St. Louis Park, MN
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Engineering FAQs
General engineering
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Community sidewalks are located on streets that are directly adjacent to community or area destinations, such as the library, schools, retail areas, parks, regional trails, transit nodes and places of worship. Most of these sidewalks are located along roadways that have high traffic volumes.
Neighborhood sidewalks are all other sidewalks in the city. They provide accessibility for pedestrians within the immediate area and feed into the community sidewalk system. These sidewalks are generally located on lower volume roads.
Right of way
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Construction in, on, under or above the right of way requires review by the city, and if it is allowed, a permit. Examples of private improvements that are allowed within the right of way are sprinkler systems, pet containment, landscaping and driveways. Construction of retaining walls, steps, lighting or a fence are generally not allowed in the right of way.
Private improvements in the right of way may be damaged when construction takes place. If there is construction work in the right of way, repairs and relocation of underground private improvements are the responsibility of the property owner.
In most instances the street or alley runs down the middle of the right of way. The width of the right of way can vary. Typically, the right of way for residential streets is 60 feet wide. For public alleys, it’s 15 feet wide. Wider streets have wider right of way. Sometimes the center of the road does not match the center of the right of way.
If you would like to install landscaping, sprinklers, pet containment, fences or other private improvements adjacent to a street or alley, we recommend you hire a surveyor who can find your property corners. This will help you determine if the improvement you are installing is on your property or in the right of way.
Visit www.mnsurveyor.com for a list of registered land surveyors.
An easement is a legal right of one party to use or access someone else’s property. Easements may be established for drainage, access, transportation, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water mains, private utilities, trails, drainage ponds, wetlands or other public or private use. Many properties in St. Louis Park have easements that provide the city and utility companies access to construct improvements and provide maintenance along the perimeter of a lot.
Hennepin County maintains official records of all easements on a property. Contact the County to learn about easements on your property.
Note: The city does not provide surveying services for private property owners. Residents need to hire a private licensed surveyor for questions and requests associated with their projects.
For general easement questions, contact Sarah Schweiger, engineering services manager at sschweiger@stlouisparkmn.gov or 952.924.2687.
- All roads and alleys are located on land that is referred to as right of way. The right of way is intended for public purposes, including public streets, bikeways, alleys and public utilities. It generally extends beyond the pavement and can include sidewalks, utility poles, underground utilities, signs and streetlights. In addition, the city uses the area for snow storage in the winter.
Right of way permits
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- Yes. Street closures can be requested for work that will be conducted within the right of way. Closures will not be granted for block parties or other events that do not have any physical work within the right of way. The police, fire and operations departments must all approve of the closure.
- Yes. Temporary no parking signs may be requested if you have a permit to work within the right of way. A separate refundable deposit fee will be collected for the usage of city owned signs. The deposit fee is $25 per sign (minimum $100 permit). The contractor is responsible for installing the signs and returning them to the city.
Bulk material containers, such as dumpsters or pods, are typically not allowed on city property or right of way, including alleys, boulevards and sidewalks. Dumpsters must be placed on private property, such as a driveway or yard/lawn.
However, there is an exemption to the city code in certain circumstances. Approval of an exemption is determined by staff upon finding that the following conditions are satisfied:
- There is no practical and/or reasonable location for the container to be placed on an individual's lot or driveway, and
- An exemption will not unreasonably subject the public to harm.
Contact Sarah Schweiger, engineering services manager, at sschweiger@stlouisparkmn.gov or 952.924.2687, if you believe you qualify for an exemption.
- Pavement repairs must be guaranteed for a minimum of two years from the date of inspection. If repairs are needed during the year, the inspector will contact the contractor and request that the work be corrected within two weeks. If the work is not corrected in the given time frame, the city can opt for other measures to correct the problem.
- The inspector will inspect the repair after the excavation is paved. It is not necessary to call the inspector for this inspection. If the work is deemed to be inadequate, the inspector will contact the contractor and request that the work be corrected within two weeks.
- To arrange for an inspection regarding your right of way permit, contact the engineering department at 952.924.2656. Inspections must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance. Inspections are available during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Inspection are not done on weekends or holidays.
- Inspection checkpoints will be noted when a right of way permit is issued on the inspection record.
What should I put for the date of work to begin on the right of way permit application form if I’m not sure when the work will begin?
If you are not sure of the date the work will begin, put “unknown” in the space for the date of work to begin and indicate an approximate time frame (i.e., within the next week). Permits are only valid for six months from the date of issuance. The contractor is responsible for calling the city at least 48 hours prior to beginning any work.How do I determine the excavation length, width and depth if I am not sure how large the excavation will be?
Excavation must be done in accordance with all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. If the size of the excavation is unknown, determine the minimum dimensions of pavement removal and replacement. Use these dimensions on the permit application form. Pavement removals will be marked by the city inspector in the field prior to restoration.My work involves excavation in the boulevard and street. Which box do I check on the permit application form for type of surface to be disturbed?
Check all applicable boxes. For example, if the excavation takes place in a bituminous street and in the boulevard, check both of these boxes.- Any work (above or below ground) performed in the City of St Louis Park within the street right of way requires a permit, including irrigation and driveways. The right of way is located within the street section and typically 10 to 15 feet behind the curb.
Erosion control permits
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- For construction projects that are one acre or greater, erosion and sediment control is regulated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). For construction projects that will disturb an area of 5,000 square feet or greater, or that will excavate a volume of 50 cubic yards or greater, erosion and sediment control is regulated by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) and the City of St. Louis Park. In early March, the MCWD granted regulatory permitting authority to the city of St. Louis Park, so now residents, builders and developers who need an Erosion and Sediment Control Permit for smaller projects can work with just the city.
The damage deposit must be provided via secured funds, and made out to the City of St. Louis Park, when the erosion and sediment control application is submitted. Applications will not be reviewed if the damage deposit is not included. The secured funds will be placed in a non-interest-bearing account and will be returned to the applicant once the project is complete. Funds may only be used if the city or another regulatory entity determines the project is not compliant with erosion and sediment control requirements. In that case, applicants will be notified and given a time frame to bring the site back into compliance. If the time frame isn’t met, then the city can use the funds to reimburse city staff time, contractors and/or consultants to bring the site back into compliance and to evaluate any natural resource impacts that have resulted due to the noncompliance issue.
Damage deposits will be collected for each project and are not transferable. If you have questions, contact Erick Francis at efrancis@stlouisparkmn.gov or 952.924.2690.
Damage deposits are now required with erosion and sediment control permit applications. The amount required is $3,000 per acre, with a minimum of $1,500 for smaller projects. This is not meant to be a barrier to construction or an added permit expense. If permit requirements are met throughout the construction process, the entire deposit will be returned once the project is complete.
Stormwater runoff from construction projects can have a serious effect on the environment and nearby water resources, including Minnehaha Creek, Bass Lake and Lake Calhoun. Because of this, St. Louis Park takes compliance with erosion and sediment control permits very seriously. Damage deposits are intended to reduce noncompliance issues and to ensure that outstanding non-compliance issues are corrected quickly.
Parking permits
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Only St. Louis Park residents, property owners or businesses are allowed to apply for temporary parking.
Who is responsible for any damages that may occur to a car while parking in the approved temporary parking area?
The vehicle owner will be responsible for dealing with any damages that occur to a car while it is parked in an approved temporary parking area.If I get approval for temporary parking and there is a snow emergency, can I still park on the street?
No. If a snow emergency has been declared, you must follow the guidelines for parking during a snow emergency.For on-street parking during the winter, temporary parking permits, permit parking zones and medical needs permits, visit parking and vehicle page.
Traffic control requests
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St. Louis Park has a policy and procedure in place to address traffic concerns and requests for traffic controls. The city's goal is to ensure that traffic controls are used appropriately, and that residents’ concerns are addressed.
A resident can request a traffic control by contacting engineering department. All requests go for review by the traffic committee, an internal employee workgroup made up of staff from the engineering, operations, police and community development departments. The group meets monthly to discuss traffic requests from across the city and makes recommendations on possible changes. Any changes to traffic controls or parking restrictions are brought to the city council for a decision.
Learn more about traffic control requests and who to contact.
Water resources
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In 2016, FEMA announced changes to the floodplain boundaries. Some property owners within or close to the floodplain may have received letters from their mortgage companies requiring the purchase of flood insurance. Other property owners may find themselves no longer required to carry flood insurance, based on the new data.
View the floodplain map changes page to learn more.
A watershed is an area of land from which water drains to one body of water. This body of water could be a wetland, pond, lake or creek located outside your back door. St. Louis Park residents live in either of two watersheds. View the watershed district map to find out which watershed you live in.