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Government Center building and plaza rules

The Hennepin County Government Center is a public building that accommodates a significant amount of public business.

The building's north plaza and south plaza are used by members of the public every day. These locations are defined as public space and are open for individuals to use, gather or demonstrate.

The county has adopted rules related to use of the Government Center building and plazas to ensure safety and well-being of all visitors and staff.

If you visit the Government Center building

  • All visitors to county facilities are required to wear face coverings.
  • Children under 5 are exempt from this requirement.
  • Visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should not enter county buildings.
  • We do not require visitors to have received a COVID-19 vaccination to enter a county building.

If you are sick

Do not enter the building if you are sick or experiencing any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever or feeling feverish
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle aches
  • New loss of taste or smell

Physical distance

Maintain 6 feet or 2 meters of physical distance, when possible.

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Unless otherwise noted:

  • Conduct that violates Minneapolis city ordinance or state law
  • Littering, smoking, use of alcohol or other controlled substances, camping or sleeping
  • Tents, tarps, tables or any other structures
  • Affixing, draping, or projecting posters, banners, or visual props on or over structures
  • Entering county fountains or pools
  • Generators, portable toilets, motor vehicles or trailers
  • Storing personal property, items, or possessions, or leaving these unattended
  • Gas, propane and charcoal grills; other open-flame devices; fires; and flammable and explosive fuel
  • Defacing any county-owned property, including but not limited to writing or drawing with chalk or other materials
  • Public art — defined as work in any media that is planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the public domain, with the specific intention of being accessible to all — unless it is placed exclusively through the Facility Services and Communications departments
  • Interfering with county business, employees, clients or visitors, or obstructing the free flow of traffic in any way
  • Any and all other conduct, equipment or materials that are hazardous to public safety or results in, or could result in, damage to county property
  • Per Minnesota Supreme Court ruling, photography in any courtroom or area where courtrooms are located without permission from the court

  • Failure to comply with the requirement to wear a face covering in county buildings, as required by Resolution 20-0204 passed by the Hennepin County Board on May 19, 2020, and by the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order 20-81 dated July 22, 2020. A “face covering” must be worn to cover the nose and mouth completely, and can include a paper or disposable face mask, a cloth face mask, a scarf, a bandanna, a neck gaiter, or a religious face covering.

Further information related to Hennepin County’s rules related to the plazas can be found in the use of space by the Use of Space by the Public in County Facilities (PDF) policy and Resolution 11-049R1 (PDF) passed by the Hennepin County Board on November 8, 2011.

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