Downtown Overlay District

Cars on City Road with Trees and Buildings

Goals

The Hopkins downtown overlay district was adopted in order to meet the following goals:

  • Preserve the small-town, unique character of Mainstreet Hopkins
  • Complement the existing historic architecture
  • Enhance the pedestrian orientation of downtown Hopkins and encourage streetscape design that is inviting and on a human scale
  • Communicate the community's vision for the Mainstreet area

Boundaries

The boundaries of the overlay district are as follows:

  • South side of 1st Street N to north side of 1st Street S
  • West side of 6th Avenue to the east side of 13th Avenue

Design Guidelines

About the Guidelines

Guidelines are intended to convey desirable elements. They are recommendations and not requirements, unless public financing is involved in the construction or rehabilitation of the building. Standards identified are requirements and enforced through the City's Planning Department.

The standards outlined will apply to the following:

  • All newly constructed buildings
  • All exterior building improvements and signage changes under $150,000 that require a building and/or sign permit (only standards applicable to the changed element apply)
  • Renovation over the Conditional Use Permit threshold, currently set at $150,000 in value (all applicable standards apply)
  • All new or reconstructed parking areas with 5 or more spaces

Any building, parking area or sign that lawfully existed before May 15, 2003, when Ordinance 03-900 went into effect, which would now not be permitted, may continue as legal non-conforming.