Carver County, MN Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- § 91.04(B), (D)
- Group threshold
- 20+ persons triggers permit
- Approved by
- Parks Director, designee, or Board
- Fee waivers
- for nonprofit or tax-exempt groups
- Permit violation
- separate misdemeanor offense
- Revocation
- Board or Parks Dept, for good cause
Summary
Carver County requires a use permit for exclusive or large-group use of county park facilities, and specifically for any event expected to draw 20 or more people, before a group can reserve a shelter, field, or trail for a gathering.
(B) Use permits. (1) Use permits shall be required for the exclusive or special use of all or portions of county park areas, buildings, or trails; for use of park areas and facilities when they are closed to the public; to conduct certain activities not normally permitted as per conditions of this chapter; for regulation of large group activities, as defined herein; or to reduce or eliminate certain user fees for groups, as defined herein. ... (D) Use by groups. Use permits shall be required for any entertainment, tournament, exhibition, or any other special use which can reasonably be expected to have 20 or more persons involved or potentially have a detrimental effect on park property or other park users.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-20: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 111-2025, passed 7-25-25).
Full Breakdown
04(B) of the Carver County Code of Ordinances requires a use permit for the exclusive or special use of all or portions of county park areas, buildings, or trails, for using areas or facilities when they are closed to the public, for large group activities, or to get a user fee reduced or waived. 04(D) sets the numeric trigger: any entertainment, tournament, exhibition, or special use that can reasonably be expected to have 20 or more persons involved needs a permit, as does any use with a potential detrimental effect on park property or other visitors.
04(B)(3). 04(B)(4)-(5). 04(C)(3). This permit system covers reservation of shelters, group picnic areas, and athletic fields at county parks such as Lake Minnewashta Regional Park and Lake Waconia Regional Park; it does not extend to municipal parks inside cities like Chaska, Victoria, or Waconia, which run their own reservation systems. 10(D) gives the Board or Parks Department authority to revoke a permit for good cause or for the permittee's violation of any county ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Holding a large-group event or reserving exclusive use of a park facility without a use permit, or violating the terms of an issued permit, is a misdemeanor under § 91.99, tied to Minn. Stat. § 398.34 and § 609.02(3). The Parks Department or Board can also revoke the permit outright for good cause under § 91.10(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to reserve a shelter at a Carver County park?
How many people trigger the group-use permit requirement?
Can my nonprofit get its park permit fee waived?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carver County
Compare Carver County to another location·View the Minnesota special events & permits overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.