In 1991 Goodhue County had adopted Shoreland Regulations into the Zoning Ordinance. It is part of the County’s responsibility under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 103F (Shoreland Management Act), Minnesota Regulations, Parts 6120.2500 - 6120.3900 (Shoreland Regulations), and the planning and zoning enabling legislation in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 394.
With the heightened awareness of water quality issues, Land Use Management staff reviewed 2014 aerial photography to determine if the shoreland buffer requirements are being met throughout the County.
The requirement is located in Article 31 (Shoreland Management Regulations), Section 11, Subd. 5., Paragraph A. of the Goodhue County Zoning Ordinance, which reads as follows:
"A. General cultivation farming, grazing, nurseries, horticulture, truck farming, sod farming, and wild crop harvesting are permitted uses if steep slopes and shore and bluff impact zones are maintained in permanent vegetation or operated under an approved conservation plan (Resource Management Systems) consistent with the field office technical guides of the local soil and water conservation districts or the United States Soil Conservation Service. The shore impact zone for parcels with permitted agricultural land uses is equal to a line parallel to and fifty (50) feet from the ordinary high water level."
Goodhue County continues to review aerial imagery annually for Buffer compliance. County Planning and Zoning work with the Soil and Water Conservation District to verify that requirements are being met and mitigating non-compliant situations.
