Brown County, MN zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Brown County: New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Brown County has 61 FIRM panels, the newest effective September 2009; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Brown house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Minnesota open parcel layer (Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, from the counties that share their parcels), so a Brown lot shows the same lines the county assessor draws. Brown County covers about 391,212 acres of land and 4,586 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Brown County assessor keeps the parcel record (Brown County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Minnesota zoning is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is: in Brown County, New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the county, township or city zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Brown County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Minnesota's zoning laws (Minnesota Statutes chapters 394 and 462), the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Brown lot can add one depends on its district; the county, township or city zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Brown County is soil survey area MN015, Brown County, Minnesota, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Brown County needs a permit from the Brown County septic (SSTS) program under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules.
Setbacks
Setbacks in Brown County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county, township or city zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Brown lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Brown County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Brown County has 61 panels, the newest effective September 2009. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Brown County?
Open the Minnesota map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Brown County assessor shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Brown County?
Zoning in Brown County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as New Ulm, Sleepy Eye). ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the county, township or city zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Brown County?
Under Minnesota's zoning laws (Minnesota Statutes chapters 394 and 462), the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Brown County ask the county, township or city zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Brown County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Brown County needs a permit from the Brown County septic (SSTS) program under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules. ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MN015 (Brown County, Minnesota).
What can I build on 5 acres in Brown County?
Zoning in Brown County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as New Ulm, Sleepy Eye). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the county, township or city zoning office has the district and its rules. See the Brown County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Brown County (2026)?
Setbacks in Brown County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the county, township or city zoning office gives them for the district. See the Brown County website.
Next to Brown County: Blue Earth County, Cottonwood County, Nicollet County, Redwood County, Renville County, Watonwan County.
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