Minnesota’s Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Program (MRCCA) program guides land development through local government plans and zoning regulations to protect the corridor’s natural, cultural and scenic resources.
Property owners should contact their local city or township zoning staff with questions about relevant standards and permit requirements that apply to their property. The DNR’s role is to ensure that local government MRCCA zoning regulations comply with the rules and to provide technical assistance and oversight to local governments.
Local government MRCCA zoning regulations
Local government MRCCA regulations are administered as a zoning overlay district. Within the MRCCA district, local governments issue permits for building and construction, vegetation management and removal, and land alteration. They also make decisions on variances and conditional use permits. Permitting decisions are guided by standards that vary by MRCCA district and the presence of primary conservation areas.
MRCCA districts
The 2017 MRCCA rules establish six districts within the MRCCA overlay zoning district. MRCCA districts determine structure setbacks from bluffs and the river, as well as structure height.
Primary conservation areas
Primary Conservation Areas (PCAs) are key resources identified in the 2017 MRCCA rules and in local MRCCA plans. The rules (and local zoning regulations that comply with the rules) include standards and special permits to protect PCAs from building and construction, vegetation management and removal, and land alteration activities.
Resources
Questions
Contact your local government planning and zoning office/department.