WRECKING

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances tit. 5, ch. 89, art. V

in effect

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.500 Definition.

89.500. - Definition. For the purposes of Title 5, 'wrecking' shall mean the complete removal of a structure including all footings, foundations, accessory structures, and utilities serving the structure. Upon completion of the wrecking of a structure the property shall be restored to a condition that will allow new development or if the property remains undeveloped it shall be restored to a condition that is not a nuisance or a danger to public safety. Partial wrecking of a structure will be evaluated by the city for purposes of determining the licenses and permits that will be required to complete the work. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.510 License required.

89.510. - License required. No person, corporation, or other entity shall commence any work related to the wrecking of any building or structure without having first obtained a license pursuant to Chapter 277, Article XII of this Code, unless exempted by said Article XII. All work related to the wrecking of any building or structure shall comply with the applicable requirements of this Code. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.520 Permits required.

89.520. - Permits required. No person, corporation, or other entity shall commence any work related to the wrecking of any building or structure without having first obtained a wrecking permit. Any person, corporation, or other entity hired to perform work related to the wrecking of any building or structure shall obtain required licenses and permits before commencing work. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19; Ord. No. 2025-056, § 1, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.530 Permit exception.

89.530. - Permit exception. No wrecking permit shall be required for the wrecking of a private garage, shed, or other such accessory building or structure not exceeding one thousand (1,000) square feet of total floor area. If such accessory building includes an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) a permit may be required. Floor area shall be determined by the person, corporation, or other entity that will perform the wrecking and be approved by the city. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.540 Permit fees.

89.540. - Permit fees. Fees for wrecking permits shall be pursuant to Chapter 91 of this Code. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.550 Prerequisites to permit.

89.550. - Prerequisites to permit. (a) No permit shall be issued as herein provided until satisfactory evidence is furnished by a certificate of the city engineer that all sewer charges and water bills chargeable against the property sought to be wrecked have been paid and that all water and sewer connections have been plugged or discontinued at the curb line or at the main, as shall be determined by the city engineer, and that satisfactory evidence is presented of the payment of all taxes chargeable against such property. A fee for the sewer plug inspection by the city engineer shall be paid to the city finance department prior to the issuance of the permit. The fee amount shall be pursuant to the current fee schedule of the public works department. In addition, no such permit shall be issued until satisfactory evidence is furnished that all public utility companies furnishing services to the premises have been notified in writing by the person applying for the wrecking permit not less than two (2) business days prior to proceeding with the wrecking of the building. The public utility company shall remove its equipment and service within the time set forth in such written notice or promptly notify the building wrecker and the building official if a longer time-period is necessary to remove their equipment and service so as not to constitute a hazard. The building official may then withhold the issuance of the wrecking permit when, in the building official's opinion, a longer time-period is necessary for the removal of utility equipment and service so as to protect the public health, safety and welfare. (b) In lieu of evidence of payment of taxes, the building official may accept a certificate from the state of Minnesota, any of its agencies or political subdivisions, or a body public and corporate, that it is the owner of such property, and that such wrecking is being done by it, its contractor or agent. (c) No permit shall be issued as herein provided for the wrecking of any building or structure in the city until satisfactory evidence is furnished by a certificate from the commissioner of health that a licensed pest control company has exterminated all nuisance pests from the structure and premises. (d) No permit shall be issued as herein provided for the wrecking, of a building or structure in the city until satisfactory evidence is furnished in writing that said wrecking, has the approval of the heritage preservation commission as established in Chapter 34 of this Code. (e) No permit shall be issued as herein provided for the wrecking of any building or structure in the city that has been determined to meet one (1) or more of the qualifying criteria in section 89.555 until an environmental mitigation plan has been submitted to and approved by the Minneapolis Health Department. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19; Ord. No. 2025-056, § 2, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.555 Environmental mitigation plan.

89.555. - Environmental mitigation plan. (a) An environmental mitigation plan may be required for the wrecking of a building or structure in the city that meets one (1) or more of the following criteria: (1) The facility holds or held a state air emissions permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, unless determined by the health commissioner or the commissioner's designee that the permit does not relate to an activity, process or material that may create a heightened risk of environmental impact upon wrecking of the building or structure; (2) Hazardous waste or materials have been stored on the site; or (3) The building or structure is located in the United States Environmental Protection Agency South Minneapolis Residential Soil Contamination Site boundary. (b) The environmental mitigation plan shall outline how the contractor will mitigate offsite impacts of wrecking activities. Environmental mitigation plan contents shall include at minimum the following: (1) Methods to assure adequate and continuous dust suppression at the site, including at freezing temperatures; and (2) Other requirements as determined by the health commissioner or the commissioner's designee. (Ord. No. 2025-056, § 3, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.560 Sign required.

89.560. - Sign required. Before such work is commenced, and throughout the progress of the same until the completion thereof, the licensee shall place and maintain in a conspicuous place on the premises where the same can be observed by the public, a sign not less than three (3) by three (3) feet square, on which shall be posted in such a way as to be legible to the public, a statement as to who is doing the wrecking, giving the name of the person doing the work. Said sign shall be removed immediately upon completion of the work. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.565 Notification required.

89.565. - Notification required. (a) At least fifteen (15) calendar days before any wrecking begins on the permit site, the permit holder shall provide mailed notice to the city council ward office, any local official neighborhood organization, and all property owners within three hundred fifty (350) feet of the permit site of the upcoming demolition of the site. Tax fee holders must notify any tenants of the wrecking activity upon receiving such notice. (b) Wrecking permit applicants required to submit an environmental mitigation plan pursuant to section 89.555 shall hold a meeting for neighbors at least five (5) calendar days before any wrecking begins on the permit site at an accessible location within three (3) miles of the permit site. (Ord. No. 2025-056, § 4, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.570 Supervision by the building official.

89.570. - Supervision by the building official. All wrecking of buildings or structures within the city shall be subject to the supervision of the building official and to such reasonable requirements and restrictions as may be imposed to minimize public safety hazards and nuisances. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.580 Required wrecking procedures.

89.580. - Required wrecking procedures. The wrecking of any building or structure shall be complete and include the wrecking and removal of all foundations, footings, and floor slabs. All piping, heating plants, fuel storage tanks, appliances, and other such debris shall be removed from the premises. The excavation remaining after the removal of a building or structure shall be filled to the level of the surrounding grade with clean granular-type fill material to provide for proper drainage. The person doing the wrecking shall remove all steps, stoops, private sidewalks, accessory buildings, and hard-surface driveways unless such removal is specifically exempted by the building official. Further, the person doing the wrecking and filling shall provide a topping of soil of a sufficient depth and quality so as to enable ground cover to grow. Suitable groundcover shall be provided no later than ninety (90) days after permit issuance to comply with section 244.1570 of this Code. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.590 Protection of adjoining property.

89.590. - Protection of adjoining property. The licensed contractor responsible for the wrecking of any building or structure shall provide protection for adjoining public or private property. Protection of adjoining property shall comply with the International Building Code (IBC) Chapter 33. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.600 Sidewalk cover.

89.600. - Sidewalk cover. Whenever any building or structure two (2) stories or more in height abutting upon or within ten (10) feet of any public street within the city is to be wrecked, it shall be the duty of the person wrecking such building or structure, or of the owner thereof, to erect a good and substantial covering of heavy planking or timber decking, over the adjacent sidewalk, at least six (6) feet in width and ten (10) feet in height, to be approved by the building official. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.610 Inspections required.

89.610. - Inspections required. (a) For wrecking of any building or structure in the city that has been determined to meet one (1) or more of the qualifying criteria in section 89.555, additional inspections shall be performed by environmental inspectors from the Minneapolis Health Department to ensure that public nuisances are mitigated and the contractor is following the intent of the environmental mitigation plan. (b) In addition to the inspections required for the wrecking process, a final inspection shall be required. Upon completion of the wrecking of any building or structure and any related work, the contractor responsible for the work shall request a final inspection to be completed by the city to ensure all work has been completed according to the requirements of this Code. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19; Ord. No. 2025-056, § 5, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.620 Prevention of nuisances.

89.620. - Prevention of nuisances. Each person engaged in the wrecking of any building or structure within the city shall conduct said work in such a manner as not to create a nuisance to persons on public streets or on neighboring property. Materials removed from the structure shall not be permitted to fall into streets, alleys or adjacent property or otherwise create a nuisance. All debris occasioned by such wrecking shall be thoroughly dampened with water so as to prevent the dust therefrom flying around the neighborhood. No wrecking work shall occur if wind speeds are above fifteen (15) miles per hour unless an emergency dictates that work must proceed. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19; Ord. No. 2025-056, § 6, 12-11-25)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.630 Stop work orders.

89.630. - Stop work orders. The building official may stop the work of the wrecking of any building or structure if it is determined that the work is being done in an unsafe manner or in violation of the requirements of this Code, in the opinion of the building official, by issuance of a stop work order. A stop work order may be issued to the responsible person, corporation, or other entity pursuant to section 85.120 of this Code. Any person, corporation, or other entity shall comply with the requirements of the stop order. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 89.640 Continued violations.

89.640. - Continued violations. The continued violation of any provisions of this article may be considered a separate offense for each day such violation shall continue. (Ord. No. 2019-034, § 1, 8-23-19)

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=COOR_TIT5BUCO_CH89OTRE_ARTVWRFetched: 11/2/2026