Parking and loading landscaping and screening.
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 550.690
in effect550.690. - Parking and loading landscaping and screening.
(a) In general. Parking and loading facilities, and all other areas upon which motor vehicles may be located, including but not limited to drive-through facilities, pump island service areas and stacking spaces, shall comply with the standards of this chapter and the applicable regulations of this zoning ordinance. Where this section requires a landscaped yard, such yard shall remain unobstructed from the ground level to the sky, except that fencing shall be allowed.
(b) Parking and loading fronting along a public street, public sidewalk or public pathway. Parking and loading facilities, and all other areas upon which motor vehicles may be located fronting along a public street, public sidewalk or public pathway shall comply with the following standards:
(1) A landscaped yard at least seven (7) feet wide shall be provided along the public street, sidewalk or pathway, except where a greater yard is required. If a parking facility contains over one hundred (100) parking spaces, the minimum required landscaped yard shall be increased to nine (9) feet in width.
(2) Screening consisting of either a masonry wall, fence, berm or hedge or combination thereof that forms a screen three (3) feet in height and not less than sixty (60) percent opaque shall be provided, except that where areas are devoted principally to the parking or loading of trucks or commercial vehicles of more than fifteen thousand (15,000) pounds screening six (6) feet in height and not less than sixty (60) percent opaque shall be required.
(3) Not less than one (1) tree shall be provided for each twenty-five (25) linear feet or fraction thereof of parking or loading area lot frontage.
(c) Parking and loading abutting or across an alley from an urban neighborhood or residential mixed-use district, or any permitted or conditional residential use. Parking and loading facilities and all other areas upon which motor vehicles may be located that abut or are across an alley from an urban neighborhood or residential mixed-use district or a permitted or conditional residential use shall comply with the following standards:
(1) A landscaped yard at least seven (7) feet wide shall be provided along the property line or alley, except where a greater yard is required. If a parking facility contains over one hundred (100) parking spaces, the minimum required landscaped yard shall be increased to nine (9) feet in width.
(2) Screening at least ninety-five (95) percent opaque shall be provided as specified in section 550.680(b).
(d) Interior landscaping of parking lots. The corners of parking lots where rows of parking spaces leave areas unavailable for parking or vehicular circulation shall be landscaped as specified for a required landscaped yard. Such spaces may include architectural features such as benches, kiosks or bicycle parking.
(e) Distance to trees. In parking lots of ten (10) spaces or more, no parking space shall be located more than fifty (50) feet from the center of an on-site deciduous tree. Tree islands located within the interior of a parking lot shall have a minimum width of seven (7) feet in any direction.
Source: City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Park and Recreation Board Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MICOOR_TIT20ZOCO_CH550DEST_ARTVSIPLREST_550.690PALOLASCFetched: 11/2/2026