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Sam Brown's Cabin

Welcome

to Browns Valley, Minnesota!

​

The Village of Browns Valley was established in 1866 by Major Joseph R. Brown, and incorporated on February 23, 1881. It was first called Lake Traverse Post Office, but changed to Browns Valley in honor of Major Brown. It became well known for its fur trapping and hunting. The advantages of being between two lakes invited settlers to come and establish their businesses of farming, commercial fishing and mercantile. Browns Valley lies on the Continental Divide. The marker is on Highway 28 west of town. Lake Traverse on the north side of the road flow north into the Red River and further on to the Hudson Bay in Canada. Waters on the south side of the road by way of the Little Minnesota River, wind through Browns Valley into Big Stone Lake. They continue on to the Minnesota and Mississippi River until they reach the Gulf of Mexico.

Browns Valley Buzz
Whats happening in the Valley!

Latest News and Announcements

AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCES SECTION NO. 92.21
AN  ORDINANCE DEALING WITH PUBLIC NUISANCES IN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

Now Available!

Contact Us

19 3rd Street South
PO Box 334
Browns Valley, MN 56219

 

Ph: 320-695-2110

 

eMail: citybvmn@prtel.com

 

Hours:

Monday  - Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Friday - Closed

 

Sheriff's Department

 

Emergency dial 911

 

Non Emergency call 

320.422.7800

 

Click

Traverse County Sheriff's Department

 

Fire Department

 

Emergency dial 911

Fire Chief: Brad Bartz

VISITOR PRESENTATION CITIZEN ACTION REQUEST FORM
Complete this form and submit it prior to the
City Council meeting you wish to make your presentation.

NOTICE TO: 
PROPERTY OWNERS & RESIDENTS OF BROWNS VALLEY 

  • It is unlawful to shovel or blow snow from your lot onto city streets.

  • During a snow alert, 2 inches of snow or more, please move vehicles off of the street so that the public works department can get the streets cleaned and to ensure that no damage to your vehicle occurs.

  • It is the responsibility of residents that have fire hydrants on their property to keep the snow removed around them.

  • The City has verbal agreements with individual residents and/or business owners to stockpile snow on their properties until it can be removed. If you own property that snow has been piled on, and a City representative has not spoken to you about stockpiling, then the snow piles in question have been put there by someone else.  

 

 

***The City of Browns Valley is offering city lots at no cost for the construction of new homes.  Contact City Office at 320-695-2110 or citybvmn@prtel.com

AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE SECTION 90.01 AN ORDINANCE DEALING WITH THE DISPOSITION OF ABANDONED PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

Findings. 1. The City of Browns Valley has an Ordinance section dealing with the disposition of abandoned property. 2. The Ordinance makes no difference between abandoned personal property that has value and able to be sold and abandoned personal property that is considered “junk” and not able to be sold, pursuant to the Ordinance. 3. Therefore the Browns Valley City Council believes that it is in the best interests of the City to be able to distinguish between valuable and valueless abandoned personal property, in order to avoid the timely and costly provisions of the existing Ordinance section. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: 1. That Browns Valley City Ordinance Section 90.01 is hereby amended to add the following provision: “(F) Exception. The provisions of this section shall not apply to abandoned personal property that, in the estimation of the Browns Valley City Council, is considered to be junk or otherwise worthless in value.”

 

 

AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE SECTION 90.18(C) AN ORDINANCE DEALING WITH ABATEMENT PROCEDURES FOR JUNK VEHICLES WITHIN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

Findings. 1. There have been several complaints regarding the storage of junk and/or unlicensed vehicles on properties within the City of Browns Valley, which constitute a nuisance to the public. 2. The existing Ordinance does not contain adequate provisions to deal with junk and/or unlicensed vehicles that would allow the needed abatements to occur in a more timely manner. 3. The Browns Valley City Council believes that it is in the best interests of the residents of the City of Browns Valley to amend the existing Ordinance dealing with junk vehicles in order to allow better abatement procedures. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: 1. That Browns Valley City Ordinance Section 90.18(C) is hereby amended to add the following provision: “(C) If the abandoned or junk vehicle has not removed by the expiration of the abatement period, a public hearing shall be held before the City Council for confirmation that a violation of this Section has occurred. Notice of the public hearing shall be personally served upon the property owner and occupant, as well as published at once in the official newspaper. If the property owner or occupant cannot be located, then service may be accomplished by certified mail. After the public hearing, if the City Council determines that violation of this Section has occurred, it may direct the removal of the abandoned or junk vehicle from the property. The cost of removal by the City shall be calculated and shall be certified to the County Auditor who shall levy said costs as a special assessment against the property from which removed.”

 

 

ESTABLISHMENT OF ORDINANCE SECTION 92.25 AN ORDINANCE DEALING WITH ABATEMENT PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC NUISANCES WITHIN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

Findings. 1. There have been several complaints regarding the accumulation of junk and trash on resident’s properties within the City of Browns Valley, which constitute a nuisance to the public. 2. The existing Ordinance does not contain civil abatement provisions to deal with junk and/or unlicensed vehicles that would allow the needed abatements to occur in a more timely manner. 3. The Browns Valley City Council believes that it is in the best interests of the residents of the City of Browns Valley to establish an Ordinance provision to civilly abate the accumulation of junk and trash on resident’s properties. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: 1. That Browns Valley City Ordinance Section 92.25 is hereby established to read as follows: “92.25 ABATEMENT OF PUBLIC NUISANCES. In addition to criminal prosecution, any violation of a provision of Sections 92.15 through 92.18 may be abated by using the provision of Sections 92.39 through 92.43 below.”

AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE SECTION 91.02(B)(2)(A)
AN ORDINANCE DEALING WITH THE LICENSING OF DOGS

WITHIN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

  • Findings.
    1. The City of Browns Valley has previously instituted an Ordinance requiring all dogs within the
    City of Browns Valley to be registered and licensed.
    2. It has come to the attention of the Browns Valley City Council that there is an error in its dog
    license Ordinance, omitting the imposition of a fine against a dog’s owner for failure to comply
    with the provisions of the ordinance.
    3. Therefore the Browns Valley City Council believes that it is in the best interests of the residents
    of the City of Browns Valley to amend its dog licensing ordinance to impose a fine against the
    dog’s owner for failure to comply with the provisions of the ordinance.
    NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY ORDAINS
    AS FOLLOWS:
    1. That Browns Valley City Ordinance Section 91.02(B)(2)(a) is hereby amended to read as
    follows:
    “(a) If a dog is not licensed when acquired by the owner or obtained within 30 days of
    moving to town, or has its license renewed by the end of each year, the owner shall be
    assessed a $25 fine. A notice shall be mailed to each dog owner, as well as published in
    the paper of record, in November of each year reminding residents of the need to have
    their dog licensed or that a fine will be assessed.

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING SECTION 120.27

AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
OF POTENTIAL NEW TENANTS AT RENTAL PROPERTIES

IN THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY

Findings.
1. The City of Browns Valley has a section in its Code of Ordinance requiring landlords to conduct
criminal background checks on all prospective tenants.
2. It has come to the attention of the Browns Valley City Council that calls into question the
enforceability of this ordinance provision.
3. Therefore the Browns Valley City Council believes that it is in the best interests of the residents
of the City of Browns Valley to repeal the ordinance requiring all landlords to conduct criminal
background checks on all prospective tenants in evaluating their application for tenancy.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROWNS VALLEY ORDAINS
AS FOLLOWS:
1. That Browns Valley City Ordinance Section 120.27 is hereby repealed.

UPCOMING EVENTS
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Browns Valley
that you would like to share?
Would love to include on our website! 

The Browns Valley Economic Development Authority

(BV-EDA) is offering an incentive package of up to 10K per qualifying business that will open in downtown Browns Valley.

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