Wayzata Weekly

City Events

Dig it Day Sat. May 16 Event canceled

Unite the Night Tues. Aug. 4 Postponed until Oct. 6

If you call city hall, and no one answers, leave a message

If you call city hall during business hours and you get a recorded voice mail message instead of a person, DON’T HANG UP, leave a message and someone will get back to you.

In response to Governor Walz extending the Executive Stay at Home Order, city facilities remain closed to the public. We understand it can be frustrating to call city hall and get a recorded voice mail message instead of a person. However, leaving a message with a return phone number is the best way for someone to efficiently respond to your needs.

Many city staff are working from a laptop computer and a cell phone set up at their kitchen table. Many of the city hall phones are “rolling over” to a cell phone with a single line. Please be patient as staff adjusts their business practices to accommodate this structure to serve you.

Please do not call the police department with questions about the DMV or about city hall opening to the public. The police dispatcher is happy to assist you when he/she can, but most often you will be referred to someone at city hall.

City Hall

952-404-5300

Mon. – Thurs 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fri 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Police warn, stay off the tracks

As air temperatures climb and people venture outside to enjoy spring, walking along the BNSF Railway tracks to get to a destination may seem like a good idea; but it’s not. People who walk near the train tracks, on the tracks or in the gauge (area between the rails) are trespassing, an offense that is punishable by state and federal law.

“With the warm weather and with Lake Street under construction, it is not uncommon for officers to see people walking on the tracks or just hanging out on the tracks,” said Wayzata Police Chief, Mike Risvold. “The railroad track between Broadway Ave and Barry Ave is a hot spot for trespassers. People don’t realize their decision to walk on the tracks could be deadly and it doesn’t have to be that way.” The City of Wayzata engineers have a designated pedestrian and bike detour route that doesn’t require crossing the railroad tracks. The map can be found on navigatewayzata.com or on the city’s website, Wayzata.org.

The Wayzata Police Department is working with officials from BNSF Railway to ensure people are staying off railway tracks and only crossing where it's safe and legal to do so. The police department is sending a message to the community, respect the track, stay off the tracks.

Doors locked - try virtual city hall

Based on the recent order from the governor and current expectations for social distancing, city hall, the department of motor vehicle and the public works building are closed until further notice.

Many City services can be accessed digitally via our new Virtual City Hall.

Virtual City Hall makes it easier for residents, businesses, and visitors to find information, access services, and connect with City staff during a time when many of our operations have had to shift. To learn how you can conduct your City business from the comfort of your own home, visit www.wayzata.org/virtualcityhall.

Virtual Public Meetings

Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.015 and until further notice, the Wayzata City Council, Planning Commission, and Housing and Redevelopment Authority meetings will be held by electronic means using the cloud-based audio and video conferencing platform Zoom. Though the meetings will be conducted remotely, you can still watch and provide public comments. Visit www.wayzata.org/virtualpublicmeetings for instructions.

Motor Vehicle Department serving residents online and via a drop box

The State of Minnesota has allowed state DMV offices to offer limited services* while the state is under the Governor's Stay At Home order.

Tab/registration renewals

Tab and registration renewal paperwork and payments may be placed in an envelope and put in the gray Utility Drop Box located across the parking lot form the motor vehicle center entrance. The box is checked daily.

*Vehicle titles are not being transferred at the Wayzata office during this time.

Use the drop box for boat, snowmobile and ATV registration renewals

If you have your renewal card from the state, please include the following information in an envelope and leave it in the Utility Drop Box:

Renewal card
Check payable to City of Wayzata (include phone number)

If you do not have your card issued by the state, you can complete an AUTHORIZATION TO REGISTER DNR REGISTRATION – a downloadable form found on the motor vehicle web page. Follow the instructions on the form and leave the form and payment in the Utility Drop Box.

Community Development

The City Wayzata is the latest community to join Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy initiative to help the city achieve its energy goals and assist local residents and businesses in reducing their energy bills and carbon footprints. There will be three workshops over the next 4 to 6 months. Committee members will help the community identify goals and strategies. If you are interested in joining the Energy Action Team and participating in the planning workshops, contact Nick Kieser at nkieser@wayzata.org or (952) 404-5313. If you would like more information, you can watch the online video or go to Xcel Energy's website.
The review schedule for several Development Applications has been affected by COVID-19. To track the anticipated review schedule for a particular project, please visit the Proposed Development Projects page of the city website.
The May 18 Planning Commission meeting will be held virtually due to COVID-19. Members of the public who wish to provide comments on any agenda items can find instructions at: www.wayzata.org/virtualpublicmeetings. More information about canceled meetings can be found at: www.wayzata.org/coronavirus.

Wayzata Wine & Spirits opens earlier

New hours begin May 11

On Mon. May 11, Wayzata Wine & Spirits will open its doors earlier.

NEW hours of operation

Mon - Thurs. 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Fri. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

All other operations remain the same at municipal wine and spirits store. There is a limit of five people in the store at one time and employees are taking extra precautions to keep patrons safe. No-touch credit card terminals and protective shields are at each register. Employees are wearing gloves and acrylic shields.

Delivery standards

$100 minimum purchase required for delivery. Orders less than $100, must be picked up at the store.

Delivery hours
Mon – Sat. 12 p.m.- 5 p.m..

24-hour advance notice requested
Orders placed without a 24-hour lead time, are subject to availability. Deliveries are subject to a 2-hour time window. Patrons will be asked to select a date and time frame for all deliveries. Efforts will be made to accommodate a faster delivery request, but requests are dependent on available staff and transportation.

Credit card approval needed before delivery. Cash is not accepted.
Orders must be paid by credit card, in full, prior to delivery.

ID Required for All Deliveries
Orders are delivered by personnel wearing gloves. The person receiving the delivery must be age 21 or over, with a valid ID. To limit human contact, IDs will be validated at the front door and deliveries will be left on the front step. Deliveries will not be placed in the house or in the garage.

Public Works

Construction projects

Panoway on Wayzata Bay (Phase 1) – Lake Street (Broadway Ave to Ferndale Rd)
This project is underway, including construction of the Dakota Rail Trail extension between Ferndale Rd and Barry Ave.

Eastbound Lake Street, from Ferndale Rd to Barry Ave, remains closed to motorists to allow for construction of the trail, sidewalk, and curb along the south side of Lake Street. Westbound Lake Street remains open to motorists in this area. Last week, the contractor began installing new curbs and sidewalks in this segment of the project. Sidewalk and trail construction will continue for the next few weeks.

New concrete curb on Lake St near Barry Ave

The full closure of Lake Street between Broadway Ave and Manitoba Ave is currently in place, to accommodate utility improvements and construction of the new street and sidewalks. The full closure of Lake Street in these areas is expected to remain in place through the end of July. Businesses on Lake Street will continue to be accessible to pedestrians and there is ample parking available on adjacent streets, and at the City’s Mill Street Parking Ramp.

In the last couple of weeks, the contractor has installed new water mains along Lake Street from Broadway Ave to Manitoba Ave, as well as new street light bases and underground wiring conduits that will provide power for the new street lights.

New water main connection, looking west on Lake Street at Broadway Ave

A Note on Public Safety

There are many safety hazards that exist on the Wayzata Panoway construction site, which is why the site has been fenced, and the public is not permitted to enter the site. Perhaps the most dangerous hazard is the heavy equipment with operators having limited visibility moving on the site. Various types of heavy equipment will be on site for the entire summer. Some of this heavy equipment is being used to dig deep trenches and pits which present fall hazards for anyone wandering the site. The site will be kept as clean as possible, but nonetheless there are various trip hazards throughout the site. Many of the tools being utilized on site can launch gravel and other small particles into the air which could injure eyes and skin, which is why everyone on the site is required to wear safety glasses and hard hats. These are just a few of the major safety concerns on the site; countless other hazards exist because of the inherently unpredictable and dangerous nature of construction activities.

2020 Sanitary Sewer Lining

The city is planning to perform maintenance on several sewer mains throughout the City, beginning in May. The maintenance includes the lining of the existing sewer main with a Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) liner. Sewer relining is a quick and economical process in lieu of replacing pipes by open excavation. This process prevents major traffic disruptions and health hazards from potential exposure to raw sewage. The 2020 project proposes to line approximately 8,800 feet of sewer main in the following areas: Harmony Circle, Rosswood Lane, Ridgeview Drive, Ridgeview Lane, Margaret Circle, Shadyway Rd, Barry Ave North, and Gardner Street (east of Barry Avenue). Construction is expected to begin in mid-May.

2020 Bituminous Seal Coat

A map of the streets proposed to be seal coated in 2020 can be found below. Crack sealing and seal coating of the streets is planned for June and July.

Utilities

CenterPoint Energy (Cty Rds 101 and 15, Hwy 12) - CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Michels Corporation, has begun replacing natural gas mains in Wayzata along selected streets in the Cty Rd 101, Hwy 12 and Cty Rd 15 (Gleason Lake Rd) areas. For more information, see the project webpage.

Governor extends Stay at Home order until May 18

Governor Walz extended a stay at home order until May 18. The order urges Minnesotans to stay home except for essential needs. Learn more about the order at mn.gov/covid19/