Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Eagan City Council met on October 6, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Eagan Municipal Center. The meeting opened with a tribute to the late Parks and Recreation Commissioner Linda Klein, honoring her contributions to the arts and community. The council unanimously approved a consent agenda covering routine administrative items, conducted public hearings on delinquent lodging taxes and five street assessment projects, and voted on a comprehensive guide plan amendment and two conditional use permits. All actions were approved without dissent.
City staff reported that two hotels (Budget Post Inn and Country Inn & Suites) were delinquent in remitting the 3% lodging tax. Notices and legal letters had been sent, and the hearing was properly advertised. No public comment was offered. The council approved certifying the delinquent bills to Dakota County for collection with property taxes.
Public Works Director Russ Mathis presented an overview: The five projects covered nearly four miles of street improvements and affected 509 properties. Total project costs were nearly $1.5 million, with $540,000 assessed to property owners and $945,000 paid by the city. Assessment rates varied by property type (50% for low-density residential, 75% for high-density, 100% for commercial/industrial). Owners may pay assessments interest-free within 30 days, or over 5 years (residential) or 10 years (commercial) at 5% annual interest. Over the city's 37-year pavement management program, 348 projects have been completed on 350 miles of streets, with 33,320 total assessments and $38.7 million in assessment revenue (city contributions totaled nearly $78 million). Informational meetings were held on September 28. The city attorney advised that property owners must object in writing before the council vote to preserve appeal rights; no objections were submitted. The council unanimously approved the final assessments and authorized certification to Dakota County.
City Planner Schultz presented a proposal to change the land use designation of approximately 25 acres (five parcels near Highway 55 and Lone Oak Road) from Office Service (OS) to Business Park (BP). The applicant plans to develop two 125,000-square-foot business park buildings. The site is currently zoned agriculture within the Northeast Special Area and features significant constraints: wooded terrain, steep slopes (up to 90 feet elevation change), wetlands, and proximity to residential neighborhoods. Staff noted that extensive retaining walls and tree preservation plans would be required. The Advisory Planning Commission (APC) held a public hearing on September 22 and recommended approval (5-0). One resident expressed concerns about impacts to nearby homes; staff indicated buffers would be addressed in future development applications. The council voted to submit the amendment to the Metropolitan Council for review and approval. (Unanimous)
The applicant requested a CUP to allow outdoor storage of trailer-mounted equipment (generators, cooling units, pumps, air compressors) on an industrially zoned 1.4-acre site. Proposed improvements include security fencing, screening, tree replanting, updated lighting, and building renovation without expansion. A variance was required to permit the existing zero-foot pavement setback along the adjacent railroad right-of-way (a pre-existing nonconformity). APC recommended approval (5-0). The council approved both the CUP and the variance unanimously, subject to conditions in the APC minutes and with a note that a private easement issue is being resolved between the property owner and an adjacent landowner.
The applicant sought a CUP to allow outdoor storage of up to 23 trucks and 11 trailers on a 1.4-acre lot (former Wagging Tails site) in the industrial district. Plans include extending a paved area, adding a retaining wall, fencing, an access gate, ADA improvements, and relocating a garbage enclosure. The site’s green space would decrease from 46% to 32% (still above the 25% minimum). Utility easements require written acknowledgment from Met Council before work begins. APC recommended approval (5-0). The council approved the CUP unanimously.
Pledge of legends to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under liberty and justice for allcome everybody to the October 6th regular meeting of the Egan City Council. It's our first regular meeting of the month of October. Tonight I'd like to take a moment before we started on our agenda to recognize the loss of a truly remarkable Egan resident this past weekend, Linda Klein. Linda was not only dedicated parks and recreation commissioner, she was a phenomenal artist, an advocate for the arts, a beloved member of our community, and one of the genuinely sweetest and kindest persons you'd ever meet. Linda was a true champion for the arts in Egan. She believed deeply in the power of creativity to bring people together. And she worked tirelessly to expand public art. She was a huge advocate of the Egan Art House, and I'm so glad that she was able to enjoy that space before she passed. When I think of Linda, I think of Joel, her husband of 58 years, and her volunteer partner. I think of her watercolor paintings of the barn and the chickens at Holtz Farm. I see her in throwback clothes, churning butter at the annual holiday gathering at the farm. Linda's commitment as a parks and recreation commissioner went far beyond attending meetings. She invested her time, her energy, and her heart into making Egan better. We're grateful for all Linda gave to our community. Her passion for the arts, her legacy of service will continue, and it will inspire our community. Next week when we meet with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, there'll be a chair where Linda should be. But she'll be there with us. She'll be on our minds and she'll be in our hearts. Tonight our thoughts and our prayers are with Joel and with Linda's entire family. And we want to take just a moment, if we can to reflect on Linda and her contributions to our community and to send power and strength and peace to Joel and to the rest of the family. So please bow your heads and take a moment. And Joel, thank you for being here. And uh and I know that Joel is busy uh making final arrangements. Uh and uh uh in due time um uh those will be um announced and uh we'll look forward to that. Thank you, Joel. I appreciate that. Uh with that, uh we have some uh potentially less important business to do tonight. Yes, um, but we do have