From the Brown County

Zoning Office

The Brown County Zoning Office is gearing up for warmer weather and assisting you with any planning and permitting needs you have. If you live, or are looking to build, in the unincorporated areas of Brown County, please call or go to our county website for information on planning and zoning, feedlots, solid waste/landfill and recycling, and county parks. Online permitting is available on our website, so land use permits and other permit applications can be filled out online. Please visit http://www.co.brown.mn.us, or call us at (507) 233-6640.

Park Visits

Many people are eager to utilize one of our four County Parks for camping, picnics, fishing, hiking, etc. The four County Parks are as follows: Lake Hanska, Lost Dog and Fox Hunters, Mound Creek, and Treml. For general park information and picnic shelter reservations please visit our website, or call our office. If you would like to make a camping reservation at Lake Hanska County Park please call (507) 439-6411. There are also four canoe landings throughout Brown County that give access to the Cottonwood River. Visit and enjoy some of the great scenery Brown County has to offer.

Burning Permits

The burning of the following materials does not require a burning permit in Brown County: brush piles, vegetative debris, tree trimmings, clean, unpainted lumber and running fires (ex: CRP or fence line burns). A call to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office must be made before you start a burn. They can be reached at (507) 233-6720. The fire chief in the fire districts of Comfrey, Sanborn, and Springfield would like to be notified as well before a burn occurs.

Hazardous Waste

Disposal

Information on the disposal of solid waste or hazardous waste can be found in the Solid Waste/Landfill and Recycling portion of our website. It is against MN Rule 88.171 Subd. 2 to burn household garbage and the use of local garbage and recycling services are available throughout the county. Remember the burning of painted wood, asphalt shingles and other building debris is not allowed. Building debris must also not be buried.

Mark your calendars for the fluorescent bulb and household hazardous waste collections events coming up. There are fees associated with the fluorescent bulb collections. Agricultural waste will be accepted at the household hazardous waste collection events, but business waste will not be accepted.

May 10 – Fluorescent Bulb Collection, at Jim’s Market, in Springfield, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 11 – Fluorescent Bulb Collection, at New Ulm Steel & Recycling, in New Ulm, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

June 8 – Free Household Hazardous Waste Collection, at the Brown County Fairgrounds, in New Ulm, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

June 22 – Free Household Hazardous Waste Collection at two locations: Brown County Highway Garage, in Springfield, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at the Brown County REA Building, in Sleepy Eye, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.