Loading...
11 18 2025 City Council Work Session MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the City Council Work Session Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a work session of the Mendota Heights City Council was held at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota, CALL TO ORDER Mayor Levine called the work session to order at 4:30 p.m. Councilors Lorberbaum, Maczko, Mazzitello, and Paper were in attendance. Others present included: City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Torkelson, Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek, Parks & Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Meredith Lawrence, Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie, Natural Resources Director Krista Spreiter, Police Chief Kelly McCarthy, Police Captain Wayne Wegener, and City Clerk Nancy Bauer. FRIENDLY HILLS SEWER ODOR There were nine people in the audience for the Friendly Hills Sewer Odor item. This discussion item was moved to the first item on the agenda. Public Works Director Ruzek reported that Mendota Heights owns and operates a sanitary sewer interceptor line which starts at the main lift station in the Industrial Park. He described where the line runs and how there are drops in the line that stir up gases. The gases are hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and mercaptan. Samples were collected from five different manholes, with one being downstream from the Friendly Hills neighborhood. Staff believe that the neighborhood odor is because of the dropped manholes. The sanitary sewer line was proposed for replacement within Apache and Decorah as part of the street project, as it was deteriorating and to eliminate the two dropped manholes. There are still two dropped manholes at the end of Apache and one on Decorah that staff are waiting to be repaired in mid -December. After an enclosed plume is installed in the manhole on Decorah, staff will take new readings and compare them to the pre -project area. Staff anticipate additional treatment to mitigate the odor. This would include installing an external device that would be a filtration system with afive-horsepower pump. It would also include media designed for specific chemicals that will be analyzed to filter out odors. It is a costly option and would include yearly maintenance. This system would help keep the odors under control, and the installation would be a lengthy process. November 18, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page -1 Councilor Lorberbaum asked when the item would be brought to a City Council meeting. Public Works Director Ruzek responded that quotes could be considered by the Council in early spring, after which staff would work with the contractor to determine installation timing. Councilor Maczko asked how tall the unit would be. Public Works Director Ruzek stated it would be four feet tall. Councilor Maczko asked how much noise the unit would generate. Public Works Director Ruzek stated he did not know. Staff met with the manufacturer, who will look at adding sound attenuation features to the unit. The exhaust will be directional to help mitigate the sound away from homes. Councilor Maczko asked if the process could be accelerated to complete the project as quickly as possible. Public Works Director Ruzek explained the process to get plans and a bid package ready. He also noted that work cannot be done until spring road restrictions are lifted and the manufacturer needs approximately 16 weeks to build the unit. Additional sampling is required to determine the correct unit size. Councilor Maczko said he lives in the area and the odor can be untenable at times. Councilor Paper asked if there was proof that the units work. Public Works Director Ruzek stated that the Metropolitan Council uses these units. Mayor Levine asked for the estimated costs and for the funding source. Public Works Director Ruzek stated it will be paid from the sanitary sewer fund, which is supported by sanitary sewer bill payments. The estimate is about $150,000 for the unit. The cost of the media for a large unit is about $7,500 per year. Running the five -horsepower motor will cost about $300 a month. Councilor Paper asked about the useful life of the unit. Public Works Director Ruzek stated it should last 20 to 40 years. A Friendly Hills resident asked when the samples were taken. Public Works Director Ruzek responded that odor levels in the neighborhood are dependent on the weather but that the samples were taken in the pipe which would have consistent conditions. Another resident of Friendly Hills stated he lived in Friendly Hills for 35 years and that he only recently noticed the odor. An audience member asked where the samples were taken. Public Works Director Ruzek replied at the end of South Plaza Drive, end of Apache Street, mid -block Apache between Cheyenne and Decorah, and the west side of Dodd Road. Apache Street had elevated odor levels. A resident also asked if staff were planning for the future, and whether the Industrial Park will grow. Public Works Director Ruzek stated that Mendota Heights has been built out. Councilor Maczko asked if something has changed in the Industrial Park and noted there had been a sewer collapse on Decorah Lane in the past. Councilor Maczko stated he would like to see this project completed quickly and efficiently as possible. November /8, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 2 Mayor Levine stated that staff had a plan and direction for proceeding with the project. Councilor Lorberbaum asked that staff continue to communicate with the neighborhood to keep them updated on the project. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS SPEED CAMERA UPDATE Chief McCarthy stated that the speed camera on the 500 block of Marie Avenue, which monitored east bound traffic, was put away for the winter. It had an advisory feedback sign and there were two signs alerting drivers that the speed camera was ahead. It will be located on Delaware Avenue next year. Per state statute there was a 30-day mandatory warning period, which had been extended. From August 1 to November 1 there were 121,471 vehicles that were monitored. There were 1,401 warnings and 30 citations issued. The vehicles were mostly from Mendota Heights and West St. Paul, Chief McCarthy gave a monthly synopsis of the program. A lesson learned from the speed camera program was that it was very labor-intensive. A legislative suggestion would address the class requirement to reduce the burden on the courts. Another issue was the requirements from the Department of Transportation and Department of Safety regarding calibration of the speed camera using vehicles. Staff also needed to run the registered owner in addition to the driver's license. Mayor Levine asked if the use of speed cameras was worthwhile. Chief McCarthy replied yes. Speed is not the issue. Speeding causes more accidents one to slower driver response time. Speed cameras also influence how neighbors feel about speeding in their neighborhood. Radar feedback signs are helpful, but staff need to determine how to use them efficiently. Councilor Maczko asked about the speed study information done for Delaware Avenue. Public Works Director Ruzek stated that it was for the portion on Delaware Avenue from Highway 62 to Marie Avenue. Mayor Levine suggested that the speed limit on Delaware should be a future work session topic. Councilor Paper asked how many big outliers (80+) were caught on the speed camera. Chief McCarthy stated none but there were a few 60+. E-BIKE REGULATIONS Chief McCarthy reported there are concerns about the combined weight and high speeds of e- bikes that could create safety concerns, particularly for pedestrians. The definition of an e-bike was reviewed noting there are three classes of e-bikes; Class 1 -the motor helps only when pedaling, and stops assisting at 20 mph. Class 2 -the motor can propel November 18, 2025, Mendota Heights ON Council Work Session Minutes Page - 3 the bike without pedaling, up to 20 mph. Class 3 - motor assists only when pedaling, up to 28 mph. State law currently states that no one under the age of 15 can operate any class of e-bike in any public space. There is no state trail speed limit, but riders must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal when passing. Dakota County allows e-bikes that fall within the three classes on county trails where bikes are allowed. The speed limit is 15 mph on trails. Biking with a leashed animal is not allowed. Mendota Heights code defines electric assisted bikes, but it is not consistent with the state definition. One option the council could consider is prohibiting e-bikes on trails. This would be easy to enforce but would not be consistent with the state or the county. Another option would be to adopt trail speed limits. This would be harder to enforce, would make trails safer, and align with the county. Chief McCarthy continued that an educational push could be done in partnership with Parks and Recreation, or a major infrastructure overhaul could be done. Councilor Lorberbaum asked what a major infrastructure overhaul would entail. Chief McCarthy stated building separate trails for e-bikes and pedestrians. Councilor Maczko stated that something needs to be done regarding e-bikes. Councilor Paper stated that Mendota Heights has been lucky so far. The west metro has significant issues with e-bikes. E-bikes can exceed 28 mph. Educational outreach should occur at schools and through Parks and Recreation. Chief McCarthy asked if he thought parents knew about the age requirement. Councilor Paper stated no. E-bikes are hard to stop, posing a danger. Education for kids and parents is necessary. Councilor Mazzitello said he believes that the right starting point is education outreach. If needed, then Council can discuss regulating e-bikes and determine enforceability. Adults and kids need to be educated. Councilor Lorberbaum agreed, stating that education is key and that parents may not know the laws and regulations. Enforcement could be tricky. Mayor Levine stated she agrees to start with education. Adults also ride e-bikes and need to be educated. She expressed interest in police officers enforcing the 15-mph speed for shared trails. Chief McCarthy stated that there is additional training required by officers to do bicycle enforcement. Mayor Levine suggested painting the speed limit on the trails and posting signage. November 18, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Mbzutes Page - 9 Chief McCarthy stated that she has started an outline for an educational campaign, along with a Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation branded bell with different taglines. Proper branding and informational efforts would be a good start. Mayor Levine stated she wanted the education campaign to be aligned with the opening of Valley Park Trail. Councilor Lorberbaum asked when Valley Park will reopen. Public Works Director Ruzek stated it will open temporarily in mid -to -late December with a gravel trail and will shut down next spring for a month to pave the trail. Mayor Levine summarized Council direction as being consistent with Dakota County, focusing on education, recommending a 15-mph speed, and educating the public about using bells. Chief McCarthy acknowledged the desire to refine existing ordinances. FRIENDLY HILLS SEWER ODOR Discussed earlier in the meeting. SUSTAINABLE MENDOTA HEIGHTS BRANDING AND BUSINESS PROGRAM Assistant City Administrator Torkelson stated that in 2023, the City Council established four strategic priorities for the City which included Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship, but that sustainability efforts began earlier and are incorporated into many of the city's strategic planning documents. The City's sustainability efforts are summarized under three main areas: Nature, Energy and Waste. A new graphic was developed and will be used for communication efforts, programs and initiatives. Parks &Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Lawrence gave an overview of a business sustainability program, which will start in early 2026. The program will engage and educate local businesses in sustainability efforts. This program will be a resource for businesses and will be recognized and promote local businesses. Staff will be coordinating business visits to promote the new program. There will be three levels of recognition, bronze, silver and gold. Assistant City Administrator Torkelson stated that this program is tailored specifically to Mendota Heights. The City has reached out to the Chamber of Commerce to ask about ways to support them in the city's Energy Action Plan. Councilor Mazzitello asked whether participating businesses would be promoted in the Heights Highlights or the Friday News. Assistant City Administrator Torkelson confirmed that they would. Councilor Maczko stated it is a good program and asked if it will place additional burdens on staff. Assistant City Administrator Torkelson confirmed that the program would require staff time. Alternatively, staff could use the prefabricated messages developed by Xcel Energy, November 18, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 5 however those would not be as effective as the proposed program and they wouldn't support the city's economic development goals. Councilor Mazzitello said this program will help direct businesses to the right resources and had been discussed during the strategic planning process. Councilor Paper as if this program counts towazds GreenStep Cities, Parks 8c Recreafion Director/Assistant Public Works Director Lawrence confirmed that it did. Councilor Paper stated that the GreenStep program is a great program. Councilor Paper commented that the graphic would make a great window sticker or cling for businesses. Mayor Levine asked about the email that was received from a Commissioner. Assistant City Administrator stated the Commissioner was asking about engagement for the new program. If Council supports the program, it will be brought forward to the commissions for engagement efforts. Mayor Levine stated that it was a great graphic and it helps easily remind people what sustainability is. It was the consensus to move forward with the program. C�t111J_:7� ui�111►1Y Councilor Mazzitello made a motion to adjourn the work session, seconded by Councilor Lorberbaum. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m. ATTEST: aNhey Barg r, City Clerk November 78, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 6