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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Eagan's Changing Demographics - 1/1/1983Patch T/ Transfer Patch te,V 61Ili% IA qii7PA Lakeville and Eagan among leaders in metrowide population growth The city of Lakeville ranks second, behind Woodbury, in population and household growth in the Twin Cities metro area during the 1990s. According to the Metropoli- tan Council's annual "Population and Household Estimates," Lakeville has gained more than 8,124 resi- dents between 1990 and 1994 to reach an estimated popula- tion of 32,978 as. of April 1, 1994. The city of Eagan, a growth leader during the 1980s, con- tinues the trend, ranking third in both household and popula- tion gains. Eagan's population rose 7,548 over the first four years of the 1990s to an estimated 55,000 as of April 1994. Ap- proximately 2,871 new house- holds have since joined the area. To the south, 2,550 new households made their home in Lakeville during the early 1990s. Apple Valley experienced a population increase of 4,590 residents (bringing the esti- mated population to 39,188), Burnsville had approximately 3,237 new residents (increasing the population to 54,525), and Farmington saw 930 additional residents (increasing its population close to 7,000). Dakota County ranks fourth in the running for the fastest growing county in the metro area with an 11.9 percent growth increase, raising the population to 308,002 as of April 1994. The county holds approximately 110,660 house- holds with 2.77 people per household. Washington County is the fastest growing metro -area county with a 16 percent in- crease in population. Scott County comes in a close sec- ond, and Carver County ranks third with a 14.8 percent growth increase. Though the western half of the Twin Cities metro area usually accounts for about two- thirds of the new regional growth each year, the growth gap between east and west ap- pears to have narrowed some- what in the '90s. The eastern part of the region captured 42 percent of the re- gional gains. Continued strong residential building activity in Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove and Eagan have contrib- uted a good share of this growth. Of the 10 largest population gainers in the region, six cities are located in the western half, including Plymouth, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove and An- dover in the northwestern sec- tor, and Lakeville and Eden Prairie in the southwestern sec- tor. Woodbury, Eagan, Apple Valley and Oakdale from the eastern metro complete the top 10 list of cities with the high- est population growth. To- gether, these communities con- tributed almost half of the population growth in the regior between 1990 and 1994. Metropolitan Council fore- casts indicate significant growth in the metro area over the next 25 years. In fact, the council expects the Twin Cit- ies area will grow to 3.1 mil- lion people by the year 2020 up from today's population ol 2.4 million. The forecasted increase ol 650,000 people exceeds the region's growth during the pas! 25 years, when the region ex• perienced a population in• crease of 575,000 people. The council also forecasts ar additional 330,000 more households in the region by the year 2020. There are current!) an estimated 940,000 house holds in the Twin Cities metre area. "These forecasts," said Re• gional Administrator Jiff Solem, "emphasize the impor- tance of assessing current de- velopment patterns in the metro area and determining, with public input, how to shape growth and development in the future." Copies of the report, "Population and Household Estimates," are available for $1 by calling the council's Data Center at 291-8140. vlcClure murder trial to begin y SARA PETERSON The murder case involving e death of a 10-month-old akeville girl will be heard in akota County District Court onday, just two years after e incident occurred. Julie McClure, the adoptive other of Jessica Li, will stand ial on charges of second- .gree murder and second- ;gree manslaughter. She has leaded not guilty to both )unts. According to County Attor- ;y James Backstrom, lcClure has waived her right a jury trial. He said that he not at liberty to discuss the asons behind McClure's de- sion. The case will be de- ded by Judge Richard Hop- ;r. McClure's attorney, Mark :cDonough, could not be ached for comment before is issue went to press. Assistant county attorneys icole Nee and Phil Prok- )owicz will prosecute the Ise. The case has run into several ;lays due to the introduction new evidence. McClure iginally faced the same two iarges plus first -degree mur- ;r, which accused her of en - Ting in a past pattern of iild abuse upon Jessica. In larch, a Dakota County grand ry handed down a new in- ctment which dropped the rst-degree murder charge. Second-degree murder is not 'emeditated but includes ird-degree assault, child ne- ect and child endangerment. carries a penalty of 12 1/2 gars in prison. The second- gree manslaughter charge irri.es a penalty of four years. The death of Jessica IcClure has been treated as a omicide since Lakeville pu- ce responded to a hang-up 11 call Aug. 15, 1993, at the 1cClure's home. Responding fficers and medics found Jes- sica on the kitchen floor, un- conscious and without a heart- beat. She died two days later, after being removed from life- support systems. "The real substance of the case is the medical testimony from medical experts regarding Jessica's injuries," Backstrom said. Both sides will present their opening statements Monday morning, Backstrom said. Wit- nesses and first -responders will also be called to testify, giving a description of the chrono- logical order of events, he added. ��i HAPPY9YFAfl r Thisweek's cities grow The six cities in the Thisweek Newspapers coverage area accounted for 77.60 percent of the county's population gain from 2000 to 2010. The six cities also increased the share of the county's population they contain, which grew slightly from 67.27 to 68.38 percent. City Eagan Burnsville Lakeville Apple Valley Rosemount Farmington Total Dakota County Source: U.S. Census 2010 2000 Change % Chg. 64,206 63.557 649 1.02 60,306 60,220 86 0.1 55,954 43,128 12,826 29.73 49,084 45,527 3,557 7.8 21,874 14,619 7,255 49.62 21,086 12,365 8,721 70.52 272,510 239,416 33,094 13.82 398,552 355,904 42,648 11.98 the state's counties (45 percent). What these numbers mean is largely undecided at this point in a couple of respects. Dakota County's population gain could mean that more federal Citizenryrows becomes more diverse g Increased population may result in more federal funds, a redrawn 2nd Congressional District by Tad Johnson DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE If Dakota County grows at the same rate as it has the past 10 years, it might over- take Ramsey Coun- ty as the second most populous county in Minnesota ... in 20 years. That's a big if as it would mean Dakota County will continue to add an average of 4,264 people each year as it did in the 2000s, which saw a housing boom through much of it. Over the past 10 years, Dakota County's population has grown by 11.98 percent, according to 2010 U.S. Census data released last week. The county added 42,648 residents, which was the high- est growth number of any county in Minnesota, pushing its total to 398,552. Ramsey County's population slipped 0.5 percent from 2000 to 508,640 in 2010. Scott County added the second most residents in the past 10 years — 40,430 to account for by far the largest percentage gain of any of funding in such areas as education, nursing homes and highways will be funneled this way, but that will de- pend on the struc- ture of the formu- las and how the rest of the nation grew, according to Jane Vanderpoel, from the Dakota County Office of Planning and Analysis. Population in- creases were 9.7 percent for the U.S. and 7.8 per- cent for Minnesota. "All things remaining the same, we might be lucky enough to have slightly more funding," Vander- poel said. One thing the Census data con- firm is that the 2nd Congressional District would need lose about 69,524 residents — more than the current population of its largest city, Eagan with 64,206 residents — to satisfy the requirement that all congressional districts have nearly equal population. The early line is that some See Census, Page 40A 40A March 24, 2011 DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE BUSINESS WEEKLY Census from Page IA 2nd District residents would move into the 4th District, which is short 48,367 people. That could mean that more of Dakota County could become part of the 4th District to the north, which already in- cludes the northern tip of Dakota County. That decision will be left up to the Minnesota Leg- islature, which is controlled by Republican majorities that may be interested in moving the a portion of the 2nd District that trends more Democrat than the rest into the more liberal 4th District. The 2nd District, now represented by U.S. Rep. John Kline of Lakeville, currently spans the width of the south metro area and contains most of Dakota County, and all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice counties. It in- cludes the cities of Cot- tage Grove and the south- ern part of Woodbury in Washington County and one precinct in Hennepin County. The rest of the data The rest of the Census data confirm much of what local officials already know. Dakota County and its largest cities are gaining in population and growing more diverse. The 2010 Census doesn't tell much more beyond that Percentages in population categories change The 2010 U.S. Census shows that the six cities in Thisweek Newspapers' coverage area are increasing in diversity. The following chart shows the percentage of residents in each category and how that changed from the 2000 to 2010 census. White Black or African American American Indian and Alaska Native Asian Native Pacific Islander Some Other Race Two or More Races Hispanic Latino (of any race) 2010 2 1 1 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 Apple Valley 83.78 91.8 5.48 1.9 0.39 0.3 5.32 3.4 0.07 0 2.0 0.9 2.96 0.9 4.94 0.9 Burnsville 77.49 87.5 10.03 4.1 0.37 0.5 6.51 4.1 0.86 0.1 3.46 1.4 3.67 1.4 7.89 1.4 Eagan 81.52 88.0 5.62 3.4 0.33 0.3 9.68 5.3 0.75 0.1 1.66 1.0 3.04 1.0 4.5 1.0 Farmington 89.8 95.6 2.14 0.7 0.53 0.3 3.96 1.5 3.33 0 1.1 0.6 2.9 0.6 3.64 0.6 Lakeville 89.31 94.3 2.51 1.3 0.37 0.4 4.55 2.0 1.49 0 1.18 0.8 2.6 0.8 3.49 0.8 Rosemount 87.35 92.8 3.05 2.0 0.39 0.3 6.37 2.1 0.9 0 1.07 0.8 2.63 0.8 3.14 0.8 Source: U.S. Census since it exclusively used the "Short Form" - 10 questions related to who lives in the household, their ages, gen- der and race, and whether the residence is owned or rented. The 2000 Census long form asked additional ques- tions related to commuting, household income, occupa- tion, education and size and value of household. Here are some highlights in Dakota County: • Dakota County ac- counts for 14 percent of the seven -county metro area population. • Four of Dakota County cities are among the state's 20 most populous: Eagan (9), Burnsville (14), Lakev- ille (16), and Apple Valley (18). • Eagan remained the largest city, 64,206 resi- dents. • Lakeville added the most residents, 12,826, and moved ahead of Apple Val- ley as the third most popu- lous city. • Farmington added the most residents on a per- centage basis, 70.52. • The six largest cities in Thisweek Newspapers' coverage area accounted for 77.60 percent of the population gain in Dakota County. • The six cities increased the share of the county's population they contain, from 67.27 in 2000 to 68.38 percent in 2010. • In the six cities, the mi- nority population account- ed for 64.56 of the growth from 2000 to 2010 - nearly two out of three new resi- dents were minorities. • Burnsville's minority population grew the fast- est, 10.01 percent. • Lakeville's minor- ity population grew at the smallest rate, 4.99 percent. The population of the Twin Cities five subur- ban counties - Dakota, Anoka, Carver, Scott and Washington - increased by nearly 174,000 people since 2000, accounting for 45 percent of the state's growth. Tad Johnson is at tadjohnson@ecm-inc.com. County officials pore over data Analysis of numbers helps guide programs, policies to address current, future needs by Tad Johnson DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE For Dakota County officials, the re- cently released U.S. Census is not just a bunch of numbers. Inside the endless rows of data, they see directions in which policy and pro- grams can be directed to address current and future needs. The 2010 U.S. Census doesn't tell the whole story as it only includes data culled from the Short Form - who lives in the household, their ages, gender and race, and whether the residence is owned or rented. As a result, Dakota County offi- cials pull demographic data from other sources, such as the three-year data pic- ture of American Community Survey for the county's largest cities. The last cycle of data for the ACS was completed in 2009. Among the categories county offi- cials are most concerned about are ho- meownership rates, median family in- come, poverty rates and the number of children and seniors living in the county. Those categories reach toward the top of the list because many county services serve children, seniors and the poor. Those demographic groups are changing in Dakota County. The percentage of those living in poverty has increased from 3.6 to 5.6 percent from 2000 to 2009, according to county statistics. That is still far below the state rate of 10.6 percent and na- tional rate of 13.4 percent. Medical, food and cash public as- sistance caseloads have doubled in Da- kota County from an average of 34 per month in 2000 to 68 in 2010. The county has also become increas- ingly involved in mortgage foreclosure counseling. Foreclosures started to take off in 2007 when 1,580 were reported compared to the previous year of 864. In the past three years (2008-2010), there have been 2,052,1,859 and 2,147 foreclosures in those respective years. Addressing needs Dakota County Commissioner Tom Egan points out that county govern- ment is doing more with less. In the past two years, the county has eliminated 120 positions and reduced 90 full-time equivalent positions by offer- ing a voluntary early retirement incen- tive, according to Egan. "These policies return Dakota Coun- ty's employment base to the 2001 level when the county had 50,000 fewer resi- dents," Egan said. He says the opportunity this presents is to strategically replace positions in ar- eas of need. One incumbrance that can help give the county more flexibility to meet those needs is to remove state mandates dic- tated by the Maintenance of Effort re- quirements with regard to human ser- vices and library operations, according to Egan. The mandates say in some cases that the county must spend a certain per- centage increase in these areas. Aging Initiative One program that has taken shape as the county's demographics have changed in the Aging Initiative. Between 2010 and 2020, the county's 65 and older population will increase by 71 percent while the total population increases by 10 percent. Seniors will ac- count for 14 percent of the population compared to 9 percent today. It is esti- mated that 20 percent of the county's population will be 65 or older by 2030. To address the specific challenges posed by seniors, Dakota County and Dakota Area Resources and Transpor- tation for Seniors has developed the Living Longer and Stronger in Dakota County initiative. The initiative has dealt with how to address current and future needs in ar- eas such as finance, health and wellness, housing, services, transportation, work and community involvement for seniors. "This has many important implica- tions to the service requirements of the county," Egan said. "Dakota County will be looking for local initiatives involv- ing the county's cities and townships.... We hope to involve as many stakeholder groups as we can in this effort." Tad Johnson is at tadjohnson@ecm-inc.com. EAGAN IiRQ1ICLE vr SECTION A a Current newspaper Vol. IV, No. 48, Monday, November 28, 1983 Bringing you the news of the people, the neighborhoods and business of Eagan Eagan average income above state's by David Siegel The average income of an Eagan resident is more than $1,700 higher than the average income in the State of Minnesota. In Minnesota, the average income is $23,837. In Eagan that figure is $25,583, according to 1980 federal census data. In 1979, Eagan had 1,614 families that earned be; tween $25,000 and $34,999. There were 1,319 families with incomes higher than $34,999. There were 5,279 families in Eagan in 1979. The 1979 rate of unemployment in Eagan was 3 per- cent of the civilian labor force. Most mothers in Eagan work. About half of women with children under age 6, and 71 percent of women with children ages 6 to 17 were in the labor force, census data shows. The figures are almost identical for Burnsville, according to the census data. . Statewide, about half of women with children under age 6 work. However, after children reach 6 that number nearly doubles, according to Ed Meister, administrative aid for Eagan who has been working with the 1980 census data. Meister pointed out that Eagan follows the same trend, though not as pro- nounced. Fagan follows state trends in numbers of divorced men and women. Eagan has 358 divorced men and 582 divorced women. Minnesota has 40,000 divorced men and 58,900 divorced women. . In Fagan there are also more widowed females, 228, than males, 41. There are 201 more single females than males in Eagan. Census data puts Eagan's population at 20,700. However, Eagan City officials estimate the popula- tion has grown to more than 28,000 since the'dataVas compiled. TWO SECTIONS Residents' ancestries, occupations ranked Eagan residents' ancestries German 3,086 Norwegian 832 Irish 598 Swedish 560 English 454 French 179 Polish 172 Italian 110 Other 195 Eagan residents' race White 19,870 Black . 356 American Indian, Eskimo, Aleutian 79 Asian and Pacific Islander 233 Other 162 Leading occupations of Eagan residents' Manufacturing 24 percent Retail trade 17 percent Transportation 11 percent Wholesale trade 8 percent Finance, insurance and real estate 8 percent Educational services 5 percent. Public administration 5 percent Health services 4 percent:' Construction 4percent: Entertainment 4 percent Communications and other public utilities 2 percent Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 1 percent • ZWOMffkkbiQtaMaggaglatMARAMAdailaiiggigia Here is some additional information about Eagan from 1980 census statistics: • Whites make up 96 percent of Eagan's population (see chart). About 70 percent of Eagan's population, 14,042, were born in Minnesota. About 30 percent were born in another state while 126 were born abroad and 591 are foreign born. • Children 19 or under made up almost 40 percent of Eagan's population in 1980. • Phones are installed in 99 percent of Eagan's homes. Almost 80 percent of the occupied housing units have either central air conditioning or a single • About. 90 percent of Eagan's residents are high school graduates. Of the 10,780 persons 25 and older, 2,555 have completed four or more years of college. • Only 2 percent of Eagan's workers use public transportation to get to work. Almost three -fourths drive to work alone, and 19 percent carpool. The average persons per vehicle was 1.13. • Nearly half Eagan's population over 5 lived in the same house in 1980 they did in 1975. About 15 percent live in the same county. • Eagan is a fertile community, Meister noted. There were 6,047 women agek15 to 44. There were 7,829-children ever born to that group, according to the census data. ,,; ,.. •: There were.2,773' armed services veterans in Eagan. " What the cgu ty loots r ,e Thio''ug out1 he " 1990s, Da- kota County has grown by art average of about 8,500 people per year. According to the Census Bureau, the county's population last year was 334,500. While growth is pro- jected to slow between now and 2020, about 140,000 more people are expected to call Dakota County home in 2020 as did in 1995. In the 1990s, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount have been the county's most rapidly growing cities. Already, Eagan has surpassed Burnsville as the largest city in the county. Apple Valley, when fully developed, is pro- jected to have a larger popula- tion than Burnsville, as well. But by 2020 Lakeville is ex- pected to surpass them all and become the largest city in the county. In 1995, "$0-somethings" made up the lai+ est age group in Dakota County while seniors were only about 6.6 percent of the population.) In 2020, the largest age group is expected to be 55- to 59 year -olds, and the number of eniors is pro- jected to climb t 14.5 percent. According to the report, while Dakota C unty remains overwhelmingly white, diver- sity in regard to race and eth- nicity is growi g. In 1980, about 2.2 perce t of county residents were rom minority races. That numb r grew to 4.7 percent in 1990 and 6.3 percent in 1996. In the schools, the picture is a little different. According to the report, 9.4 p rcent of stu- dents were f minority races/ethnicity i the K-12 population in 199 i is y., EIAMN H ' c NICL E a Current newspaper SECTION A Vol. IV, No. 48, Monday, November 28, 1983 Bringing you the news of the people, the neighborhoods and business of Eagan TWO SECTIONS Eagan average income above state by David Siegel The average income of an Eagan resident is more than $1,700 higher than the average income in the State of Minnesota. In Minnesota, the average income is $23,837. In Eagan that figure is $25,583, according to 1980 federal census data. In 1979, Eagan had 1,614 famili tween $25,000 and $34,999. There with incomes higher than $34,999. families in Eagan in 1979. The 1979 rate of unemployment in Eagan was 3 per- cent of the civilian labor force. Mos work. About half of women with ch and 71 percent of women with children were in the labor force, census data are almost identical for Burnsville, census data. . Statewide, about half of wom under age 6 work. However, afte that number nearly doubles, accord administrative aid for Eagan who has with the 1980 census data. Meiste Eagan follows the same trend, though not as pro- nounced. Eagan follows state trends in numbers men and women. Eagan has358 div divorced women. Minnesota has 40 and 58,900 divorced women. In Eagan there are also more wid than males, 41. There are 201 more single males in Eagan. es that earned be; were 1,319 families There were 5,279 t mothers in Eagan ildren under age 6, ages 6 to 17 shows. The figures according to the en with children r children reach 6 ing to Ed Meister, been working r pointed out that of divorced orced men and 582 ,000 divorced men owed females, 228, females than Census data puts Eagan's population at 20,700. However, Eagan City officials estimate the popula- tion'has grown to more than 28,000 since the data was Residents' ancestries, occupations ranked Eagan residents' ancestries German 3,086 Norwegian 832 Irish 598 Swedish 560 English 454 French 179 Polish 172 n 110 195 Eagan residents' race Ife ° 19,870 ,Black 356 American Indian, Eskimo, Aleutian 79 Asian and Pacific islander 233 Other 162 Leading occupations of Eagan residents Manufacturing 24 percent Retail trade 17 percent Transportation 11 percent Wholesale trade 8 percent Finance, insurance and real estate 8 percent Educational services 5 percent Public administration 5 percent Health services .................. 4 percent Construction 4 percent Entertainment 4 percent Communications and other public utilities 2 percent Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining .1 percent Here is some additional information about Eagan from 1980 census statistics: • Whites make up 96 percent of Eagan's population (see chart). About 70 percent of Eagan's population, 14,042, were born in Minnesota. About 30 percent were born in another state while 126 were born abroad and 591 are foreign born. • Children 19 or under made up almost 40 percent of Eagan's population in 1980. • Phones are installed in 99 percent of Eagan's homes. Almost 80 percent of the occupied housing units have either central air conditioning or a single unit: _ ,,....+<, compiled. • gartZtforesiden a an. .t school graduates. Of the 10,780 persons 25 and older, g District 196 names Force 2,555 have completed four or more years o6 college. • Only 2 percent of Eagan's workers use -public transportation to get to work. Almost three4ourths drive to work alone, and 19 percent carpool. The - average persons per vehicle was 1.13. • Nearly half Eagan's population over 5 lived in the.. same house in 1980 they did in 1975. About 15 percent live in the same county. • Eagan is a fertile community, Meister noted: There were 6,047 women ages 15 to 44. There were 7,829 children ever born to that group, according to - the census data. L:�!+ _ _ + r ' t` • n. uw, nonnidi, ova. u14 vvyvaavetl Woo soon, wnibu naa Uoa.uIIIu allidupt to mdne way lol uevelopment To some, grovvth a an has cost�t flavor g By Diana Ettel Gonzalez Staff Writer Agnes Polzin looks wistfully across thedieldss opingdowo4remaher sn t. I �• tiw:a ww>.�a,i w.a Ia,iia.•w.v.si•�. ttldays ?1ltpn.%11C- O` „tit] ..'. busy and propeller•airplanearnot jets, -flew the Eagan s1desheaded for the airport. What was once part of her late husband's farm is now destined for light industrial development, and behind her house, where the cow pasture was, is land that was mostly sold to developers before it was cleared by the state to construct not -yet -opened Interstate Hwy. 494. Even the blue spruce planted when her only son was born is gone. To many of its 26,470 residents, Eagan is a rapidly growing suburb that has attracted development ranging from townhouses to corporate headquarters. To Polzin,-whose husband, Herbert, was town treasurer from 1944 to 1972 and mayor from 1972 to 1977, the place "is just not Eagan anymore. It's just like a city." Throughout this year, Eagan's 125th anniversary, residents have been taking stock of the city's past and future. This weekend the birthday committee has a special celebration planned. On Saturday - afternoon at Rahn Park, 'city ' officials have organized a carnival, a 90-turkey roast; entertainment and fireworks. In addition, this week the city began to sell its history book, "Lone Oak Years," named after an oak tree, now cut down, that for more than 100 years served as a place to post town notices at the intersection of Hwy. 55 and Lone Oak Rd. In many ways the book is Eagan's family album, filled with photographs dug out of old scrapbooks and finished after years of interviews with members of This 1917 photo shows the Frank Sell family In their onion field, which is now part of Eagan. _.. _. pioneering farm families. Eagan's earliest settlers were French Canadians in the 1840s, followed by Irish and later by German families. The township was organized in 1860, when it was named after Patrick Eagan, an Irishman who settled there in the 1850s. It was incorporated as a village In 1972 and as a city in 1974. And it isn't hard for a 1985 settler to figure out that the Rahns must have been among the firstfamilies. Eagan is full of Rahns — Rahn Road, Rahn Elementary School, Rahn Park, even Rahn Villa Apartments. Arthur Rahn,'78, takes it all in stride. Having landmarks — though he isn't sure about the apartments — named after him or members of his family hasn't gone to the good- humored Eagan resident's head. As the history book tells it, Rahn's grandfather William and two brothers left Germany for America in the late 1800s. "They bought that land where Blue Cross is now," Rahn said. August,-another`relative, lived where Sperry Corp. has • settled. For his part, Rahn has been involved In the city's growth, serving on the Township Board, Village Board and City Council from 1952 to 1977. He has sold all but a tiny piece of his farmland.to developers. However, the remaining couple of ,acres surrounding his house leave no doubt that he could not get rid of the farmer. in him: Raspberry bushes, potatoes, onions, carrots, parsley and apple trees take up much of his back and side yards. Later this summer.he'll sell potatoes out of the garage. "I used to have my.biggarden down below," he said, pointing to - the future site of a hotel behind his house. "When I called this spring, they told me they would develop it, so I planted a smaller garden this year." By selling out to developers, "I come out pretty good," Rahn said. William Holz, center, stood with his family In front of their home'in 1887. He was a member of Eagan's first Township Board_, ' "Myself, I wanted to hang onto (part of the farmland) because I — like to drive the snowmobiles. But t I hadn't sold, all of a sudden, $77,000 in assessments would have hit me in the face. You can't stop • progress." For the most part, developers have done a good job o1 preserving the trees, hills and lakes that made Eagan's countryside beautiful, according to Martin Des Lauriers, 54, a former police chief. f' His father hauled milk to creameries for Eagan farmers from the early 1920s to 1949. His great-grandfather was among the French Canadians who ventured into Eagan in the 19th'century.'. ••My When he was township constable from the early 1950s to 1965, Des w. Lauriers' work consisted mostly of serving papers and settling a few disagreements between farmers arguing over a fence line. Later, as police chief, he handled cases ranging from vandalism to homicides. - "At first,' did know everybody ln'' the township, and•rnost of the children as well. Never had a • domestic, very little theft of property (while the area was rural). We never had a key for our house on Yankee Doodle Rd. I left that place in 1968, and we never locked our door," he said; Polzin, who grew up as Agnes Holz in a homestead staked out in the 1870s by her grandfather William, $aig she misses the oid rurat ways.: 4. "You can't imagine the beautiful,, oak grove they took -down below.--.. when they put in 494," she said, :'"" looking toward her back yard, still cloistered from the road by a stand v+ of birches, oaks and shrubbery. • ;',-::,"There were so many birds there.lt ,t', would make your head spin." But at dusk, when the sun is shining just right, Polzin still looks out her living room window across the gravel road and enjoys the view. , • "It's pretty in the evenings when the lights are off," she said. will Oe asked to aD Chris Enger, Ede of planning, said votes must agree, mit cannot go fory and Hennepin Cou politan Council lc pansion, and Edet Enger said, the ci feel the city has t land use in Eden "'ptttteted'td'ger l...thafl414.14' 67• ,401,1 I .us Contra, ' y stirs ani Carver It used to be ttu Board members a workers approact sions like family out a group decisio ally went away hap But 18 'monthriii '"tibns 'over sr fist; t • tween the county ' "represented'' by'lb • Community Social. ees Federation 1i that. • ;:+ '1 Tempers hit a ne when a mediation, ter county represe tiations had hit ad nounced that these ers' week would h creased from 35"tb without an increase Social service worj not to be -organised bers•declded •to" practice of grand. creasas" based 'on h merit'system'ss4e " Cone • • schedule of suggest county social servit lashed by the Minix of Human Services. When board .meml only a 2 percent' i rather than the 7.8 mended by the mei service workers lot federation. Besieged Mounds View schools chief struggles for supp ortuinf dis By Jiro Adams 8.5-mill tax increase. Staff Writer Nygren's critics argue that he is part of the problem, and his support is eroding. Last week, for the first time, the board voted 4 to 3 not to truly needs a tax increase. Yet some of Nygren's actions have been counterproductive. sav some school board chairm The board gave Nyg in 15 of 19 areas eva but told him to imnn When Burt Nygren arrived in the Since then more referendums have fails and voters have also defeated GROWTH: School district enrollment expected to decline Continued from page 1 ple will jump in no matter what the season," he said. "The key thing Eagan has is a good geographical location, with (Inter- state Hwy.) 35E under construc- tion, and the new (Interstate Hwy.) 494, and Cedar Av. steadily In- creasing the access to the city. And No. 2 is its topography and terrain. With the rolling hills, trees and ponds, it's What people want for residential lots," Runkle said. Through June 30, the city had is- sued building permits for 248 sin- gle-family houses, 34 duplex units, 56 four-plex units and a 78-unit condominium building, for a total of 416 units. For all of 1982, per- mits were issued for 480 building units: 224 single-family houses, 60 duplex units. 108 four-plex units and 88 eight-plex units, Runkle said. Similar things are happening in Ap- ple Valley. "We've issued building permits for 97 new single-family houses through the end of June this year, as opposed to 37 for the same six months last year," said John Gretz, Apple Valley community develop- ment director. "We have issued permits for 41 townhouse units this year, as opposed to 26 for the same time last year; one double bunga- low this year as opposed to none last year and two more ready to go in, and 28 units in four-plexes as opposed to none last year." This year permits have been issued for three apartment buildings, for a total of 104 units; there was none the first six months of 1982, he said. In the first six months of 1983, the value of Apple Valley's residential construction is $16.6 million; the comparable 1982 figure was $4.2 million. Gretz and Runkle said their cities have growing pains. They must provide services to new areas, but haven't yet received tax revenues from them. "With a lock put on the amount a municipality can levy, we're trying to operate the same services with the same crew. It's getting tough, with more miles of streets, sewers and water to maintain," Gretz said. "But eventually, it will all wash out. We're doing everything we can to provide employment and a tax base, making as good an area as we can of a commercial and indus- trial area of the city." But, Gretz noted, with the rapid growth of the late 1970s, "we've learned to streamline and cope with the growth." The school districts are preparing for growth, too. Apple Valley -Rosemount School District 196 spreads across both communities, -as- well -al—Rose- mount, which grew by 13.9 per- cent, or 707 people, in the past three years; part of Lakeville, which grew by 1,290 people; and a small part of Burnsville, which grew by 1,906, according to the Metropolitan Council. Burnsville -Eagan -Savage School District 191 Includes the more de- veloped areas of Burnsville and Eagan, and expects some small growth in the Savage area, which grew by 18.1 percent, or 716 peo- ple, from 1980 to 1983, according to Metropolitan Council's esti- mates. Despite the growth figures, District 191 Deputy Superintendent Don O'Shaughnessy said he expects en- rollment to decline about 2 percent this fall. Big growth came in his district before the 1975-76 school year, when enrollment reached al- most 11,000, he said. "Enrollment has been in a steady decline since that time. Last fall we had 9,445 in kindergarten through 12th grade and dropped 100 or so during the school year. In late August, we expect 9,200 to show up," he said. Because of Savage's growth, there could be a small bulge in school population in that area in January, O'Shaughnessy said. Last year, Savage issued about 52 permits for residential units, said City Administrator Hank Sinda. In the first six months of this year, 60 have been issued, and another 200 or more starts are expected, he said. "This year alone, we'll proba- bly have 200 to 300 housing starts, which means 600 to 900 more peo- ple. This could be_the biggest growth year ever in Savage," he said. O'Shaughnessy attributes the de- cline in District 191 school popula- tion to the higher ages of people in the more settled areas of Burns- ville and Eagan. JoAnne Ellison, District 196 direc- tor of research and census, said she expects most of the new growth in Eagan, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Lakeville and Rose- mount to bring elementary stu- dents into the system. District 196 opened two elemen- tary schools two years ago, and so can handle the growing population, she said. There aren't plans to build more soon, but a citizen -staff - administration task force is keep- ing an eye on growth, she said. District 196 has 13,000 students with a district population of about 50,700, Ellison said. She said she is in close contact with planners and developers in the cities in the dis- trict, and expects perhaps an addi- tional 225 students this fall. Eagan a metro -area boomtown, � and the boom is growing louder By Ingrid Sandstrom CC Staff Writer �E vkx00..", t� Eagan has 36 square miles of hills, ponds and a rolling terrain lush with oaks and maples. Those al- lures and the city's proximity to downtown Minneapolis and down- town St. Paul make it a desirable place to live. So maintains Eagan Planning Di- rector Dale Runkle, and residen- tial building starts this year bear out his claim. Eagan, soon to be crisscrossed with freeways from both bigger cities, had the largest population increase in the metro- politan area during the past three years, according to Metropolitan Council figures released last week. It has grown by 4,380 people, to 25,080, since 1980, the Metropoli- tan Council said. Apple Valley, a 17-square-mile city next door to Eagan, has gained 2,472 residents in the past three years, the Metropolitan Council said. Its population is now 24,290. Apple Valley placed eighth in the council's growth sweepstakes. They're both still growing. The first two of the past three years of growth in Apple Valley and Eagan have been slow, reflect- ing the economic slump, city offi- cials say. But the cities have been growing, nonetheless; in fact, Ea- gan has been the metropolitan leader in residential building starts and permits issued three of the past four years, Runkle said. Considerable growth is evident this year. As interest rates dropped in the beginning of the year, Eagan broke records for housing starts for January and February; Runkle said. "When the interest goes down, the demand for housing goes up. Pea Growth continued on page 6 Area population Estimated change from 1980 census change from 1980 census to April 1983 fr Dakota County 4/1/80 census 4/1 '83 Percent estimate change Apple Vatley Burnsville Castle Rock Twp. Coates Douglas Twp. Eagan Empire Twp. Eureka Twp. Farmington Greenvale Twp. Hampton Hampton Twp. Hastings' Inver Grove Heights Lakeville Lilydale Marshan Twp. Mendota Mendota Heights Miesville New Trier Nininger Twp. Northfield' Randolph Randolph Twp. Ravenna Twp. Rosemount Sciota Twp. South St. Paul 21,818 35,674 1,340 207 614 20,700 1.224 1,268 4,370 641 299 848 12,811 17,171 14,790 417 1,655 219 7,288 179 115 774 13 351 385 1,683 5,083 242 21.235 24,290 37,580 1,370 210 620 25,080 1,230 1,300 4,470 650 310 900 12,830 17,920 16,080 420 1,720 220 7,520 180 120 790 20 350 410 • 1 1,730 5,790 250 20,880 11.3% 5.3 2.2 1.4 0.9 21.2 0.4 2.5 2.3 1.4 3.7 6.1 0.1 4.4 8.7 0.7 3.9 0.4 3.2 0.5 4.3 2.1 53.8 -0.3 6.5 2.8 13.9 3.3 -1.7 ' indicates that the town or township is part of two counties. Source / Metropolitan Council Dakota County (Continued) 4/1/80 4 1 83 Percent census estimate change Sunfish Lake Vermillion Vermillion Twp. Waterford Twp. West St. Paul Total 344 438 1,070 486 18,527 194,279 340 500 1, 130 480 18,420 206,110 1.2 14.2 5.6 -1.3 -0.6 6.1 Cott County.::... 4 1 80 census 4 1 83 Percent estimate change Belle Plain Belle Plain Twp. Btakeley Twp. Cedar Lake Twp. Credit River Twp. Elko Helena Twp. Jackson Twp. Jordan Louisville Twp. New Market New Market Twp. New Prague' Prior Lake St. Laurence Twp. Sand Creek Twp. Savage Shakopee Spring Lake Twp Total 2,754 765 515 1,507 2,360 274 1,215 1,483 2,663 813 286 1,636 1,898 7,284 350 1,516 3,954 9,941 2,570 43,784 2,940 780 520 1,570 2,480 290 1,240 1,510 2,870 850 310 1,740 2,120 8,140 380 1,560 4,670 10,780 2.670 47,420 6.8% 2.0 1.0 4.2 5.1 5.8 2.1 1.8 7.8 4.5 8.4 6.4 t 1.7 11.7 8.6 2.9 18.1 8.4 3.9 8.3 -41 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1996 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS REGION Good news for Eagan costs $5,000 • Professional poll says residents are happy with home DON AHERN STAFF WRITER The city of Eagan recently spent $5,000 for a professional survey of its citizens that essen- tially determined that, for the most part, folks like it out there. So, was it worth $5,000 for city officials to get what amounted to a pat on the back? "I definitely think it was worth it," said Mayor Tom Egan, "not because it was complimentary, but because it gave us good, solid, scientifically credible information that the city can use to great ad- vantage. As the result of this sur- vey, when we make more in- formed, intelligent decisions, we will save many times $5,000." In the survey, 85 percent of re- spondents said they think Eagan is heading in the right direction, 95 percent feel safe in their neighbor- hoods and 60 percent feel safe anywhere in Eagan. Services rang- ing from public safety to snow plowing received generally good marks. Location, parks and nature ar- eas, schools, low noise level and convenient access to shopping were most frequently mentioned as what people most like about their city, according to The Wal- lace Group, which conducted the survey. In physical development, parks and nature areas were tied with shopping centers as the most ac- cepted trend. They were followed by restaurants and the ice arena. Least favorable, and in some cases listed as negatives, were townhouse and apartment develop- ments, strip malls and more hous- ing. But the largest single response to what people like least about living in Eagan was "nothing," with 27 percent. Ten percent of respondents mentioned high taxes, and 9 percent complained about airplane noise. Egan pointed out that the 70 percent of respondents who fa- vored keeping land for parks and open space will have a chance to "put their money where their mouths are" in Tuesday's $3.8 mil- lion parks bond issue. The city proposes to buy about 20 scattered parcels of land for open space and future parks. "It goes to show that the city was on track when it made the decision to at least give voters an opportunity to acquire more land," he said. Egan added that city officials also have anticipated the will of the citizens in several other areas. Noting that a relatively high mi- nority of the respondents felt the city is not adequately informing its citizens, the mayor said that "the city already has implemented some new notice procedures and posting procedures announcing de- velopment proposals." He also noted that some people want a more defined downtown area, and that is being addressed with development of Eagan Prom- enade. The first store in that de- velopment, a Byerly's supermar- ket, is scheduled to have its grand opening there Nov. 3, he said. And while some people cited high taxes as a negative, Egan pointed out that the city ranks 95th among the metro area's 108 communities on city property tax- es assessed against a $100,000 house. While the negative comments were very much in the minority, City Administrator Tom Hedges said they won't be ignored. "You do a survey for a lot of reasons. You want to find out if you are moving in the right direc- tion and if there are corrections that need being done," he said. "You don't want those 10 percents (of negative comments) to grow to 20 or 30 percent. ... Had the re- sult come back differently and said the police or fire departments are ineffective, then we would have had to ask ourselves the tough questions and find out why." Sample questions ■ What do you like most about living in Eagan? 21%, good location/close to work. *12%, parks/nature areas. 8%, convenient access to the Twin Cities. 8%, schools/education. 7%, quiet. 6%, suburban location. 4%, convenient access to shopping. 3% each, convenient to freeways, the neighborhood, the people, feel safe, lot size. 2% each, convenient access to airport, clean, family oriented, proximity to other family. 10%, other. IN What do you like least about living In Eagan? 22%, nothing. 10%, high taxes. 9%, airplane noise. 4%, growing too fast. 3% each, too crowded, distance from Twin Cities, too many townhomes and apartments, lack of downtown. 2% each, too many strip malls, poor public transportation, too spread out, rising crime, overdevelopment. 1%, too many trees cut down. PIONEER PRESS Conferences to focus on new immigrants Road-c brings DON AHERN STAFF WRITER The busiest road in 1 was the slowest this we construction on Intersi from Minneapolis south i the end of constructio looms. Traffic slowed to a n crawl over the weekend work narrowed southbou down to one lane near Minneapolis, and Twins and other events lured of motorists into the T. on Saturday and Sunday. The traffic jams seen continuous. "I timed a vehicle fr way 65 where cars wo (southbound 35W) from or I-94 east," said Jessie, an information speciali: Minnesota Traffic Mar Center. "That's a distant a mile and a half, with o took that vehicle 33 min • One sponsor will can be made by calling the Hum- phrey Institute, 625-2055. candidate Anthony Amato; Donata DeBruyckere, associate of the Ru- Gunhlld Anderson, left, and Queen Silvia during EAGAN Sunsturrent 3 Sections September 16, 1992 Vol. 13. No. 39 lf eor Eagan positions more political By Terrance Mencel Come Nov: 3; voters will flip to a new chapter in Eagan's history. Never before has Eagan had the political clout it will soon lay claim to. But how that alters the city's independent reputation has yet to be played out. Eagan will gain an additional state representative and, for all practical purposes, its own state senator. Two county commis- sioners are to divide the city rather than one. And two new members will climb aboard the City Council. "There were times I felt we were a voice in the wilderness," said former Mayor Bea Brom- quist, who served the city 1980-87. Not any more. The city has become a headline rather than a blurb in metropolitan happen- ings, said Mayor Tom Egan. The long-awaited redistricting will better reflect the city's population explosion of the 1980s. "For the first time we will have legitimate representa- tion," said out -going Coun- cilmember Pam McCrea. "It's a very critical time for change in Eagan from an economic stand- point." .. "For the first time we will have legitimate representation ... It's a very critical time for change in Eagan from an economic standpoint." Pam McCrea City Council member Political movers and shakers hestitate calling the 1992 election pivitol to Eagan's history. And yet, they agree the results of this upcoming election have been long awaited. But the benefits of more representation will likely be seen in the larger metropolitan picture as the balance of state power shifts to the suburbs. Ex- pectations have centered on a more favorable tax structure, of which suburban cities have historically cried foul. Transportation, housing and other economic issues are cer- tain to gain suburban influence clout __)< at the state Capitol. Just how much shifting occurs depends on the suburbs uniting. So far, suburban cities have not proven they can work together, said former Mayor Vic Ellison, 1988-1989. "What we've seen is the suburbs have not been well organized" such as the Iron Range, Ellison said. Still, Eagan comes out ahead in the political game. "As far as state representa- tion, we were shortchanged for years," Blomquist said. District 38 (formerly Burns - POWER: To Pige 3A Power: New boundaries mean Eagan Sun•Current—Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1992-3A more representation From Page 1 A ville, Eagan, Mendota Heights) once had the most constituents of any district in the state. Rep. Art Seaberg's District 38B was larger than most state Senate districts, thus the outcome of redistricting. The new District 38 covers Eagan and Mendota Heights, with corners of Burnsville and Apple Valley. Now Eagan is in position to dictate its state representation. For years, Eagan looked up to big sister Burnsville whose 'tens overshadowed state elec- ms. Eagan's voters have tend- ; to be more independent than artisan in their voting unlike Jurnsville, where Independent- ,epublicans maintain a Lronghold. "People have never followed rle party line. So far they have n unbiased" at the city level, +id Councilmember Ted achter, long-time Eagan sident. Eagan politics have been 'enerally stable in the city that las witnessed massive growth n the 1980s, Egan said. "Old- time" Eagan influences dominated local politics 10 years ago. By the mid 1980s, new families began to flex their political mus- cle. "That has led in many respects the desire to define Eagan," he said. "We at the city level have been very cognizant of what they're saying." The "younger" influence peaked in the 1987 city election when challengers ousted two council members and mayor. The same turnover occurred 10 years earlier, but with voluntary resignations. "I think the political at- mosphere in Eagan is good," said McCrea, adding the present council members have enjoyed a strong working relationship. That relationship will also undergo change in this year's council election where eight can- didates are vying for two seats. With two new members, the ma- jority of the council will have less than two years' experience. While that becomes a concern, Egan said, "It's a golden oppor- tunity to break in fresh elements from the community." Mentoring the new members will be crucial in a council that is supposed to be void of partisan- ship, Egan said, saying Coun- cilmember Pat Awada already has proven how well mentoring can work. "She has had an insatiable ap- petite to learn before making a decision," he said. But decisions that will face the new council differ from those made in the 1980s. The city's focus has begun to turn away from development and onto redevelopment issues. "All we need to do is look at St. Paul and say someday we'll be there, but not at the same scale," McCrea said. Eagan has entered the twilight years in its develop- ment, Pawlenty said. Any development changes the coun- cil can influence will have to be made in the next five years. "They'll have to play the hand they've been dealt," Ellison said. To that end, divorcing politics from the council's agenda becomes more relevant. "If anybody tries to make the council partisan, it will be bad for the city," said out -going Councilmember Tim Pawlenty. The County Board also has a non -partisan role to fill in guiding Dakota County. There, too, the city gains more in- fluence as two commissioners will represent Eagan on the seven -member board. A Sept. 15 primary has since narrowed the field of candidates for districts 3 and 4 to two candidates. Overall, politics are expected to take on a larger role as the ci- ty matures. While he said the IR's are marginally ahead of the DFL, Pawlenty doesn't believe this election will create a ma- jority party in the city. "The notion that this is going to be an upscale Republican community is not accurate," said Pawlenty, the IR-endorsed candidate for the House of Representatives District 38B (which includes mostly southern Eagan). District 38B candidate Linda Rother, Pawlenty's DFL challenger, agrees Eagan voters will remain true to their past and vote for the candidate before the party. •£ -unoD £a!D `pieog ,faunoD Jo. saleptpuea se ueS ui ap!speoJ pue uo14 •Aoti uotaaaia aeaauag alp .IOJ suoiasod ,faxaof ainaeasglaq areas alp pue pa-aasJaaui aofew £iaea anoge asnf ae amid .naga punoj aeeq suits uo!aaan 'State news Studysays state ranks fourth in `frost -belt' growth CG- c.a. e {tcS By Mike Kaszuba attributed to a growing number of Staff Writer births. Minnesota had more births in 1981 than in any other year since Minnesota had the fourth -highest 1965. The study said the increase in growth rate among the "frost -belt" births was largely because of an in- states at the beginning of the 1980s, crease in women of childbearing age and has had the largest population and did not seem to indicate a return increase among the northern states, to larger families. a new state study says. The study by the Minnesota State Planning Agency, released last week, said that only Kansas, New Hampshire and North Dakota ranked ahead of Minnesota in growth rates among northern states. The statistics were compiled from April 1980 to April 1982. "Minnesota has been growing steadi- ly since the 1970s," said Don Feeney, a senior research analyst at the agency. "That makes it virtually alone among the frost -belt states. I think that says something." Although Minnesota ranked fourth among northern states, the study found that its growth rate ranked 25th among all states. The study said that 21 of the 24 states with the highest growth rates were "sunbelt" states of the South and West. Much of the growth rate in Minneso- ta, according to the study, can be In other findings, the study said that population growth in Minnesota was strongest in rural areas — particu- larly the north central lakes region — and that Hennepin and Ramsey counties had experienced modest population gains. Feeney said it was the first sign of population growth in either county since 1970. Other trends, according to the study. showed Eagan as the fastest -growing city of more than 10,000 people and St. Cloud as the fastest -growing met- ropolitan area. The rate of popula- tion decline in Minneapolis and St. Paul had slowed substantially since the 1970s, the study said. Minnesota grew by an estimated 57,364 people during the two-year period and the April 1982 population of 4,133,334 represented a 1.4 per- cent growth rate from April 1980. The growth rate was the same as in the 1970s. Population changes 1980-82 Counties with largest increase Sherburne 7.8% Scott 7.5 Kandiyohi 7.1 Beltrami 6.9 Hubbard 6.7 Counties with largest decrease Pennington-5.5°/O Cottonwood -3.8 Watonwan -3.3 Yellow Medicine -2.5 Freeborn -2.5 Cities with largest increase Eagan 13.9% Eden Prairie 11.4 Maple Grove 11.3 Woodbury 7.8 Apple Valley 7.6 Cities with largest decrease Albert Lea -4.1 % Duluth -3.1 Robbinsdale -2.7 Brainerd -2.7 Crystal -2.4 "That's a statement very few states in the frost belt can make," said Feeney. Feeney said that small cities in Min- nesota, especially those having fewer than 10,000 people, continued to have population declines. He said the study showed that most of the growth outstate was in the rural ar- eas and said that that trend might make it difficult for local govern- ments to provide services. t t. s #64 Wog .Ly Mb 6' County to expand homeless study to include all populations Eagan man approaches board about need for men's shelter By EVELYN HOOVER The study of homelessness in Dakota County will be ex- panded to include all homeless citizens, not just homeless families. After a citizen approached the County Board about the issue of homelessness among divorced men, commissioners realized the county's homeless study, to be completed in Sep- tember, had focused exclu- sively on families and people with disabilities. That's when the board, meet- ing as the Community Services Committee, changed staff di- rection to include a study of all homeless people in Dakota County. Warren Higgins of Eagan ap- peared before the board June 25 to point out the lack of serv- ices available to divorced men who are non -custodial parents and to men who are abused by their spouses. Higgins, himself divorced since 1994, said last winter he took in a man who was sleep- ing in a garage. "There are no temporary shelters" in Dakota County, Higgins said. He is part of a group working to get land and finance a shel- ter for men. Commissioner Patrice Bata- glia pushed for'the addition of all homeless groups in the study. She said that although she hasn't heard of a great need for services like those proposed by Higgins, she felt the study should include eve- ryone and not be limited to families. Community Services Director David Rooney said staff was following what he believed to be County Board direction when it limited the study to families. Bataglia pointed out that families can include one person, a childless couple, empty -nesters, single parents and traditional families. Commissioner Steve Loed- ing, who chairs the Community Services Committee, said he's not ready to commit to the need for a shelter but said he could see where a service like that might be a way to curb the rising crime rate. "High num- bers of people going into our jail are people going into this downward spiral" after a di- vorce, he explained. However, Commissioner Joe Harris, who voted against ex- panding the study, disagreed with the rest of the board. "There's all kinds of individu- als in need," Harris said. "We also have the taxpayers out there that can't afford to do everything for everyone." Alb Eagan maintains control on growth / Statistics released by the letropolitan Council show city ranks third in population increase in area since 1990. By Patrick Spaeth Staff Writer Growth has become a relative term in Eagan. During the 1980s, when con- struction of Interstates-494 and 35-E was completed, Eagan more resembled a homestead town than a maturing metropol- itan suburb, as businesses and residents swooped in to gobble up the now strategically -located land. Sun &rad'41 As a result, the city's popula- tion swelled from about 20,000 to nearly 47,000 in 1990. Since then, the growth has slowed, up 7,548 to 54,957 in 1994. Still, that was enough to place Eagan third in the population growth rankings released by the Metro- politan Council last week. Apple Valley was seventh, climbing 4,590 to 39,188. Ironically, managing the city's growth has become more difficult since those heady days of the 1980s, when the city was building up to 1,100 single-fam- ily home units a year, said Peggy Reichert, community develop- ment director for the city. "It's ta.>'ered off," she said. Rank/City Population ncrease 1/ Woodbury 28,627 8,552 2i Lakeville 32,978 8,124 3/ Eagan 54,957 7,548 4/ Coon Rapids` 58,991 6,013 5/ Eden Prairie 44,189 4,878 6/ Maple Grove 43,542 4,806 7/ Apple Valley 39,188 4,590 8/ Oakdale 22,933 4,559 9/ Andover 19,465 4,429 10/ Cottage Grove' g 2e615 R Source: Metropolitan Council MIKE GEARS/ STAFF ARTIST "Now we're developing land that's harder to develop. And there are neighbors, so there is more concern about what's going POPULATION: To Page 15A UUfS, 11U111 ullul llla..lvla about therapists to being there when the victim is in the court- room. TV ..a,, .,aa., Calls come from a number of places, from victims of sexual as- sault to school counselors needing the police interview. Now, Hartley said, more police officers are call- ing upon hearing a report of a sex - date rape, sexual assault services, sexual harassment, and other re- lated issues. are asked to call Sexual Assault Services/Dakota County Help Line at 431-2424. Population: Eagan controls growth From Front Page on there. The city's constantly changing." Reichert said the city's healthy business community — Blue Cross Blue Shield has an- nounced expansion plans while other, smaller companies also have applied for expansion grants — force the city to rede- velop. That includes creating new intersections, redirecting water and sewage lines and ex- pansion of interchanges or road- ways. Yankee Doodle Road, a major artery of the city, is tar- geted for expansion sometime next year. The city also is undergoing re- pairs and replacement of its in- frastructure and is adding water towers and pumps. All of which puts added pres- sure on the city to finance and manage the growth. So far, the city has managed to keep a pledge of a zero -percent raise on its municipal tax levy for 1995 and 1996. Instead, the city has drawn on enterprise funds gen- erated from water and utility billings. But Reichert is as un- certain how the city will be able to meet its maintenance and re- development needs as anyone. "That is always a struggle," she said. "It's real hard. What is a fair way to share costs? Isn't that the ultimate question of a democracy?" The ultimate questions for Apple Valley were answered rather satisfactorily in the late 1960s, when the city was a quiet hamlet of about 8,700. John Gretz, the city administrator, credits city planners then for projecting growth that allowed Apple Valley to reach its current level at a consistent, relatively bump -free rate. "We were fortunate," he said. "Somehow, we were able to go through recessions and other things and maintain a steady rate of growth." Apple Valley has averaged between 300-400 housing starts a year through its history, topped out at 600 and ebbing at 200. "We really haven't had any surprises," Gretz said. 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This fall, add some class to your life. ■ Enhance your career, improve your skills, broaden your perspective Over 100 classes available to help you achieve a wide range of work -related and personal goals. • Days and times that fit your schedule Classes available weekdays, weekday evenings and Saturdays. • Convenient Locations Classes offered at the Inver Hills campus and at locations in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Cottage Grove, Eagan, Hastings, St. Paul, and Woodbury. • Tuition you can afford, the quality you expect Suburbs Gain Population Faster Than Minneapolis St. Paul Lose By GEORGE McCORMICK Minneapolis Tribune Staff Writer Population declines in Min- neapolis and St. Paul were more than offset by gains in suburban areas during the last year, the Metropolitan Council reported Wednesday. As of last April 1, the coun- cil said, the population of the 5-per seven - county metropolitan area was 1,835,908, a gain of 28,700 during the preced- ing 12 months. The estimated rate of population growth for the year was 1.6 per cent. There were increases in population in all seven coun- ties. Dakota County, with a Table Shows Growth of Suburbs Estimated 1960 April 1, Community Census 1967 Bloomington 50,498 Brooklyn Center 24,356 Brooklyn Park 10,197 Champlin 1,271 Champlin Twp. 822 Chanhassen (Pt.) Corcoran 1,237. Crystal 24,283 Dayton (Pt.) 398 Dayton Twp. 804 Deephaven 3,286 Eden Prairie 3,233 Edina 30,482 Excelsior 2,020 Fort Snelling 898 Golden Valley 14,559 Greenfield 639 Greenwood 520 Hanover (Pt.) 85 Hassen Twp. 750 Hopkins 11,370 Independence 1,446 Long Lake 996 Loretto 271' Maple Grove 2,213 Maple Plain 754 Medicine Lake 323 Medina 1,472 Minneapolis 482,872 Minnetonka 25,037 Minnetonka Beach 544 Minnetrista 2,211 Mound 5,440 New Hope 3,552 Orono 5,643 Osseo 2,104 Plymouth 9,576 Richfield 42,523 Robbinsdale 16,381 Rockford (Pt.) 43 Rogers 378 St. Anthony (Pt.) 4,744 St. Bonifacius 576 St. Louis Park 43,310 Shorewood 3,197 Spring Park 668 Tonka Bay 1,204 Wayzata 3,219 Woodland 449 74,828 31,560 17,929 2,035 1,419 20 1,410 30,144 429 2,205 3,536 6,159 40,813 2,506 885 22,980 817 601 121 818 13,022 1,932 1,374 328 4,594 922 394 2,162 468,107 32,788 609 2,724 6,313 15,459 6,204 2,832 14,304 48,220 18,621 71 466 6,933 653 48,919 3,937 955 1,323 4,220 470 TOTAL HENNEPIN CO. 842,854 950,071 TOTAL SUBURBAN HENNEPIN COUNTY. 359,982 481,964 (Pt. -only that part in Hennepin County.) Estimated April 1, 1968 77,475 33,087 19,851 2,159 1,568 20 1,413 30,697 429 2,246 3,555 6,312 42,835 2,607 882 23,375 864 601 126 816 13,756 2,026 1,437 327 5,020 967 385 2,223 457,768 33,617 619 2,815 6,495 18,545 6,322 2,916 15,440 49,059 18,979 82 489 7,065 658 50,457 3,990 992 1,332 4,255 471 959,425 501,657 cent increase, had the greatest growth rate. But Hennepin County, which remains the largest in the area in terms of population, had the greatest increase in numbers. Hennepin County gained 9,354 persons during the year covered by the council's sur- vey. Suburban Hennepin County gained 19,693 per- sons, but this increase was offset by a loss of 10,339 in Minneapolis. THERE was a 2.2-per cent decrease in the population of Minneapolis, from 468,107 in 1967 to 457,768 this year, the council found. Of the total loss, 4,000 fell in the under- age-18 population segment. Since 1960, t h e council said, Minneapolis has lost more than 25,000 persons. The drop in St. Paul dur- ing the year covered by the survey amounted to .04 per cent - from 317,287 to 316,- 171. Like Hennepin, Ramsey County showed a net gain, with growth in suburbs sur- passing losses in the central city. GAINS in other counties were Anoka, 4,069 (2.9 per cent); Carver, 885 (3.3 per cent); Scott, 908 (3.1 per cent), and Washington, 2,156, (2.9 per cent). Hennepin County commun- ities with the largest popula- tion growths in absolute num- bers are New Hope (3,086), Bloomington (2,647), Edina (2,022), Brooklyn Park (I, 922), St. Louis Park (1,538) and Brooklyn Center (1,527). The council reaches its an- nual population estimates es- sentially by determining the population above age 18 on the basis of adjusted school households, the population under age 18 on the basis of adjusted school censuses and institutional population through direct counts. Following is a table show- ing population estimates for Hennepin Count; communi- ties: Thurs., Oct. 3, 1968 ** THE MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE 6/qattiiiislA 21ii1� Lakeville and Eagan among leaders in metrowide population growth The city of Lakeville ranks second, behind Woodbury, in population and household growth in the Twin Cities metro area during the 1990s. According to the Metropoli- tan Council's annual "Population and Household Estimates," Lakeville has gained more than 8,124 resi- dents between 1990 and 1994 to reach an estimated popula- tion of 32,978 as, of April 1, 1994. The city of Eagan, a growth leader during the 1980s, con- tinues the trend, ranking third in both household and popula- tion gains. Eagan's population rose 7,548 over the first four years of the 1990s to an estimated 55,000 as of April 1994. Ap- proximately 2,871 new house- holds have since joined the area. To the south, 2,550 new households made their home in Lakeville during the early 1990s. Apple Valley experienced a population increase of 4,590 residents (bringing the esti- mated population to 39,188), Burnsville had approximately 3,237 new residents (increasing the population to 54,525), and Farmington saw 930 additional residents (increasing its population close to 7,000). Dakota County ranks fourth in the running for the fastest growing county in the metro area with an 11.9 percent growth increase, raising the population to 308,002 as of April 1994. The county holds approximately 110,660 house- holds with 2.77 people per household. Washington County is the fastest growing metro -area county with a 16 percent in- crease in population. Scott County comes in a close sec- ond, and Carver County ranks third with a .14.8•, percent growth increase. Though the western half of the Twin Cities metro area usually accounts for about two- thirds of the new regional growth each year, the growth gap between east and west ap- pears to have narrowed some- what in the '90s. The eastern part of the region captured 42 percent of the re- gional gains. Continued strong residential building activity in Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove and Eagan have contrib- uted a good share of this growth. Of the 10 largest population gainers in the region, six cities are located in the western half, including Plymouth, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove and An- dover in the northwestern sec- tor, and Lakeville and Eden Prairie in the southwestern sec- tor. Woodbury, Eagan, Apple Valley and Oakdale from the eastern metro complete the top 10 list of cities with the high- est population growth. To- gether, these communities con- tributed almost half of the population growth in the region between 1990 and 1994. Metropolitan Council fore- casts indicate significant growth in the metro area over the next 25 years. In fact, the council expects the Twin Cit- ies area will grow to 3.1 mil- lion people by the year 2020, up from today's population of 2.4 million. The forecasted increase of 650,000 people exceeds the region's growth during the past 25 years, when the region ex- perienced a population in- crease of 575,000 people. The council also forecasts an additional 330,000 more households in the region by the year 2020. There are currently an estimated 940,000 house- holds in the Twin Cities metro area. "These forecasts," said Re- gional Administrator Jim Solem, "emphasize the impor- tance of assessing current de- velopment patterns in the metro area and determining, with public input, how to shape growth and development in the future." Copies of the report, "Population and Household Estimates," are available for $1 by calling the council's Data Center at 291-8140. Imei99] vol. i no.l EagaiBusinessm News A quarterly publication of the City of Eagan, Eagan Economic Development Commission and the Eagan Chamber Trucking study draws conclusions Planning commission will ask for zoning amendments that cover industrial sites While Eagan's location makes it a prime area for the trucking industry, the ordinances that regulate it and other industrial businesses may be in need of some updating. This finding is one result of a trucking study recently completed by the Eagan Advisory Planning Com- mission and the Economic Development Commission. The APC is presently studying many of Eagan's industrial properties and will bring its recommen- dations for zoning amendments to the Eagan City Council in July. "We're looking not so much at trucking, but at all industrial uses," said Eagan Senior Planner Lisa Freese, the city staff coordinator of the study. Though trucking implies travel and routes, zoning codes cannot regulate these and other "off -site impacts," factors that are more aptly addressed by a roadway corridor study, the APC report concluded. Instead, much of the APC's focus will be on screening setbacks and outdoor storage standards, Freese said. Though the APC's recommen- dations primarily addressed zoning changes, truck routes and "visual impact (Trucking...continued on page 3) Lone Oak Road is designated as too steep for truck traffic Eagan expects record business growth in 1997 Large projects dominate the business landscape, but smaller firms account for most of the city's business growth While Eagan's explosive residential expansion has slowed some- what in recent years, 1997 promises to be a record year for construction overall, largely the result of commercial and industrial activity. After a late spring start, building permits totaled 159 in April, up 6 percent from April 1996. The increase is expected to be even higher since figures to date do not reflect the late start of the 1997 construction season caused by adverse weather. The total valuation for new buildings and expansions in 1997 is expected to top last year's almost $132 million, said Doug Reid, the head of Eagan's Building Inspection Division. Among the group of permits issued in April, new townhome and commercial/ industrial projects were the biggest gainers. This year's growth differs in some ways from that of 1996, when much of the attention was focused on Eagan Promenade, the large retail development located on Yankee Doodle Road near Interstate 35E. "This year we have new hotels and motels, restaurants, day -cares, medical clinics and all types of commer- cial structures," Reid said. Noting that Eagan's 1996 new construction valuations were just below $132 million, Reid said this level is far from typical. "For a lot of cities, $60 to 80 million in valuations is good," Reid said. "Farmington had a super big year last year with $36 million in valuations." Much of this year's growth can be attributed to the U.S. Postal Service office building in the Waters Addition, a facility that will cost about $40 million and is expected to have 600 to 700 employees. Large residential contruction projects include the Eagan Promenade townhomes, which alone is adding 286 housing units. April permits for single- family homes were down by 28 from April 1996. Looking at the hospitality industry, demand for Eagan hotels runs parallel to increases in the business community and overall population, Reid said. "We have the possibility of having (Growth...continued on page 2) The John Allen project near MN Highway 55 and 1-494 is just one of many office -warehouse complexes currently nearing completion in Eagan (GrOwth...continued from page 1) City Administrator Hedges to supervise community development activities Following more than a year of experience with a new operating arrangement in Community Development, the Eagan City Council has decided to make it permanent. City Administrator Thomas Hedges has supervised the department, with Senior Planner Lisa Freese taking responsibility for community develop- ment studies and special projects and Senior Planner Michael Ridley taking charge of proposed development projects. Chief Building Official Doug Reid is responsible for the city's protec- tive inspections functions. Jon Hohenstein, Assistant to the City Administrator, has coordinated eco- nomic development activities and serves as the primary contact with Eagan's Economic Development Commission. "We are excited about the talent and experience of our current staff," said Hedges, "we feel we have the right personalities and abilities for Eagan as it builds out and takes its first steps in redevelopment." Hedges has supervised depart- ment activity since former Community Development Director Peggy Reichert resigned in March 1996. In that period, final agreements were reached on various issues concerning Eagan Promenade and a wide array of other development projects were launched. In making the current operating system permanent, the City Council noted that it promotes efficiency and results in cost savings for the city. four new hotels under construction this year," he said. Fueling the demand for addi- tional hotel rooms are leading area corporations, such as Northwest Airlines, West Group (formerly West Publishing) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, which bring many employees and other visitors to Eagan for training and various other functions. New office construction is also underway in the city of Eagan, marking a resurgence of office building in the southem suburbs of the Twin Cities. Unlike most recent office projects, some of these are proceeding without complete space commitments. This suggests growing optimism in the commercial real estate sector. Fairfield Suites opening highlights growth of Eagan's hospitality industry The presence of Bill Marriot made the recent grand opening of Eagan's newest hotel, the Fairfield Suites, an especially noteworthy event. Marriott is the chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International, the vast hotel organization which franchises Fairfield Suites, a brand aimed at both the business and leisure markets. Gary Holmes is the developer of the 105-room Fairfield Suites on Crestridge Drive, just off Pilot Knob Road, and his CSM Corporation has plans to add several other Marriott lodging facilities in the Twin Cities area. Another major growth story involves Eagan's hospitality industry, itself. With this latest addition, Eagan's hotel choices have nearly doubled in the past four years, bringing the total to seven. Since the Eagan Convention and Visitor's The first Fairfield Suites, the newest line of Mariott hotels, debuts in Eagan Bureau began operations in November 1993, three new hotels have been built and more may be on the way, according to CVB Director Ann Carlon. With construction well underway, Extended Stay America will be a new entry in this growing sector of the lodging market. With plans to open this fall near Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob roads, the facility will serve a number of corporate clients, many of which need facilities for longer term stays. The key, however, is to fill rooms consistently. Occupancy percentage rates make or break a hotel business. Eagan hotels carry a healthy 77 percent occupancy rate, with the peak occurring between Sundays and Thursdays. By comparison, the national average is 66 percent. Eagan was at 69 percent in 1990, the year when ratings first became available, Carlon said. To encourage hotel occupancy, the Eagan CVB heavily markets Eagan's proximity to the Mall of America. Created by the City of Eagan and funded by a 3 percent occupancy tax, the CVB operates as a unit of the Northern Dakota County Chamber of Commerce and keeps a close eye on Eagan's tourism and hospitality industries. Eagan Business News The Eagan Business News is a quarterly publication funded jointly by the City of Eagan, the Eagan Chamber of Commerce and the Eagan Economic Development Commission. With its focus on Eagan businesses and the economy of the community, EBN aims to be a valuable information source and provide useful guidance on dealing with city government. EBN will report on issues affecting Eagan businesses and news concerning area companies. As the only publication reporting regularly on Eagan, we hope to provide a service to local businesses and the community at large. Comments and information from Eagan companies are welcomed at 681-4604 or 681-4612(fax), e-mail to ebn@ci.eagan.mn.us, or write to the Editor, Eagan Business News, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN 55122. Upgrade to `super 2-lane' expected for Highway 13 The City of Eagan and area business organizations are working together to seek funding from the Minnesota Department of Transportation to upgrade the now two-lane section of Minnesota Highway 13 to a four -lane highway. Under a plan currently under consideration, Highway 13, which is also known as Sibley Memorial Highway, would be upgraded to a "super 2-lane" roadway, with a continuous raised center median, turn lanes and signalization at the Blackhawk Road intersection, according to Eagan's director of public works, Tom Colbert. "Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all," said Larry Wenzel of the Eagan Small Business Association, which first raised the issue of needed traffic relief on Highway 13. Wenzel, the SBA and the Eagan Chamber of Commerce have worked closely with Colbert and area businesses to press the issue and voice their concerns. "We're trying to get the truck traffic from Yankee Doodle and Lone Oak roads to travel 13 up to Mendota Heights Road and, in turn, to Interstate 494," Wenzel said. In pursuit of that goal, several local meetings were organized by the Eagan Chamber of Commerce, including one that involved area legislators. "We Local businesses succeed in getting OK for Hwy 13 upgrade looked to bring in people from the broader community, not just businesses along Highway 13," said Jennifer Hearon, president of the Northern Dakota County Chamber, the parent group of the Eagan unit. In all, 75 to 100 businesses have taken part in the discussions, accord- ing to Hearon. Traffic volume appears to be the crucial factor of concern to business. The southern end of the two-lane stretch of Highway 13 south of Yankee Doodle handles about 20,000 vehicles per day, Colbert said. The north end carries about 7,000 vehicles. If all goes well, the "super 2" upgrade for the stretch betwen Seneca and Yankee Doodle roads could begin in April 1998, according to MNDOT. A MNDOT corridor study to consider a Highway 13 connection to Interstate 494 is not in the cards at this time, according to Colbert. While MNDOT has agreed to participate in a corridor study of the two- lane segment on Highway 13 it will not take part in a study to consider a possible interchange between Highway 13 and Interstate 494. Colbert says the area fails to meet spacing requirements for merge and exit ramps and MNDOT representa- tives have said that traffic volumes are too low to justify it. Eagan sewer rates among lowest in area Eagan ranks second lowest in the south metro area for typical residential sewer rates, according to a recent written poll conducted by the city of Lakeville. Typical yearly costs for 100,000 gallons of sewer usage were listed, with Eagan coming in at $164.84. Apple Valley was the lowest, at $158.40, while Farmington was among the higher ones at $253.60. In Eagan, sewer rates are the same for both residential and commercial customers, according to Tom Colbert, Eagan's director of public works. In both cases, sewer charges are based on water usage. There is, however, one exception to the rule. Single family residential homes are billed based on the previous winter's water usage, a policy that excludes lawn watering, car washing, and other outdoor uses during the warmer months. "This assumes that not all of the water goes down the drain," Colbert said. Eagan conducted its own comprehensive survey of sewer charges in September 1996, listing 11 south metro communities and their respective rates and fees. Billing methods varied to such a degree that drawing conclusions was difficult. "It's not comparing apples to apples," Colbert said. No rate increases are currently planned for Eagan, but the City Council will review sewer and water rates this fall, said Gene VanOverbeke, Eagan's director of finance. (Trucking...continued from page 1) zones" were identified, as well. The latter listed areas with high visibility to visitors and those passing through Eagan. These thoroughfares include Interstate 494, Minnesota Highway 77 (Cedar Avenue) and Interstate 35E. Yankee Doodle Road, from Coachman Road to Lexington Avenue, was also listed, in recognition of its role as the main artery through the city's central commercial area. The APC identified a number of roadways as truck routes, most of them in the northern, industrial section of the city. Minnesota Highways 149, 13 and 55 were listed in this category, as were Lone Oak Road, Lexington Avenue, Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road. Because of its steep grades, and expensive potential upgrade costs, the section of Lone Oak road between Pilot Knob and Minnesota 13 was listed as an inappropri- ate truck route. As a relevant complement to the APC report, the Eagan Economic Develop- ment Commission also drew some conclusions about trucking. This panel addressed issues such as employment, tax base impacts, relationships to other businesses, the city's image and several other considerations. The EDC urged the city to make an effort to retain existing trucking businesses, all of which have invested in the city. It recommended that expansions should be allowed, explaining that "limitations on future trucking locations and development should not unnecessar- ily limit the ability of existing companies to operate and expand within the city." Suggesting "reasonable, but appropriately high, standards for trucking development," the EDC would allow market forces to lower the demand for new trucking locations, without discouraging quality firms from locating or expanding in Eagan. New businesses Since January 1997, the following Eagan businesses opened their doors. If we have missed you, please let us know and you will be included in the September issue. A Bridal Garden 1340 Duckwood Dr., #4 Bubbles Cleaners 1971' Silver Bell Rd. Castle Shipping Line 2020 Silver Bell Rd., #30 Countrywide Home Loans 1470 Yankee Doodle Rd. Road Crusader 2855 Lone Oak Circle Eagan Executive Suites 1230 Eagan Industrial Blvd. Eagan Gentle Dental 3910 Cedarvale Dr. Electronic Communications Systems, Inc. 1951 Shawnee Rd. Emporium Gifts 3535 Blue Cross Rd. Fairfield Suites 3625 Crestridge Dr. Famous Footwear Eagan Promenade Geometric Computing 3960 Beau D'Rue Dr. John Hardy's Bar-B-Que Yankee Square Plaza JD's Investments Limited 2127 Cliff Rd., #6 Midwest Guest Suites 1105 Duckwood Trail Mortgages Unlimited 3470 Washington Dr., #21 4 Oscar Nails 2905 W. Service Rd. Precision Tune 3565 Pilot Knob Rd. Progress Casualty Ins. Yankee Square Office II Red Rose Florists 1973 Silver Bell Rd. Regency Rentals 2905 W. Service Rd. Travel Express 1476 Yankee Doodle Rd. Tobacco Etc. Yankee Square Volt Services Yankee Square Office II Cedarvale Business Activity Area task force and marketplace concept create interest With a new burst of energy, business owners in the Cedarvale area are seeking to press efforts to revitalim' the entire area. The issue arose with renewed vigor at the March Business Forum sponsored by the Eagan Chamber. Cedarvale area business owners shared their concerns with Mayor Egan and a number of city staff members. "Through the Forum, businesses decided to resurrect the Cedarvale Task Force and take action to regain the business health of the area," said Chamber president Jennifer Hearon. "This is exactly what the Forums were designed to do." The upgrade of Highway 77 with the new Cedar Avenue Bridge changed the casual shopping area of the Cedarvale Mall to a destina- tion marketplace and forced businesses to rely on their unique products and services to get customers to return. Hugh Fitzgerald, owner of Cedarvale Lanes, invested in staff team building, quality food and state-of-the- art bowling equipment, and has prospered. Dan Sjolseth leads task force concerned about business activity in the Cedarvale area Fitzgerald has seen significant growth, with 3,500 to 4,000 bowlers per week during league season, a dramatic increase in junior bowlers and a 400 percent increase in birthday parties per month. Food sales during the month of February surpassed total food sales for all of 1991. Cedarvale Lanes has become one of the top three bowling centers in the state, according to Bob Klatt, marketing manager. Dan Sjolseth, the owner of Car Star/Superior Collision, says his firm has enjoyed steady business growth from continuous marketing, but he believes the area could do better. Sjolseth is leading other business owners on the Cedarvale Task Force in discussing the value of a Tax Increment Financing (111-) district designation. "We want to hear from neighboring businesses," Sjolseth said. "This can be a strong economic area with the right business mix." An outdoor/indoor weekend market at Cedarvale will begin operations on July 12 as Marketplace @ Cedarvale. "This is a new way to retail," explains owner Marvin Davis. A variety of colorful and tasty products will be sold by specialty vendors at the outdoor and indoor areas of Cedarvale Mall, every weekend, year -around. Everything from fresh produce, furniture and cut flowers to specialty breads and fresh • berries, will be sold. Enter- tainment, such as mariachi bands and pony rides, will add to the festive marketplace ambiance. Call the chamber at 452-9872 for more informa- tion on Cedarvale Area Task Force. Eagan Meetings Important to NORThERN DAKOTA COUNTY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE Eagan Chamber Monthly Meeting (third Thursday of each month, Lost Spur Country Club at 7:30 a.m). June 19- Award Winning Businesses July - No regular meeting Aug. 14- Business Marketing Eagan Business Forum "The City of Eagan Listens to Business" Topic is Signage Regula- tions- meeting in the Town Center area, Thursday, July 31. 7:30 a.m. All businesses welcome. Call the chamber for more details, 452-9872. Eagan Economic Develop- ment Commission- meets at 7 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Eagan Municipal Center on Pilot Knob Road. Business The Eagan City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Center. Comments are welcome during the "Visitors to he Heard" portions of the agenda. Ca11 681-4600 for more information.