Burnsville allows attached and detached ADUs by right in its R-1 and R-1A districts through a standard building permit, with a mandatory owner-occupancy requirement and one additional off-street parking space.
| ADU type | Max size | Max height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | No more than 50% of the primary home's square footage (minimum 300 sq ft). Example from the city's brochure: a 1,600 sq ft home allows up to an 800 sq ft ADU; a 3,000 sq ft home allows up to 1,500 sq ft. | Not clearly published in available sources - confirm with the city | Max 2 bedrooms. Must be on a permanent foundation (no wheels) and architecturally consistent with the primary home. |
| Attached / internal | Same 50%-of-home-square-footage formula applies | Matches the primary structure | Max 2 bedrooms |
Allowed zoning districts: R-1 and R-1A only, on lots at least 10,000 sq ft. Some third-party sources cite a different "40% of home / 900 sq ft" cap - this page uses the official city brochure's 50%-of-home-square-footage figure as authoritative. Confirm your parcel's zoning district and current figures with the city.
| Setbacks | ADU must meet the same setbacks as the primary house. The city's brochure states a minimum 8 ft rear yard and 5 ft side yard setback (R-1/R-1A). |
| Parking | 1 additional off-street parking space required, on top of the 2 spaces already required for the primary home. |
| Owner-occupancy | Required. The owner must live in either the primary residence or the ADU as a permanent home at least 185 days per year. The ADU cannot be subdivided or sold separately from the lot. |
| Units per lot | 1 ADU maximum |
| Rental license | Required if the ADU is leased to anyone who isn't a "qualifying relative" |
| Park dedication fee | Applies when adding an ADU. No dollar amount was found in available sources - confirm current figures with the city. |
| Garage conversions | Allowed, but require building a replacement garage of at least 440 sq ft |
Verify your lot is zoned R-1 or R-1A and at least 10,000 sq ft.
ADUs go through a standard residential building permit process - not a conditional use permit or discretionary review.
The city reviews for zoning and building code compliance, including the 50%-of-home size cap and required setbacks.
Apply for a rental license if leasing to anyone who isn't a qualifying relative; park dedication fees apply when adding an ADU.
No ADU-specific permit fee schedule or review timeline was found in available sources at time of writing - confirm current figures with Burnsville Planning & Development.