Blue Earth County, MN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Sec. 18-154 of the Blue Earth County Highway Access Management Ordinance requires a written access permit, issued by the county engineer, before construction, alteration, or change of use of any access, whether a driveway or a field entrance, within a county right-of-way. The section lists examples triggering the requirement: a new access onto a county road or county state aid highway, a revised use of or improvement to an existing access, and a development proposal or plat adjacent to an existing or proposed county road or state aid highway; a note under (a) clarifies that splitting a property does not automatically create a right to a new access for contiguous parcels.

Sec. 18-155 requires the written application to be reviewed against the county Transportation Plan, lets the county engineer require a bond to secure compliance, and lets the county remove noncompliant work and require a second permit application, plus removal costs, if built access does not match the permit. Sec. 18-156 allows variances from spacing criteria, with variances under 20 percent of the minimum decided by the county engineer and variances of 20 percent or more requiring county board approval. Sec. 18-153 places administration and enforcement with the county engineer, authorizes removal of any unpermitted access from county right-of-way at the engineer's discretion, doubles the normal application fee for a permit sought after construction has already started, and makes any violation a misdemeanor punishable to the maximum extent allowed by law, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense; the county attorney may also bring civil court action after board authorization.