Apple Valley, MN Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Section 155.378 of the Apple Valley Code of Ordinances covers off-street parking design and maintenance for the City in Dakota County, Minnesota. In single-family residential districts, any area intended for parking spaces, driveways, storage of motor vehicles or vehicle maneuvering must be surfaced with concrete, asphalt or brick pavers. Pervious material is allowed only when the City approves it. Gravel or bare turf is not among the listed surfaces. Section 155.373(B)(3) adds that all motorized vehicles, regardless of type or placement on a trailer, and all Class II vehicles and trailers must be parked or stored on a paved surface.

Width is capped for residential driveways installed or modified after the ordinance was adopted. A driveway with a single approach cannot exceed 40% of the lot width, up to a maximum of 36 feet, whichever is smaller, and the portion between the curb and the right-of-way line cannot exceed 30 feet. Circular driveways with approach cuts to the same lot cannot exceed 36 feet when both widths are combined. An approach that does not lead directly to a garage or accessory structure must sit beside the attached garage abutting the primary structure. Only one approach to the same street is allowed from a single-family lot, though two are allowed when the lot frontage on that street is at least 120 feet.

Other standards apply. Driveways sit in the boulevard within the extension of the side lot lines. A single-family or duplex driveway must be at least 30 feet from a curb line intersection. Driveways can exceed a 10% grade where the City approves, and a level area must be provided in front of the garage. Any driveway or parking area construction or expansion in any zoning district is reviewed by the City Engineer for compliance with approved drainage plans.

Vehicle counts are separate. Under § 155.373, an R-1 through R-5 or R-CL single-family lot can have a maximum of four passenger vehicles outside, and the City can approve an annual on site parking permit for more than four but not more than six. Those vehicles must be on the established paved driveway and not on the street, must not block a sidewalk, trail or path, and must be operational and properly licensed.