Summer 2022 Hometown Messenger

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

A pollinator-friendly place to ‘bee’ Shakopeewill soon be home to a pollinator prairie spanning nine acres The city owns a 24-acre parcel of land along Highway 169 just west of Marystown Road, which will be used for the prairie and as part of the network of parks being developed in theWindermere neighborhood The land contains wooded bluff land that will be used for the park’s trail network, with the acreage closest to the highway being turned into a pollinator prairie

District (SWCD) to establish a pollinator prairie underneath Xcel power lines Keeping with this theme, Xcel approached the City to inquire about potential sites under power lines that could be good candidates for a pollinator prairie Due to its location along the highway and below power lines, the Windermere park site was an ideal candidate for the program Xcel Energy purchased the seed through its Pollinator Program and the Scott SWCD partnered by providing expertise, equipment and plant ing through their Technical Assistance Program While the pollinator prairie was planted in May, it can take up to five years to become fully established

According to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, pol linators play an essential role within food systems by sustaining eco logical systems and helping with soil and water conservation Xcel Energy recently completed a successful pilot project in partner shipwith the City of Savage and the Scott Soil andWater Conservation

What to know about parking downtown Residential permits for overnight parking will be available this summer

“One of the issues downtown is the parking lots are occupied by vehicles that don’t belong there,” Kerski said The updated ordinance should help curb those concerns To apply for a downtown residential parking permit, visit www.Shako peeMN.gov/eportal

Effective July 1, an updated downtown parking ordinance will go into effect that allows 24-hour parking in city-owned lots with an annual residential permit The Shakopee City Council approved the ordinance in March after city staff had discussions with downtown building owners who were seeking more options for their tenants to park overnight in city owned lots The new guidelines will also help curtail unauthorized parking and storage of larger vehicles in these parking lots “Municipal parking lots are being used to store boats, trailers and motorhomes,” said Planning and Development Director Michael Ker ski “This change to the ordinance will address those issues and estab lish a parking permit system to better track how these lots are used” The downtown parking permits will be available through the city’s online ePortal system for $20 annually The permit, which must be displayed from the vehicle’s rearview mirror, allows 24-hour park ing while also allowing the city to potentially locate an owner during snow emergencies or community events that are planned in a city owned lot The updated ordinance does not allow parking of commercial vehi cles, semis or tractor trailers, boats or recreational vehicles in a city owned parking lot

This map shows city-owned parking lots in downtown Residential tenants seeking an overnight downtown parking permit should visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/eportal

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