St. Michael, MN

St. Michael is unusual in the metro: city code does not require a permit for installing a standard driveway on private property. Standard driveway installation on a city street, driveway replacement, resurfacing, sealcoating, and minor maintenance are all exempt from city permitting. A permit is required only when the driveway connects to a Wright County road (separate Wright County permit) or to a state highway (MnDOT permit). However, if your project involves work in the public right-of-way (a curb cut, an apron, or excavation), you must coordinate with the Engineering and Public Works Department before starting. A grading or excavating permit is also required when 50 cubic yards of material is removed or deposited on your property — anyone completing that scope of work should call the city even if a building permit is not required.

Even though no city permit is needed for a standard driveway, the work must comply with city code. Driveways must be located a minimum of 5 feet from a side property line and cannot exceed 30 feet within the street right-of-way, with the exception of cul-de-sac lots, which cannot exceed 25 feet in width. Driveway widths for townhomes cannot be wider than the garage, up to a maximum of 30 feet within the street right-of-way. Approved surface materials are brick, concrete, bituminous (asphalt), or rock. Any additional parking areas permitted for off-street parking must be surfaced with the same approved materials.

The right-of-way is land owned by the city to provide a location for streets and utilities. Any landscaping or sprinkler systems placed in the city's right-of-way are placed there at the homeowner's risk and may need to be removed during city street, sidewalk, or utility work. Before digging, you must contact Gopher State One Call at 651-454-0002 or 1-800-252-1166 at least 48 hours before you plan to dig — this service is free and required by Minnesota law statewide.

The Building Department staff includes Building Official Rob Lindberg (763-416-7926), Building Inspector and Fire Marshal Jim Hildebrandt (763-416-7925), Building Inspector Doug Sandstad (763-416-7924), and Building Permit Technician Christine Lindberg (763-497-9923). To schedule an inspection, contact Christine Lindberg at inspections@stmichaelmn.gov or 763-497-9923. Contractors must have a current state license on file with the city. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to noon.

The Engineering and Public Works Division handles all engineering related to the design and construction of streets, pathways, and utilities across the city — including plan preparation, supervision, and inspection. For drainage problems and public street/infrastructure questions, call 763-497-2041; for general engineering questions, email engineering@stmichaelmn.gov. Specific permit fee amounts (when permits are required) are not published online — call the Permit Technician for the current 2025-2026 fee schedule. The official building permit and code pages are at stmichaelmn.gov/building and stmichaelmn.gov/engineeringdept.