- A Agricultural
- R-1 One and two family residential (newer plats)
- R-2 One and two family residential (original plat)
- R-3 Multi-family residential
- R-4 Manufactured homes
- C-1 Downtown commercial (2nd Street)
- C-2 General commercial (Highway 60, Red Wing Avenue)
- I-1 Industrial (industrial park, rail corridor)
- All every district
Our own map: every one of the 1,015 parcels inside the city limits from the Goodhue County parcel layer, each assigned the district it falls in on the city's 2017 zoning map (fitted to the parcels to about one metre), with the six rezonings since applied to their parcels (dashed outline). Values are the 2026 assessment. Not a legal determination; the ordinance and the city's map control.
Full zoning map page: the county's 2017 map, every rezoning ordinance since, and the district table.
Chapter 5 of the Kenyon City Code (sections 500–560, 147 pages, 2016 revision) is the zoning ordinance. It divides the city into eight use districts. The official zoning map is an ArcGIS web app linked from cityofkenyon.gov/maps. A change of district, a conditional use permit or a variance costs $300 and goes to the Planning Commission for a public hearing before the council votes.
Districts and dimensional standards
| District | Purpose | Minimum lot | Front yard | Side yard | Rear yard | Max height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Agriculture / one-family residence | 2.5 acres | 30 ft | 30 ft | 50 ft | 35 ft |
| R-1 | One and two family residence | 10,000 sq ft (one family) | 30 ft (never under 20 ft where neighbors differ) | 15 ft | 30 ft | 35 ft |
| R-2 | One and two family residence | 6,600 sq ft (one family) | 25 ft (never under 20 ft) | 7 ft | 30 ft | 35 ft |
| R-3 | Multi-family residence | 4,500 sq ft per duplex | 30 ft | 8 ft (duplex) | 30 ft | 45 ft |
| R-4 | Manufactured homes | 5,000 sq ft per unit | 25 ft | 8 ft | 20 ft | 35 ft |
| C-1 | Downtown commercial | 2,000 sq ft | none | none (fire code applies) | 10 ft | 45 ft |
| C-2 | General commercial | 8,500 sq ft | 30 ft | 10 ft | 20 ft | 35 ft |
| I-1 | General industrial | 10,000 sq ft | 30 ft | 20 ft | 20 ft | 45 ft |
R-1 and R-2 front setbacks may be reduced to match adjacent houses but never below 20 feet. Corner lots, through lots and lots on state highways carry additional setbacks in the code. Source: Kenyon City Code sections 515.05–515.19.
Fences (520.09, amended by Ordinance 95)
- No permit for fences under six feet; a building permit for six feet and over.
- A fence sits entirely on the builder's property, or one foot inside the line, unless the neighbor agrees in writing to a shared line fence. The city may require a survey.
- Businesses next to or across the street from residential zones must screen with berms, fences, walls or plantings. All exterior storage must be screened except merchandise on display, construction materials in use and service-station pump islands.
Accessory buildings: sheds, garages, pole buildings (520.13, amended by Ordinance 108)
- Maximum one story or 14 feet tall in residential districts.
- Never in the front yard setback; must meet the side and rear setbacks of the district.
- Total floor area of all accessory buildings capped at 1,000 square feet and never more than the ground floor of the house.
- No more than two accessory structures per lot; if two, the smaller is limited to 144 square feet.
- Together they may occupy at most 30 percent of any side or rear yard.
- Must match the house in material, quality and appearance. Cargo containers and carports are not allowed.
- Over 200 square feet requires a building permit. None may be built before the house. None may be lived in.
Home occupations (535)
A permitted home occupation is one where no customers visit the premises, using no more than 25 percent of the living area of the house. Businesses that draw customers are "home extended businesses" and need a permit under 535.05–535.07. Attached garages, porches and decks do not count as living area.
Signs (525)
Most business signs need a $40 permit with a drawing and location. Obsolete signs must come down when the business closes; unsafe signs may be ordered removed.
Cannabis and hemp (Ordinance 112, January 2025)
Kenyon consented to Goodhue County issuing cannabis business registrations under Minn. Stat. 342.22. Before the state Office of Cannabis Management will license a business here, the city administrator must certify zoning compliance; applicants must have zoning approvals in hand before the OCM request arrives. Ordinance 102 prohibits cannabis and hemp use in public places. The earlier moratorium (Ordinance 101) has expired.
Tattoo and body art (Ordinances 109–111)
Tattoo, piercing and branding establishments are regulated in Chapter 11 and allowed in the downtown C-1 district under Ordinance 110.
Firearms, bows and hunting (Ordinance 113)
New section 925 regulates discharge of firearms and bows and hunting within the city limits. Read the ordinance before hunting inside the city; the PDF is linked below.
Animals (Ordinance 105, July 2024)
No more than three cats or dogs per residence, except a single litter under six months. Animals that trespass, chase, run at large, bark to the annoyance of the public or are kept in unsanitary conditions are unlawful under 900.11. All cats and dogs must be licensed every three years.
Rezoning examples from the record
Ordinances 86, 88, 90, 98, 104 and 106 are each a single-parcel rezoning (EDA, Sahl, L&M, Kyllo, Peterson, Traxler). Each followed the same path: application and $300 fee, Planning Commission hearing noticed in the Kenyon Leader, council adoption by ordinance, publication. The PDFs are the templates for what a rezoning ordinance looks like.
Sources: Kenyon City Code, Chapter 5 (2016); Ordinance 95; Ordinance 108; Ordinance 112; Ordinance 113; Ordinance 105; Residential Fencing and Accessory Structures Guidelines.
Questions
What is the minimum lot size in Kenyon, MN?
10,000 square feet for a one-family home in R-1, 6,600 square feet in R-2, 2.5 acres in the A district. Front setbacks are 30 feet (R-1) and 25 feet (R-2); side yards 15 and 7 feet; rear yards 30 feet.
How many dogs can you have in Kenyon, MN?
Three cats or dogs total per residence under Ordinance 105 (July 2024), plus one litter until the animals are six months old. Each must be licensed every three years.
Can I run a business from my home in Kenyon?
Yes, if no customers come to the house and the business uses no more than a quarter of the living area (code section 535). A home business that draws customers is a home extended business and needs a permit.