Eden Prairie does not currently have an ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units. Here's what that means and what your options are.
Extensive review of Eden Prairie's public zoning materials - including the city's planning and zoning FAQ, its residential zoning district code, and its accessory structure guidance - turned up no provision for accessory dwelling units, accessory apartments, or similar second-unit housing on single-family lots. The city's accessory-structure guidance covers only non-habitable buildings like sheds, detached garages, and pool houses.
This is an absence-of-evidence finding rather than a confirmed prohibition - Eden Prairie's full zoning code was not entirely searchable, so it's possible a narrow provision exists that didn't surface in our research. If you have direct knowledge of an ADU pathway in Eden Prairie, we'd like to hear about it - see the contact link below.
| Build a shed or detached garage | Standard accessory structures are allowed, but cannot legally be used as living quarters or a separate dwelling. |
| Request a variance | Eden Prairie's Board of Adjustments and Appeals can consider individual variance requests, though approval is discretionary and not guaranteed. |
| Advocate for a code change | Several neighboring cities (Bloomington, Edina) legalized ADUs through city council action in the past few years - a resident-led push to Eden Prairie's Planning Commission could do the same. |
| Consider a nearby city | Bloomington and Edina, both bordering Eden Prairie, currently allow ADUs by right. See the full city comparison. |