Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026_03-23_CCP_WORKCOUNCIL/EDA WORK SESSION MEETING City Hall Council Chambers March 23, 2026 AGENDA 1. Active Discussion Items a. Gravel Driveways City staff requests feedback from City Council on whether an amendment to the City Code of Ordinances should be made to allow for gravel driveways. 2. Adjournment Page 1 of 10 Council Regular Meeting DATE: 3/23/2026 TO: Council/EDA Work Session FROM: Ginny McIntosh, Planning Manager THROUGH: Daren Nyquist, Interim City Manager BY: Kat Ellgren, Deputy City Clerk SUBJECT: Gravel Driveways Requested Council Action: City staff requests feedback from City Council on whether an amendment to the City Code of Ordinances should be made to allow for gravel driveways. Background: It was requested of City staff that information be provided to the City Council regarding gravel driveways in the City of Brooklyn Center. Prior to January 2023, Chapter 35 of the City Code did not specify the types of surfacing that were permitted for properties in the R1, R2, and R3 zoning districts, but for properties other than the R1 and R2 District, "all open off-street driving and parking areas" were to be improved with a minimum of two (2) inches of hot mixed bituminous (i.e. asphalt) or concrete. Chapter 19 (Public Nuisances and Petty Offenses) historically contained language that allowed for vehicles, trailers, and watercraft to be parked or stored on an authorized parking or driveway area or a paved or graveled extension of an authorized parking or driveway area. Following adoption of the City's Unified Development Ordinance (Chapter 35) in January 2023, all R1 and R2 District properties must be paved with concrete, plant mixed bituminous surfacing (i.e. asphalt), brick, stone, or form concrete pavers, or equivalent material. All other District properties require bituminous (asphalt) or concrete for their drives and off- street parking areas. Chapter 35 of the City Code contains non-conformities language, which allows for existing non-conformities, such as gravel driveways, to continue so long as they are maintained. In these cases, any abandonment or failure to maintain the non-conformity would require the use (i.e. driveway) to conform to current code provisions. This does not in any way allow for an owner to extend, expand, or intensify the non-conformity. City staff also conducted a brief survey of neighboring municipalities to determine whether or not gravel driveways were permitted and were only able to identify one community (Plymouth) that allows for gravel driveways in residential zoning districts. Following communication with the City of Plymouth planning staff, staff relayed that there are not a lot of gravel driveways in the City of Plymouth and that in cases where class 5 gravel is used, it is typically for an additional parking space on the side of the driveway or along the garage, or for larger, non-subdivided lots. While stormwater runoff/erosion has not been a major issue due to the limited number of gravel driveways in residential areas, they have a few examples of non-conforming gravel parking lots in industrially-zoned districts that have resulted in runoff/erosion issues on the public Page 2 of 10 streets during certain times of the year and for those properties with higher volumes of truck traffic. A copy of a brief PowerPoint presentation outlining the historical background of gravel driveways in Brooklyn Center, as well as considerations with respect to gravel driveways, and a table of neighboring municipalities and their gravel driveway provisions, is included with this report. City staff have also included a copy of a Star Tribune article from 2014 following the City of Prior Lake's decision to phase out gravel driveways. Budget Issues: None to consider at this time. Inclusive Community Engagement: Antiracist/Equity Policy Effect: Strategic Priorities and Values: ATTACHMENTS: 1. CCWS_GravelDriveways_03232026 2. Table_NeighboringMunicipalities_GravelDriveways 3. Article_GrittyIssuePriorLake_GravelDriveways (2014) Page 3 of 10 3/19/2026 1 Gravel Driveways October 8, 2018 Review City Council Work Session, March 23, 2026 Ginny McIntosh, Interim Deputy Community Development Director/Planning Manager Background It was requested that City staff provide information regarding gravel driveways in the City of Brooklyn Center •Prior to January 2023:Chapter 35 did not specify types of surfacing that were permitted for properties in the R1, R2, and R3 zoning districts, but for properties other than the R1 and R2 District, “all open off-street driving and parking areas” were to be improved with a minimum 2 inches of hot mixed bituminous (asphalt) or concrete. •Post January 2023 (Adoption of UDO):R1 and R2 District properties must be paved with concrete, plant mixed bituminous surfacing (i.e. asphalt), brick, stone, or form concrete pavers, or equivalent material. All other districts require bituminous (asphalt) or concrete. •UDO contains “nonconformities” language that allow for existing non-conformities (such as gravel driveways) to continue so long as they are maintained. Any abandonment or failure to maintain would require the use (e.g. driveway) to conform to current code provisions. This does not allow an owner to extend/expand or intensify the non-conformity. 2 1 2 Page 4 of 10 3/19/2026 2 Background (cont.) | Considerations •Chapter 19 (Public Nuisances and Petty Offenses) has historically allowed for vehicles, trailers, and watercraft to be parked or stored on an authorized parking or driveway area or a paved or graveled extension of an authorized parking or driveway area. •Reasons for removal of the gravel/Class 5 provisions as an allowable option for R1 and R2 District properties with adoption of the UDO include: •Staff time (Code Enforcement, Planning, Engineering/Public Works) •Wide range in quality of gravel drives (e.g. requests for use of “pea gravel,” lack of driveway boundary, interpretation of driveway “maintenance”) •Consideration of Public Works equipment and City infrastructure •Stormwater/runoff considerations 3 Considerations (cont.) •City staff inquired with Public Works and Engineering regarding gravel driveways. The following feedback was provided: •Most of the sediment/gravel produced would fall into the gutter/flow line — if City can reduce or prevent more gravel and sediments for the street sweepers, that would be ideal •Concern with stormwater erosion and sediment control, particularly with fine sediments such as sand going into the City drains. While it likely will not clog storm sewer systems, it will add sediment deposits to manholes which could potentially lead to higher frequency maintenance. •Consideration of Public Works equipment, including snow plows, sidewalk plows, and street sweepers, as well as mowing equipment. •Potential liability/damage considerations — mowing near gravel drives and potential projectiles if gravel is swept up. •Higher frequency maintenance to re-gravel driveway, which would potentially result in increased staff time (e.g. code enforcement) •Gravel driveways can leach onto the street, creating a visible gravel tracking path with potential impacts to the overall aesthetics of a neighborhood. 4 3 4 Page 5 of 10 3/19/2026 3 Gravel Driveways in Neighboring Cities 5 Gravel Driveways in Neighboring Cities 6 5 6 Page 6 of 10 3/19/2026 4 Next Steps | Questions •Does the City Council wish to entertain potential amendments to the City Code to allow gravel driveways as an approved surface? •In reviewing other neighboring city requirements for driveways, do you have any questions, or would you like City staff to review certain provisions for potential amendments in the future? 7 7 Page 7 of 10 Municipality Driveway Permit Required?Gravel Driveways Allowed?Allowable Driveway Surface Materials Code Section Reference Comments Link Brooklyn Center Yes No Brooklyn Park No (Curb cut—yes)No Continuous impervious surface or approved pervious surface, with except ionfo farms and interim or tempoary uses in UR District Section 152.1009 (Driveways) Except properties where gravel driveways existed prior to enactment of chapter (Ordinance 2025-1317, passed 9/8/2025) https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/cod es/brooklynpark/latest/brooklynpark_ mn/0-0-0-50447 Columbia Heights No No Dustless all-weather hard surface, including: asphalt, concrete, brick, concrete pavers, or similar materials, rated for use on driveways and parking lots and installed and maintained per industry standards. Crushed rock shall not be considered an acceptable surfacing material. Coon Rapids Yes No Concrete, asphalt, brick paavers or similar hard-surfaced material approved by Chief Building Official. Decorative landscape rock, crushed rock, gravel, sand, bare soil, or similar materials are prohibited for use as a driveway. https://coonrapidsmn.gov/Document Center/View/529/Driveways- PDF?bidId= Crystal Yes No Asphalt, concrete, or approved paving units (specifications provided for paving units) https://cdnsm5- hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/ Server_10879634/File/Resident/Commu nity%20Development/Permits%20and% 20Inspections/Construction%20Hando uts/Driveways.pdf Fridley No All driveways are to be hard-surfaced. All vehicles must be parked on a hard- surfaced driveway. If located in the front yard, recreational vehicles, boats, and boat trailers must also be parked on a hard surface. Golden Valley Yes No Parking areas and driveways shall be surfaced with an all-weather dustless material. Parking is not allowed on lawns or other landscaped areas. Confirmed gravel driveways not permitted and driveway permits are required via phone. Provisions regulating the use of coal tar-based sealer products on asphalt driveways due to concerns around stormwater runoff and certain health and environmental concerns (Section 10-3). Maple Grove No No* All off-street driving, loading, and parking areas shall be paved in accordance with standard specifications as adopted by City. The following are exempted from paving requirement: 1. Farm dwellings and farm operations, 2. Private driveways providing access to any unpaved public roadway, or 3. areas other than the front yard on residentially zoned property for the parking or storage of recreational vehicles or equipment. Side yard parking areas in residential areas require use of concrete, bituminous, or like surfacing. https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/Doc umentCenter/View/199/Driveway- handout-with-maps-PDF?bidId= New Hope Yes No Concrete, asphalt, paving block, or other forms of concrete in compliance with city construction specifications. https://www.newhopemn.gov/city_h all/inspections/permits/applications Plymouth No Yes Asphalt, concrete, class 5 gravel, or other surfacing materials as approved by Zoning Administrator (in RSF-1 and RSF-2 Districts only) Per email communication with Plymouth, there are not many gravel driveways in Plymouth and when class 5 gravel is used, it is typically for an additional parking space/extension or the garage, or on larger, non-subdivided lots within the FRD zoning district. Stormwater runoff/erosion from gravel driveways not a large issue for residential districts due to lack of them; however, few examples of non-conforming gravel parking lots for industrially-zoned lots have caused runoff/erosion control issues in the public streets during certain times of the year and/or due to higher truck traffic. Robbinsdale No (Curb cut—yes)No Blacktop, concrete, and/or other hard surfaced material approved by city (all homes in R1 and R2 Districts)Section 510.17 (Off-street Parking) https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/cod es/robbinsdalemn/latest/robbinsdale_ mn/0-0-0-2022 Saint Anthony Yes No Concrete, bituminous or pavers, but not including gravel or crushed rock Section 154.179 (Residential Driveways) https://savmn.com/516/Driveways- Curb-Cuts-Sidewalks-Permits Saint Louis Park Yes No Asphalt, concrete, or pavers. Permeable pavers and ribbon driveways may be used on private property if vegetation is maintained between ribbons of the driveway and open areas of the permeable pavers. Gravel Driveway Provisions (Twin Cities) Page 8 of 10 NO SECTION Gritty issue in Prior Lake: gravel driveways NOVEMBER 18, 2014 AT 1:06PM Prior Lake is kicking up dust about gravel driveways. The City Council may impose a fee for homeowners whose gravel driveways pose public safet y concerns for passersby, negatively affect water quality and require extra maintenance from the city, officials said. Gravel finds its way onto cit y streets and ends up in storm sewer systems, said Cit y Engineer Larry Poppler during a presentation at last week's City Council meeting. "We sometimes have some movement of the material that comes out on to the sidewalk and presents a tripping hazard for rollerbladers and skateboarders," Poppler said. There's a need for extra street-sweeping on gravel-ridden streets and driveways. Homes built as early as 1979 had to install paved driveways, but enforcement was limited; some weren't finished. A 2009 ordinance update required residents who didn't meet municipal codes to pave their driveway within five years — by June 2014. The deadline sparked Poppler's report, to re-examine the issue. An inventory conducted through aerial photography showed there are 315 gravel driveways left in Prior Lake, he said. Yet only 74 are eligible for enforcement, as the others were built before 1979 and grandfathered in. On the surface, 315 driveways out of more than 10,000 total parcels in the cit y doesn't seem like a problem, said Mayor Ken Hedberg said in an interview. "But in a communit y where we've got 14 lakes and are filled with many wetlands … water qualit y is a huge issue for us," he said. "And in that context, 315 gravel driveways takes on By Liz Sawyer https://www.startribune.com/gritty-issue-in-prior-lake-gravel-driveways/283077031 1/2Page 9 of 10 greater importance in the long run." Pave or pay At the meeting, council members decided that instead of forcing homeowners to pave gravel driveways that aren't up to code, they could develop a fee structure to cover city expenses for cleaning up after them. It wouldn't be penalizing, Poppler said, but city staff hope it might encourage residents to pave their driveways instead of worrying about a fine. The council will deliberate in coming weeks about exactly how much the fee should be and how often it needs to be paid. Mayor Hedberg said he'd like to apply the fine to all gravel driveway owners, not just the 74 built after the ordinance was written. But it likely wouldn't be implemented for another year to give residents fair notice, he said. "I don't think an ordinance change will buy us much other than get people mad," Hedberg said at the meeting. "A fee may get people mad too, but there's a rationale behind that." City staff were instructed to quantify how much the city spends for extra maintenance and then research how much other municipalities charge for those services. That information will be used to determine a fair price for the fine. Prior Lake also has several public gravel streets to deal with. In the past, they were paved only when an existing road repair project could fit it in, Poppler said. But now, fewer than two percent of Prior Lake's roads remain gravel, so there's a mentality of "Maybe we should just finish them off," Poppler said. Hedberg said he doesn't expect citizens to do anything the city wouldn't do itself. "I think it's only fair and appropriate that the city complies with whatever ordinances that we impose on our residents," he said. Liz Sawyer • 952-746-3282 © 2026 StarTribune.All rights reserved. https://www.startribune.com/gritty-issue-in-prior-lake-gravel-driveways/283077031 2/2Page 10 of 10