July 26, 2023

August City Council Meetings

The City Council’s regular meeting dates are the first and third Tuesdays of every month. Their August 1 meeting has been rescheduled for August 2 at 7 p.m. so City Council Members, the Mayor, City Administrator and staff can participate in Night to Unite activities on August 1. The second Council meeting of the month will be held August 15.

Park & Recreation Staff at Downtown Thursday

Parks, Recreation & Facilities Staff Jenna Tuma, Tricia Fisher and Thomas Gorycki at Central Park July 6

Chat with City Staff at Downtown Thursdays!

Owatonna’s Downtown Thursdays feature local food, music, shopping and art on the first Thursday of each month during summer. City staff will have a booth at Downtown Thursdays to share information about City projects, the preliminary 2024 budget, answer questions, listen to concerns and interact with the community. Stop by Central Park and look for the City’s booth. The Administrative Services Department will host the City’s August 3 booth. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful new downtown streetscape with tables, bar areas, benches, bike racks and other amenities. For additional information, visit Owatonna.org.

Brooktree Golf Course…Ready for Golfers AND Diners!

Greens maintenance

Aeration of the greens at Brooktree is scheduled for August 25 (lower) and 26 (upper), weather permitting. Heavy machine and foot traffic on the greens’ fine turf surface compacts thatch and soil. Aerifying greens removes thatch allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach the roots. This encourages new, deeper roots and better green health and, subsequently, improves playability and green speed. The process begins by pulling small cores of soil/thatch/turf. The green is then top-dressed, filling the holes with sand, creating a smoother surface, creating channels for water and air movement and helping greens recover from aeration more quickly. Timing and weather are essential to aid the healing of the greens. According to the United States Golf Association, only 10 percent of the green’s surface is affected by aerating. Golfers are encouraged to take a longer backswing and play more break while putting to better navigate the recovering slower greens.

New food and beverage provider

Lacey’s at Brooktree opened recently bringing a fresh menu and high quality of service to golfers and non-golfers. City staff and Lacey’s management are collaborating to fulfill the community’s desire for food and beverages at the municipally-owned golf course. Lacey’s has 30 years of experience, 16 of which were at high-end golf courses. The owners also operate Lacey's Kitchen & Cocktails in Kenyon, Minnesota. The menu will include traditional golfer favorites and a mix of upscale-casual items including their pepper-jack dip, custom burgers and citrus-glazed salmon. For the first few weeks, the menu will be limited menu with a full menu to follow. The City Council unanimously approved an on-sale liquor license at its July 18 meeting for Lacey’s Kitchen and Cocktails to operate Lacey’s at Brooktree.

Clubhouse renovations to continue

Over the past two winters, renovations have updated the Brooktree clubhouse. A new bar was added and the dining area was renovated. The changes were implemented following a series of listening sessions and an online survey that provided feedback about how the course could be improved for its members and the community as a whole. Tuma continued, “Our commitment to providing a quality experience for golfers and diners remains our primary goal.” Another round of clubhouse updates is planned for this winter.

Photo of City staff and consultants presenting parking lot design at Mainstreet meeting

New Downtown Parking Being Planned

On July 24, 2023, Public Works Director Sean Murphy and representatives from WHKS presented preliminary design plans for a new parking lot along Vine Street at a quarterly Downtown Mainstreet meeting. The following highlights of the project were provided:

The proposed design includes short- and long-term parking areas, green spaces, six handicapped stalls, a crosswalk over Oak Avenue and 15 stalls along Vine Street.
Some parking stalls will remain available throughout construction with work beginning on the west side and working east.
The design accommodates electric vehicle charging so it can be added in the future.

Downtown business owners shared ideas in response to the presentation of the preliminary plan. Next, the Downtown Parking Commission will evaluate the plans and is expected to make a recommendation on the design to City Council in the coming weeks. The plans are expected to be finalized by September so construction can be completed this fall.

The additional parking options being created with this new lot are designed to better serve the downtown and riverfront area.

Photo of deer walking across road in front of a car

Deer Management Applications Open August 4

The Deer Management archery program was developed to cull the herd of urban deer in Owatonna. Archers can hunt in one of 11 wooded parks. A total of 34 permits are available (17 each season). This year’s program runs from October 22 through December 17 in Cashman Park, Hamman Park, Kaplan’s Woods, Kaplan’s Woods Parkway, Kriesel Park, Leo Rudolph Park, Manthey Park, Maple Creek Park, Mineral Springs Park, Nass Woods Park and North Straight River Parkway.

These parks remain open to the public during this time. For informational purposes, maps of hunter locations can be found at the main entrance to each park and online at Owatonna.gov. Additional signage alerting the public to the activity in the park is posted at each entrance to each park in English, Spanish and Somali.

All program participants must hold a valid hunting license, follow all Department of Natural Resources(DNR) rules and local requirements and pass a proficiency test. Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department staff selects the locations for the elevated stands based on deer movement patterns and proximity to main trails and park boundaries. Participants must communicate weekly with park staff and whenever a deer is taken.

Each year, the hunt is approved statewide by the DNR. Additionally, the City Council approves an exception to Chapter 133 of the City Code. Local DNR officials recommend continuing the program based on robust numbers in the vicinity and population modeling from the Wildlife Research Unit suggests deer populations in the area continue to grow and numbers are likely above the goal.

Managing urban deer not only stabilizes the population, but importantly, it helps to keep deer from becoming too habituated to people. It is important to continue efforts to help keep numbers in a socially acceptable range to most citizens, mitigate deer grazing and browsing impacts to park vegetation and impacts to yards and gardens and to reduce deer/vehicle collisions. The DNR views controlled archery hunts “as a safe means to help manage deer numbers toward a goal of avoiding greater conflicts with deer that can arise due to deer damage to property and natural habitats or disease concerns.”

A reminder for residents near wooded areas of City Ordinance 90.47 and 90.62 that no person shall feed or allow the feeding of wild animals as defined in 90.61 within city limits. A reminder for pets and owners using parks and trails, City Ordinance 90.01 requires any animal in a public park shall only be deemed to be under control when such animal is attached to a leash held by the owner or the owner’s agent. To apply for DNR Special Hunt 990, visit Owatonna.gov, Recreation Programs, Register Now.

Fish holding sign that says only rain down the drain near catch basin covered with leaves

Keeping Waterways Clean

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

As part of the community’s MS4 Permit, the City administers an IDDE Program. This program aims at tracking and eliminating sources of pollution that include illegal connections to the storm system, spills, illegal dumping and other sources of contamination to keep pollutants from entering the storm system where it may reach a nearby waterway. All illegal connections and illicit discharges are strictly prohibited by City Stormwater Management Code 52.00. Never dump or dispose of anything in the storm sewer or storm drain.

What should I look for?

Unusual colors, odors, suds, or stains
Persons dumping liquids, oils, leaves, grass clippings, or anything unidentifiable into the storm drain
Dead or distressed fish and wildlife near surface waters
Storm pipes and outfalls with high flow during dry weather periods
Excessive sediment accumulation in water bodies near outfalls

How do I report suspected illicit discharge or water pollution?

If the suspected pollution or contamination is a major spill, unknown, or dangerous to human health and safety, the Fire Department should be contacted immediately at 911. To report any suspected illicit discharge or water pollution, use the Pollution Report Form.

Clean H2Owatonna is the City of Owatonna’s Stormwater Management Program to keep area streams, rivers and waterways clean. For additional information regarding the City’s Stormwater Management Program, please email the stormwater division or visit Owatonna.gov.

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