Blue Earth County, MN Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- No-parking/storage zone
- 130 ft from county road centerline
- Trigger
- applies only when snow is on the ground
- Exception path
- prior county engineer approval
- Also restricted
- structures, tree/bush planting within 130 ft
- Material height limit
- over 3 feet also restricted
- Violation penalty
- misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or 90 days
Summary
During snow cover, unincorporated Blue Earth County bars parking or storing vehicles, trailers, equipment or machinery within 130 feet of the centerline of any county road unless the county engineer has reviewed and approved it first, under the section 24-312 snow drifting rule.
No structure shall be erected, trees or bushes planted, or when there is snow on the ground, materials stored, including stacks or bales of fodder and bedding, over three feet in height, nor shall vehicles, trailers, equipment or machinery be parked or temporarily stored within 130 feet from the centerline of a county road without prior review and approval by the county engineer.
Full Breakdown
Section 24-312 of the Blue Earth County Code, titled Snow drifting, prohibits erecting a structure, planting trees or bushes, or, whenever there is snow on the ground, storing materials, including stacks or bales of fodder and bedding over three feet in height, within 130 feet of the centerline of a county road. The same 130-foot setback bars parking or temporarily storing vehicles, trailers, equipment or machinery near a county road once snow is on the ground, unless the county engineer has reviewed and approved the placement in advance.
The rule exists because objects and vehicles close to a county road create drifting snow that reduces sight distance and clogs the roadway during plowing, which is why the same 130-foot distance appears as the general essential-services setback from a county highway centerline in section 24-305(d). Property owners near a county road who need to store equipment, park an extra vehicle, or stack firewood or bales close to the road during winter should contact the county engineer's office before doing so, since approval is only available through prior review, not after a violation is discovered. The rule applies to all county roads within unincorporated Blue Earth County and is separate from any state or township road.
Violations & Fines
Parking or storing a vehicle, trailer, equipment or machinery within the 130-foot snow-drifting setback without the county engineer's prior approval is enforced as a chapter 24 violation under section 24-44(a): a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.00, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both, and each day the vehicle or material remains in place counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my trailer near a county road in the winter in unincorporated Blue Earth County?
Why does the county restrict parking near roads in winter?
How do I get approval to store equipment close to a county road?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blue Earth County
Compare Blue Earth County to another location·View the Minnesota parking rules overview
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