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Anoka County, MN Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permit type
Special Event Permit, Right of Way Ordinance
Covers
Lane closures, traffic direction, equipment placement
Issued by
County Highway Department Director
Adopted
February 25, 2025 (Ordinance No. 2025-2)
Penalty
Director-set fee per occurrence/day, permit revocation

Summary

Anoka County requires a Special Event Permit before anyone can close a traffic lane, direct traffic, obstruct a road shoulder, or place equipment in the county right-of-way for a parade, race, or other sponsored event. The Highway Department's Director reviews and issues the permit, and running the event without one is a registration violation.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Anoka County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

"Special Event Permit" means a permit that must be obtained before a person or entity may: obstruct or use any part of a Right of Way for a sponsored event; close a traffic lane, turn lane, or shoulder; direct traffic in the Right of Way for the event; and/or place any tangible object in Right of Way for the duration of the event specified. ... Subd. 1. Permit Required. Except as otherwise provided in this Ordinance, no person may access, landscape, place a utility service, excavate/grade, install or place facilities in the Right of Way, hold a sponsored event, interfere with the flow of traffic or pedestrians, or obstruct any Right of Way without first registering and having obtained the appropriate Right of Way permit from the County to do so.

Full Breakdown

Anoka County Ordinance No. 03 as the permit a person or entity must obtain before obstructing or using any part of a county right-of-way for a sponsored event, closing a traffic lane, turn lane, or shoulder, directing traffic for the event, or placing any tangible object in the right-of-way for the event's duration. 08, Subdivision 1 folds that requirement into the ordinance's general permit mandate: no person may hold a sponsored event, interfere with the flow of traffic or pedestrians, or obstruct any right-of-way without first registering with the county and obtaining the appropriate permit.

'Right of Way' under the ordinance means the area on, below, or above a county roadway, highway, street, boulevard, cartway, walking or bicycle trail, or sidewalk in which the county has an interest, so a parade or block party that crosses a county road, not just a city street, triggers this permit. Applications go to the Director, who administers the Right of Way program and can delegate review duties; the ordinance requires a completed application, scaled drawings of the proposed route or use, and payment of permit fees and estimated restoration costs before the application is considered complete. The Director may deny, condition, or later revoke a permit for noncompliance.

Violations & Fines

Holding a sponsored event or obstructing the county right-of-way without first registering and obtaining a Right of Way permit violates Section 1.08, Subd. 1 of Ordinance No. 2025-2. Section 1.32 makes the responsible person or entity subject to a fee or penalty set by the Director per occurrence, per site, per mile, or per day, plus the county's costs of addressing the violation, and the Director can revoke the permit if a substantial breach isn't corrected within the stated deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a county permit to hold a parade on a county road?
Yes, if the parade closes a traffic lane, directs traffic, or places any object in the county right-of-way. Section 1.08 of Anoka County's Right of Way Ordinance No. 2025-2 requires registering with the county and obtaining a Special Event Permit before holding any sponsored event that obstructs a county road, turn lane, or shoulder.
Who reviews the special event permit application?
The county Highway Department Director, who administers the Right of Way Ordinance and may delegate review to staff. The application must include scaled drawings of the event route or use area, plus payment of permit fees and any estimated restoration costs, before it is treated as complete.
What's the penalty for running an event without a right of way permit?
Section 1.32 lets the Director impose a fee or penalty per occurrence, per site, per mile, or per day for holding an unpermitted event or obstruction, on top of any county costs the violation caused. The Director can also issue a correction order and revoke the permit if the violation isn't fixed in time.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Anoka County

All Anoka County rules

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