Medicine Lake, MN

Medicine Lake is one of the smallest cities on Lake Minnetonka and runs a hybrid permit process. The City of Medicine Lake is the issuing authority, but it does not staff its own building department. Instead, Medicine Lake contracts with the City of Plymouth, which administers the Minnesota State Building Code on Medicine Lake's behalf — Plymouth's building official serves as Medicine Lake's building official, and Plymouth's Building Inspection Division handles plan review, permit issuance, and inspections. That means even though the permit fee is paid to Medicine Lake, your application is processed through Plymouth City Hall, not at the unstaffed Medicine Lake City Hall on South Shore Drive.

A driveway permit is required for new driveway installation, reconstructing an existing driveway, or making substantial alterations to driveway access. Routine maintenance, sealcoating, and minor repairs are exempt. Submitting requires a site survey, a site plan showing the proposed driveway footprint, and a grading and drainage plan to confirm zoning standards are met and stormwater stays on the lot. A separate Road and Hauling Permit is also commonly required when material is being delivered for the work — contact Public Works before applying for the driveway permit so you don't have to backtrack. The road permit contact is publicworks@cityofmedicinelake.com (Councilmember Ruth Hovey is the city's Public Works contact).

The specific 2025-2026 fee amount for a Medicine Lake driveway permit is not published on the city website. Call Plymouth Building Inspections at 763-509-5430 to confirm the current fee. When paying, write your check made payable to the City of Medicine Lake and deliver it to the City of Plymouth — that's the procedure built into the inter-city agreement. For permit process or status questions, contact the City of Plymouth Building Inspection Division directly.

Medicine Lake's broader land-use process is unusual. The city's building and land-use permitting is managed by a City Council member acting as the building liaison, working alongside the Public Works Director and a contracted City Planner. The city relies on a certified professional consultant acting as City Planner to provide guidance on land use, zoning, and design. Because these planning services come at a cost, the city's standard practice is to pass those costs through to the party that initiates the demand for services — meaning your application may include planner-review charges in addition to the standard permit fee.

Electrical inspections are not handled through Plymouth. The City of Medicine Lake uses the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to conduct electrical inspections, with applications submitted to the state at dli.mn.gov. Site survey and site plan reviews are performed by the city's contracted planning consultants.

Key contacts: Plymouth Building Inspection Division at 763-509-5430, fax 763-509-5407, inspection scheduling at 763-509-5449, email inspections@plymouthmn.gov. The mailing address for submittals is Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard, Plymouth, MN 55447-1482. The Medicine Lake city email is info@cityofmedicinelake.com, and forms are at cityofmedicinelake.com/forms-permits. If your driveway connects to a Hennepin County road, a separate Hennepin County access permit may also be required.