of structures must avoid encroaching upon or disturbing a mapped community. B). C bars clearing vegetation inside that boundary except for safety purposes, farmland, driveways, and mining; clearing done specifically to enhance or maintain the area's biodiversity is allowed, but only after a plan has been submitted to and approved by the Department.
2. Because the trigger is the DNR-mapped boundary rather than a self-reported survey, an applicant whose parcel falls near a mapped community should expect the Department to route the file through DNR delineation before construction can proceed.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate fine schedule in Section 7.7; the standard is enforced through the permit process itself. The Environmental Services Department will not issue a land use or building permit inside a mapped native plant community until DNR delineation is complete, and clearing outside the safety, farmland, driveway or mining exceptions without an approved biodiversity plan violates Section 7.7.2.C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I clear land inside a mapped native plant community in Stearns County?
Does the native plant community rule cost me buildable area?
How does Stearns County know if my parcel has a native plant community?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stearns County
Compare Stearns County to another location·View the Minnesota landscaping rules overview
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