The Cottage Grove City Council met Wednesday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Croix Room in city hall. On the night's agenda were several items, including approval for an addition to the Geneva Meadows housing development on the St. Paul Park-Cottage Grove border and fines for two businesses that failed a tobacco compliance. Towards the end were several updates on summer events and community activities.
Starting with tobacco compliance, interim public safety director Brad Petersen presented information on tobacco compliance violations at Holiday Gas Station, 8490 East Point Douglas Road, and Smoke Shop and Vape, located at 6990 80th St. S. Both businesses were found to have sold nicotine products to an underage buyer during compliance checks May 27 by Cottage Grove police.
Petersen told the council the city conducts two tobacco and THC compliance checks each calendar year, both to comply with state law and to help ensure nicotine and tobacco products are not sold to minors. The checks use an underage decoy known to the police who is instructed not to lie about age or identity and to provide their actual identification if asked.
“We choose a juvenile, an underage minor,” he said for the compliance check. “Typically they’re known to us…they’re given very specific instructions. It’s not a game of gotcha.”
In both cases from May 27, a 17-year-old male decoy entered the stores with a marked $20 bill and purchased nicotine pouches without being asked for identification.
At Holiday, the decoy bought Milo 9-milligram pouches. Peterson said the cashier did not request ID and later told officers he believed the buyer looked old enough because he had a beard.
“(The employee) admitted that he didn’t check the ID because he appeared to be old enough,” Petersen said. “He had a beard.” Minnesota IDs for those under age 21 are vertical and have an "under 21" stamp, while IDs for those over age 21 are horizontal.

At Smoke Shop and Vape meanwhile, the decoy purchased Zyn pouches. The cashier there also failed to request identification and reportedly told officers he believed the customer might be old enough and did not want to inconvenience him because he was using crutches.
"The employee admitted that he didn’t check ID because he thought he might be old enough," Petersen said. "he didn’t want to inconvenience the buyer because he was walking with crutches.”
Peterson said the stores’ employees were each cited for misdemeanor sales of tobacco to an underage buyer. Because both incidents were first violations within a 36-month period, the scheduled city penalty was $300 for each business.
Before the council voted, representatives from both businesses appeared to address the violations and explain what actions had been taken.
A representative from each business was given a chance to address the council before penalties were imposed.
The representative from Holiday Gas Station said the employee involved had been terminated and that the store would begin carding every customer purchasing age-restricted products starting July 1. They also said a staff meeting was scheduled for the following day to review compliance expectations and conduct retraining with materials provided by the city.
Council Member Justin Olsen asked whether the business had the ability to electronically scan IDs through its point-of-sale system.
"Thank you very much," Olsen said. "Do you have electronic means to scan IDs and see if someone is of age or isn’t in your POS system?”
The representative said it did, but in this case the employee simply never asked for identification.
Olsen said electronic verification systems are an important tool, but they only work if an employee first asks for the ID.
A representative from Smoke Shop and Vape said that store also has safeguards in place, including a system that prompts employees on tobacco transactions, but acknowledged the employee failed to follow procedure. The representative said the employee had been terminated after notice and that the store would no longer allow workers to bypass identification checks based on visual judgment.
Mayor Myron Bailey thanked both businesses for attending and for taking the matter seriously, noting that terminating employees is never an easy decision but that compliance with tobacco sales laws is important.
"It's not easy anytime you have to terminate someone," Bailey said. "I certainly hope you pass in the future as you have in the past.”
The council then voted unanimously to impose the $300 penalty on each business for a first violation within a 36-month period.
Also from June 17 was a zoning amendment and preliminary plat for Geneva Meadows Second Edition, a proposed 23-lot residential development by Lennar at 8591 Geneva Ave. S.
City planner Max Erickson said the 13.14-acre parcel is currently zoned R-1 rural residential and is proposed to be rezoned to R-3 single-family residential. The property lies south of 85th Street and west of Geneva Avenue, along the municipal boundary between Cottage Grove and St. Paul Park.
Erickson said the plat included 23 single-family lots at a density of 2.13 units per acre, which he said is consistent with the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan designation for low-density residential use. The development would include a mix of 65-foot and 75-foot lots.
The proposal also includes eight outlots. Two of those would be used for stormwater management and deeded to the city for maintenance. Several others would preserve the pipeline easement and wooded area bordering the neighboring Felt Addition subdivision. Erickson said those outlots are expected to be deeded to adjacent homeowners rather than maintained through a homeowners association, with deed restrictions to ensure they remain under common ownership and are not improperly combined.
Because the city’s parks and trails map does not designate parkland or trail connections on the property, Lennar will be required to provide cash in lieu of land dedication for park purposes rather than dedicating land within the development.
Primary access to the development will come from Summit Avenue, which is currently under construction in St. Paul Park as part of Geneva Meadows First Edition. The second edition would include one internal road ending in a cul-de-sac to be called Geneva Court. To prevent through traffic, a segment of Geneva Avenue would be removed between the existing residence on the site and the new Summit Avenue connection, while preserving access for nearby residences.
Erickson said sewer and water for 22 of the proposed lots would be provided by St. Paul Park through a joint powers agreement being coordinated with Cottage Grove. The existing home on the site, however, will remain on private well and septic for now, though utility connections will be stubbed to the property in case the owner wants to connect in the future.
The site also contains an existing residence that will remain as a remnant parcel. Bailey asked whether that parcel could eventually be subdivided, noting that future access options could otherwise be limited by surrounding development.
City Administrator Jennifer Levitt said the owner of the property had been specific about the amount of land he wished to retain and that staff worked to preserve future options for the parcel.
“Yes, he could subdivide,” Levitt said, adding that utilities and road access were arranged in a way that would allow that possibility if the owner chooses to pursue it.
Steve Troske of Lennar told the council the company was pleased to continue building in Cottage Grove and expected the development to offer home styles similar to those in Graymont Village and Talcott Glen.
There were no questions for Troske from the council.
“I hope you have a successful Strawberry Fest this weekend,” Troske said.
The council then unanimously approved both parts of the request, including Ordinance No. 1115, rezoning the property from R-1 to R-3 as well as Resolution 2026-083 approving the preliminary plat for Geneva Meadows Second Edition.
Closing meetinng business with council updates, members highlighted several upcoming community events.
Olsen thanked the city’s parks department for hosting a recent bus tour for council members, commissioners and other community representatives to view park projects and ongoing work around the city, including improvements at Cedarhurst Mansion.
“We also were able to take some time and stop at the Cedarhurst Mansion and see construction there,” he said, saying the project was coming along nicely.
Olsen also promoted the second annual Hometown Heroes Golf Tournament on July 31 at River Oaks, a fundraiser for Mississippi River Valley Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, with Marathon Petroleum partnering with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon on the Tournament.
"I want to extend a thank you to Marathon Petroleum," Olsen said, sharing that there were still four hole sponsorships and 10 teams left to fill.
Council Member Dave Thiede used his update to encourage residents to attend Strawberry Fest and also promoted the city’s Green Garden Award nominations and Discover Cottage Grove’s Patio Week scheduled for July 12-18.
"“Strawberry Fest is finally here,” Thiede said.
Bailey closed council comments by encouraging residents to support Strawberry Fest, the city’s Fourth of July celebration and the many volunteers who make the events possible. Bailey also thanked several local businesses sponsoring the Fourth of July fireworks celebration, which he said will mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with an expanded show.
The meeting then adjourned.
Cottage Grove Council meetings are held the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in city hall. The public is welcome and invited to attend.