Zoning Report
St. Paul, MN Zoning
Saint Paul has a detailed, district-based zoning code supported by separate chapters for general standards, land use definitions, district use rules, and approval procedures. The available sources show a wide range of residential districts from one-family to multiple-family, plus traditional neighborhood, business, and special districts, with many projects routed through staff zoning review, site plan review, or public hearing processes depending on scale and relief requested. Recent city materials also indicate an active effort to reduce barriers for adding housing, especially accessory dwelling units and small-scale residential infill.
Last researched May 2026
Zoning Districts in St. Paul, MN
RL One-Family Large Lot
Low-density one-family residential district with large-lot standards.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling, Home occupation, Community residential facility (6 residents), Day care, School, library, park, church
R1 One-Family
One-family residential district with lower minimum lot area than RL.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling, Home occupation, Community residential facility (6 residents), Day care, School, library, park, church
R2 One-Family
One-family residential district with moderate lot standards.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling, Home occupation, Community residential facility (6 residents), Day care, School, library, park, church
R3 One-Family
One-family residential district with smaller lot standards than R2.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling, Home occupation, Community residential facility (6 residents), Day care, School, library, park, church
R4 One-Family
Small-lot one-family residential district and baseline standard for one-family dwellings in less restrictive residential districts.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling, Home occupation, Community residential facility (6 residents), Day care, School, library, park, church
RT1 Two-Family
Two-family district that allows all lower-density residential uses plus duplexes.
Allowed uses: All R1-R4 uses, Two-family dwelling
RT2 Townhouse
District for two-family, townhouse, and small multifamily forms.
Allowed uses: All RT1 uses, Three- and four-family dwelling, Townhouse, Community residential facility
RM1 Multiple Family
Lower-scale multifamily district.
Allowed uses: All RT2 uses, Multiple-family dwelling
RM2 Multiple Family
Mid-scale multifamily district allowing taller apartment forms and some supportive service uses.
Allowed uses: All RM1 uses, Multiple-family dwelling, Nursing home, Accessory retail service and office uses, Elderly housing support services
RM3 Multiple Family
Highest-intensity residential district in the provided sources, intended for larger multifamily buildings.
Allowed uses: Most RM2 uses except 1-2 family dwellings, Multiple-family dwelling
T1-T3 Traditional Neighborhood Districts
Traditional neighborhood districts intended to support neighborhood-scaled housing and mixed neighborhood forms. The sources specifically confirm one-family dwellings and ADUs in these districts, but do not provide full use and dimensional tables.
Allowed uses: One-family dwelling in T1-T2 (with cited standards), Accessory dwelling units in T1-T3
BC Community Business (Converted) District
Business district identified in the ADU guidance as one of the districts where ADUs may be permitted under specific code references.
Allowed uses: Accessory dwelling units (per city ADU page)
F1 Ford District
Special district identified in the ADU guidance as allowing accessory dwelling units under its district use table.
Allowed uses: Accessory dwelling units (per city ADU page)
Recent Zoning Changes
The clearest recent zoning changes in the source set relate to housing flexibility and process updates. ADU rules were liberalized in 2022 and again in 2023, and Planning Commission procedures were updated effective February 12, 2026 to route matters previously heard by certain committees to the full Planning Commission.
Setbacks, Lot Size & Height Limits in St. Paul, MN
The provided dimensional source gives clear minimum lot area, lot width, height, and yard setback standards for the main residential districts. It also includes several important notes affecting front setbacks, multifamily minimum site size, and potential lot-area bonuses tied to structured or underground parking.
| District | Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| RL | minimum lot area | 21,780 square feet — Larger lot may be required depending on sewage treatment system needs. |
| RL | minimum lot width | 80 feet |
| RL | maximum height | 3 stories / 30 feet |
| RL | minimum front setback | 30 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule where at least 50 percent of front footage is built up with principal structures. |
| RL | minimum side setback | 10 feet |
| RL | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| R1 | minimum lot area | 9,600 square feet — Where over half of the lot has slopes of twelve percent or greater, minimum lot size shall be 15,000 square feet. |
| R1 | minimum lot width | 80 feet |
| R1 | maximum height | 3 stories / 30 feet |
| R1 | minimum front setback | 30 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
| R1 | minimum side setback | 10 feet |
| R1 | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| R2 | minimum lot area | 7,200 square feet |
| R2 | minimum lot width | 60 feet |
| R2 | maximum height | 3 stories / 30 feet |
| R2 | minimum front setback | 25 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
| R2 | minimum side setback | 8 feet |
| R2 | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| R3 | minimum lot area | 6,000 square feet |
| R3 | minimum lot width | 50 feet |
| R3 | maximum height | 3 stories / 30 feet |
| R3 | minimum front setback | 25 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
| R3 | minimum side setback | 6 feet |
| R3 | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| R4 | minimum lot area | 5,000 square feet — These standards apply when one-family dwellings are erected in less restrictive residential districts. |
| R4 | minimum lot width | 40 feet |
| R4 | maximum height | 3 stories / 30 feet |
| R4 | minimum front setback | 25 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
| R4 | minimum side setback | 4 feet |
| R4 | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| RT1 | minimum lot area | 3,000 square feet — RT1 standards apply when two-family dwellings are erected in less restrictive residential districts. |
| RT1 | minimum lot width | 25 feet |
| RT1 | maximum height | 3 stories / 40 feet |
| RT1 | minimum front setback | 25 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
| RT1 | minimum side setback | 9 feet |
| RT1 | minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| RT2 | minimum lot area | 2,500 square feet — Applies to entire parcel where townhouse lots are individually described with common land. |
| RT2 | minimum lot width | 20 feet |
| RT2 | maximum height | 3 stories / 40 feet |
| RT2 | minimum front setback | 25 feet — May be adjusted by blockface averaging rule. |
ADU, Rental & Special Use Rules in St. Paul, MN
ADU
ADUs are secondary dwelling units associated with a principal one-family dwelling and may be within, attached to, or detached from that dwelling on the same zoning lot.
- ADUs are only permitted when there is an associated one-family dwelling on the same lot.
- Two ADUs are permitted for each one-family dwelling on a lot.
- If there are two ADUs for one-family dwelling, at least one of the ADUs must be detached from the one-family dwelling.
- Exception: both ADUs may be attached if at least 50% of the floor area of an existing principal residential structure on the zoning lot is retained.
- Combined occupancy of the one-family dwelling and associated ADUs cannot exceed the occupancy allowed under the definition of Household.
Home occupation
Home occupations are listed as allowed in one-family residential districts in the city zoning summary, but the supplemental standards were not provided in the source set.
Overlay Districts in St. Paul, MN
Floodplain Management Overlay Zoning
Official overlay zoning layer showing floodplain management overlay districts in effect in Saint Paul.
St. Paul, MN Zoning FAQ
Are ADUs allowed in St. Paul, MN?
ADUs are secondary dwelling units associated with a principal one-family dwelling and may be within, attached to, or detached from that dwelling on the same zoning lot.
What are the setback requirements in St. Paul, MN?
Setbacks vary by district. Examples — RL: 30 feet; RL: 10 feet; RL: 25 feet; R1: 30 feet. Always confirm the exact yard requirements for your district with St. Paul, MN.
What is the minimum lot size in St. Paul, MN?
Minimum lot size depends on the zoning district — RL: 21,780 square feet; RL: 80 feet; R1: 9,600 square feet; R1: 80 feet.
How tall can buildings be in St. Paul, MN?
Height limits are set per district — RL: 3 stories / 30 feet; R1: 3 stories / 30 feet; R2: 3 stories / 30 feet; R3: 3 stories / 30 feet.
What zoning districts are in St. Paul, MN?
St. Paul, MN includes districts such as RL One-Family Large Lot, R1 One-Family, R2 One-Family, R3 One-Family, R4 One-Family, RT1 Two-Family, RT2 Townhouse, RM1 Multiple Family.
Are there flood zones or overlay districts in St. Paul, MN?
The strongest environmental constraint documented in the sources is floodplain overlay zoning. The site plan review materials also flag steep slopes, river corridor locations, and tree preservation district sites as conditions that can affect review and fees.
Have there been recent zoning changes in St. Paul, MN?
The clearest recent zoning changes in the source set relate to housing flexibility and process updates. ADU rules were liberalized in 2022 and again in 2023, and Planning Commission procedures were updated effective February 12, 2026 to route matters previously heard by certain committees to the full Planning Commissio…
Common questions about St. Paul, MN zoning
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Deal-fit, approval path & risk flags for St. Paul, MN
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- Chapter 65. - Zoning Code—Land Use Definitions and Development Standards | Code of Ordinances | St. Paul, MN | Municode Library — Provided code excerpts on one-family dwellings, dwelling definitions, and the ADU code location.
- Zoning Permits and Land Uses | Saint Paul Minnesota — Provided overview of zoning approval triggers, general timeline, and projects requiring site plan review.
- SITE PLAN REVIEW APPLICATION - StPaul.gov — Provided submittal requirements, staff review steps, fees, and references to floodplain, steep slope, river corridor, tree preservation, and overlay zoning fields.
- Zoning Basics.ai — Provided summary residential use permissions and residential dimensional standards table.
- Site Plan Review | Saint Paul Minnesota — Provided current site plan review workflow, appeal windows, and staff vs Planning Commission review information.
- Zoning Appeals and Variances | Saint Paul Minnesota — Provided variance and appeal process details, hearing schedule, notice requirements, and district council role.
- Planning Commission | Saint Paul Minnesota — Provided Planning Commission schedule and 2026 committee restructuring update.
- Accessory Dwelling Units | Saint Paul Minnesota — Primary source for ADU district eligibility, quantity limits, occupancy, unit size, and recent rule changes.
- Establishment of Nonconforming Use | Saint Paul Minnesota — Provided the city’s establishment of nonconforming use permit process, findings, notice, and hearing details.
- Board of Zoning Appeals | Saint Paul Minnesota — Confirmed BZA meeting schedule and stated public hearing timing for variances and administrative appeals.
- New Dwelling Toolkit | Saint Paul Minnesota — Confirmed the city’s ongoing support resources for adding housing units and flagged utility, historic, and rental considerations.
- Floodplain Management Overlay Zoning — Confirmed existence of the official floodplain management overlay zoning map layer.
This summary is AI-generated from public municipal sources and is not legal, engineering, or land-use advice. Always verify zoning with St. Paul, MN officials before making decisions.