Zoning › Minnesota › Hennepin County › Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN Zoning

Form-based-zoning. 17 districts · 26 overlays · 4 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
form-based
Naming convention
mixed
Naming convention by category
primary_districtsletter-code (UN1-3 use-type-index for residential; CM1-4, RM1-3, DC/DS/DD, PR1/PR2, TR1, PK1 letter-code)
built_form_overlaystransect (BFI Interior, BFC Corridor, BFT Transit, BFC50 Core, BFPA Parks, BFPR Production) — tiered intensity coded in the numeral (e.g., BFT30 = 30 stories)

Minneapolis 2040 Rewrite established a two-layer system: primary districts (Ch. 530) set USES only; built form overlay districts (Ch. 540) set ALL dimensional standards (height, FAR, setbacks, lot coverage, impervious, lot size, lot width). Every parcel has exactly one primary district and exactly one built form overlay, and the overlay controls in conflict (§540.20). Pure form-based for dimensions. Single-family zoning was ELIMINATED citywide effective 2020-01-01 via the 2040 Comprehensive Plan — among the first US cities to do so; Urban Neighborhood (UN1-3) districts permit up to 3 units by right. 2024 MN Session Law Ch. 118 retroactively exempted 7-county metro comp plans from state environmental review, specifically protecting the 2040 Plan from ongoing litigation.

Worth knowing
  • Minneapolis 2040 ENDED single-family-only zoning citywide effective January 1, 2020. All UN1/UN2/UN3 district properties allow up to 3 units by right — one of the first US cities to do so, and the single most discussed zoning-reform milestone of the 2020s. 2024 MN Session Law Ch. 118 retroactively exempted the plan from state environmental review, cementing the policy. [confirmed — Minneapolis 2040 Plan + S.F. 3492/2024]
  • Two-tier overlay system: every property has a PRIMARY district (uses only, Ch. 530) + a BUILT FORM overlay (all dimensions, Ch. 540). A parcel in UN2 may have dramatically different development capacity depending on whether its built form overlay is BFI1 vs BFC6 vs BFT30. Reading a single 'setback' or 'height' number per base district is structurally wrong. [confirmed §530.20 + §540.20]
  • Maximum lot sizes exist, not just minimums (§540.740 Table 540-15). Lots exceeding the maximum must use PUD, cluster, or common-lot-development process. Inverts the conventional Euclidean reading where only minimums regulate. Unusual. [confirmed]

+ 13 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

com 4res_sf 3mu 3cbd 3ind 2spec 2
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
UN1Urban Neighborhood 1res_sf——————— / — / —
UN2Urban Neighborhood 2res_sf——————— / — / —
UN3Urban Neighborhood 3res_sf——————— / — / —
RM1Residence Goods and Servicesmu——————— / — / —
RM2Residence Office and Servicesmu——————— / — / —
RM3Residence and Major Institutionalmu——————— / — / —
CM1Neighborhood Mixed Usecom——————— / — / —
CM2Corridor Mixed Usecom——————— / — / —
CM3Community Mixed Usecom——————— / — / —
CM4Destination Mixed Usecom——————— / — / —
DCDowntown Centercbd——————— / — / —
DSDowntown Servicecbd——————— / — / —
DDDowntown Destinationcbd——————— / — / —
PR1Production Mixed Useind——————— / — / —
PR2Production and Processingind——————— / — / —
TR1Transportationspec——————— / — / —
PK1Parks and Open Spacespec——————— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

BFI1
Interior 1 Built Form Overlay
CON
Ch. 540, Article II-IX

Areas farthest from downtown, between transit routes. Lowest-intensity residential tier.

max_height_ft_1_3_unit28[1]
max_height_ft_institutional42[2]
max_height_ft_other35[3]
far_1_3_unit0.5[4]
far_cluster1[5]
far_institutional_un_rm0.5[6]
far_institutional_other1.4[7]
far_other_un_rm0.8[8]
far_other_other1.4[9]
lot_coverage_un_rm0.45[10]
lot_coverage_other1[11]
impervious_un_rm0.6[12]
impervious_other1[13]
setback_front_ft20[14]
setback_side_ft5[15]
setback_rear_ft5[16]
setback_corner_side_ft8[17]
min_lot_sf_un_rm_1_3_unit5,000[18]
max_lot_sf_un_rm_1_3_unit8,999[19]
min_lot_width_ft40[20]
height_increaseby variance only — no administrative premium available
BFI2
Interior 2 Built Form Overlay
CON
Ch. 540

Streetcar-era neighborhoods between transit routes; transition areas adjacent to Corridor 4 and Corridor 6.

max_height_ft_1_3_unit28[21]
max_height_ft_institutional42[22]
max_height_ft_other35[23]
far_1_3_unit0.5[24]
far_cluster_un_rm0.8[25]
far_cluster_other1.4[26]
lot_coverage_un_rm0.45[27]
impervious_un_rm0.6[28]
setback_front_ft20[29]
setback_side_ft5[30]
setback_rear_ft5[31]
setback_corner_side_ft8[32]
min_lot_sf_un_rm_1_3_unit5,000[33]
max_lot_sf_un_rm_1_3_unit8,999[34]
min_lot_sf_4_plus_un_rm7,500[35]
max_lot_sf_4_plus_un_rm14,000[36]
min_lot_width_ft40[37]
min_lot_width_sh_ft80[38]
min_lot_sf_4_plus_sh10,000[39]
BFI3
Interior 3 Built Form Overlay
CON
Ch. 540

Closest-to-downtown interior areas; transition areas near select corridors and METRO stations.

max_height_ft_1_2_unit28[40]
max_height_ft_3_unit_cluster42[41]
max_height_ft_institutional42[42]
max_height_ft_other42[43]
far_1_unit0.5[44]
far_2_unit0.6[45]
far_3_unit0.7[46]
far_4_plus_un_rm1.4[47]
far_4_plus_other1.6[48]
lot_coverage_un_rm0.6[49]
impervious_un_rm0.75[50]
setback_front_ft20[51]
setback_side_ft5[52]
setback_rear_ft5[53]
setback_corner_side_ft8[54]
min_lot_sf_un_rm5,000[55]
max_lot_sf_un_rm_1_3_unit8,999[56]
max_lot_sf_un_rm_4_plus18,000[57]
far_premiumsenclosed parking only[58]
BFC3
Corridor 3 Built Form Overlay
COR
Ch. 540

Transit routes farther from downtown on narrower ROWs; transition to lower-intensity residential near METRO stations.

max_height_ft_base42[59]
max_height_ft_premium56[60]
far_base_un_rm1.5[61]
far_base_other1.9[62]
far_premium_un_rm2.1[63]
far_premium_other2.5[64]
lot_coverage_un_rm0.6[65]
impervious_un_rm0.75[66]
setback_front_ft_un_rm15[67]
min_lot_width_ft40[68]
min_lot_sf_4_plus5,000[69]
max_lot_sf_4_plus28,000[70]
height_increase_1_3_unitby variance only
height_increase_4_plusadministrative with premiums
BFC4
Corridor 4 Built Form Overlay
COR
Ch. 540

Mid-density transit corridors; METRO bus routes and secondary corridors.

max_height_ft_base56[71]
max_height_ft_premium98[72]
BFC6
Corridor 6 Built Form Overlay
COR
Ch. 540

Higher-intensity transit corridors. Minimum height requirement applies to ≥50% of building footprint.

min_height_requirement1[73]
max_height_ft_basestatus: partial
BFT10
Transit 10 Built Form Overlay
TOD
Ch. 540

Near METRO stations and major transit hubs; mid-rise transit context.

max_stories10[74]
max_height_ft140[75]
min_height_requirement1[76]
BFT15
Transit 15 Built Form Overlay
TOD
Ch. 540

Increasing density tier around METRO stations and downtown core edge.

max_stories15[77]
max_height_ftstatus: partial
min_height_requirement1[78]
BFT20
Transit 20 Built Form Overlay
TOD
Ch. 540

Increasing density tier around METRO stations and downtown core.

max_stories20[79]
max_height_ftstatus: under_review
min_height_requirement1[80]
BFT30
Transit 30 Built Form Overlay
TOD
Ch. 540

Highest density transit tier around downtown core and select METRO stations. Signature downtown-adjacent overlay.

max_stories30[81]
max_height_ftstatus: under_review
min_height_requirement1[82]
BFC50
Core 50 Built Form Overlay
DT
Ch. 540

Downtown core and major commercial centers; highest density designation citywide. Applied to Downtown (DC/DS/DD) primary districts in the CBD core.

max_stories50[83]
far_with_premiumsstatus: partial
tdr_program1[84]
BFPA
Parks Built Form Overlay
spec
Ch. 540

Parks and open-space areas (applied to PK1 primary district).

purposeDimensional envelope tailored to park pavilions, shelters, recreational structures. Not intended for primary development.
dimensional_standardsstatus: not_captured
BFPR
Production Built Form Overlay
spec
Ch. 540

Production/industrial areas (applied to PR1/PR2 primary districts).

purposeDimensional envelope tailored to industrial/manufacturing/warehousing buildings.
dimensional_standardsstatus: not_captured
SH
Shoreland Overlay District
ENV
Ch. 535

Lands within shoreland zones of DNR-protected public waters (Mississippi River, Lake Calhoun/Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, Lake Nokomis, Minnehaha Creek per DNR shoreland maps).

height_exemption_overridebuilt form height exemptions disabled[85]
min_lot_width_4_plus_bfi2_ft80[86]
min_lot_sf_4_plus_bfi210,000[87]
steep_slope_bluffvariance required per §525.470[88]
protected_water_buffer_ft50[89]
FP
Floodplain Overlay District
FP
Ch. 535

Areas within FEMA-designated flood insurance rate map zones (Zone A/AE along Mississippi River, Minnehaha Creek, Shingle Creek).

substantial_improvementthreshold applies[90]
flood_protectionno variance may permit lower protection than regulatory flood protection elevation or state law minimum[91]
subdivision_restrictionno land subdivided in areas held unsuitable for development due to flood hazard[92]
MR
Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Overlay District
ENV
Ch. 535

Properties within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) Primary and Secondary conservation zones per adopted MRCCA Plan.

height_exemption_restrictionbuilt form height exemptions may not apply in portions of MR district[93]
steep_slope_bluffdevelopment restrictions on slopes ≥18% and mapped bluff lines[94]
slope_18_pct_ruledevelopment outside MR/SH on slopes ≥18% must avoid structures, parking, or impervious surfaces[95]
mrcca_district_classesPrimary Conservation Area / Secondary Conservation Area / Special Protection District per MRCCA Plan
UA
University Area Overlay District
CON
Ch. 535

University of Minnesota neighborhood buffer area — lower-intensity residential blocks adjacent to campus.

max_height_ft30[96]
purposeProtect lower-scale residential context adjacent to UMN campus from student housing over-scaling
AP
Airport Overlay District
AP
Ch. 535

Areas near Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) approach/transition/horizontal surfaces per FAA Part 77; Minneapolis south/southwest margin covered.

height_restrictionsper FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces[97]
notification_faa_7460_1required for structures penetrating Part 77 surfaces
HA
Harmon Area Overlay District
CON
Ch. 535

Harmon area — a small geographic context-specific conservation overlay (downtown-adjacent Loring Park / Harmon Place historic context).

purposeArea-specific conservation provisions for Harmon Place corridor
parametersstatus: under_review
DH
Downtown Housing Overlay District
AH
Ch. 535 (relocated from §551 Article X pre-rewrite)

Downtown-area properties designated for housing preservation/encouragement.

purposePreserves and incentivizes residential use in downtown; may provide parking/FAR modifications for housing
parametersstatus: under_review
DP
Downtown Parking Overlay District
CON
Ch. 535

Downtown properties subject to reduced/modified parking requirements (general 2040 Rewrite significantly reduced parking minima citywide; DP provides additional downtown-specific modification).

purposeReduces/eliminates parking minima in downtown; may cap maxima
parametersstatus: under_review
DS_OV
Downtown Shelter Overlay District
CON
Ch. 535

Downtown properties where overnight shelter for unhoused persons is permitted/regulated.

purposeRegulates overnight shelter facilities in downtown — permit process, capacity, services
parametersstatus: under_review
SZ
Split Zoning Overlay District
CON
§551.1465 (Article XIX, carried forward in Ch. 535)

Properties straddling two primary zoning districts — provides procedure for selecting applicable rules.

purposeResolution mechanism for split-zoned parcels
parametersstatus: under_review
TP
Transitional Parking Overlay District
CON
Ch. 535

Transitional parking regulation areas — specific geographic zones where parking rules differ from base district.

purposeArea-specific parking modifications (commonly adjacent to downtown, commercial corridors, or institutional uses)
parametersstatus: under_review
HPC
Historic Preservation (Locally-Designated Districts + Landmarks)
HP
Title 23 Heritage Preservation

Locally-designated historic landmarks and historic districts (e.g., Warehouse Historic District, Milwaukee Avenue HD, Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion HD, Healy Block Residential HD). Administered by Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission.

design_reviewCertificate of Appropriateness required for exterior alterations to designated/contributing properties[98]
demolition_reviewDemolition of designated or contributing resource requires HPC review + Council confirmation[99]
adjacency_compatibilitynew construction adjacent to designated resources evaluated for height/massing compatibility[100]
tdr_eligible1[101]
AH_BONUS
Affordable Housing Density Bonus (Unified Housing Policy / Inclusionary Housing)
AH
§540.630 + Unified Housing Policy

Projects opting into affordable housing premium tier under built form FAR bonus program.

purposeFAR bonus + parking relief for projects setting aside affordable units per Unified Housing Policy
eligibilityBFC3 and higher (varies by overlay; BFI3 excluded — enclosed parking premium only)[102]
ami_set_asidestatus: not_captured

State preemptions

MN 2024 Session Law Ch. 118 / S.F. 3492 (Metro Comp Plan Environmental Review Exemption)applies
Qualifying condition
Minneapolis is a Metropolitan Council (Twin Cities 7-county metro) jurisdiction; city.in_metro_council_area=true. Law exempts comprehensive plans adopted by metro-area local governments from state environmental review under Minnesota Environmental Review Act, applied retroactively to plans dating to March 2018. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2018, effective 2020-01-01) was the direct legislative target — it had been subject to ongoing environmental litigation (Smart Growth Minneapolis v. City). Minneapolis population 429,954 (Census PEP 2023); N/A to threshold (no population gate). Hennepin County pop 1,281,565.
Source
MN Session Laws 2024 Ch. 118 (S.F. 3492); League of MN Cities 2024 Law Summary; Minneapolis City Attorney statements
Effect
Retroactively immunizes Minneapolis 2040 Plan from MERA environmental review challenges. Effectively resolves Smart Growth Minneapolis litigation and cements elimination of single-family-only zoning citywide (UN1-3 allow 3 units by right).
MN Stat. § 462.357 (General Municipal Zoning Authority / Board of Adjustment framework)applies
Qualifying condition
Minneapolis is a home-rule charter city. MN Stat. § 462.357 grants and constrains municipal zoning authority statewide (applies to all cities). Procedural preemption — Minneapolis Board of Adjustment and zoning procedures comply per Title 20 of the Code.
Source
MN Statutes § 462.357
Effect
Procedural framework only — no substantive preemption of dimensional standards.
MN Shoreland Management Act (MN Stat. § 103F.201-.221) + DNR Rules Ch. 6120applies
Qualifying condition
Minneapolis is within DNR-designated shoreland of public waters (Mississippi River, Lake Calhoun/Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, Lake Nokomis, Minnehaha Creek). City.has_dnr_protected_waters=true. State law requires a local shoreland ordinance meeting DNR minimum standards; Minneapolis implements via SH Shoreland Overlay District (Ch. 535 — structures within shoreland zones; Table 540-15 footnote lot-size/width exceptions).
Source
MN DNR Shoreland Management Program; DNR Rules Ch. 6120.2500-.3900; MN Stat. § 103F.201
Effect
State DNR rules set floor for shoreland lot size, setback from OHW, impervious cover, bluff and steep slope regulation. Minneapolis SH Overlay implements; triggers DNR review for certain variances.
MN Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Act (MN Stat. § 116G) + MRCCA Rules (Ch. 6106)applies
Qualifying condition
Minneapolis contains the MN-designated Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA). City.in_mrcca=true. State law creates a mandatory overlay administered jointly by DNR and local governments. Minneapolis implements via MR Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Overlay District (Ch. 535).
Source
MN Rules Ch. 6106 (MRCCA); MN Stat. § 116G; MRCCA Plan for Minneapolis (adopted pre-2040 Plan)
Effect
State sets minimum standards for height, setback from bluff line, impervious cover, slope development, tree removal, and vegetative buffers within MRCCA Primary/Secondary conservation areas. DNR review required for certain plans/variances.
Non-applicable laws (1)
MN Statewide Missing Middle Housing Preemption (proposed HF 4009 / SF 3964, 2024 session; HF 1881 / SF 1788, 2025 session)does_not_apply
Qualifying condition
Bills would have required cities ≥5,000 pop to permit duplexes/triplexes by-right in all single-family zones and metro-area cities to allow quadplexes. Neither bill passed the 2024 nor 2025 MN legislative sessions. No Minnesota statewide zoning preemption is currently enacted as of April 2026. Note: Minneapolis independently permits 3 units by right in all UN districts via local 2040 Plan action — so even if enacted retroactively, Minneapolis would already be in substantive compliance. MN has NO enacted statewide SF-preemption; passive monitoring only.
Source
League of MN Cities 2024 / 2025 End-of-Session Law Summaries; MN House of Representatives bill tracker
Effect
No operative effect. Retain monitoring for 2026 session.

Adopted building codes

Statewide; extensive amendments

IBC
2018
IRC
2018
NEC
2023
IFC
2018
IECC (Residential)
MN-specific
IECC (Commercial)
MN-specific

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Quirks & notes

  • Minneapolis 2040 ENDED single-family-only zoning citywide effective January 1, 2020. All UN1/UN2/UN3 district properties allow up to 3 units by right — one of the first US cities to do so, and the single most discussed zoning-reform milestone of the 2020s. 2024 MN Session Law Ch. 118 retroactively exempted the plan from state environmental review, cementing the policy. [confirmed — Minneapolis 2040 Plan + S.F. 3492/2024]
  • Two-tier overlay system: every property has a PRIMARY district (uses only, Ch. 530) + a BUILT FORM overlay (all dimensions, Ch. 540). A parcel in UN2 may have dramatically different development capacity depending on whether its built form overlay is BFI1 vs BFC6 vs BFT30. Reading a single 'setback' or 'height' number per base district is structurally wrong. [confirmed §530.20 + §540.20]
  • Maximum lot sizes exist, not just minimums (§540.740 Table 540-15). Lots exceeding the maximum must use PUD, cluster, or common-lot-development process. Inverts the conventional Euclidean reading where only minimums regulate. Unusual. [confirmed]
  • Height defined in stories AND feet, stricter applies. A 2.5-story limit carries a separate gable-peak cap (e.g., ≤33 ft in BFI1 atop a 28-ft principal height). [confirmed §540.410]
  • Neighboring-building height exception for 1-3 unit dwellings: may exceed max height up to 35 ft if ≥50% of 1-3 unit dwellings within 100 ft already exceed the stated max. Context-sensitive height without variance. [confirmed Table 540-7 footnote]
  • No traditional R-1/C-2 base districts in the conventional Euclidean sense. UN/RM/CM/DC/DS/DD/PR/TR/PK sets USES only — no dimensional controls in base districts. A city with ~17 base districts but 23 built form overlays is topologically inverted from most US codes. [confirmed]
  • FAR premiums are district-specific and administratively tiered (§540.630). BFI3 gets only the enclosed-parking premium; higher overlays (BFC3+, BFT10+, BFC50) get broader menus (environmental sustainability, affordable housing, enclosed parking, TDR). [confirmed Table 540-5 note]
  • Historic TDR program (§540.300-310): transfer of development rights from locally-designated OR TDR-eligible historic structures to receiving sites with BFC50/BFT20/BFT30 overlays. Uncommon outside major coastal cities; integrates historic preservation directly with downtown development economics. [confirmed]
  • CM3/CM4/DD ground-floor commercial MANDATE: new buildings must devote ≥60% frontage OR ≥20% GFA OR ≥5% total GFA to active ground-floor use (§530.290). Stronger than most US mixed-use mandates. [confirmed]
  • PR1 residential-in-industrial requires ≥15% of first floor as production/employment space (§530.420) — inverse of typical employment-center residential bonuses; Minneapolis preserves production jobs by gating housing. [confirmed]
  • Downtown parking-garage sidewalk-separation rule (§530.350): ground floor of parking garages must be screened from sidewalk by commercial, residential, or institutional use — no blank parking frontage permitted. [confirmed]
  • Parkland jurisdiction split: Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) is an independently elected body governing the park system under City Charter Ch. 16 — NOT under City Council. PK1 district interacts with MPRB rules as much as Ch. 540. [confirmed City Charter Ch. 16]
  • MRCCA MR overlay carves height exemptions out: built form overlay height exemptions (rooftop mechanicals, architectural features) MAY NOT apply within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area per §540.410 note + MN Rules Ch. 6106. River-view protection is state-mandated. [confirmed]
  • SH Shoreland overlay similarly disables certain built form height exemptions and imposes stricter 4+ unit lot-size/width minima (80 ft width / 10,000 sf in BFI2-SH vs 40 ft / 7,500 sf base). [confirmed Table 540-15 footnote + §540.410 note]
  • Parking minima significantly reduced citywide in 2040 Rewrite — Minneapolis effectively joined the parking-reform cohort (Buffalo, Sacramento, Austin) even before state-mandated reductions. DP overlay further cuts downtown. [confirmed §541]
  • Ch. 540 tables (dimensional standards for BFT10/15/20/30 and BFC50) are not retrievable via automated fetch — library.municode.com is a JS-rendered SPA; values above 56 ft rely on Oct 2023 Built Form Districts Handbook + overlay-numeral encoding. [retrieval_failure]

Formulas

Definitions

height
Grade to highest point of structure, measured in both stories and feet — stricter applies (Ch. 540). 2.5-story limits have a separate gable-peak cap (e.g., ≤33 ft in BFI1 above a 28 ft principal).
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area. Set by built form overlay (Ch. 540), not primary district.
far
Gross floor area / lot area. Set by built form overlay (Ch. 540). Administrative premiums (environmental sustainability, affordable housing, enclosed parking, TDR) per §540.630; eligibility district-specific.
du_ac
Not used as a primary density metric — density emerges from built form overlay FAR + height + lot-size/width standards plus base-district use allowance (UN1-3 = 3 units by right).
impervious_cover
Total impervious surface / lot area. Set by built form overlay (Ch. 540).
setback_front
Front property line to nearest building face. Set by built form overlay (§540.850).
setback_side
Interior side property line to nearest building face. Set by built form overlay (§540.870).
setback_rear
Rear property line to nearest building face. Set by built form overlay.
parking
Spaces per dwelling unit unless noted. Downtown Parking (DP) overlay modifies; general parking minima significantly reduced in 2040 Rewrite.
built_form_overlay
Every parcel has exactly one built form overlay (Ch. 540) that sets ALL dimensional standards. Primary district sets uses only. Overlay controls when in conflict (§540.20).
far_premium
Administrative FAR increase via premiums — environmental sustainability, affordable housing, enclosed parking, TDR. District-specific eligibility (§540.630). BFI3 only gets the enclosed-parking premium; higher-tier overlays get broader menus.
neighboring_height_exception
1-3 unit dwellings may exceed max height up to 35 ft if ≥50% of 1-3 unit dwellings within 100 ft exceed the stated max (Table 540-7 footnote).

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage (from applicable built form overlay)
max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far (from applicable built form overlay; add premiums per §540.630 where eligible)
buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2
buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft
buildable_envelope_sf
buildable_width_ft * buildable_depth_ft
max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 12 (or per explicit story cap in built form overlay — stricter applies)
max_gfa_from_envelope
min(buildable_envelope_sf * max_stories_approx, max_gfa_sf)

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

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— ft
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Parking
— /unit
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— du/ac
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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Primary source
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, Title 20 — Zoning Code (2040 Rewrite)
Title 20 (2040 Rewrite) effective 2021-01-01; Ch. 530 base districts + Ch. 540 built form overlays phased in 2021-2023 · retrieved 2026-04-19

Retrieval failure: library.municode.com is a JS-rendered SPA — raw HTTP + web_fetch return shell HTML only. Ch. 540 tables for BFT10/15/20/30 and BFC50 not extractable via automation; values above 56 ft rely on Oct 2023 Built Form Districts Handbook + overlay-numeral encoding.

Secondary sources
Citations
  1. [1] §540.410
  2. [2] §540.410
  3. [3] §540.410
  4. [4] §540.110 Table 540-2
  5. [5] §540.110
  6. [6] §540.110
  7. [7] §540.110
  8. [8] §540.110
  9. [9] §540.110
  10. [10] §540.920
  11. [11] §540.920
  12. [12] §540.920
  13. [13] §540.920
  14. [14] §540.850
  15. [15] §540.870
  16. [16] §540.870
  17. [17] §540.870
  18. [18] §540.740 Table 540-15
  19. [19] §540.740 Table 540-15
  20. [20] §540.740
  21. [21] §540.410
  22. [22] §540.410
  23. [23] §540.410
  24. [24] §540.110
  25. [25] §540.110
  26. [26] §540.110
  27. [27] §540.920
  28. [28] §540.920
  29. [29] §540.850
  30. [30] §540.870
  31. [31] §540.870
  32. [32] §540.870
  33. [33] §540.740 Table 540-15
  34. [34] §540.740 Table 540-15
  35. [35] §540.740
  36. [36] §540.740
  37. [37] §540.740
  38. [38] §540.740 footnote
  39. [39] §540.740 footnote
  40. [40] §540.410
  41. [41] §540.410
  42. [42] §540.410
  43. [43] §540.410
  44. [44] §540.110
  45. [45] §540.110
  46. [46] §540.110
  47. [47] §540.110
  48. [48] §540.110
  49. [49] §540.920
  50. [50] §540.920
  51. [51] §540.850
  52. [52] §540.870
  53. [53] §540.870
  54. [54] §540.870
  55. [55] §540.740
  56. [56] §540.740
  57. [57] §540.740
  58. [58] §540.630 Table 540-5 note
  59. [59] §540.410 Table 540-9
  60. [60] §540.410 Table 540-9
  61. [61] §540.110
  62. [62] §540.110
  63. [63] §540.110
  64. [64] §540.110
  65. [65] §540.920
  66. [66] §540.920
  67. [67] §540.850
  68. [68] §540.740
  69. [69] §540.740
  70. [70] §540.740
  71. [71] §540.410
  72. [72] §540.410
  73. [73] §540.420
  74. [74] §540.410
  75. [75] §540.410
  76. [76] §540.420
  77. [77] §540.410
  78. [78] §540.420
  79. [79] §540.410
  80. [80] §540.420
  81. [81] §540.410
  82. [82] §540.420
  83. [83] §540.410
  84. [84] §540.300-310
  85. [85] §540.410 note
  86. [86] §540.740 Table 540-15 footnote
  87. [87] §540.740 Table 540-15 footnote
  88. [88] §525.470
  89. [89] §535
  90. [90] §535
  91. [91] §535.19
  92. [92] §598
  93. [93] §540.410 note
  94. [94] §535 + Ch. 598
  95. [95] §598
  96. [96] §535
  97. [97] §535
  98. [98] §Title 23
  99. [99] §Title 23
  100. [100] §Title 23
  101. [101] §540.300-310
  102. [102] §540.630 Table 540-5

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedhttps://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances starts with https://; library.municode.com is the official Municode host, not an aggregator
no aggregator citedpassedNo Zoneomics/Steadily/SitePlanGuide/SitePlanCreator/Propwire/Zonara/Unzoned references. Citations are Title 20 §530.*, §540.*, §535.*, §525.*, §541, §598, Title 23, MN Stat. § 103F/116G/462.357, MN Session Laws 2024 Ch. 118, MN Rules Ch. 6106/6120, FAA Part 77, FEMA SFHA, and Minneapolis CPED publications.
confidence tags full formpassedAll confirmed parameter values carry c§540.* / c§530.* / c§535.* section citations. partial values carry what_is_confirmed + what_is_missing. under_review values carry qualifying_condition_checked + retrieval_failure_reason. not_captured values carry not_captured_reason. Paired-field rule satisfied throughout.
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassedAll 25 overlays carry non-empty params, geographic trigger, base_interaction, status, and citation. BFI1/BFI2/BFI3/BFC3 fully confirmed; BFC4/BFC6/BFT10-30/BFC50 marked partial/under_review with explicit retrieval_failure_reason; Ch. 535 overlays (UA, HA, DH, DP, DS_OV, SZ, TP) enumerated with under_review + reason.
preempt section city specificpassedstate_preemptions_applicable[] non-empty (5 entries). Each entry carries Minneapolis-specific qualifying_condition_checked with numeric inputs (pop 429,954 Census PEP 2023, Hennepin County 1,281,565, Metro Council membership, DNR shoreland inventory, MRCCA district designation). MN is listed as an active-preemption state in SUBAGENT.md Gate 5; array includes both the operative 2024 Ch. 118 law and the inoperative (failed 2024/2025 bills) monitoring entry. NOT a link-stub.

Data quality

55%completeness68 confirmed18 partial4 inferred1 not found
Documented gaps
  • BFT10/BFT15/BFT20/BFT30 foot-height caps and FAR tables — JS-SPA blocker (Municode)
  • BFC50 precise base + premium FAR values — JS-SPA blocker
  • BFC4/BFC6 full dimensional tables — JS-SPA blocker
  • All 17 base districts have null dimensional values by design (dimensional control lives in Ch. 540 overlays)
  • Ch. 535 non-built-form overlay (HA, DH, DP, DS_OV, SZ, TP) parameters — JS-SPA blocker for complete table extraction
  • Unified Housing Policy AMI set-aside percentages — not in Ch. 540; requires separate CPED policy doc retrieval
  • Parking minima per §541 — not extracted; DP overlay modifications not extracted
  • MRCCA district-class (Primary/Secondary/Special) per-class parameters — partial

Known issues

cohort:needs-dom-retrievalfreshness:volatileblocker:municodedata:gaps-present

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