Watonwan County, MN zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Watonwan County: Saint James, Madelia.
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 Watonwan County has 21 FIRM panels, the newest effective December 2023; 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 Watonwan 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 Watonwan lot shows the same lines the county assessor draws. Watonwan County covers about 278,368 acres of land and 3,061 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Watonwan County assessor keeps the parcel record (Watonwan 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 Watonwan County, Madelia zones the land inside its 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 Watonwan 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 Watonwan 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. Watonwan County is soil survey area MN165, Watonwan County, Minnesota, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Watonwan County needs a permit from the Watonwan County septic (SSTS) program under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules.
Setbacks
Setbacks in Watonwan 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 Madelia for land inside its limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Watonwan lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Watonwan 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 Watonwan County has 21 panels, the newest effective December 2023. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Watonwan County?
Open the Minnesota map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Watonwan 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 Watonwan County?
Zoning in Watonwan County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Madelia). 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 Watonwan 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 Watonwan 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 Watonwan County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Watonwan County needs a permit from the Watonwan 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 MN165 (Watonwan County, Minnesota).
What can I build on 5 acres in Watonwan County?
Zoning in Watonwan County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Madelia). 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 Watonwan County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Watonwan County (2026)?
Setbacks in Watonwan 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 Watonwan County website.
Next to Watonwan County: Blue Earth County, Brown County, Cottonwood County, Jackson County, Martin County.
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