Illegal Signs Being Removed

The enforcement of the City ordinance governing signs in public rights-of-way is being increased beginning October 1. Sign owners are asked to remove any of their signs that are placed within public rights-of-way if they violate the ordinance. Any remaining signs in violation will be removed by City staff and temporarily stored at the Parks Maintenance Facility at 1140 Industrial Road. Sign owners can retrieve their signs there between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays through noon on Friday, October 17. At that time, unclaimed signs will be disposed of.

City Ordinance 153.08, part of City Code in the Title XV: Land Usage section, restricts the placement of signage in rights-of-way and boulevards without a permit. The ordinance provides guidelines for signs within city limits to “protect and promote health, safety, general welfare and order” which helps ensure city boulevards maintain safe sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. It states, “No signs other than governmental signs shall be erected or temporarily placed within any street right-of-way or upon any public lands or easements or rights-of-way.”

The ordinance will continue to be enforced on an ongoing basis. For additional information, visit Planning & Zoning | Owatonna, MN at Owatonna.gov.

City Approves 2026 Proposed Budget & Levy

On September 16, the City Council approved the City of Owatonna’s preliminary 2026 budget and levy with a 13 percent increase over last year.

In recent years, Owatonna taxpayers have benefited from increased tax capacity due to new construction and community growth. For 2026, tax capacity is projected to increase by 6 percent which helps offset the impact of the City’s levy increase on property owners.

Two main components of the City’s budget are personnel and capital improvements. One new position is included to continue addressing workloads and right-size the workforce to meet the community’s needs as it grows.

The proposed 2026 levy increase includes funding for the following Capital Improvement Program projects:

Replace and upgrade the portable recording systems for the Police Department
Support the information technology transition from a hybrid environment to cloud solutions for increased efficiency and security
Advance to the next phase of planning new public safety facilities
Honor the 2025-2027 City Council-approved employee compensation package
Implement the state-mandated paid sick and safe leave

City staff must certify the proposed levy along with a budget summary to the Steele County Auditor before September 30. Steele County uses this information to send preliminary tax statements to property owners annually in November.

Future City Council meetings that will include budget discussions are the December 2 Truth-in-Taxation Hearing and the meeting where final budget approval is expected December 16. The City’s interactive budget documents are available at Owatonna.gov. For additional information, please contact a City Council member or Finance staff.

Boulevard Tree Stump Grinding

Stump grinding for boulevard trees that were removed this year will take place in late October through early November. Areas will be restored and reseeded at that time. Any additional restoration or seeding that needs to be re-assessed should be reported to the Public Works Department in the spring by calling 507.444.4350 or utilizing the online form to Report a Concern. Thank you for your patience as this work has been delayed due to the large amount of cleanup required following the storm in July.

Innovative Housing Programs Sparking Development

One of the City of Owatonna’s priorities in its Strategic Plan is to help create additional housing options. The City Council approved an innovative program at its September 2 meeting to support the development of new housing options in Owatonna.

The approval of the program allows developers to apply for a loan to cover the equivalent of the costs for installing hard surface streets, curbs, gutters and sidewalks as new housing is created. The incentive program is designed to help developers with up-front costs to make it feasible to invest in Owatonna. Developers can borrow up to $20,000 per lot at a low interest rate and must repay the loan within five years. Loans will be repaid to the City as each lot sells.

Following the approval of the program, the City Council also approved a resolution for Mineral Springs Estates, LLC to be the first developer to utilize this program. The preliminary plat for Prairie La Salle Partners to pursue this project was also approved at the meeting. This housing development, covering eight acres, will include 36 new lots initially and is expected to break ground in the spring of 2026. Additional phases are planned for future development.

Another program implemented recently allows some new single-family homes to qualify for up to $2,500 in assistance for lots that do not have an approved drainage plan. By helping these lots with grading costs, they meet stormwater requirements and accelerate the pace at which they can be built on.

Coffee with a Cop

Coffee with a Cop will be hosted by Owatonna Target and Starbuck’s. Owatonna Police Officers and community members will have an opportunity to come together in an informal, neutral space to build relationships and discuss community issues; all over a cup of coffee! Community members are invited to attend this year's Coffee with a Cop event on September 19 from 9 until 11 a.m.

Exchange Club Firefighter of the Year Banquet October 9

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Firefighter of the Year Banquet. Community members are invited to attend the banquet on October 9^th at the Eagles; tickets are sold in advance at Kottke Jewelers or contact an Exchange Club Member. For the past 23 years, the Exchange Club of Owatonna has held a banquet every October honoring all firefighters for their contributions to the community. During the banquet, one firefighter is recognized as Firefighter of the Year for outstanding service to the community. The Firefighter of the Year is selected by the Owatonna Fire Chief with input from Fire Department staff and previous award recipients. Selection of the 2025 Firefighter of the Year will be announced within the next few weeks.

Seat Belt Enforcement

Local law enforcement is focusing on seat belt enforcement September 21through 27 as part of the Toward Zero Deaths campaign. Seat belts are crucial for safety, preventing ejection and reducing injuries and fatalities in car crashes by about half. However, they must be worn correctly with the lap belt low on the hips and the shoulder belt snug across the chest, never under the arm or behind the back. Airbags work in conjunction with seat belts by distributing crash forces and keeping occupants in position. Children require appropriate car seats or booster seats until they are large enough to sit with their knees bent over the vehicle seat's edge.

Why Wear a Seat Belt?

Saves lives: Wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to reduce serious injuries and deaths in vehicle crashes.
Prevents ejection: It keeps you from being thrown out of the vehicle during a crash, which is a primary cause of death.
Reduces injuries: It prevents occupants from colliding with the steering wheel, windshield, or other passengers.
Works with airbags: Seat belts work with airbags to provide optimal safety; without a belt, an airbag's force can cause serious injury or death.

Watch City Meetings Online!

Owatonna’s City Council meetings are available to watch live or on demand. Visit owatonna.gov/Government/Mayor & City Council to see options and links. Click this link to view a live feed of Owatonna’s Public Access, Education & Government Channel where City Council meetings are aired live and rebroadcast. Or, to view any past City Council meeting on demand, click this link: owatonna.gov. Owatonna School Board meetings are also available to view through these options.

Library Events

The following events will be held in the Gainey Room at the Owatonna Public Library:

Author Chad Lewis presenting "History of Halloween" September 22 from 6:30 until 8 p.m.
Bad Art Night September 25 from 6 until 7:45 p.m.
Author Doug Ohman presenting "Free to All: Libraries of Minnesota" September 29 from 6:30 until 8 p.m.

Wastewater Manager Andy Fischer escorts City Council Members and the Mayor on a tour of the Wastewater Treatment Facility September 16, 2025.

North Straight River Trail Reopening

One of Owatonna’s most popular multi-use trails is scheduled to reopen September 18. As part of the expansion of the Wastewater Treatment Facility, a retaining wall adjacent to the trail has been rebuilt which resulted in a temporary closure of this section of trail for the past few months.

Park Passport Program

Visit Owatonna’s parks…win a prize!

Get ready for a fun, fall adventure with Owatonna’s Fall Park Passport program! Fall is a great time to explore Owatonna’s beautiful parks and trails while being active and enjoying the natural scenery. Best of all, the four-week Park Passport Program is free.

Visit the parks listed and find the hidden password. Parks will have a small sign mounted on a post along the trail. The signs are approximately two to five feet above the ground. Each sign will contain part of a phrase. Visit all 10 parks to unlock the entire phrase and be entered into a drawing for prizes! All signs will be in place through October 13.

Stop by the Parks and Recreation office at 500 Dunnell Drive weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to pick up a paper Park Passport or download and print a copy at home. Turn in entries before October 17. Visit owatonna.gov for more details. Appreciation goes to Owatonna Eagles Club 1791 for sponsoring this program.

2025 Welcome Week in Owatonna

OHRC Human Book Library

The Owatonna Human Rights Commission (OHRC) offered a Human Library during the September Downtown Thursday. Eighteen books were available to “check out” for a sit-down one-on-one conversation or, by scanning a code, a short video “book” could be viewed. This event offers an opportunity to talk with other community members and learn about them. This is the third year of the OHRC Human Book Library, the genres of books are changed each year to offer a variety of different ethnic backgrounds and occupations. Community interest and participation has grown each year; plans are already in process for the 2026 books.

Meeting on the Fields

A soccer game, hosted by the OHRC, was held at Daiken Soccer Fields September 6in celebration of Welcome Week. The Rec on the Go trailer provided fun activities. This is the third year for the OHRC Meeting on the Fields.

Saving a Seat for YOU!

The public is invited to attend the City's public meetings. Unless otherwise specified, these meetings are held at City Hall, 540 West Hills Circle. Agendas, meeting minutes and City Council packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter.

September 18: Airport Commission Meeting at 8:00 a.m. Library Board Meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Gainey Room at the Library, 105 North Elm Avenue.

September 22: Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting at 4 p.m.

September 23: Public Utilities Commission Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Morehouse Meeting Room, 208 South Walnut Avenue.

Helpful Links

Licenses & Permits

Registration

Employment

Stay Informed

Events: Access calendars to view upcoming events.
City News Releases: View news releases published by the City of Owatonna.
Newsletters: The City of Owatonna publishes a weekly newsletter called Owatonna Update. Current and past newsletters are available here.
Social Media: Stay connected with the City of Owatonna by following these social media sites.
Spotlight Videos: Videos produced by the City of Owatonna.

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September 17, 2025