[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6286796,"mediaKeyId","2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1","parentId",2556728,"title","Council adopts amendment to stormwater drainage utility to add sod-farm land-use category","audioSeconds",64,"startMs",3312000,"endMs",3376000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1&start=3312&end=3376","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1/thumbnail_3312000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286796/Coon-Rapids/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-adopts-amendment-to-stormwater-drainage-utility-to-add-sod-farm-land-use-category","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286796-a6fa600dead05842f970a53d53a59f39/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148523&Signature=ibAMzFBLAMg10IxVCq9wCaCon903YTU9R8cntkUi5rwokxZiTArFgE3gqqrtteYN4yvXO9fsBmo6k1laAfTFoNPs3rntN~sBrKrf228yRo1xpvTBOs-hit3N5~SyjIkBdtgDyjBlLsrrEbolbpIa3LW~x5Q2gfF9yZPT3vdeq7E2WxBxQlcyDTtDRvh9OnnkP0MxO8wYtv553kOz3MUK1FeCmQ148wIIqaP3BotcSFHwWbaC96zAo11Cm0KZoHbdrHMIF6WAZHxIYRJ55LV~mQn414CHIy8CtwIm3aaxfK7rWTfLv0kJ~57yPXXcoXASm-SZpQC6eIQ4L6-NU19nbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Coon Rapids, MN","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The Coon Rapids City Council adopted Ordinance 23-27 on Tuesday to amend the city code’s stormwater drainage utility language, adding a sod-farm land-use designation to the rate-calculation reference (REF) used to calculate stormwater utility fees.

City attorney Mr. Hemmer and staff presented the ordinance as the final step in a process discussed at work sessions late last year. ‘‘We’re looking to adopt ordinance 23-27, for the storm water drainage utility. The only change to this is the addition of a sod farm land use designation to the REF,’’ Hemmer told council.

Councilmember Grishkoviak moved and Councilmember Carlson seconded the ordinance adoption; the motion passed by voice vote. The council then voted to amend the 2025 fee schedule to add the stormwater fee for sod farms (Resolution 25-34). Staff said the change clarifies how fees are calculated for agricultural properties classified as sod farms and aligns billing with the updated REF.

What happens next: staff will update the published fee schedule and the city’s billing systems to include the new designation. The amendment is effective upon adoption and will be reflected in utility billing procedures for 2025.

(Reporting note: quotations and attributions in this article come from the meeting transcript and city staff remarks; legal text referenced in the article is the ordinance language presented to council.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Coon Rapids City Council Meeting 2/18/25","oneSentenceSummary","Coon Rapids adopted Ordinance 23-27 to add a sod-farm land-use designation to the stormwater drainage utility fee schedule; council also amended the 2025 fee schedule to add the new fee.","taxTitle","Coon Rapids, Anoka County, Minnesota","taxId",23646,"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},6286801,"Council denies request to paint majority of former Coon Rapids Express car wash; preserves street-facing brick requirement",2131,559000,2690000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1&start=559&end=2690","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1/thumbnail_559000.jpg","/articles/6286801/Coon-Rapids/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Council-denies-request-to-paint-majority-of-former-Coon-Rapids-Express-car-wash-preserves-street-facing-brick-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286801-79678f0d60a84e360b5c290154528a14/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148523&Signature=FygsYzANlEVj8N7RtIy4YL60TkN32gGUi7xm-Ze5HFwWKW0KUlV2d6GtpmXr2n64QvT4pgFbltlipbs5N1yqf4bLZU7a-XaqLLT25AGuTP2Wc1mNTlNF99KU4Fw9CQydXBNPZRgGffK~3vEq5UC-YCUTToTz5RarnLBauBrHAHZGxUX-w2V9R5VIf-rMXowJVVvpcgjQGnRPTH5hkWpf-BR1DtJndrfj1dwZSwv9z3L27vt50PcZvCtAeoa3Ssnjp9~SiG-k0dALzhkocM1RYWZG4ewQrb-SDhTuQ-X1TNxDuzjibffkO5bVCBEYBexKfJkb5jfw0B8ILiIH3rl2wA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The Coon Rapids City Council voted Tuesday to deny a request from Club Car Wash to paint most of the brick on the former Coon Rapids Express car wash at 2550 Coon Rapids Boulevard, upholding the River Rapids overlay district requirement that at least 30% of the street-facing facade be an approved material such as exposed brick.

Planning staff presented the applicant’s request for design flexibility and an updated proposal that would have left 20% of the north street-facing brick unpainted; staff had forwarded findings supporting approval and the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval at its January meeting. City planner Mr. Patzner described the applicant’s revised option to keep the lower wainscoting unpainted while painting the remainder.

Council members stressed the overlay district’s intent to raise the boulevard’s visual standards. \"This is the intent. This is where we're going,\" Council Member Geisler said, urging denial. Council Member Carlson said the building’s current brick-and-black appearance \"meets the intent of our River Rapids Overlay District\" and opposed flexibility. Several council members noted the flexibility tool is available but should be used sparingly for constrained sites.

Applicant Michael Lydic, representing Club Car Wash, said the company would respect a denial and that, if flexibility were denied, it would still paint permitted portions while leaving at least 30% exposed. \"If the council is uncomfortable with the whole thing, we would ask that the less-visible side be allowed to be painted,\" Lydic said, referring to a side facade not readily visible from the main boulevard.

Motion and outcome: Council Member Geisler moved and Council Member Carlson seconded a motion to deny the requested design flexibility for painted brick; the motion carried by voice vote.

Context and next steps: The denied request affects only permitted exterior finish treatment on the site; the applicant may revise the design to meet the 30% exposed-brick standard required by the Port/River Rapids design standards or submit a new proposal in compliance with city code. Planning staff noted there is no code provision that would force the applicant to forgo painting entirely — denial would simply require the applicant to maintain at least 30% exposed approved material on the street-facing facades.

(Reporting note: quotations and attributions come from the council meeting transcript and the planning presentation; all quoted speakers are named in the speakers section.)","Council denied a design-flexibility request that would have allowed Club Car Wash to paint the building’s street-facing brick, preserving the River Rapids overlay district material standard. Planning staff had recommended flexibility; the planning commission had recommended approval.",{"_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},6286806,"Coon Rapids council orders 2025 neighborhood street reconstruction after heated public hearing on special assessments",2890,390000,3280000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1&start=390&end=3280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556728-cfb47e9c320b3d7a778a8827ef5e6cc1/thumbnail_390000.jpg","/articles/6286806/Coon-Rapids/Anoka-County/Minnesota/Coon-Rapids-council-orders-2025-neighborhood-street-reconstruction-after-heated-public-hearing-on-special-assessments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286806-f352921359affaa0301dfe2fd7014b8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148523&Signature=O6HXVJCL3n0KITPMSipKwIA9Zes9oPOLngC7qLrBCUf-aBhflYIosLUPeUMHkmrlV8LU60FVjlL0DSWxhiRDRlkmGgYmaiatEJ1PKXW1zg6W~pU-c585pffb0xcvRh4rWasMjomHrwtvANUgLgajs1oFBNTCxEhhYA~tRkPVvKEGJ7TGhLjMl64kca-zCOyiC4OlL8vrdLUhWKxfWgi4YC~p5jDftBXO7ekT6ZKILwCsUxXXHG00Bj~w1sib6qTFYltBdZiwqRJZI-Up8ctNxrSZOYobAvE30SIwFETkK72Q7EHXwgfRDOyW4AVTWtG-UtQCc3iCp3LuPk6KwsEEmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The Coon Rapids City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to order its 2025 neighborhood street reconstruction program and to proceed with plans and advertisements for construction bids, following a public hearing that drew multiple residents and several written objections.

City engineering staff presented the three neighborhoods proposed for full reconstruction — an area between 130 First and 130 Third Avenues, the Thousand Oaks neighborhood (south of Main/County Road 14 and west of Olive Street) and the Thrush Park neighborhood — and explained the scope: full resurfacing with thicker asphalt, curb-and-gutter repair, driveway aprons, storm- and sanitary-sewer repairs, replacement or rehabilitation of “plugged” fire hydrants and a citywide upgrade of street lights to LED standards.

\"The streets that we have proposed for reconstruction this year have been previously rated as deficient and in poor condition,\" public works staff member Mr. Hansen said during the presentation. He told council the city uses internal street condition ratings and input from public works crews to select projects and that resurfaced pavements will move from a 2-inch to a 3-inch asphalt mat to extend service life.

The meeting’s nut graf: several residents from the Thrush Park neighborhood and adjoining streets objected to special assessments tied to the project, saying some cul-de-sacs and short residential segments did not need reconstruction and that the lump-sum assessments were unaffordable for fixed-income households.

Residents said they had recently had maintenance or partial reconstruction and that a new assessment of $2,430 per single-family property (the rate presented by staff for 2025) felt sudden. \"I've never received a letter from the city saying, we're going to charge you up and above what you normally pay for taxes,\" said Jeff Hale, a Thrush Park resident. \"I was floored.\" Angi Koos, who said she wrote a formal objection, told council she is a single parent with neighbors on fixed incomes and that the charge would be significant for them.

Council members pressed staff for clarifications during and after the hearing. Hansen and finance/assessor staff explained assessment policy and payment options: property owners may (1) pay in full within a 30-day interest-free window after council adoption; (2) pay between the end of that window and Nov. 15 with interest applied at an annual assessment rate tied to the city’s bond issuance (the staff-presented rate for the assessment program was 4.48%); or (3) allow the assessment to be placed on property tax statements spread over 10 years. Staff also noted the city may authorize deferments for special assessments for property owners age 65 or older and for active-duty military; a deferment accrues interest and is repaid when the property is sold or when the owner no longer occupies the property.

Hansen explained how assessments are set: the program is intended to allocate roughly half of the street surfacing cost to benefiting properties originally, though in practice the city covers closer to 70% of paving, curb and gutter costs because of how assessments are calculated. \"Special assessments apply to properties that impact the road... we’re not assessing for sewer, water or drainage repair components — those are paid through the utility funds,\" Hansen said.

Council members noted the tradeoffs between delaying work and higher future costs. \"They could go a little bit longer, but it will be more expensive in the future,\" Council Member Geisler said while urging the council to follow staff recommendations based on engineering assessment.

The council then took two motions tied to the project. Council Member Carlson moved and Council Member Armstrong seconded to adopt Resolution No. 25-1 Sub 6A ordering the improvement; the motion carried unanimously (council member Novak was absent). Carlson later moved and Geisler seconded adoption of Resolution No. 25-1 Sub 8, approving plans and specifications and ordering advertisement for bids; that motion also passed.

Construction schedule and next steps: if council proceeds, staff said the city will advertise for bids in mid-April and recommend a contract award April 15, adopt assessments May 6 and begin construction in May, with completion expected in early October. Staff also said letters, a public open-house and weekly website updates will be provided to affected residents, and property owners may sign up for text messages. For residents concerned about short-term disruption, Hansen said most work in any single neighborhood segment is expected to last around 8–10 weeks, though the full contract covers multiple neighborhoods from May through September.

Ending and follow-up: Council directed staff to mail detailed next-step letters to property owners who had filed objections and to include instructions on how to submit a written objection to the clerk. Residents who file written objections will be able to pursue remedies under Minnesota Statute 429 if assessments are ultimately adopted.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve the consent agenda (multiple items including resolution 25-33 calling a public hearing to vacate drainage and utility easements at 1210100 Seventeenth Lane NW; a first amendment to a purchase and redevelopment agreement for 12258 Crooked Lake Boulevard; appointment of John Urquhart to the Fire Civil Service Commission; and resolutions accepting an AKC Reunite police K-9 grant) — Motion by Carlson, second Armstrong — outcome: approved.

- Resolution 25-1 Sub 6A — Order the improvement for the 2025 street reconstruction — Motion by Carlson, second Armstrong — outcome: approved (supermajority required and achieved).

- Resolution 25-1 Sub 8 — Approve plans/specifications and order advertisement for bids (2025 reconstruction) — Motion by Carlson, second Geisler — outcome: approved.

- Resolution 25-5 Sub 8 — Approve plans/specifications and order advertisement for bids for the 2025 annual street maintenance program (seal coat, crack sealing, pavement markings) — Motion by Geisler, second Armstrong — outcome: approved.

- Resolution 25-3 Sub 8 — Approve plans/specifications and order advertisement for bids for 2025 miscellaneous trail reconstruction — Motion by Carlson, second Armstrong — outcome: approved.

- Resolution 25-4 Sub 8 — Approve plans/specifications and order advertisement for bids for the 2025 sanitary sewer lining project — Motion by Armstrong, second Geisler — outcome: approved.

- Resolution 25-7 Sub 8 — Approve plans/specifications and order advertisement for bids for Highway 10 water main relocation — Motion by Geisler, second Butler — outcome: approved.

- Purchase authorization — $147,315 to ProTech Lighting Solutions for streetlight materials tied to the reconstruction project — Motion by Carlson, second Armstrong — outcome: approved.

What this means for residents

Residents in the affected neighborhoods will receive detailed letters with construction schedules and payment options. Property owners may file written objections with the city clerk before the May adoption of assessments; staff will notify objectors of next steps and the council’s timeline. The city emphasized the assessment program has been in place since the mid-1990s and that delaying reconstruction generally raises future costs and assessment amounts.

(Reporting note: quotations and attributions in this article come from the council meeting transcript and public comments; all quoted speakers are listed in the speakers section.)","After a public hearing with multiple residents objecting to special assessments, the Coon Rapids City Council voted unanimously to order the 2025 street reconstruction program, approve plans and seek bids. Council and staff described assessment rates, deferment options for seniors and timing for construction.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts amendment to stormwater drainage utility to add sod-farm land-use category

Council denies request to paint majority of former Coon Rapids Express car wash; preserves street-facing brick requirement

Coon Rapids council orders 2025 neighborhood street reconstruction after heated public hearing on special assessments