The Cottage Grove City Council met Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. in the St. Croix Room at city hall. On the night’s agenda were several items, the council passing a series of proclamations and approving a building variance request on Kimbro Circle over opposition after extended council debate. The council also awarded the 2026 mill and overlay contract to McNamara for resurfacing 95th Street from Hadley to Ideal Avenue including the cul-de-sac on Ideal Avenue along with related trails and heard updates on traffic enforcement from Interim Public Safety Director Brad Petersen, as well as an update from Mayor Myron Bailey on a recent electrical outage.
The meeting Wednesday opened with eight proclamations, said proclamations recognizing National Public Works Week, National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day, EMS Week, Military Appreciation Month, Building Safety Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month and ALS Awareness Month. Each was read in turn by a different council member, with members taking turns to pass the proclamations.
Council Member Justin Olsen read the proclamation for National Public Works Week, which highlighted the role public works employees play in maintaining infrastructure and public safety.
“This year’s theme for National Public Works Week is rooted in service, powered by community,” Olsen said.
Council Member David Thiede later recognized Military Appreciation Month, saying the city “remains committed to supporting our local veterans and active duty personnel who have dedicated their lives to preserving the liberty and values we hold dear.”
From proclamations meanwhile it was into controversy, with the council hearing from residents on a garage variance for 10200 Kimbro Circle South, both those opposed and in favor.
Mayor Myron Bailey removed the item from the consent agenda to allow for public discussion, with city resident and variance property neighbor Lisa Jirele speaking first.
“We oppose the variances and respectfully ask that they be denied,” she told the council, citing city ordinance 11-2-5, criteria F3c and F4. Jirele argued that the proposed structure would alter the established character of the neighborhoods and that neighboring homeowners should not bear the aesthetic and property value impacts of the project.
“The proposed building located in the front yard is fundamentally different, and it will forever alter the character of this neighborhood,” she told council members. “It’s the first thing you’ll see when you enter the cul-de-sac. It’s inconsistent with every other home in the neighborhood.”
Jirele also said residents were also concerned about the potential removal of mature trees, expanded driveway construction and the storage of construction-related equipment at the property.
“The primary use of this accessory building is to store commercial business equipment at a residence where restrictions usually do apply,” she said. “This further impacts the neighborhood with noise, dust, safety concerns and all that come with a commercial storage yard.”
“We really are asking for protection,” she said in seeking a continuation of the matter to May 20 council meeting, following prior approval by the plan commission.
Also speaking Wednesday was neighbor Rodney Spryncznatyk, who shared a story of undertaking a building project years back for an accessory structure on his property at Kimbro Circle, placed behind his residence after he was told the city would never allow a variance on a structure by the road.
“The point of my story is that a structure behind the home is entirely possible,” he said. “It’s going to be a little tougher and more expensive of a project, all of which falls upon the homeowner and not the rest of the neighborhood.”
Applicant David Lincoln meanwhile defended the proposal, saying the location was chosen specifically to minimize environmental impacts and preserve wooded portions of the property.
“We have one of the most, if not the most heavily wooded lot in the neighborhood,” Lincoln said. “One of the main features, or reasons for doing this in this area, is because it’s the least impactful spot on the entire property.”
Lincoln, a general contractor, also rejected suggestions that the structure would operate as a commercial facility.
“We’re not building a commercial property,” he said. “I personally am very upset that that was something that was brought up right now.” The structure would be made to conform to the nearby house and be used to house a boat. Having already looked into a structure elsewhere Lincoln thought the location sought would have the least impact, stating that there was an eagle’s nest on the left side of the property.
Lincoln’s wife Carmen Lucia Lincoln told the council the couple moved to Cottage Grove from St. Paul specifically because of the neighborhood’s wooded character and family atmosphere.
“We moved here with the hope to build our family,” she said. “I look around and see a safe place to raise my children…So I’m just asking you, please let us start our family here too as well and protect our rights as well.”
Cottage Grove Community Development Director Emily Schmitz said the lot’s unusual shape, topography and septic placement created practical difficulties supporting the variance application. She also noted a previous variance had been granted on the property in 2001 for the existing detached structure located in front of the principal home, while the area in front of the proposed structure would need to be paved.
City Attorney Kori Land explained that Minnesota’s variance standards require the council to evaluate whether practical difficulties exist, but that public opposition alone cannot determine the outcome.
“You need to apply the test at the end of the day,” she said. Most projects had opposition to them—that was the purpose of the test.
Discussion followed the testimony, with council members divided on the proposal. Council Member Justin Olsen said he remained unconvinced the hardship standard had been met.
“I still believe that when we look at the practical difficulty here, it’s more a question of what it would cost to do it in the backyard like everybody else has done,” Olsen said.
Council Member David Thiede meanwhile expressed concern about neighborhood opposition and suggested postponing the matter for additional discussion.
“I’m for waiting,” Thiede said of the proposal.
Council Member David Clausen meanwhile said he did not believe the proposal altered the essential character of the neighborhood, citing several tests.
The first was consistency with the comprehensive plan, answered in the affirmative by Clausen. The second was practical difficulties, with a well, drain field, and elevations factoring in.
“In my opinion he’s passed that test,” Clausen said. The third test was alterng the essential character of the neighborhood, which Clausen labeled as the stumbling block for the night.
“As of right now I’ve not sure it does alter it,” he said of the proposed structure. An AI rendered image was provided by Lincoln showing its conformity with buildings to the back.
The council ultimately approved the variance request on a 3-2 vote, with Olsen opposing and Thiede also voting no.
Also from Wednesday meanwhile, the council approved a contract for the city’s 2026 mill and overlay street improvement project. City Engineer Paul Sponholz said the work includes resurfacing portions of 95th Street, Ideal Avenue, Hidden Heights and Oakwood Heights near the library, along with several trail improvements.
Sponholz said the project also includes pedestrian upgrades near the library and trail resurfacing near Park High School. The council awarded the contract to McNamara Contracting Inc. for approximately $1,836,706.16, the nearest competitive bidder being Bitimimous Roadways for $1.85 million.
As for news from council reports, Olsen promoted the city’s upcoming Memorial Day event scheduled for May 25 at City Hall and also praised Cottage Grove police for increased traffic safety enforcement efforts as warmer weather brings more pedestrians and bicyclists outdoors. The Memorial Day speaker will be Yvonne Miller Chavez, a West Point graduate, speaking about military service and mental health. Olsen also invited Interim Public Safety Director Brad Petersen to speak, with Petersen saying the department uses dedicated traffic safety officers, hot zone enforcement areas and speed-monitoring technology to respond to resident concerns.
“Traffic safety is a significant priority and strategic goal for our department,” he said.
Thiede briefly reminded everybody that was Strawberry Fest was six weeks away, while Garza praised public safety officers fo engaging positively with children on scooters and bikes, also encouraging helmet use for children under 18. Garza closed her comments by highlighting the Enchanted Toy Box at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena May 16, as well as the sixth annual Hmong Memorial Sports Fest and Street Faith May 23-24 at Kingston Park and an archery camp scheduled fro June 16-25 at the Cottage Grove archery range.
Clausen passed on making a report for the evening.
Closing out council comment, Mayor Bailey announced Cottage Grove had once again been designated a Tree City USA community and provided an update following a recent meeting with Xcel Energy representatives regarding ongoing power outage concerns in the city.
Bailey said that Xcel officials had indicated approximately $20 million in infrastructure upgrades are planned in Cottage Grove to improve electrical reliability and modernize portions of the city’s aging electrical infrastructure, reduce outage duration from hours to minutes, and strengthen the local electric network overall.
“And so we did request a meeting with the representatives of Xcel to come in and did a pre meeting here to this council meeting, and they shared with us a lot of information about what they’re doing to correct the issues within Cottage Grove,” he said May 6. “And I’ll just throw one particular number out there, specifically in Cottage Grove there, they will be investing in $20 million worth of upgrades. And that’s not talking about major transition lines that are still coming in and they’re working on. That is dedicated to Cottage Grove.”
Bailey said the utility company assured city officials there is sufficient electrical capacity to support continued residential and commercial growth in the community.
“They did tell us very specifically, because I asked the question directly, I said to them, people are concerned, they think because of development happening in our community, whether it’s business park or whether it’s homes, that there isn’t enough power available,” Bailey said. “And the answer that was given us was absolutely, there is absolutely enough power. They’re just needing to upgrade some of the older systems and things in Cottage Grove.”
Bailey added that Xcel representatives discussed additional improvements that could eventually include underground service upgrades in some neighborhoods experiencing repeated outages. According to Xcel, outages were most commonly caused by things like vegetation (including tree branches), animals (like squirrels), and equipment failure or replacement needs. An outage April 28 had been caused by a private contractor striking a buried line due to a faulty utility locate. Xcel was aware of and addressing the issue.
“So I just thought it was a good meeting,” Bailey said. “They want to get the information out, because there’s going to be some interesting things that they’re going to be doing that could involve some citizens and how they can maybe put the power lines, or the lines that go to their homes underground.”
The Cottage Grove City Council meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the St. Croix Room at city hall. The public is invited and welcome to attend.