Crow Wing County adopts land-use changes; July 14 notice affects Emily zoning

Crow Wing County posted a July 14, 2026 legal notice saying the County Board adopted revisions to the land use ordinance. The adoption resolution is Resolution 2026-40, and it states the ordinance revisions take effect June 23, 2026.

For people in the Emily area, the key practical question isn’t just that the county updated its ordinance—it’s which ordinance governs your parcel. The City of Emily warns that property owners often assume Crow Wing County’s land use ordinance applies to property inside city limits, but “it’s not accurate,” because the city has its own land use ordinance.

What changed (at a high level)

The County Board’s related materials describe “land use ordinance updates” that include both administrative housekeeping and content updates that can affect how projects are categorized and reviewed. A March 17, 2026 county memo lists items such as:

• Ordinance-wide administration change: replacing the “Zoning Administrator” with an “Environmental Services Manager.”
• Interim-use related update: adding a datacenter as an interim use in Commercial/Industrial.
• Interim use permit logistics: updating survey requirements for both land use permits and interim use permits.
• Renewable energy related update: adding “Renewable Energy Systems.”

Why this matters for permits near Emily

Permit steps often depend on how an application is classified under the governing ordinance provisions. If your property is under the Crow Wing County land use ordinance (typically meaning outside city limits), the adopted June 23, 2026 revisions are the updated framework you’ll want to reference.

Emily-area quick check: city vs. county jurisdiction

• Inside City of Emily limits: use the City of Emily land use ordinance and the city’s permitting guidance.
• Outside City of Emily limits: use the Crow Wing County land use ordinance revisions that were adopted and effective June 23, 2026.

What residents and applicants should do now

• Read the adoption resolution: Resolution 2026-40 (tied to the county’s July 14, 2026 legal notice) spells out the June 23, 2026 effective date.
• Review the county memo for the update scope: the March 17, 2026 memo summarizes the kinds of ordinance housekeeping and content changes.
• Confirm which ordinance controls your parcel: use the City of Emily’s own jurisdiction guidance before assuming county rules apply.
• Then confirm permitting expectations with the appropriate office: once you know which ordinance applies, ask what the updated provisions mean for your project’s category and any interim-use requirements.

Sources

• Crow Wing County Resolution 2026-40 (PDF) — Land use ordinance revisions (posted July 14; effective June 23, 2026)
• City of Emily Planning & Zoning — guidance for city vs. county ordinance jurisdiction