Cottage Grove 2021 Annual Report highlights development, parks and recreation among other matters

The 2021 Annual Report is in for Cottage Grove, and it highlights many achievements in the past year.

Opening with a message from Mayor Myron Bailey, the 2021 Annual Report highlights city growth and prosperity, beneath a picture of City Hall with rose-tinted clouds, taken at sunset.

“We have some amazing accomplishments,” Bailey reports in the 2021 Annual Report. “I am proud to share them with you.”

Taking a peek inside the report opens up with Community and Economic report, an image appearing to be taken near Renewal by Andersen on 97th Street South and then flipped horizontally by digital means, shares the impressive community and economic development facts:

• Redevelopment of 7702 80th St. from a vacant property to Caribou Cabin

• Approval of a 35,600 square-foot addition to the North Star Sheets facility

• Approval of an 18,600 square foot addition to the Innovative Chemical Corporation facility

• Approval of a 202-multi-family apartment unit just north of 80th Street South off of Hardwood Avenue South

•Approval of over 1,000 lots for residential development • Investigation of 693 code violations/complaints

• Conducting of 191 rental inspections

• Issuance of 574 new residential building permits – an increase of 200 permits over 2020, adding $166 million to the city’s tax base

• Conducting of 19,576 building inspections for Cottage Grove and surrounding communities, of which 16,524 were for Cottage Grove

• Processing of 5,655 building permits, a 27 percent increase over 2020

• Hiring of an additional seasonal building inspector and a seasonal building inspector/ code official to assist with the increased activity.

• Approval of North Point Development’s Cottage Grove Logistics Center, with 3.4 million square feet of space in the City’s business park

• Approval of two projects through the Facade Improve Program: Caribou Cabin and Carlson Auto

• Continuation of the DARTS bus loop for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income residents With a brief look at highlights from the just forming Convention and Visitors Bureau, including the creation of a monthly newsletter and social media following as well as being awarded a $10,00 grant, it was into the Parks and Recreation report, in which a north-pointing image of Ravine Park with fall colors helped to highlight the following:

• Installation of Toptracer at River Oaks Golf Course, with some 800,000 shots tracked and more than 1,800 unique users

• An increase in the number of rounds played at River Oaks as compared to 2020, 41,096 played in total

• management of a community center referendum, including preliminary concepts, community outreach, and resident education and communication

• Adding of new events like the Spring Break Medallion Hunt, Cottage Grove Baseball Classic, Sparkle and Skate Exhibition, and Pumpkin Chuck

• Creation of new and modification of existing recreation programs in response to increased interest

• Managing a 30 percent increase in ice usage at the City’s ice arena

• Adding a new skate school director while also increasing participation in winter skating lessons by 10 percent

• Implementing a new software program that allows those using the program to view, request, and pay for ice time via link from the City’s website

•Developing a park master plan for Mississippi Landings, a housing development off the Mississippi River, and

• Construction of Strawberry Fields Park a new neighborhood just south of Summer’s Landing As to park improvement, meanwhile, the Annual Report had the following to share:

• Renovation of Oakwood Park

• An expansion of Hamlet Park baseball fields and building construction, with field renovation and scoreboard donations

• Habitat restoration and preservation projects at Kingston Park, Camel’s Hump, Antler’s Ridge, and Hidden Valley, and

• Playground replacements at Hearthside and Lamar parks Moving from Parks and Recreation to Public Safety, some highlights from 2021 included implementing a body camera system for police, improving and expanding the City’s emergency management capabilities, and managing the COVID-19 Preparedness plan, among other highlights.

From Public Safety the Annual Report moves next to Public Works, which among other achievements set a record for material collected during Spring Clean-Up Day, along with continuing to deliver drinking water that meets state and federal standards through the operation of three interim water treatment plants. Finally for the public works review (but not exhaustive as such), was the piloting of an in-house treatment of road salt, leading to lower costs and environmental effects than might otherwise occur.

In Finance and IT, meanwhile, the list of highlights includes maintaining the City’s AA+ bond rating, a clean audit report, and upgrading of the City’s permit and licensing system “to make it easier to use for staff and residents.

Shifting from Finance and IT to administration, the city oversaw the November general election, in which nearly 8,300 people voted. City administration, meanwhile, also produced 12 ‘Cottage Grove Reports’ newsletters for residents and grew the City’s social media accounts to 37,000 followers.

Turning next to City Council, the annual report states that the Council held 33 public meetings in which its five members considered a total of 457 items and passed 167 resolutions. As to the volunteer commissions, meanwhile, 47 residents volunteered their time to serve on one of the city’s six commissions in 2021. Shifting from council and commissions to city staff, the annual report highlights Jennifer Levitt as city administrator, Zac Dockter as Parks and Recreation director, Robin Roland as Finance and IT head, Pete Koerner as director of public safety, Christine Costello as community development director, and Ryan Burfiend as public works director.

As to some key moments for 2021, the official report listing includes the Community Survey in which 2,600 of the City’s residents participated, continued tax base and job growth in the City, more parks and recreation opportunities, diversifying housing options, and the community coming together as COVID-19 continued.

“Thank you for being a part of this fantastic community,” Mayor Bailey thanks residents in the Annual Report. “Thank you for living her, for doing business here, and for making Cottage Grove something special We hope you are proud of what happened in your city ion 2021. We look forward to bringing you more in 2022.”

The full 2021 Annual Report can be accessed online via homepage link on the City’s website at www.cottagegrovemn. gov.

Showcasing rural charm on 103rd Street directly across from the former Mississippi Dunes golf course, the 2021 Annual Report by city staff highlights many things that happened in the previous year, including in community and economic development, parks and recreation, public safety, public works, finance and IT, and city council. Image from Cottage Grove 2021 Annual Report.