ALEXANDRIA
— A new clubhouse –
Little Darling Junior Learning Center
– will be built at the new nine-hole, par-3 golf course, immediately south of the Alexandria Golf Club.
It will occupy about 2,200 square feet and it will have a parking lot. The two-story building will include a viewing area where parents or family members of junior golfers can watch the nine-hole course as the students play their rounds.
Construction could start as early as this season.
At its meeting Monday night, the Alexandria City Council approved AGC’s request for a conditional use permit with six conditions:
Building and grading permits are required.A sign permit is required.A minimum of 48 paved, off-street parking stalls is required.Connection to water and sanitary sewer (connection fees may apply).Any exterior lighting to be hooded and directed away from the public street.Final drainage plan approved by the city engineer.
In other zoning action, the council:
Approved a conditional use permit from Rajesh Adapa and Lilac Lodge Resort. This will allow Adapa to reconfigure the existing resort with increased structure setbacks from the ordinary high-water elevation and a reduction in the number of structures and impervious cover. The site, which is the existing Lake Victoria Resort on the north end of the lake, is in a general business zone and is located within the shoreland district. It was approved with six conditions: building and grading permits are required; a minimum of one parking stall per unit; connection to water and sanitary sewer; any exterior lighting must be hooded and directed away from the public streets; final drainage plan approved by the city engineer; and the relocation of a fish cleaning shack within the next two to three years.Approved a conditional use and subdivision permit for “Rosewood Range” owned by Faisale Boukari. The applicant wants to subdivide vacant property to construct eight owner-occupied townhomes in a medium density zone. The property is along the west side of Rosewood Lane, south of Eighth Avenue. It was approved with five conditions: A final drainage plan is submitted to and approved by the city engineer; proper evidence of title is presented to the city attorney; connection to public utilities via the common lot as per ALASD and ALP requirements; payment of the required park dedication contribution of $5,890 prior to release of the final plat for recording; draft property owners’ association agreement, covenants, etc., governing the ongoing maintenance of the project, including open space.
Idea to make Alexandria a Heart Safe community is tabled for now
A community-led effort may save a life in downtown Alexandria some day.
It has nothing to do with streets or traffic. It’s all about the heart.
Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director Tara Bitzan, community members, city leaders and city staff are hoping to install Automated External Defibrillators at up to six locations in the downtown area.
An AED is a portable device that can be used to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped working. This condition is called sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs are available in many public places, such as government buildings, schools, airports and other community spaces.
Up to six cabinets like this one, which contains an AED may soon be installed in Alexandria.
Contributed photo
An AED at Discovery Middle School helped save the life of a pickleball player who went into cardiac arrest last November.
The plan is to encourage donations from the community to cover the costs of purchasing and installing the AEDs.
At Monday night’s council meeting, the council considered the AED request to have the city take over ownership of the AEDs and the cost of annual maintenance and upkeep. In a letter to the council, Bitzan said that locating the devices on public property is preferred.
Council members seemed interested in the idea and voted to table it to get more information.
In the short-term, the annual impact is expected to be $3,600 per year, beginning with maintenance in 2026.
In the longer term, the city will be responsible for the capital cost of replacing the units in about 10 years.
Purchasing the AEDs is the first phase of the Downtown Alexandria AED Project. The next phase is to train downtown business owners, employees and general community members on how to use an AED so they can feel more prepared and empowered.
Phase 3 is for the city to gain status as a
“Heart Safe” community
— a designation that more than 75 Minnesota cities have attained from the Minnesota Department of Health and the American Heart Association. Bitzan shared information from those organizations:
“Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone. And it’s almost always fatal. Cardiovascular events, including cardiac arrest, are the second-leading cause of death in Minnesota, responsible for almost 18% of deaths. In 2022, about 40% of Minnesota’s heart disease deaths happened before arriving at a hospital, and many of those were caused by cardiac arrest.”
A silent bike ride, a marching band tradition
The council approved two special event permits.
Brad Dumm requested and received a special event permit for the 16th annual
“Ride of Silence”
to be held on Wednesday, May 21, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The event will start and end at Big Ole Central Park.
Brad Dumm’s late son, Dennis Dumm, an Alexandria native, died on May 20, 2009 in Minneapolis as the result of a bicycle accident. The Alexandria Ride of Silence has taken place annually since then in honor of all loved ones injured or killed in bicycle accidents. About 80 cyclists are expected to participate in the five-mile silent ride along Lake Henry.
A brief 10-minute program will begin shortly after 6:30 p.m. at Big Ole Central Park. Those not riding are welcome to attend the program. Riders will be provided with armbands to wear in honor of those injured or killed in bike-related accidents.
The Ride of Silence is a worldwide event held the third Wednesday in May – National Bike Month. Its purpose is to raise the awareness of cyclists’ legal right to public roadways.
At Monday’s meeting, Dumm urged drivers of any kind of vehicles to slow down.
The
Vikingland Band Festival
will take place on Sunday, June 29.
About 5,000 participants are expected to attend the 41st annual event. It’s the biggest line-up of bands in five years, according to organizers.
Set up will begin at 8 a.m. and the parade will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Broadway from 4th Avenue to 15th Avenue.
Street closures were approved on Hawthorne Street, Irving Street and Jefferson Street on 4th Avenue for parade line-up. Also, 15th Avenue will be used for end of parade bus parking.
Police services are being requested to help with traffic control.
The permit was issued pending approval of the Minnesota Department of Transportation since Broadway also serves as a state highway.
Grants approved for childcare project
A plan to address childcare shortages in the area is making progress.
More money is coming in to support the Nokomis Childcare Project, a plan to build a townhome that would house two family childcare providers.
The site for the duplex is on a half-acre parcel of land provided by the Alexandria Housing and Redevelopment Authority at the corner of Lake and Nokomis Street. The building will be owned and managed by the city.
The city recently learned that its grant request for $316,295 from the Department of Employment and Economic Development was approved for $280,000, leaving the project with a $36,295 deficit.
The city’s Economic Development Authority covered the deficit and the city also contributed $100,000 into the project. The Douglas County Board has also contributed $136,295 to support the project.
The project is near completion and has seen increased costs. The original budget submitted with the grant had a budget of $416,298. The current estimate is that the total project will come in at $468,167.
Due to these unforeseen costs, the EDA was asked to consider contributing up to another $70,000 towards the project and the EDA agreed to transfer funds. This will cover the projected final cost estimate and leave room for any potential final changes to the project. The reasons for the increase are costs in the following areas exceeding what was estimated at the time of grant submittal (total cost for items shown):
Landscaping (includes hydroseeding and irrigation) – $28,576
Parking lot – $30,000
Fence – $12,473
The EDA Fund currently has a cash balance of approximately $538,000.
The project helps fill a need for more child care options in the area, Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission Director Fernholz said at a previous council meeting. A 2022 study found that 645 child care spots are needed in Douglas County, including 362 spots for children aged birth to 5 years.
The ultimate vision for the project is to eventually build three duplexes, each accommodating two child care businesses.
The return of traffic calming islands
They’re back.
Temporary traffic calming islands will once again be installed this spring and summer.
This photo shows a temporary traffic calming island that was installed a couple of summers ago. (Contributed photo)
Alexandria Echo Press file photo
Based on consistent requests and positive feedback, the city’s Highway Committee recommended the continued installation of traffic calming islands at the following intersections: 8th Ave. and Kenwood; 4th Ave. and Kenwood; 5th Ave. and Lake St.; 8th Ave. and Lake St.;
11th Ave. and Lake St.; Agnes Ave. and Park St.
These temporary islands will remain in place from Memorial Day to Labor Day, as a way to help improve safety as summer traffic picks up.
Staff time has been budgeted for the installation and removal of the calming islands. Materials staged for the calming islands are reused every year or replaced as needed.
