Anoka, MN

Anoka requires a city Driveway Permit for any driveway work — new construction, replacement, enhancement, or repair. Sealcoating and crack repair are the only routine maintenance items that don't trigger a permit. The 2026 Driveway Application is published yearly on the city website and must be filled out on the current form; older versions are not accepted. Applications can be emailed to the address printed on the form, mailed in, dropped in the box outside Anoka City Hall, or submitted in person. Fax submissions are no longer accepted. The city accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks, and exact cash for permit fees.

The city's published rules for driveway dimensions are precise. Inside the public right-of-way, the minimum driveway width is 12 feet and the maximum is the width of the main garage plus four feet, capped at 24 feet. Curb returns and apron radii are not included in the width measurement. Each single-family or duplex parcel is entitled to one driveway from a public right-of-way unless an additional access can be shown to improve traffic safety or circulation. Shared driveways do not require the standard 5-foot setback along the shared property line.

Anoka's apron construction standards are strict and are written into city code. The driveway apron must be concrete, at least 6 inches thick, installed over a Class V base at least 4 inches thick on a prepared, approved subgrade, and at least 3 feet wide measured from the back of the street curb. Where a sidewalk crosses the driveway, the apron must be constructed through the sidewalk. The driveway must provide positive stormwater drainage from the garage or parking area out to the street or to an approved drainage area. There is also a legacy paving rule: driveways on improved single- or two-family properties existing on or before October 1, 1992 must be paved with asphalt, concrete, brick, or a similar surface whenever a building permit is taken for remodeling or improvements costing more than $5,000.

The permit fee under the 2025 Master Fee Schedule is $25 plus a $1 state surcharge — one of the most affordable in the metro. If your driveway is being widened, you also need to notify the Anoka Engineering Department; project manager Ben Nelson can be reached at 763-576-2785 or bnelson@ci.anoka.mn.us. Zoning questions go to the City Planner at 763-576-2728. If your driveway connects to an Anoka County road rather than a city street, a separate Access Permit is required from the Anoka County Highway Department; reach the County Permits Office at 763-324-3176 or HighwayPermits@anokacountymn.gov. The Community Development counter at 2015 First Avenue handles all city driveway permit submittals; phone 763-576-2720.