Lots.

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 69.508

in effect

Sec. 69.508. - Lots. (a) Street frontage. All lots designated for residential use must adjoin a street except for back lots and developments that have individually described lots for each dwelling structure and a common lot for open space, yards and off-street parking, in which case the common lot must adjoin a street. (b) Alley frontage. All interior lots designated for residential use must adjoin an alley when available. (c) Through lots. Through lots must be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation. (d) Lot arrangement. The lot arrangement shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in securing building permits and in providing driveway access to buildings on such lots from an approved street. (e) Lots on slopes. Newly created lots must allow for a minimum setback for development of forty (40) feet from the top of bluff lines as defined by the comprehensive plan. Lot arrangement shall avoid, wherever possible, the placement of structures on eighteen (18) percent slope or steeper, or the necessity to alter such slopes for purposes of construction. (f) Solar access. In subdivisions of ten (10) acres or larger, lots must be platted in a north-south orientation to maximize solar access. (g) Lot access. (1) Street access. Lots must not, in general, derive access exclusively from an arterial or collector roadway. The number of curb cuts must be minimized and where driveway access from a major or secondary street may be necessary for several adjoining lots it is generally required that such lots be served by a combined access drive in order to limit possibility of traffic hazard and limit curb cuts on such street. Except where it is determined impractical, unreasonable, or harmful to the public safety by the zoning administrator, driveways should be designed and arranged so as to avoid requiring vehicles to back into traffic on arterial and collector streets. (2) Alley access. Vehicular access may be from an abutting alley when available, except where it is determined in the review of a site plan application by the zoning administrator that there are circumstances unique to the property that make this impractical, unreasonable, harmful to the public safety; or where maintenance of alley surfaces, erosion control, or protection of water quality may be impaired. (h) Lot dimensions. Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of the zoning code. Where lots are more than double the minimum required area for the zoning district, the city council may require that such lots be arranged so as to allow further subdivision and the opening of future streets where they would be necessary to serve such potential lots, all in compliance with the zoning code and these regulations. (i) Flag lot width. Lot widths must conform to the minimum lot standards of the zoning district with the following additional standards: (1) For flag lots, the width of the narrow corridor that provides street access must be a minimum of twenty (20) feet. As part of subdivision review, the minimum width may be increased or reduced further based on easement requirements related to emergency access, utilities, steep slopes or other site conditions as approved by the city. (2) For reverse flag lots, the width of the narrow corridor that provides alley access must be a minimum of twelve (12) feet. (j) Easements. (1) For back lots, an easement that is a minimum of twenty (20) feet wide across a single adjoining lot must be provided for pedestrian, water, sanitary sewer, and gas line connections to the nearest public street and for house numbers that can be clearly seen and read from the public street. As part of subdivision review, the minimum width may be increased or reduced further based on city and other applicable regulatory requirements related to emergency access, utilities, steep slopes or other site conditions and constraints. An easement reflecting all utilities, reciprocal pedestrian and vehicular access for pedestrians and any vehicles, and shared maintenance responsibilities must address regulatory requirements and be the responsibility of developer to record prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy or building permit. (2) For flag lots, an easement across the narrow corridor that provides street access may be required for shared vehicular access with the adjoining lot. If shared vehicular access is used, an easement reflecting reciprocal vehicular access and shared maintenance responsibilities is the responsibility of developer to record prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy or building permit. (k) Side lot lines. Side lot lines generally must be at right angles to or radial to street lines. (l) Split zoning. Lots must not be created which result in split zoning classifications. (C.F. No. 03-1028, § 1, 4-7-04; Ord 23-43, § 8, 10-18-23)

Source: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, City Charter, Legislative Code and Administrative Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITVIIIZOCO_CH69ZOCOUBRE_ARTVGEREDEST_S69.508LOFetched: 11/1/2026