Plymouth, MN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

02, Subd. F of the Plymouth City Code, any structure placed in a public right-of-way or on City property must comply with Section 21180 of the Zoning Ordinance, and a structure with a foundation is flatly prohibited in a public easement unless Section 21180 exempts it. A property owner who wants to place a structure without a foundation, such as a shed or similar improvement, in a public easement must apply for an Encroachment Agreement. The application goes to the City Engineer and must include a written request describing the encroachment, a plan or sketch showing the structure and the affected easement, and the application fee set in Chapter X of the Code.

The City Engineer reviews the type and use of the existing easement against the type and use of the proposed structure and then recommends approval or denial. If the Engineer recommends approval, the applicant signs a City-prepared Encroachment Agreement, and the Engineer's recommendation moves to the City Council for final consideration. Only after the Council approves the agreement is it executed and recorded against the property, meaning the encroachment runs with the land and binds future owners. Because the process requires discretionary City Engineer review and Council approval rather than an over-the-counter permit, it functions as a case-by-case authorization rather than a right, and the City can decline to approve an agreement it finds incompatible with the easement's purpose.