Maple Grove's city code explicitly bans using accessory buildings as living quarters. Here's what that means and what your options are.
Unlike cities where the absence of an ADU ordinance is simply unaddressed, Maple Grove's City Code directly and explicitly prohibits the practice. City Code §36-776 states: "no garage, tent, or accessory building shall at any time be used as living quarters, temporarily or permanently, except as may otherwise be allowed pursuant to section 36-233(2)." This is a confirmed prohibition, not just silence in the code.
The code section references a narrow exception under section 36-233(2), but that provision could not be retrieved or confirmed during our research. Based on how similar exceptions work in other Twin Cities zoning codes, it is likely a narrow allowance for something like temporary caretaker housing rather than a general ADU pathway for homeowners - but we could not verify its exact language, so we are not guessing at what it permits. If you have direct knowledge of what section 36-233(2) allows, we'd like to hear about it - see the contact link below.
| Build a shed or detached garage | Standard accessory structures are allowed, but City Code §36-776 explicitly bars using them as living quarters. |
| Look into the §36-233(2) exception | The code references a narrow exception to the living-quarters ban. Its exact scope is unconfirmed - contact the city's Planning Division directly to ask whether it could apply to your situation. |
| Advocate for a code change | Neighboring Plymouth allows ADUs by right today, showing a Twin Cities suburb bordering Maple Grove can reform its code - a resident-led push to Maple Grove's Planning Commission could do the same. |
| Consider a nearby city | Plymouth, bordering Maple Grove, currently allows both attached and detached ADUs by right. See the full city comparison. |