A Message from the Mayor

Chanhassen, MN sent this bulletin at 09/29/2023 03:00 PM CDT

Hello Chanhassen,

We had a busy meeting on Monday night, so please read below for an update.

City Council and staff continue to refine the design and various park amenities.
The timeline remains the same with construction of the new City Hall to begin summer of 2024.
We appreciate the feedback during our public engagement sessions to help shape the direction of this exciting project.

Approved bid for Galpin Boulevard:
- Bulk of construction activity will take place in 2024.
- Project start had been delayed by issues with utilities, easements, and watershed permitting, but the project completion date is not impacted (2024).
2023 City Pavement Rehabilitation Project: Approximately five miles of roadway across several different neighborhoods. See the website for all updates.
2023 Sealcoat Project: approximately 4 miles of local streets in multiple areas around the city.
2023 Mill and Overlay Project: Approximately 0.5 mile of roadway was resurfaced in three different neighborhoods.

City Council approved moving forward with completing paved trails for the Lake Ann Park Preserve.
As a top priority for the city and the Park Task Force, we will use $2.4 million of allocated ARPA funds for this project.
The city also secured a $250,000 Local Trail Connection grant from the Minnesota DNR and a $158,000 grant from Great River Greening. The grant money will be allocated to offset expenditures for the southern boardwalk and to enhance the natural resources of the preserve.
City staff will be dedicated to obtaining other grants to fund future amenities of the preserve such as signage, wayfinding, natural surface trails, and a fishing pier.

Approved the Central Business District (CBD) Zoning Ordinance.
The ordinance was reviewed and recommended by both the Planning Commission and Economic Development Commission. We appreciate their feedback and involvement throughout the review process.
The new ordinance prohibits new drive-throughs in the downtown, sets standards for setbacks and height requirements, and creates zones for mix-use housing and retail to create a walkable downtown feel.
The moratorium on new development has been lifted.

Approved a preliminary levy increase of 7.4%.
Key contributors of this increase: Civic Campus Development, Carver County Sheriff’s Office Contract, additional full-time Firefighter, inflation on capital costs, wages, and cost of living increases.
The impact of the average household would be an increase of $97.00 annually.
City Council and staff have spent focused time discussing the levy and budget. Past discussions took place on July 17, August 14, and September 11 with future discussions on November 13 and November 27.
Final Adoption and the Truth-in-Taxation hearing will take place on December 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
For detailed information, please see our PowerPoint presentation.

Thank you for reading this week’s update. With questions or comments, please email: eryan@chanhassenmn.gov.

Warmest Regards,

Elise Ryan
Mayor