Zoning › Minnesota › Brown County › New Ulm

New Ulm, MN Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 12 districts · 4 overlays · 3 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
letter-code
Naming convention by category
residentialletter-numeric intensity-encoded (R-1 largest lot / lowest density → R-4 smallest lot / highest density; R-1S small-lot subvariant; RT-1/RT-2 townhouse variants)
commercialletter-numeric intensity-encoded (C-1 neighborhood → C-3 highway)
industrialletter-numeric intensity-encoded (I-1 light → I-2 general/heavy)

Conventional euclidean zoning — not form-based, not hybrid-PD, not rewrite-in-flight, not no-zoning. District-code pattern is intensity-encoded letter-numeric (number indicates relative density / intensity, not lot-size-in-thousands). Not the INVERSE pattern. v1 classification (implicit euclidean) retained. | narrative_ref=narratives/new-ulm-mn/fleet-20260419T092906-13.json#section-02-code-type-classifier

Worth knowing
  • CORRECTED 2026-05-18: Prior v1 / early v2 profiles asserted MN SF 4/HF 1 Missing Middle Housing was enacted in 2023 and applied to New Ulm. This is INCORRECT — both the 2023 SF 4 / HF 1 and the 2024 HF 4009 / SF 3964 re-introduction died in committee under suburban DFL and League of Minnesota Cities opposition. As of 2026-05-18 there is NO statewide missing-middle preemption in Minnesota. New Ulm's R-1, R-2, R-1S use rules are entirely governed by local Chapter 13. The Starter Home Act (HF 1987 / SF 2229) is pending in the 94th Legislature and would be the first such preemption if enacted. — [c§zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md (2026-05-18 'Important Correction' and '2023-2024 missing-middle / parking bills — failed'); c§Minnesota Reformer 2024-04-04]
  • v1 profile OMITTED 3 districts visible on the official City of New Ulm Zoning Map legend: R-1S (likely single-family small-lot subvariant), RT-1 and RT-2 (likely residential townhouse variants). Classic FM-6 under-inventory: v1 captured only the standard R-1/R-2/R-3/R-4 pattern and missed subvariants. v2 adds all three at not_found status pending Chapter 13 body-text retrieval. — [c§City of New Ulm Zoning Map legend (via web-search snippet of newulmmn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/115)]
  • v1 profile populated ~81 dimensional numeric values across 9 districts; most were marked 'c':'i' (inferred) with no primary-source §-citation. This is FM-1 fabrication-on-shape / FM-6 schema-projection. v2 demotes all v1-'inferred' values to status:partial with paired under_review + retrieval_failure_reason (SPA-platform block on municipalcodeonline.com Chapter 13 body text). Future pass should obtain Chapter 13 via direct PDF export from City Hall (Kim Seifert Samuelson, 507-359-8226) or browser-based navigation of the municipalcodeonline portal. — [v1 profile self-marked with 'i' confidence flag on ~24 fields]

+ 5 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 3res_mf 3com 3ind 2mu 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
R-1Single-Family Residentialres_sf10,000 sf[4]35 ft[5]0.4[6]0.4[7]4.4[8]1[9]25[1] / 10[2] / 20[3]
R-2Single-Family Residential — Compactres_sf7,500 sf[13]35 ft[14]0.45[15]0.45[16]5.8[17]1.5[18]20[10] / 8[11] / 15[12]
R-3Multi-Family Residentialres_mf15,000 sf[22]45 ft[23]0.5[24]0.75[25]2.9[26]2[27]30[19] / 15[20] / 20[21]
R-4Downtown Mixed-Use Residentialmu5,000 sf[31]65 ft[32]0.8[33]2[34]8.7[35]1[36]0[28] / 5[29] / 10[30]
R-1SSingle-Family Residential — Small-lot (inferred semantics)res_sf——————— / — / —
RT-1Residential Townhouse 1 (inferred semantics)res_mf——————— / — / —
RT-2Residential Townhouse 2 (inferred semantics)res_mf——————— / — / —
C-1Neighborhood Commercialcom10,000 sf[38]40 ft[39]0.65[40]0.85[41]——25[37] / — / —
C-2General Commercialcom20,000 sf[43]50 ft[44]0.75[45]1.1[46]——35[42] / — / —
C-3Highway Commercialcom40,000 sf[48]55 ft[49]0.8[50]1.2[51]——50[47] / — / —
I-1Light Industrialind30,000 sf[52]45 ft[53]0.6[54]0.85[55]——— / — / —
I-2General Industrialind80,000 sf[56]55 ft[57]0.5[58]0.75[59]——— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

FP
Floodplain Overlay
FP
City of New Ulm Chapter 13 (Zoning), floodplain subsection; specific §-citation not captured this pass

FEMA-mapped 100-year and 500-year floodplain boundaries along the Minnesota River (which flows along the north edge of New Ulm) and tributary drainages (notably Cottonwood River confluence zone, the Creek corridor within city limits). Also localized flood-prone wetland areas.

AS
Airport Safety Overlay
AP
City of New Ulm Chapter 13 (Zoning), airport safety subsection; specific §-citation not captured this pass

Airport Safety Zone A and Zone B as mapped on the official City of New Ulm Zoning Map (legend explicitly shows both zones). Zones correspond to the FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces for New Ulm Regional Airport (KULM, municipal general-aviation airport immediately south of city).

HD
Downtown Historic District Overlay
HP
City of New Ulm Chapter 13 (Zoning), historic preservation subsection; specific §-citation not captured this pass

Downtown New Ulm historic district core; traditional Bavarian-themed commercial and civic area centered on Minnesota Street / Broadway. (New Ulm is a heritage-branded tourism city with multiple NRHP-listed buildings including the Brown County Courthouse and the Hermann Monument vicinity.)

PRB
Parks & Recreation Buffer Overlay
ENV
not_found — v1 asserted 'City Code' without specific chapter/section; v2 pass could not locate primary-source evidence of a formally coded PRB overlay in Chapter 13 indexing or in comprehensive-plan documents

v1 asserted 'areas adjacent to city parks, recreation facilities, and trail corridors'; not primary-source-confirmed

State preemptions

MN-MPA-462.357-MunicipalZoningAuthorityBaselineapplies
Qualifying condition
New Ulm is a Minnesota statutory or home-rule charter city in Brown County (FIPS 2746042, population 13,522). All Minnesota cities — statutory and home-rule — operate under MPA Chapter 462, with §462.357 the principal grant of municipal zoning power. New Ulm Chapter 13 (Zoning) is the local implementing instrument. Source: zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md §'Constitutional and Statutory Framework'; MN Statutes §462.357. | title=Minnesota Municipal Planning Act (MPA) — §462.357 baseline zoning authority ; effect_on_city=Baseline procedural floor for zoning ordinances, comp-plan consistency, public hearings, variance and conditional-use procedures. §462.357 subd. 1e bars amortization-based termination of pre-existing nonconforming uses — uses lawful at inception cannot generally be terminated by amortization ordinance regardless of any New Ulm Chapter 13 provision.
MN-MSBC-326B-StateBuildingCodeapplies
Qualifying condition
Per §326B.121, MSBC is automatically enforceable in the 7-county Twin Cities metro and in specifically listed jurisdictions. Outside that universe, cities may opt to enforce or not — this is the inverse of most states. New Ulm is in Brown County (outside the 7-county metro). Whether New Ulm has adopted MSBC enforcement is a city-specific question not re-verified this pass; the 2020 MSBC is the binding statewide code IF adopted by ordinance. | title=Minnesota State Building Code (MSBC) — §326B local-enforcement opt-in ; effect_on_city=If adopted: MSBC (2020 edition; rolling chapter updates, 3-year cycle for energy code 1322/1323) preempts local building-code amendment absent DLI variance. If not adopted: city retains discretion over building-code adoption. Status (adopted vs not) is partial pending city contact (Building Official, City Hall 507-359-8226 main).
MN-WCA-103G-WetlandConservationActapplies
Qualifying condition
WCA applies statewide; no city is exempt. New Ulm contains regulated wetlands within the Minnesota River corridor, Cottonwood River confluence zone, and tributary drainages. No-net-loss replacement is required for any wetland impact regardless of local zoning approval. Administered by local government (City of New Ulm or Brown County SWCD) under BWSR oversight. | title=Wetland Conservation Act (Minn. Stat. §§ 103G.221–103G.2375) ; effect_on_city=All development with wetland impact requires WCA replacement (typically 2:1 in agricultural areas, 1:1 with public-value test elsewhere). This is in addition to Chapter 13 zoning approval and any federal Section 404 (USACE) jurisdictional review.
Non-applicable laws (3)
MN-MissingMiddle-SF4-HF1-DID-NOT-PASSunder_review
Qualifying condition
Vehicle bills SF 4 / HF 1 (2023) and HF 4009 / SF 3964 (2024) both died in committee — not enacted, not signed, not in force. New Ulm 13,522 population would have crossed the ≥5,000 proposed threshold but the threshold itself never became law. Source: zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md §'2023-2024 missing-middle / parking bills — failed' and §'Important Correction'. | title=MN SF 4 / HF 1 — Missing Middle Housing Act (2023 and 2024 re-introduction) — FAILED ; reason=Bill died in committee in both 2023 (SF 4 / HF 1) and 2024 (HF 4009 / SF 3964) under suburban DFL and League of Minnesota Cities opposition. As of 2026-05-18 there is NO statewide missing-middle, parking, or single-family-zoning preemption in force in Minnesota. New Ulm city population 13,522 would have been over the proposed ≥5,000 threshold IF the law had passed; it did not. PRIOR v1/early-v2 PROFILES INCORRECTLY ASSERTED THIS LAW WAS IN FORCE — corrected this pass per the 2026-05-18 update to zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md. ; effect_on_city=None. Duplex/triplex permission in New Ulm SF zones (R-1, R-2, R-1S) is governed entirely by local Chapter 13 — no state floor or override applies.
MN-MetropolitanLandPlanningAct-Ch473under_review
Qualifying condition
County test: Brown ∉ {Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington}. Source: zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md §'Metropolitan Council — Regional Layer (Twin Cities)' and §'Metropolitan Land Planning Act — THRIVE 2040 and MUSA'. | title=Metropolitan Land Planning Act — Met Council jurisdiction (Ch. 473) ; reason=Met Council comp-plan review + MUSA + share-of-region housing allocation apply ONLY in the 7-county Twin Cities metro (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington). New Ulm is in Brown County in southwest Minnesota. 'Brown' NOT IN {Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington} → does NOT apply. ; effect_on_city=None. New Ulm has no regional comp-plan review obligation, no MCES sewer-conformity gate, and no share-of-region housing allocation. Comp planning is fully local under §462.357.
MN-StarterHomeAct-HF1987-SF2229-PENDINGunder_review
Qualifying condition
If enacted, would require all MN cities to permit single-family, duplex, townhouse, and ADU as-of-right in residential zones; floor minimum lot sizes (5,445 sf SF/duplex, 1,500 sf townhouse); ban parking minimums for starter-home units; ban prescriptive aesthetic mandates. New Ulm would be subject to all provisions. Status: pending — track for 2026 supplemental session outcome. | title=Starter Home Act (HF 1987 / SF 2229) — 94th Legislature, PENDING ; reason=Introduced in the 94th Legislature (2025-26 biennium). SF 2229 cleared first engrossment in the 2025 regular session but did not clear conference. Remains live for the 2026 supplemental session. NOT in force as of 2026-05-18. ; effect_on_city=None currently. If enacted: would override Chapter 13 R-1 (10,000 sf v1-reported) and R-2 (7,500 sf v1-reported) minimums down to 5,445 sf for SF/duplex; would override any parking minimums for starter homes; would prevent local design-standard mandates beyond health/safety/structural code.

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.

Amendment history

DateKindCitation
2026-04-19amendment effectivenote: v2 regeneration pass date; no primary-source adoption or supplement date retrieved | kind_raw=pass_research_date

Quirks & notes

  • CORRECTED 2026-05-18: Prior v1 / early v2 profiles asserted MN SF 4/HF 1 Missing Middle Housing was enacted in 2023 and applied to New Ulm. This is INCORRECT — both the 2023 SF 4 / HF 1 and the 2024 HF 4009 / SF 3964 re-introduction died in committee under suburban DFL and League of Minnesota Cities opposition. As of 2026-05-18 there is NO statewide missing-middle preemption in Minnesota. New Ulm's R-1, R-2, R-1S use rules are entirely governed by local Chapter 13. The Starter Home Act (HF 1987 / SF 2229) is pending in the 94th Legislature and would be the first such preemption if enacted. — [c§zoning/us/minnesota/preemptions.md (2026-05-18 'Important Correction' and '2023-2024 missing-middle / parking bills — failed'); c§Minnesota Reformer 2024-04-04]
  • v1 profile OMITTED 3 districts visible on the official City of New Ulm Zoning Map legend: R-1S (likely single-family small-lot subvariant), RT-1 and RT-2 (likely residential townhouse variants). Classic FM-6 under-inventory: v1 captured only the standard R-1/R-2/R-3/R-4 pattern and missed subvariants. v2 adds all three at not_found status pending Chapter 13 body-text retrieval. — [c§City of New Ulm Zoning Map legend (via web-search snippet of newulmmn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/115)]
  • v1 profile populated ~81 dimensional numeric values across 9 districts; most were marked 'c':'i' (inferred) with no primary-source §-citation. This is FM-1 fabrication-on-shape / FM-6 schema-projection. v2 demotes all v1-'inferred' values to status:partial with paired under_review + retrieval_failure_reason (SPA-platform block on municipalcodeonline.com Chapter 13 body text). Future pass should obtain Chapter 13 via direct PDF export from City Hall (Kim Seifert Samuelson, 507-359-8226) or browser-based navigation of the municipalcodeonline portal. — [v1 profile self-marked with 'i' confidence flag on ~24 fields]
  • PRB (Parks & Recreation Buffer) overlay existence could NOT be re-verified this pass. Zoning-map legend snippet showed only base districts + Airport Safety Zones, no Parks Buffer overlay code. v1 flagged PRB as 'inferred'. v2 demotes to under_review — PRB may instead be a comprehensive-plan policy rather than a formally coded Chapter 13 overlay. Future pass should verify or remove. — [partial §City of New Ulm Chapter 13; c§Zoning Map legend (PRB not shown in visible legend portion)]
  • Minnesota River floodplain constraint: New Ulm sits in the Minnesota River valley; FP overlay coverage affects substantial portions of the city, particularly north-facing neighborhoods along the river bluff and Cottonwood River confluence. Elevation requirements (BFE + 2 ft MN NFIP convention, specific Chapter 13 value partial) increase foundation costs. Early floodplain assessment critical for feasibility. — [c§geographic fact (Minnesota River adjacency); c§FEMA NFHL Brown County panels; partial §City of New Ulm Chapter 13 floodplain subsection]
  • New Ulm Regional Airport (KULM) is a MUNICIPAL general-aviation airport, NOT a military installation. AICUZ (Air Installation Compatible Use Zones) framework does NOT apply; the AS overlay is a local implementation of FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces only. No federal_state_conflict hook (FM-P routing) is needed — the AS overlay belongs in overlays[] not in any state-federal-conflict path. — [c§FAA airport registry (KULM = public-use GA airport); c§Zoning Map legend (Airport Safety Zone A + B)]
  • Downtown Historic District: New Ulm is a heritage-branded Bavarian tourism city with NRHP-listed structures (Brown County Courthouse, Hermann Monument vicinity). HD overlay existence is plausible and v1-affirmed; however, the specific Chapter 13 §-citation, Architectural Review Committee name, and design-review timeline are partial pending Chapter 13 retrieval. Adaptive reuse typically favored over demolition in the HD overlay area. — [partial §City of New Ulm Chapter 13 historic preservation subsection; c§NRHP Brown County Courthouse listing]
  • No county zoning overlay complexity: New Ulm is a fully incorporated city within Brown County. Brown County generally administers zoning in its unincorporated areas; New Ulm's Chapter 13 applies within city limits. Single-jurisdiction simplicity eliminates dual-approval pathways. (Contrast with Townsend MT where small-city + large-county ETJ creates dual review.) — [c§Minnesota municipal-county governance (MN Stat Chapter 462 city authority)]

Formulas

Definitions

height
Grade to highest point of structure (Midwest convention; not re-confirmed against Chapter 13 text this pass — FM-P)
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area (principal + accessory structures — v1 convention retained)
far
Gross floor area / lot area
du_ac
Dwelling units per gross acre (43,560 sf/acre / min lot sf)
setback_front
Front property line to nearest building face
setback_side
Side property line to nearest building face
setback_rear
Rear property line to nearest building face
parking
Off-street spaces per dwelling unit unless noted

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage
max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far
max_units_from_density
lot_area_sf * du_ac / 43560
parking_required
units * parking

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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Parking
— /unit
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Sources & references

Primary source
City of New Ulm Code of Ordinances — Chapter 13 (Zoning)
Secondary sources
Citations
  1. [1] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  2. [2] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  3. [3] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  4. [4] §city of new ulm chapter 13; v1 marked this value 'c' (confirmed). chapter 13 §-number not captured this pass due to spa-platform block.
  5. [5] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  6. [6] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  7. [7] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  8. [8] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  9. [9] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  10. [10] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  11. [11] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  12. [12] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  13. [13] §city of new ulm chapter 13; v1 marked 'c'.
  14. [14] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  15. [15] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  16. [16] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  17. [17] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  18. [18] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  19. [19] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  20. [20] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  21. [21] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  22. [22] §city of new ulm chapter 13; v1 marked 'c'.
  23. [23] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  24. [24] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  25. [25] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  26. [26] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  27. [27] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  28. [28] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  29. [29] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  30. [30] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  31. [31] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  32. [32] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  33. [33] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  34. [34] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  35. [35] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  36. [36] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  37. [37] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  38. [38] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  39. [39] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  40. [40] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  41. [41] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  42. [42] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  43. [43] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  44. [44] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  45. [45] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  46. [46] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  47. [47] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  48. [48] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  49. [49] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  50. [50] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  51. [51] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  52. [52] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  53. [53] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  54. [54] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  55. [55] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  56. [56] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  57. [57] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  58. [58] §city of new ulm chapter 13
  59. [59] §city of new ulm chapter 13

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedcode_source = https://newulm.municipalcodeonline.com/ — official municipal codification platform (municipalcodeonline.com), not an aggregator. Secondary city-owned URLs at newulmmn.gov for the zoning-map PDF and subdivision PDF.
no aggregator citedpassedscan clean — no references to zoneomics, steadily, siteplanguide, sitedesignguide, siteplancreator, propwire, zonara, or unzoned. All citations point to newulmmn.gov, newulm.municipalcodeonline.com, revisor.mn.gov, dli.mn.gov, FEMA NFHL, FAA Part 77, or the MN preemptions MD.
confidence tags full formpassed6 confirmed-or-confirmed-carried fields (R-1 min_lot_sf 10000, R-2 min_lot_sf 7500, R-3 min_lot_sf 15000, and 3 overlay existence facts) carry partial §City of New Ulm Chapter 13 citations; the remaining ~38 partial fields all carry status:partial + under_review:true + retrieval_failure_reason + paired §-form citation per FM-8 paired-field rules. R-1S/RT-1/RT-2 carry status:not_found + search_performed.
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassed4/4 overlays (FP, AS, HD, PRB) have non-empty parameters arrays (≥4 items each), explicit geographic_trigger string, explicit status, and §-citation. PRB is status:under_review with paired qualifying_condition_checked + retrieval_failure_reason.
preempt section city specificpassed6 MN-specific entries with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked: (1) SF 4/HF 1 Missing Middle DID NOT PASS — corrected; (2) MPA §462.357 baseline applies; (3) Ch. 473 Met Council does NOT apply (Brown ∉ 7-county metro); (4) MSBC §326B partial (local opt-in question); (5) WCA §103G applies (Minnesota River wetlands); (6) Starter Home Act HF 1987/SF 2229 pending — not in force. Each entry carries population 13,522, Brown County, or specific statute references — not link-stubs.

Data quality

55%completeness6 confirmed38 partial3 not found
Documented gaps
  • Chapter 13 §-level citations for R-1/R-2/R-3/R-4/R-1S/RT-1/RT-2/C-1/C-2/C-3/I-1/I-2 dimensional standards — requires browser-nav of municipalcodeonline SPA, direct PDF from City Hall, or Planning Dept contact (507-359-0504)
  • R-1S, RT-1, RT-2 district SEMANTICS (what exactly differentiates them from R-1/R-3) — not captured
  • PRB (Parks & Recreation Buffer) overlay formal existence as a Chapter 13 section — under_review; may be comprehensive-plan policy rather than coded overlay
  • FP overlay BFE freeboard, floodway no-fill specifics, compensatory storage formula — partial (MN NFIP defaults used)
  • AS overlay Part 77 surface elevations for KULM approach/departure corridors — partial
  • HD overlay Architectural Review Committee name, review timeline, demolition-threshold findings — partial
  • Specific duplex/triplex minimum lot size under MN SF 4/HF 1 as implemented in New Ulm's R-1/R-2/R-1S — partial (state cap is the SF minimum)
  • Parking ratios by land use (non-residential) — not captured
  • Population 13,522 and county population 24,881 figures carried from v1 without re-verifying against 2020 Census primary source this pass

Known issues

priority:lowcohort:needs-dom-retrievalblocker:municipalcodeonlinedata:gaps-present

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