A CUP allows certain types of property uses that meet zoning ordinance standards. Once approved, a CUP remains valid as long as those standards are met, even if ownership changes.

A variance permits an exception to a zoning standard. In Minnesota, variances apply only to measurable standards, such as setbacks, height, or parking requirements. By law, a variance can be granted only when “practical difficulties” exist. Practical difficulties include:

• The property owner proposes a reasonable use not allowed by the city’s zoning ordinance;
• The circumstances are due to unique physical characteristics of the property, not the landowner’s actions or intended use. According to state law, financial considerations alone do not constitute practical difficulties; and
• Granting the variance will not change the character of the neighborhood.