Land in Winona County, MN
Winona County is classic coulee country, with steep bluffs along the Mississippi, deep wooded valleys, and ridge-top farm ground. Winona is the county seat, and St. Charles, Lewiston, Rollingstone, and Altura are inland. A lot of the Whitewater valley is here too.
Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Who to call
Winona County Planning & Environmental Services, on West Third Street in Winona, handles zoning, septic permits, well and septic control, feedlot monitoring, and floodplain and shoreland rules. Conditional use permits, rezones, and variances go through them to the Planning Commission or Board of Adjustment. They're busy in the field during inspection season, so it pays to set up an appointment early.
Common Questions
Who handles zoning and septic in Winona County?
Winona County Planning & Environmental Services, on West Third Street in Winona, handles zoning, septic permits, well and septic control, feedlot monitoring, and floodplain and shoreland rules. They're busy in the field during inspection season, so set up an appointment early.
What do you look at on Winona County land?
Slope, bluff setbacks and where a house or septic can go, floodplain near the river and valley streams, access on long steep driveways, timber and open ridges for hunting or homesteading, and south-facing slopes for light, gardens or solar.
What I look at here
✓ Slope, bluff setbacks, and where a house or septic can go
✓ Floodplain near the river and the valley streams
✓ Access. Some of the best ground has the longest, steepest driveways.
✓ Timber, open ridges, and water for hunting or homesteading
✓ South-facing slopes for light, gardens, or solar
County rules and details on this page are summarized from official county sources and can change. Always confirm with the county office before you buy. Last updated: Oct 28, 2026.
If you want to talk through a piece of land, buying or selling, use the form below.
