Sunfish Lake is a small residential community - area 1.7 square miles, population 520 (est.) - located 5 miles due south of St. Paul, Minnesota. With the exception of four churches, the entire city is zoned single-family residential. There is no commercial development.

First incorporated as a village in 1958, the consistent goal of city government has been to maintain a rural atmosphere, with large lot size and as little disturbance of the natural environment as possible. For new construction, the minimum lot size is 2.5 acres of buildable land. Most of the city is heavily wooded, on moraine topography with many slopes and wetlands and three small private lakes. Property owners have wells and septic systems, there is no sewer and water provided by the city.

City government is disarmingly simple - there are two city employees, a City Administrator/Clerk and a City Treasurer. Other services are provided by an array of consultants for the necessary professional services. Contractual arrangements with neighboring cities cover police and fire protection as well as building inspection services. Roads are maintained by independent contractors. 

Undeveloped Harmon Park was donated to the city and an extremely generous gift of 22 acres of parkland was donated by the late Betty Musser. The latter will be kept in its natural state in perpetuity through a conservation easement with the Minnesota Land Trust.

Although surrounding communities are undergoing intense development, the Metropolitan Council has approved our Comprehensive Plan of maintaining this island of green space, hopefully in perpetuity.

Sunfish Lake Map