Zoning Enforcement FAQs

Section 11-23 of the Zoning Ordinance: Advertising signs are prohibited within the City of Lakeville. An advertising sign is any sign used to advertise products, goods or services not exclusively related to the premises on which the sign is located. For example, any signs advertising work from home, weight loss programs, home for sale, open house, real estate development, garage sales, or other similar signs that are posted in the public right-of-way, at a busy intersection or on public signs or public utility poles are in violation of sign ordinances.

For full information about boulevard landscaping in the public right-of-way, please see the

Section 11-19-7 of the Zoning Ordinance: Commercial vehicles in residential areas: No commercial vehicle exceeding 22 feet in length and 8 feet in height or equipment shall be parked or stored in a rural or residential district except when loading, unloading or rendering service.

Section 6-2-1 of the City Code: If a vehicle is not in operable condition or is partially dismantled for a period of 30 days or more, it can be declared a junked vehicle. This includes any car not properly licensed by the State for the same period. If not in a building or garage, such a vehicle will be ticketed and may be towed and/or the owner fined.

Section 11-22-5 of the Zoning Ordinance: No more than two licensed and operable recreational vehicles (RVs, boats, snowmobiles on a trailer, etc.) may be parked or stored on property outside a home. They are allowed only if stored as follows:

• In the front yard on an established driveway, entirely on the owner's property. Recreational vehicles may not be parked or stored on public property or street right of way.
• In the rear yard not closer than 10 feet from the rear lot line, five feet from the side lot lines and not within drainage and utility easements.
• On a corner lot not closer that 20 feet from the property line abutting the side street and not within drainage and utility easements.

Section 11-19-7 of the Zoning Ordinance: In the case of single-family, two family, townhouse and quadrumanous dwellings, parking is prohibited on any portion of the front, side or rear yard except on driveways leading directly into a garage, or one open, surfaced space located on the side of a driveway, away from principle use. The driveway must be surfaced with paver bricks, concrete or bituminous material. The driveway must be set back at least five feet from the side lot line and 40-50 feet from the intersecting street or corner lot. The driveway access to the public street cannot exceed 24 feet in width.

Section 7-3-8 of the City Code: Property owners or occupants are required to maintain public sidewalks abutting their property so as not to cause a public nuisance affecting the safety of the general public. Property owners or occupants are required to remove snow or ice from sidewalks abutting their property within 48 hours after the snow or ice has been deposited.

Section 4-1-3 of the City Code: City Code requires that residents control the growth of weeds and grass on their property. Weeds and grass in excess of 8 inches in height, on any lot less than one acre that has a building on it or an empty lot that abuts a lot containing a building, are a public nuisance and are prohibited. After giving the owner or occupant of property in violation of this ordinance seven days advance written notice of noncompliance, the City can cut, or hire someone else to cut, the grass and weeds and assess the cost against the property, in accordance with state statutes.