MAT Information Library:

Township Powers

TP 1000 – Meshing of State and Local Regulations
Discusses the interaction of regulations at the state and local levels, including the concepts of preemption and conflict and how township, city and county ordinances interact. (11 pages) (Revised: October 2001)

TP 1000A – Sources of Township Authority
Supplement to TP 1000 addressing the sources of legal authority available to Minnesota townships and the framework governing the exercise of township powers.

TP 1000B – Preemption and Townships
Supplement to TP 1000 addressing legal preemption and circumstances in which state or federal law may limit a township’s ability to regulate a particular subject.

TP 1000C – Township, City and County Authority
Supplement to TP 1000 examining the respective authority of townships, cities and counties and how overlapping local government authority may affect township regulation.

TP 2000 – Chart of Urban and Non-Urban Town Powers
Side-by-side comparison and description of powers shared by urban and non-urban towns, along with a listing of powers unique to urban towns. (12 pages) (Revised: November 2020)

TP 3000 – Joint Exercise of Powers Act
Overview of Minnesota’s Joint Exercise of Powers Act, which allows local governments to jointly exercise powers and undertake activities through cooperative arrangements. (5 pages) (Revised: October 2020)

TP 4000 – Developing Findings of Fact
Explains the importance of findings of fact as a tool for documenting and explaining the reasons behind town board decisions, helping establish a clear record and reduce the potential for litigation. Includes a sample set of findings. (12 pages) (Revised: February 2020)

TP 5000 – Taking Action by Resolution
Explains township resolutions and when they should be used by a town board to formally take action. Includes a sample resolution for township use. (4 pages) (Revised: March 2024)

TP 6000 – Town Ordinances
Guide to township ordinances, including issues town boards should consider before adopting an ordinance and a comparison of the procedures used to properly adopt ordinances. (11 pages) (Revised: October 2024)

TP 6100 – Drafting Ordinances
Explains the differences between ordinances and resolutions, the statutory authority for each and their standard components. Includes drafting guidance designed to help town boards create clear and enforceable ordinances and resolutions that accomplish the board’s intended purpose. (9 pages) (October 2014)

TP 6100A – Sample Ordinance Format
Editable sample ordinance format that townships can use as a starting point when drafting local ordinances. This document supplements the ordinance-drafting guidance in TP 6100.

TP 7000 – Common Law Conflicts of Interest
Detailed discussion of court-created conflict-of-interest rules and the circumstances in which a township supervisor should not participate in a vote because of a personal interest in the outcome. (7 pages) (Revised: June 2018)

TP 7010 – Common Law Conflicts of Interest – Quick Reference
Quick-reference guide summarizing the common law conflict-of-interest analysis discussed in greater detail in TP 7000. (1 page) (Produced: June 2018)

TP 8000 – Basic Road Administration Ordinance
Explains why a township may need an ordinance protecting the right-of-way along roads maintained by the township. Includes a sample Basic Road Administration Ordinance for township use. (7 pages) (Revised: October 2020)

TP 8000A – Basic Road Administration Ordinance – Utility Language
Optional add-on to the Basic Road Administration Ordinance in TP 8000 providing additional language addressing utilities within township road rights-of-way. (8 pages) (Revised: November 2020)

TP 9000 – Ordinance Opting Out of the Temporary Health Care Dwelling Statute
Sample ordinance allowing a township to opt out of Minnesota’s Temporary Health Care Dwelling Law, sometimes referred to as the “Granny Pod” law. (3 pages) (Created: June 2021)

TP 9550 – Cannabis Management
Guidance for townships navigating Minnesota cannabis regulations, including zoning, local control and other requirements affecting local governments. (8 pages) (Created: November 2024)

TP 10000 – Resolution Delegating Cannabis Retail Registration to the County
Sample resolution for townships that choose to delegate their cannabis retail business registration authority to the county. (1 page) (Revised: November 2024)