Heights Highlights Winter 2025Johnson Named Fire ChiefINSIDE
HEIGHTSHIGHLIGHTS
Winter 2025
Oicial City of Mendota Heights Publication
MendotaHeightsMN.gov
City Council
Mayor Stephanie Levine
SLevine@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-686-0340
Councilor Sally Lorberbaum
SLorberbaum@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-503-5564
Councilor John Maczko
JMaczko@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-454-5961
Councilor John Mazzitello
JMazzitello@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-249-7306
Councilor Joel Paper
JPaper@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
612-237-1133
Printed on 10% post-consumer waste product.
Please recycle this publication.
The City Council sets strategic
priorities to shape the work of City
government. One of the Council’s
priorities includes a commitment
to providing and maintaining
premiere public services and
infrastructure – a strategy that
guides daily operations and
project work.
Short Term Rentals
Short-term rental property
owner/operators are now required
to obtain an annual license from
the City, maintain primary
residence at their property, limit
occupancy and require a
two-night minimum stay.
Zoning Code
The City’s updated Zoning
Ordinance now includes
requirements for impervious
surface, changes to commercial
and business zoning districts, and
modifications of the allowable
uses in each district.
MedotaHeightsMN.gov/
CouncilPriorities
Priorities in Action
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Calendar
CALENDAR
2
A Message from
the Mayor
Happy 2025, Mendota Heights!
I am honored to begin my third term of service as Mayor. As we
welcome the New Year, I would like to congratulate returning
City Council Member Joel Paper and newly-elected City Council
Member John Maczko. Many thanks to Jay Miller for serving
eight years on the City Council.
I am so proud of all we’ve accomplished as a community in
2024. Here are just a few highlights:
•Finalized and adopted a comprehensive update to the
City’s zoning code.
•Achieved Step 3 in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program.
•Saw record-level participation in City recreation programs and more than 20,000
rounds played at the Par 3 Community Golf Course.
•Completed the first two phases of engagement for the Park System Master Plan with
1,816 resident interactions.
•Provided voter services for the General Election, with 87% of registered voters
participating.
•Updated ordinances regarding short-term rentals and tree replacement, with
administrative tools for code enforcement.
•Graduated five new firefighters through the MHFD in-house training program and
welcomed three new recruits.
•Trained two new police oicers through the Department’s cadet program.
•Began the third of four phases of an interpretive program at Oheyawahe.
•Maintained the City’s AAA Bond rating.
Looking forward to the New Year, I am proud of the recently approved 2025 budget which
reflects the City's vision along with the Council’s strategic priorities. Some plans for this year
include:
•Upgrading the Par 3 Community Golf Course with new online tee time soware.
•Welcoming the City’s 7th Fire Chief, Dan Johnson, aer the retirement of Chief Dave
Dreelan.
•Finalizing the 15-year Park System Master Plan with implementation beginning this
spring.
•Launching the recently adopted Energy Action Plan.
•Implementing a traic safety camera pilot program through the State of Minnesota.
•Replacing the playground at Ivy Hills Park.
•Enhancing Oheyawahe with the $1.85 bond allocation from the State of Minnesota.
•Completing the Interstate Valley Creek Stabilization Plan in Valley Park.
On behalf of the City Council and sta, I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!
Stephanie B. Levine, Mayor
Bring cleaners, automotive products, electronics and other stu that doesn’t belong in your trash
to The Recycling Zone in Eagan for safe disposal. Dropping o is easy—that’s why residents
dropped o over 2.9 million pounds of materials last year. You stay in your car while sta unload
materials from the trunk or backseat. Put smaller items in a box that you can leave behind.
Accepted items (free unless noted):
•Auto products like motor oil, antifreeze and gas
•Bug killers/repellants
•Cleaners
•Electronics (fee for TVs and computer monitors)
•Lightbulbs – all types
•Needles and sharps (in a closed rigid container, keep in front seat)
•Paints and stains
•Personal care products like nail polish and hair dye
•Propane tanks and aerosol sprays
•Scrap metal
•Tires (fee)
•Small household electronics like toasters and vacuums
•String lights and cords
•Vaping devices
•Weed killer
•Most products that say caution, warning, danger or poison
The Recycling Zone does not accept:
•Appliances
•Carpet
•Humidifiers and dehumidifiers
•Lumber
•Furniture
•Maresses
•Medical waste and medications
•Yard waste
If you have an unknown or unique household chemical, email recyclingzone@co.dakota.mn.us
before dropping o, to work with The Recycling Zone sta for safe handling. The Recycling Zone,
located at 3365 Dodd Road in Eagan, is open all year, four days a week. Find a complete list of
accepted items and drop-o hours online.
DakotaCounty.US
Search: Recycling Zone
Partially funded by Dakota County and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Cleaning is Easy with
The Recycling Zone
6
With the retirement of Chief Dave Dreelan,
the City Council airmed Dan Johnson as
the 7th chief of the Mendota Heights Fire
Department. A 9-year veteran of the
department, Dan served as a firefighter,
squad captain and assistant training oicer,
before becoming the Department’s training
oicer in July 2023.
“I grew up in Mendota Heights – in the same
neighborhood as Chief Dreelan and former
Chief Maczko – and many of my friends’
fathers were members of the Department,”
said Dan. “I moved away for a time, but
always knew that if I moved back to
Mendota Heights, I would consider joining
the Department. My wife and I ended up
doing just that in July 2015, and by the end of
August I had submied my application.”
With a strong desire to give back to the
community, Dan takes pride in rising
through the ranks to become a leader in the
department, where camaraderie and a
sense of purpose fuel his passion for the fire
service.
“It is fun and rewarding to be a member of
the Fire Department,” he reflects. “But it
also takes a tremendous amount of work
and dedication. I am grateful to all members
of the Department for the work they do and
their commitment to doing the job with skill
and eiciency.”
Congratulations, Chief Johnson – and thank
you for your commitment to the Mendota
Heights community!
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Fire
Johnson Named
Fire Chief
6
Through a two-year collaboration with Xcel Energy, Mendota Heights is
participating in the Partners in Energy Program to develop and implement an
Energy Action Plan.
The City’s Energy Action Team – comprised of residents, local business owners
and students, as well as County and City sta – spent six months aending
workshops facilitated by Xcel Energy, establishing goals for the City’s Energy
Action Plan, and presenting a plan to the City Council for approval.
As outlined in the final Energy Action Plan, Mendota Heights aims to:
•Save an estimated $1.6 million with energy eiciency measures.
•Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9,000 metric tons.
And the City aims to accomplish these community goals by the year 2030, with
eorts focused in four key areas:
•Fostering energy eiciency practices among residents and businesses.
•Leading by example to establish municipal energy eiciency measures.
•Promoting and using of renewable energy sources.
•Replacing the use of fossil fuels with electricity.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
PartnersInEnergy
Partners in
Energy
To support the City’s environmental sustainability
goals, the Heights Highlights newsleer – previously
printed bi-monthly – is now a quarterly publication
printed on recycled paper.
With this change, the City:
•Conserves money and natural resources with a
30% reduction in paper usage.
•Contributes to a circular economy by using 10%
post-consumer waste (recycled) paper.
•Transfers City sta eorts to focus on more
sustainable, digital communications.
Residents can help by:
•Subscribing to receive news and information
from the City by email.
•Opting to receive text messages from the City
on the topics of your choice.
•Following the City on social media.
•Recycling the printed Heights Highlights
newsleer aer reading.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Communications
Sustainable CommunicationsPlant a Tree this Spring
Take a 3-minute survey on
City Communications
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Survey
4 5
As a Tree City, Mendota Heights
is part of a nationwide eort to
maintain and grow tree cover.
Spring Tree Sale
The City’s annual Tree Sale
begins March 3, at 8 a.m.
Residents can purchase trees
on-line, with a limit of two per
resident on a first-come,
first-served basis. Tree pickup is
Saturday, May 17; 9 a.m.-Noon at
the Public Works facility (2431
Lexington Ave. S.).
Tree Canopy Program
Residents and commercial
property owners are invited to
participate in the City’s
cost-sharing Tree Canopy
Program to purchase trees at a
subsidized cost.
Participants receive a
complimentary site consultation,
tree recommendation, utility
marking and tree delivery, as well
as full-service planting, mulching
and initial watering, with a
watering bag and tree protection.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Forestry