The Vision

The vision of the Carver County Land Management Department is that of healthy, stable or growing urban communities and a rural area where agriculture is the principle land use.  The resulting planning principle of directing urban land uses to the cities and limiting non-agricultural uses in the rural area has guided County land use planning for more than thirty years, and will continue to be the central land use policy for the foreseeable future.

The Carver County Land Management Department is here to serve you and is responsible for zoning, subdivisions and building code administration in all ten townships within the County.  The Department works collaboratively with township officials (local road authorities) in making decisions and guiding development.  Each of the eleven cities in the County is responsible for their own planning and zoning.  However, given the complexity of extraterritorial issues and rapid growth, the County and cities cooperate on many growth management issues.

The Land Management Department Responsibilities:

• Addresses (new site/property addresses & address changes)
• Agricultural Preserve Program
• Agricultural Structures
• Building Eligibilities (i.e., "1 per 40", wooded lot potential, etc.)
• Building Permits
• Conditional Use Permits (Planning Commission)
• Enforcement and Complaints
• Grading, Filling, Excavation Projects
• Shoreland and Floodplain Requirements
• Subdividing Property (Lot Splits, Platting) 
• Variances (Board of Adjustment)