[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6398785,"mediaKeyId","2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f","parentId",2090500,"title","Council approves three playground replacements in 2025 capital program","audioSeconds",351,"startMs",5161000,"endMs",5512000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f&start=5161&end=5512","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f/thumbnail_5161000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6398785/Blaine/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-approves-three-playground-replacements-in-2025-capital-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398785-357b126cad671d790eda68ab50517e37/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200828&Signature=jdv3rYbSLM~G2BYjXAVPEp2eVuZpTO~uxfSQBh3Hxq57M6SIWUC1Yl~xUVJsWyyo9cycEldJyet3UT1AWKR~omLCLdOyYTTyvTA4EBZeU7gpN45tgrMr4qMCg9j-xjmiR-xXA~gVGU3cvHQC~ggRPD~2qRrOYZvxgF83sSYaBGLpr-FQeHeBLnCx5rhrOKGjOz5WTXXFIh0LdLzoatshQokkz5ftCf-vi0ffzidC9PsH0-~TN85JmFzi7RFx6zeAYtQrIHtk7ZqoLpjxtNOjU2fUyfKhcQxx1ZuhgVBnaTl~0Pg5qFmsp2LO1EUE6YZHn1uEB7ACE6~m1Oi-ZUxU4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Blaine, MN","date","2025-01-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Blaine City Council approved three playground replacement projects included in the 2025 capital plan: Austin Park, Ivy Hills Park and Olympia Park. Each approval included purchase of new equipment and installation; Olympia Park also includes a sport-court surface overlay.

Senior Recreation Manager Jerome Krueger said staff sought neighborhood input via the parks board, social media and meetings. Two of the playgrounds are 18 years old and one is 20 years old; all three still had older plastic edge curbing that the city plans to replace with concrete curbing to reduce maintenance. Krueger provided cost breakdowns in the packet: Austin Park equipment and install not to exceed $100,000 (equipment $67,203; installation $32,797); Ivy Hills equipment and install not to exceed $115,000 (equipment $78,548; installation $36,379); Olympia Park equipment with installation for $80,000 and a $20,000 sport-court overlay.

Council members praised the outreach. Council Member Robertson thanked staff for engaging residents early and noted the process helps ensure equipment choices fit neighborhood needs. The council approved the purchases and installations by individual motions: Austin moved by Council Member Ford (seconded by Council Member Newland), Ivy Hills moved by Council Member Massolia (seconded by Council Member Newland), and Olympia moved by Council Member Robertson (seconded by Council Member Miss Solia). All three motions passed by voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Blaine City Council Meeting - January 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved replacement playground equipment at Austin, Ivy Hills and Olympia parks, including installation and a new sport court overlay at Olympia; staff said neighbors were consulted on designs and color schemes.","taxTitle","Blaine, Anoka County, Minnesota","taxId",8865,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6398790,"Council keeps Blaine Life as official city publication, citing local coverage and cost",388,2315000,2703000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f&start=2315&end=2703","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f/thumbnail_2315000.jpg","/articles/6398790/Blaine/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-keeps-Blaine-Life-as-official-city-publication-citing-local-coverage-and-cost","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398790-3028907ba4969b7915c306821bf4ab38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200828&Signature=k9mN19u1~1PDsNB6dmpXtQAph4CPT26a-qI2a6o9r~tf9oBYoZcMhvRAPGUb8nPUd0kgf5gMNIwiR8pTgEUj~7UlaylupMMnuIlAbtc3~1hm~za6k7gYA6WlQ5NqCnLapW5gcCav-SI~pKlNktlTfZARNvkKB7HUb~ME0QSBzRiUHRrbK6jnyuLAbpLGU6mZ10WSpZGIJUjLDQbZdlsrB~BUOcVovVkPKlqYmVD6igX5HSL~92ne7Fy3vjHAa4LU18y~7EEA7XVCRJqc7zf6h13Tjl8l0o~8iSXvfM5H35oJJi~Iz5G0RRMnPlud0U7APw-b1tz5wnHugL~tIDVoaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Blaine City Council voted to continue designating the Blaine Life as the city’s official publication for required legal notices.

Council Member Newland argued for keeping the Blaine Life to support local coverage and for cost reasons. \"I would rather that we stick with the Blaine Life as the official publication for cost reasons as well as just supporting our local newspaper,\" Newland said. City Clerk Kathy Sorensen explained a practical reason staff had proposed the Star Tribune: the Blaine Life’s print deadline is Tuesdays at 10 a.m. to appear in the Friday edition, and occasionally timing conflicts with statutory notice timelines have required staff workarounds. \"The deadline for the Blaine Life is Tuesdays at 10 in order to have the publication the public notices in the Friday edition,\" Sorensen said.

Attorney Lunan explained the legal significance: certain statutes set notice start dates tied to the designated official newspaper, and the city must pick one official outlet for statutory timelines. \"There are certain procedures that by statute, have a notice date and then like a timeline starts to run... whichever one you adopt as the official, that's when those timelines run when it's noticed in that paper,\" Lunan said.

Council Member Newland moved to keep the Blaine Life as the official publication; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Clerk Sorensen said staff will continue to use other channels (website, electronic notification) in addition to the official newspaper to reach residents.","The council voted to retain the Blaine Life as the city's official legal publication rather than switching to the Star Tribune after hearing staff explain daily-paper deadlines and electronic-notice workarounds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6398795,"Council approves conditional use permit for place of worship at 12175 Aberdeen with traffic and parking conditions",632,3937000,4569000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f&start=3937&end=4569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f/thumbnail_3937000.jpg","/articles/6398795/Blaine/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-approves-conditional-use-permit-for-place-of-worship-at-12175-Aberdeen-with-traffic-and-parking-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398795-d4c06d91f20437421fe7f479a4e20dd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200828&Signature=Gvou3sf01-Wi9ODeQqBZEw~q6xXop0bK-7pWiY9fEfnT14DSQoehlYbY8SwtTKhvClAS9pTy1PunrhhOEou634dADnw9Bg~uPg~CLkiEm7jGZJ8KL7ezpCaATyxnd0-uYYQvOoIJGSXODxEfLNBxsu~wG4dsL4LegzgGYwTdy~aZHnbufmg7wqZDGflJsaSqv~S4MZq~5z1IEyrsRrB4o-NHz~e4h00jSwavu3i3zSNpcQzTCQGYM9ms4wGRhSBx71Uqe-FRvA9LDfFDEYGv17cRVTBznf1sP~h1bBHyFhz7OSE8yjadRFWg9RYkHd7qP4ymFUKarS89RhkYuc2eow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Blaine City Council approved a conditional use permit (CUP) to allow continued operation of a place of worship at 12175 Aberdeen Street, subject to conditions intended to reduce traffic and parking impacts on surrounding properties.

Community Development Director presented a package of measures staff developed after a December meeting and subsequent discussions with the Muslim American Society (MAS), the police department, engineering, planning and the fire department. Director Thorbig said the applicant had agreed to cap building capacity at 700 people, which staff reported would leave the site short by 27 parking stalls based on fire marshal capacity; the applicant also agreed to provide an off-site parking arrangement with Oak Park Community Church to mitigate shortages. Thorbig described a traffic mitigation plan that would limit the south access to entrance-only and direct exiting vehicles to the north driveway with right-turn-only egress to speed site clearance.

Imam Asad Salman, executive director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, told the council a parking agreement had been submitted and could be re-submitted; he said the parties were finalizing signatures. Several council members thanked the worship community for patience and noted the council’s intent was to balance religious uses with neighborhood impacts. Council Member Robertson emphasized communication with worshippers and neighbors to follow the traffic signage and diversion plans.

The resolution approving the CUP included: a capacity cap of 700, a required parking agreement with Oak Park Community Church (to be submitted no later than Feb. 28), new signage and operational controls (including limiting the south driveway to inbound traffic and right-turn-only exits), and administrative reassessment authority with a six-month formal review. Council removed the item from the table, moved approval (motion by Council Member Robertson, second by Council Member Newland) and approved the permit by voice vote.","The council approved a conditional use permit allowing continued operations of a place of worship at 12175 Aberdeen Street, with a capacity cap, required off-site parking agreement and a six-month reassessment of a traffic mitigation plan.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6398799,"Council revokes Umisushi & Hibachi liquor license after state tax delinquency notice",1170,2756000,3926000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f&start=2756&end=3926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090500-7f8bc3b125b0b4e4cef9005b4dfdf77f/thumbnail_2756000.jpg","/articles/6398799/Blaine/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-revokes-Umisushi-Hibachi-liquor-license-after-state-tax-delinquency-notice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398799-2e1cb8ea1b35826b8a4f431f73e1b565/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200828&Signature=HmCrXZl3Hd5ZGdVyA4Zc2CwXkgDcr9DusSh3x0xsEOokjpwkC1K3niHi1hr7MYRO2V2L38U1feWcBAxjz3bQMkI6blT4QJAXro0~TkOdygjVo8ZsuJmTWPJkEGYTpi2oBshMzBU9dzT3y6lkHJ8uvwcmXRC848YuX2UmHTlmFlVx8uRkHBNBC2FC0fP0BZyxU8cB2yHqSBjxqbkUSqkiZRwdtNdG9MZOWdvjgpXuArSTmEsaPNBz2hsQkUk7dT-HZhSePmg7W~odNnjic58N25r6wLvCxZAuMypHJ4nlVv-TzLxqC4QmMW09-AJI~1fzdLGmnuQ1dQ9sStEWVspOAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Blaine City Council revoked the on-sale Sunday liquor license for Onsen, Inc., doing business as Umisushi & Hibachi (Umi), following a notice from the Minnesota Department of Revenue that the license holder had delinquent taxes.

City Clerk Kathy Sorensen told the council staff had received a Department of Revenue notice and that state statute requires revocation when tax clearance has not been received. At a public hearing, owner Mike Sun described a difficult 2024 for his restaurant and asked the council for a second chance. \"I put in 90 hours a week,\" Sun said, explaining his business and family hardships and asking for reinstatement. His wife, Kylie Tran, told the council the restaurant opened in 2020 and struggled through the pandemic and a slow recovery: \"Without our liquor license, we've been losing $1,000 over the holiday weekend,\" she said.

City Attorney Lunan told the council the city had limited options. \"Minnesota statute 270C.72 states that if we receive this notice from the Department of Revenue ... the city must revoke the license unless we receive clearance from the Minnesota Department of Revenue,\" Lunan said, noting the statute removes local discretion. Clerk Sorensen added the Department of Revenue notice had come to the office in late October and the city provided additional time before scheduling the hearing.

Council members expressed sympathy for the owners’ situation and offered to help identify next steps. Council Member Ford said he wanted to ensure the owners received guidance on how to obtain state clearance and any available resources from city staff and departments. Police Chief Pedani confirmed the city had no local law-enforcement violations on the business in recent inspections.

Council Member Newland moved to revoke the license; Council Member Fleming seconded. By voice vote the motion carried and the council revoked the on-sale Sunday liquor license for Umisushi & Hibachi. Clerk Sorensen told the council the license holder could reapply after receiving tax clearance from the Department of Revenue.

The council and several members said they would follow up after the meeting to provide information and offers of assistance to the owners regarding next steps and state processes.","The Blaine City Council revoked the on-sale liquor license for Umisushi & Hibachi (Umi) after the city received a notice from the Minnesota Department of Revenue that the business was delinquent in taxes. Owner Mike Sun and family asked for leniency; council members said state law left the city no discretion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves three playground replacements in 2025 capital program

Council keeps Blaine Life as official city publication, citing local coverage and cost

Council approves conditional use permit for place of worship at 12175 Aberdeen with traffic and parking conditions

Council revokes Umisushi & Hibachi liquor license after state tax delinquency notice