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Shorewood council adopts resolution opposing state preemption of local zoning
Summary
The Shorewood City Council adopted a resolution March 24 opposing state bills that would impose statewide zoning standards, saying such measures would undermine local decision-making and fail to account for Shorewood’s infrastructure and well-water realities.
The Shorewood City Council on March 24 adopted RESOLUTION NO. 25-033 opposing state preemption of local zoning authority and state-mandated zoning standards.
City Administrator Michael Nevinski told the council the bills circulating at the State Legislature would "negate the local decision-making that has customarily been part of the City's authority around land use and zoning," and that the proposals appeared to take a broad approach without accounting for local infrastructure differences. Mayor Jennifer Labadie said the proposals would not fit Shorewood’s circumstances, noting “what was right for Shorewood, Minneapolis, Brainerd, or Faribault was not necessarily the same thing.”
Councilmembers expressed concern that the bills would limit residents’ ability to weigh in on local land use. City Planner Griffiths and other staff told the council the proposals did not address local constraints such as reliance on private wells, limited public transit, or the city’s sewer and water infrastructure. Councilmember Sanschagrin urged clarity about goals for any code changes and asked whether the movement was statewide or mirrored in other states; staff noted similar proposals have appeared elsewhere.
The resolution was moved and seconded and passed (motion recorded in the meeting minutes; individual vote tallies were not specified). City Administrator Nevinski said he would share Shorewood’s resolution with neighboring cities to keep them informed.
Why it matters: The resolution signals Shorewood’s opposition to top-down zoning mandates that would reduce local control over density and land-use decisions. The city framed the issue as one where statewide rules could carry unforeseen costs and infrastructure mismatches for small and suburban communities.
The council did not specify a formal next step beyond adopting the resolution and sharing it with neighboring communities. The City will monitor state legislation and coordinate with the League of Minnesota Cities and nearby municipalities as the bills progress.
