City Of Shakopee: After Council Report: Aug. 17, 2020

Press release from the City of Shakopee:

08/19/2021 8:00 am

The Shakopee City Council met Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Among the meeting highlights:

Gateway signs approved for two locations

City Council approved a contract with Indigo Signs for the design, construction and installation of two gateway signs. These gateway signs were one of the “Big Ideas” in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The signs will be installed at two sites; one on an Economic Development Authority owned site along County Highway 69 and Vierling Drive; a second on a city-owned parcel adjacent to Valleyfair on County Highway 101. The project is expected to cost $116,556.48 for design, construction and installation of the signs along with site preparation and electrical installation. More information: Michael Kerski – Director of Planning and Development – 952-233-9346

Options for Highway 169 pedestrian bridge revealed

City Council received a report prepared by engineering firm WSB and Associates outlining options for the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge over Highway 169. When constructed, the bridge would connect trails near the Southbridge Neighborhood with trails leading to Quarry Lake Park and the new Xcel Mountain Bike Park. The report includes four options for the design of the bridge. Alternative 3, a parallel ramp design, is the preferred option for both WSB and city staff. More information: Adam Bentson, Graduate Engineer – 952-233-9555

Community survey results are in

City Council received a summary of the 2021 National Community Survey (NCS) results. This year, the city worked with the National Research Center to gather information about the residents’ perceptions about Shakopee.

The survey not only reports the highlights of the community, it also compares Shakopee with over 600 similar communities across the country. The following is a summary of the survey results:

• Residents’ value their quality of life and feel safe in Shakopee: The survey found eight out of ten residents positively rated their quality of life, and Shakopee as a place to live. Over 90 percent of residents positively rated the safety in their neighborhood and Downtown. Eight out of ten respondents view the Police Department, EMS and Fire Departments as “Excellent” or “Good”.
• Governance is an area for growth, but residents feel respected at City Hall: Shakopee continues to see lower scores in terms of transparency and honesty. However, residents rated our customer service highly, along with high ratings for public information services and treating people with respect
• Perception of value of services continues to rise: The city has received high marks for value of services, and initiatives that save tax dollars, while improving customer service. Value of services for taxes has increased from 47 percent in 2016 to 56 percent in 2021.
• City’s economic health is a top priority: Residents sent a strong message to city staff and Council that economic health should remain a top priority. The survey shows that 92 percent of respondents believe that economic rating is at least “Very Important.” 70 percent of respondents gave “good” to “excellent” ratings for Shakopee’s economic health. The city continues to see positive results for Shakopee as a place to visit or work, and the overall quality of business and service establishments. Perceptions of the Downtown area continue to improve, rising from 32 percent in 2016 to 46 percent in 2021.
• Residents are pleased with mobility and transportation options: Citywide transportation infrastructure investments have yielded positive results for the community survey, as residents rate Shakopee higher than other similar communities. Travel by car, street cleaning, traffic flow, ease of public parking, sidewalk maintenance and ease of bicycle travel all saw high marks.

In general, the survey shows that Shakopee is making good and steady progress across the board. The city will use information gathered through the survey to inform its decision making in the following year. More information: Bill Reynolds, City Administrator – 952-233-9311

Dental office approved at Southbridge Crossings East

City Council approved an amendment to the Southbridge Crossings East Planned Unit Development (PUD) to allow for the construction of a 4,200-square-foot dental office at 8350 Hansen Ave. The request was made by Tarr Group representing WMG Development.  The site had previously been platted for a McDonald’s Restaurant in 2013, but construction never started. The Planning Commission recommended City Council approval at its Aug. 5 meeting. Construction on the site is expected to begin in spring of 2022 and finish up in the fall of 2022. More information: Kyle Sobota, Senior Planner – 952-233-9349

2022 Preliminary Budget and Levy shared with the City Council

City Council received a presentation about the 2022 preliminary levy and budget. The effect of the proposed increase on the median value home without an increase in valuation is $15 or about 1.8 percent. This will keep the city as one of the lowest taxed municipalities in the Twin City Metro region. It also makes Shakopee the lowest of all our comparable and neighboring cities in annual cost of services for property taxes, sewer and storm water.  The Council is required to certify the proposed levy on or before Sept. 30 and will consider adoption of the proposed maximum tax levies for both the city and Economic Development Authority on Tuesday, Sept. 21. City Council took no action on this item. More information: Nate Reinhardt, Finance Director – 952-233-9326

Contract awarded for street reconstruction of the River Bluff Improvement Project

City Council approved a contract to Northwest Asphalt, Inc. for the improvements for stormwater system, streets, sidewalks and pedestrian ramps as part of the River Bluff Improvement Project. Northwest Asphalt will begin work in September and expects to complete the project by July 2022. More information: Ryan Halverson, Assistant City Engineer – 952-233-9366

These summaries are a sampling of the meeting. See the entire agenda packet with supporting documents at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/agendasandminutes. The meeting is also available for viewing on demand at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/livestream.

This press release was produced by the City of Shakopee. The views expressed here are the author’s own.