Dakota County

Physical Development Committee

of the Whole

Minutes

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

9:00 AM

Conference Room 3A, Administration

Center, Hastings

Commissioner Mike Slavik

Present

Commissioner Joe Atkins

Commissioner Laurie Halverson

Commissioner William Droste

Commissioner Liz Workman

Chairperson Mary Liz Holberg

Commissioner Mary Hamann-Roland

Also in attendance were Heidi Welsch, County Manager; Tom Donely, First Assistant County

Attorney; Georg Fischer, Physical Development Division Director; Liz Hansen, Administrative

Coordinator.

Commissioner Atkins was present via Teams.

Commissioner Halverson joined the meeting at 9:06 a.m.

The audio recording of this meeting is available upon request.

Audience

Commissioner Holberg asked if there was anyone in the audience that wished to address the

Physical Development Committee of the Whole on an item not on the agenda or an item on

the consent agenda. No one came forward and no comments were submitted to

CountyAdmin@co.dakota.mn.us.

Approval of Agenda (Additions/Corrections/Deletions)

Motion: Mary Hamann-Roland

Ayes: 6

3.1

Second: William Droste

Commissioner Slavik, Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Droste,

Commissioner Workman, Chairperson Holberg, and Commissioner

Hamann-Roland

Excused: 1

Commissioner Halverson

Consent Agenda

Approval Of Minutes Of Meeting Held On September 16, 2025

4.1

Motion: Mike Slavik

Second: Mary Hamann-Roland

Ayes: 6

Commissioner Slavik, Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Droste,

Commissioner Workman, Chairperson Holberg, and Commissioner

Hamann-Roland

Excused: 1

Commissioner Halverson

Regular Agenda

Adoption Of Mississippi River Greenway Natural Resource Management Plan

Motion: Mike Slavik Second: Laurie Halverson

5.1

Tom Lewanski, Parks Natural Resources Manager, presented this item and

answered questions related to it. The discussion centered on the natural

resource management plan for the Mississippi River Greenway and its funding

strategies. One commissioner emphasized the importance of starting with

existing funds before pursuing state and federal grants, as well as private

contributions. They inquired about the possibility of obtaining simultaneous

funding from multiple sources. Staff confirmed that the plan includes utilizing

current state and federal grants, with projects being overseen by staff. Additional

funding will be sought once the initial funds are depleted.

Staff were directed to make full use of the current state and federal grant funds

allocated for existing projects and seek additional funding opportunities for the

next phases of these projects.

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 17-274 (May 23, 2019), the County Board

adopted the Dakota County Natural Resources Management System Plan,

which demonstrates a need to develop Natural Resource Management Plans

(NRMP) for all County Parks, Greenways, and Conservation Easements; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 20-568 (November 17, 2020), the County Board

adopted the Land Conservation Plan, which aims to improve County

coordination and collaboration with other agencies and organizations regarding

land protection and long-term natural resource management; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 99-526 (September 21, 1999), the County Board

adopted the Mississippi River Greenway master plan, which established a

28-mile preferred alignment from St. Paul to downtown Hastings; and

WHEREAS, a consultant was hired to develop the first NRMP for the Mississippi

River Greenway; and

WHEREAS, there are plans to potentially extend the greenway southeast along

County Road 54 to the Goodhue County border, which would add approximately

9.5 miles of trail; and

WHEREAS, the public lands along the greenway are owned by Dakota County,

the Cities of South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, and Hastings; and

WHEREAS, a stakeholder meeting was held on October 16, 2024, to solicit

input on the NRMP. Participants included staff from the cities of South St. Paul,

Inver Grove Heights, and Hastings, as well as staff from Mississippi Park

Connection and the National Park Service; and

WHEREAS, the NRMP addresses the natural resource inventory, future

vegetative cover goals, and recommended projects developed in cooperation

with landowner partners; and

WHEREAS, Ecologists conducted field work and identified 22 natural area

nodes; and

WHEREAS, these nodes were selected because they contain existing natural

areas or parks where opportunities exist to increase habitat; and

WHEREAS, trail corridors between these nodes were also surveyed; and

WHEREAS, an estimate of $2,389,000 in projects were identified; and

WHEREAS, $589,000 has been secured, to date, from an Environment and

Natural Resource Trust Fund Grant and a Rebuilding American Infrastructure

with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to begin implementing the

recommendations in the plan; and

WHEREAS, external grant funding will be used to fund additional restoration

projects, and grant match and cost share fiscal impacts will be established and

individually brought to the County Board for review in the form of future joint

powers agreements between partners prior to project implementation; and

WHEREAS, the draft NRMP was presented to the Dakota County Planning

Commission on June 26, 2025, at which time it voted to recommend to the

Dakota County Board of Commissioners to release the draft plan for public

review; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 25-360 (July 29, 2025), the County Board

authorized the Mississippi River Greenway NRMP be released for a 30-day

community review period, which occurred from July 29 through August 29, 2025;

and

WHEREAS, no comments were received from the public during the comment

period; and

WHEREAS, during this time, County staff gave presentations about the NRMP

to the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission of Inver Grove Heights

(August 13) and to the Rosemount Parks and Natural Resources Commission

(August 18).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of

Commissioners hereby adopts the Mississippi River Greenway Natural

Resource Management Plan.

This item was approved and recommended for action by the Board of

Commissioners on 10/21/2025.

Ayes: 7

Approval Of Unified Schematic Design And Authorization To Amend

Professional Services Contract With ALLiiANCE For Empire Maintenance

Facility Redevelopment Project

5.2

Motion: Laurie Halverson

Second: Mary Hamann-Roland

Jerome Biedny, from Capital Projects Management, and Michael Wiese, Senior

Project Manager at CPM, presented on the topic and addressed questions.

Staff and commissioners discussed the schematic design and schedule for

phase one of the Empire Maintenance Facility project, which includes a $20.6

million heated storage facility and a $1 million amendment for Alliance

Architects. This phase would allow the closure of the existing Hastings

Transportation Shop and fuel island. Additional discussion centered around the

recommended sequencing of the phases (phase 2 includes cold storage

sufficient to close the current Farmington Transportation Shop). One

commissioner questioned the necessity of the heated storage facility amid the

urgency to close the Hastings campus. Staff stressed that the heated storage in

phase one is essential to meet future needs and control costs.

Commissioners encouraged staff to look for ways to expedite the closure of the

Hasting’s Transportation Shop and to provide the board with a future update on

the status and plans for the Hampton property that was originally purchased to

serve as a transportation shop.

WHEREAS, Improvements were completed at the Empire Maintenance Facility

in 2020, including only part of the proposed South Building due to budget

constraints; and

WHEREAS, with unmet needs identified, an addition to the South Building was

included in the 2024-2028 Facilities Capital Improvement Program Adopted

Budget and partially funded in 2024; and

WHEREAS, a previously proposed project to develop a new maintenance facility

in Hampton was not approved to proceed; and

WHEREAS, the County Board instead directed staff to develop and present an

alternate to the Hampton facility that would meet its objectives of closing the

existing Hastings and Farmington Shops through a phased approach; and

WHEREAS, ALLiiANCE was selected as the consultant firm to provide early

phase design services for this project by Resolution No. 24-147 (March 26,

2024); and

WHEREAS, ALLiiANCE and staff were authorized to develop a unified design

for phased equipment storage and an office addition for Transportation

Department staff by Resolution No. 24-564 (December 3, 2024); and

WHEREAS, the unified design for phased equipment storage would construct

an approximate 53,400 square foot storage addition to the South Building by

mid-2029 (Phase 1) to allow for future closure and sale of the Hastings Highway

Shop site; and

WHEREAS, the unified design would also construct an approximate 22,200

square foot new Pre-Fabricated Cold Storage Building in 2032 (Phase 2) to

allow for the closure and sale of the Farmington Highway Shop site; and

WHEREAS, additional efforts to complete the design through construction are

necessary; and

WHEREAS, ALLiiANCE has provided a proposal to provide design through

construction closeout for an approximate 53,400 square foot storage addition to

the South Building; and

WHEREAS, there are sufficient Sales and Use Tax (SUT) funds within the

project budget to cover this contract increase.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of

Commissioners hereby approves the schematic design of the Phase 1 South

Building storage addition as presented; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners

hereby approves the schematic design of the Phase 2 Pre-Fabricated Cold

Storage Building as presented; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners

hereby authorizes amending the professional services contract with ALLiiANCE,

400 Clifton Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55403 to increase professional design

fees for the Empire Maintenance Facility Redevelopment project Phase 1, in an

amount not to exceed $1,050,000, for an amended contract total of $1,430,267,

subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.

This item was approved and recommended for action by the Board of

Commissioners on 10/21/2025.

Ayes: 6

Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Halverson, Commissioner Droste,

Commissioner Workman, Chairperson Holberg, and Commissioner

Hamann-Roland

Nay: 1

Commissioner Slavik

Update On Right Of Way Acquisition And Direction On Alignment For Veterans

Memorial Greenway

5.3

Eddie Buell, Real Estate Supervisor, and Tony Wotzka, County Greenways

Manager, presented this item and responded to questions.

Staff and Commissioners discussed three alternatives for the Veterans Memorial

Greenway project for the three remaining parcels in Phase II of the project, each

with different impacts and costs. All three alternatives would reroute the

greenway through Eagan’s Lakeside Park to Atlantic Hills Drive. Alternative 1

includes a 10-foot trail and a 5-foot turf boulevard along Atlantic Hills Drive in

Eagan, with significant utility and vegetation impacts. Alternative 2 is a 12-foot

path at the back of the curb and also runs along Atlantic Hills Drive. This option

also has considerable utility and vegetation impacts. Alternative 3 places the

greenway on Atlantic Hills Drive, raising concerns about shared use and risk.

Staff compared these options, as well as a “no build option”, to the adopted plan

alignment that runs along an existing transmission line easement behind the

three homes. Information related to user experience, public safety, and private

property impacts was presented for each of the options.

Commissioners directed staff to:

1.Engage with the three remaining homeowners about alternatives 1 and 2 and

further attempt to negotiate on the rear easement or fee title acquisition.

2.Explore whether the City of Eagan would waive fees for the trail project.

3.Present updated information from homeowner discussions and the City of

Eagan to the board at a future committee meeting.

Information only; no action requested.

Physical Development Director's Report

Georg Fischer, Physical Development Director, provided the Committee with a written Division

update.

Mr. Fischer addressed the presence of zebra mussels in Lake Byllesby and the ongoing

efforts to monitor the situation. He also provided an update to the committee regarding the

MMB proposals for three projects, highlighting changes in funding requests. The request for

County Road 46 has increased from $17.5 million to $22.5 million due to an adjustment in the

match percentage. The funding for the County Road 50 project has been reduced to $12.6

million. Meanwhile, the funding for the Lebanon Hills and Lake Byllesby Beach House project

remains at $22 million.

Future Agenda Items

The commissioners discussed a resolution to ensure the MVTA's funding and existence. One

commissioner called for a broader discussion in light of upcoming legislative developments

and a report due February 1. Concerns were expressed about potential legislative actions to

eliminate 1984 opt-out provisions. The board acknowledged the urgency with a November 1

deadline but chose to postpone the decision for further committee discussions to avoid

disrupting other legislative goals.

Commissioners directed staff to the following:

1. Schedule a discussion on this topic at the Physical Development Committee at a future