Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas
www.dakotacountytribune.com
SPECIAL SECTION
September 17, 2015 • Volume 130 • Number 28
Rosemount levy increase may be area’s lowest Estimated rise for city portion of taxes on median-valued home is $34 in 2016 by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Get active with KIDSPO 2015 Inside this edition is a special section devoted to the activities and features of KIDSPO Kids & Family Expo 2015. Inside this edition
The city of Rosemount may have one of the lowest percentage tax levy increases in the county and possibly the metro area in 2016, according to City Administrator Dwight Johnson. The estimate is based on the Rosemount City Council’s Tuesday approval of a 1.95 percent increase in the city’s preliminary tax levy, which
is a $211,555 rise from 2015. The total levy is just over $11 million. Johnson said the lowest levy increase he has seen in neighboring cities has been 3.77 percent. Burnsville, Farmington and Eagan have proposed 4.9 percent preliminary increases, while Lakeville’s initial increase is slated at 5.5 percent. Mayor Bill Droste called the 1.95 percent levy increase “prudent.� As a result, the owner
of a median-valued home in Rosemount can expect to pay about $34 more for the city portion of their property taxes in 2016 for a total of $958. Rosemount’s proposed 2016 increase is on par with the previous two years when the median home’s city portion of property taxes increased by $26 for payable 2015 and by $12 for payable 2014. The city portion of property taxes on the me-
dian home has decreased by $100 since 2008, according to the city. Council Member Mark DeBettignies said that reduction was an “achievement in itself.� Property values continue to account for a significant portion of the rise as the median residential home value is expected to increase 7.39 percent to $238,250. For the third consecutive year, the city’s tax capacity value grew by
Sex offenders and the system
District, county will have low tolerance for pranks
With costs increasing for sex offender incarceration, the state should determine ways to improve its treatment program. Page 4A
by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
horizon.� She’s particular to a spur trail off the southwestern loop of the park. “There’s a little oak knoll there; it’s a lovely place,� Landahl said. “There’s also another good place on the north side of Empire Lake, where there’s a high point where
There are plenty of school-sanctioned games during Farmington’s homecoming week, but the school district along with Dakota County officials won’t play any games when it comes to illegal activity. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and Farmington High School Principal Jason Berg sent letters to families to inform them that consequences from any illegal activity will be harsh from both the county and school district. “Last year we had a number of kids face potential charges during non school-sanctioned activities,� Lowell Miller, Farmington assistant principal, said. “We’re making the line more clear on what we call acceptable behavior. We wanted them to know that behavior will be dealt with the courts more harshly and from us more harshly.�
See WHITETAIL, 7A
See SAFE, 6A
THISWEEKEND
Between the wildflowers and leaves on the trees, fall colors are beginning to bloom at Whitetail Woods Regional Park in Empire Township north of Farmington. The park, which opened a year ago, has more than 10 miles of trails. Many visitors have used the camper cabins and pavilion, but park officials are excited to see what winter has in store after a lack of snow last winter. (Photos by Andy Rogers)
Eagan Theater Company is bringing Neil Simon’s female version of “The Odd Couple� to the stage next month. Page 19A
See TAXES, 6A
Organizers aim for safe celebration
OPINION
Comedy with female focus
6.84 percent, which helps spread out the tax burden and has led to a reduction in the tax rate by 4.62 percent. The city’s total operation budgets-general fund is slated to increase 2.89 percent to $11.75 million. The city’s total funding requirements are budgeted to increase 2.96 percent to $18.77 million. The budget includes increased costs for oper-
Fall colors found at Whitetail Woods Many visitors during first year of Dakota County park’s operation by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Those yearning for a calm autumn afternoon filled with vibrant colors and crisp air may not need to go far this fall. The 456-acre Whitetail Woods Regional Park, located in Empire Township in the center of Dakota County between Farmington and
Rosemount, has a several trails filled with rolling hills with a diverse collection of trees and wild flowers. “There’s several places within the park that you could see some really great colors,� said Beth Landahl, Dakota County Parks visitor services manager. “There’s some great overlooks where you can see them both up close and along the
Group to open mosque in Rosemount It would be the second site in Dakota County operated by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
SPORTS Irish football unbeaten The Rosemount High School football team shuts out Lakeville South. Page 12A
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The Rosemount City Council approved plans Tuesday night for the Muslim American Society of Minnesota to turn the former City Limits bowling alley into a mosque and community center. After the approval, Minnesota Education Trust’s purchase of the 22,891-square-foot building and 3.8 acres at 15400 S. Robert Trail is expected and work would begin in two phases after the Metropolitan Council considers the zoning change. Community Development Director Kim Lindquist said on Tuesday the approval is expected. It would be the society’s fourth mosque. Others are located in Inver Grove Heights, St. Paul and Blaine. Some council members expressed some hesitation about making the longtime commercial property, with a 2015 assessed value of $838,200 and generating $30,364 in total property taxes
(city, county and school district), tax exempt, as it would be under the places of worship designation. The three items related to the site were approved 4-1, with Council Member Shaun Nelson casting the lone “no� vote. Mosque organizers originally expressed having a full-time, fivedays-a-week school at the site, but city officials said the zoning would not allow it. The society is currently attempting to gain approval to open Summit Charter School in Inver Grove Heights. Rosemount’s approval included changing the site’s zoning from General Commercial to Business Park, which required Rosemount to seek comment from nearby cities and the city’s school districts. No negative comment was received from the entities. Community of Hope Church, 14401 Biscayne Ave., in Rosemount also operates under the Business Park zoning.
There was no public comment when the item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on Aug. 25. Phase 1 of the proposed work would include creation of a prayer room, offices, and restrooms in northern third of the building. Phase 2 is planned for one year from the date of occupancy and includes build out of the remainder of the building to include a multipurpose room, a kitchen, meeting rooms and additional restrooms. The site would primarily be used as a place of worship with activities such as Friday prayers, daily prayers, Sunday school, community lectures, youth activities, weddings and community parties, a food shelf and a free clinic. The establishment of the mosque and community center in Rosemount reflect a growing trend in Dakota County as its population continues to become
more diverse. Other nearby mosques are the Islamic Institute of Minnesota location in Burnsville, which has been operating since 2008. Another is As-Sahabah in Eagan. George and Muriel Hammond constructed Satellite Lanes bowling alley in 1961. In 2012, then owner AMF City Limits Lanes closed the bowling alley and began marketing the property. John Zellmar purchased the property in February 2014 for $605,000, according to Dakota County property records. In November 2014, the city changed the property’s future land use designation from Community Commercial to Regional Commercial as a result of the South Urban Gateway planning study. Since that time, the subject property has contained Zellmar’s landscaping business. Email Tad Johnson at tad.johnson@ecm-inc.com. Follow him on Twitter @editorTJ.
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