Lakeville Council Approves Dakota Electric Facility Plat
The Lakeville City Council approved a preliminary plat Monday for Dakota Electric Association's new facility, advancing the utility company's relocation to the city.
The council unanimously approved the plat for Airlake DEA Second Edition, which will allow Dakota Electric to build a 176,500-square-foot facility north of 225th Street and west of Cedar Avenue. The building will include 70,000 square feet of office space and operational areas to house the company's vehicle fleet and equipment.
The facility represents Dakota Electric's move from Farmington to Lakeville, with the new location designed to enclose all vehicles and materials that are currently stored outdoors. The project includes employee and guest parking areas, with access from both 225th Street and 222nd Street.
During citizen comments, Jeff Caral of Farmington raised concerns about environmental compliance for the North Creek development, citing potential wetland and eagle habitat issues. Caral said he had contacted the EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the development and warned of possible fines if federal regulations are violated. City staff agreed to follow up on the compliance questions.
The council also received quarterly updates on parks and recreation programs, including construction progress at Grand Prairie Park. Parks Director Marc Massiarchin reported the park's field support building framing is complete, with the facility targeted to open in July. The council approved routine consent agenda items, including construction contracts for the 185th Street expansion project.
Our proprietary artificial intelligence agent analyzed publicly available documents including meeting agendas, minutes, and transcripts to write this story to help inform local residents. Feedback helps us improve, so please consider rating how we did with the thumbs up or down below.
Go deeper on this topic
Research related meeting documents and build a brief — without rewriting the story.
Full analysis
Votes (5)
Citizens Comments - North Creek Development Wetland and Eagle Habitat Concerns
Dissent: None; council acknowledged concerns and committed to coordination with Fish and Wildlife Service and clarification on stipulations
Jeff Caral (17616 Fairfax Avenue, Farmington) presented survey data from Midwest Natural Resources indicating that a wetland area previously classified as entirely wetland has been reduced to only a small section after development work. He expressed concern that the remaining wetland may be classified as man-made and therefore developable, but wanted verification from the EPA. He also raised concerns about eagle habitat protection, noting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicated eagles were present on the property and that a 600-foot buffer from eagle nests is required for any development. Caral stated he forwarded information to the EPA and the firm that conducted the study to verify the wetland classification. He also inquired about the status of 11 stipulations that should be completed before development begins. The council committed to follow-up on both the fish and wildlife concerns and clarification on the stipulations.
Parks and Recreation Quarterly Report (December - February)
Dissent: None; council expressed satisfaction with report
Parks Director Macy Archin presented comprehensive quarterly report covering multiple initiatives. Grand Prairie Park construction is progressing with framing completed on field support building and structural steel installed on main building; goal is to open pickle ball courts, playground, splash pad, and challenge course by July 2025, with grandstand completion by mid-2026. Spyglass Park Phase 2 received 53 resident comments from 230 emails distributed; plan adjusted based on feedback and scheduled for 2025 construction. Strategic planning for Recreation Department and Heritage Center completed two days of sessions with implementation plan in development. New Parks and Recreation website with dedicated landing page and URL launching later in 2025. Park maintenance operations included 52 seasonal staff managing 10 ice rink sites with 14,000+ users over 49 days; notable retirement of Mark Desan (19 years service) and three new staff hired. Proxys locking system installation completed at multiple facilities. Recreation facilities have 59 pavilion reservations and 95 shelter reservations. Special events included Santa Secret Store (500 participants), Illumination Walk (200), and new Jigsaw Jubilee puzzle contest (sold out). Art Center holiday sale generated $5,800 in sales; pottery program has nearly 300 participants. Heritage Center memberships exceeded 1,670. Summer-fall brochure mailed to all residents with registrations filling quickly.
Consent Agenda - Multiple Items (6A-6U, excluding 6R)
Dissent: None; Item 6R pulled for separate discussion
Moved by Council Member [Name not specified] [Item 6] · Seconded by Council Member [Name not specified] [Item 6]
City Manager Miller highlighted several items: Item 6E is a resolution awarding construction contracts for 185th Street Expansion Project (between Iava and County Road 50) with roundabout. Items 6F and 6G are fire department donations. Item 6O recognizes Safety Signs sponsorship of summer concert series. Item 6P lists park department donations. Item 6U is a resolution accepting bids and authorizing contracts for First Responder Skills Training Center. Council Member Lee requested Item 6R be pulled for separate discussion.
Orchard Trail Encroachment Agreement - Lake Maran Private Dock
Dissent: None; Council Member Lee's concerns were addressed through discussion of the removal provision
Moved by Council Member Dan Walter [Item 6R] · Seconded by Council Member [Name not specified] [Item 6R]
Council Member Joshua Lee pulled Item 6R for discussion, raising concerns about an encroachment agreement with Michael Lesnau for a private dock on public property (Basset Park) on Lake Maran. Lee expressed three main concerns: (1) the dock extends across the full width of the public property, creating a significant barrier to public access; (2) precedent for adjacent property owners to extend docks onto the lake, increasing congestion; and (3) Lake Maran is already busy with boat traffic. Council Member Vulich noted that the agreement includes a provision allowing the city to remove the dock if the property is needed for public use, which he found acceptable. Lee clarified that his initial concern was whether the property technically qualifies as lakefront, noting it didn't appear to touch water. Director Goodroad explained that the property owner provided information showing the property does touch shoreland in the northwest corner, giving it riparian rights, though water hasn't touched the property for a long time (last documented in 1997 satellite imagery). Lee stated he was comfortable with the agreement given the removal provision. Council Member Walter moved to approve.
Airlake DEA Second Edition Preliminary Plat
Dissent: None; council expressed enthusiasm for the project
Moved by Council Member John Burmel [Item 7A] · Seconded by Council Member [Name not specified] [Item 7A]
Conor McCoy from Kimley Horn presented preliminary plat for Dakota Electric to split Lot B of Airlake DEA First Edition into Lot 1 and Outlot A. Property is located north of 225th Street and west of Flag Staff Avenue, zoned I2 General Industrial and guided industrial on comprehensive plan. The 176,500 square-foot facility will include 70,000 square feet of office space (two-story) and operational space for enclosing fleet vehicles and materials. Access from both 225th Street and 222nd Street (to the north). Parking for guests and employees in two locations. Landscaping concentrated on perimeter due to industrial nature. All setbacks and parking requirements met. Elevations include stone, architectural metal, and glass. Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on February 20 with no public comment. Director Goodroad noted coordination with township regarding 225th Street access and 222nd Street alignment (township property). Discussion included potential paving agreements with MAC related to runway expansion. Council Member Lee asked about previous agreements for paving east of Hamburg, which Director Goodroad indicated may be contingent on runway expansion but couldn't confirm details off-hand.
Notable Quotes (18)
I had gotten a survey from the uh um Midwest natural resources of uh of the Wetland that was uh developed that we're developing a wetland and it was considered to be all Wetland before and now since they've been working on it there's only a small section that's considered Wetland
I forwarded that on to the EPA to find out if that's true or not and also to the company that did the or the The Firm that did the uh study and just to make sure that that's what it actually is supposed to be because I don't believe you can develop on Wetland I just don't want anybody to get in trouble over it
there was Eagles on that development and they can't unless they have a a eagle nest permit or they have a um specific or a general uh permit they can't take down within 600 ft of an eagle's nest which I think is pretty normal um but I have neighbors who have pictures of eagles and I just don't want the city of Lakeville or anybody to get in trouble for it
construction continues at the uh the park uh this winter we've completed uh now framing for the field support building that's the building closest to the pickle ball courts uh the structural steel has been installed on the the main building and they'll actually be working on framing that in later this week we'll start weather pending
we're anticipating at this point to complete construction on the facility of the field support building and the main building uh by miday um our goal is still to be able to open uh the pickle ball courts playground splash pad and challenge course yet this summer our goal would really be July I think is what we're looking at but it's all going to be weather dependent
the warming houses were open for 49 days and during that time uh staff counted over 14,000 users of those rinks that's counted every hour so there is some duplication in there to keep in mind but still a really impressive use this year
we've got a notable retirement from our Parks maintenance crew uh it's actually 19 years of service uh from Mark desan he retired today um we actually had three retirements from Park maintenance all within similar time frames of service um and three new staff that have uh already been uh brought on
item 6E is a resolution awarding construction uh contracts for the 185th Street Expansion Project so that'll be 185th between iava and County Road 50 uh they're round about there so we're looking forward to that
the item is encroachment agreement with the less now property uh for a private Improvement on public property um it's my understanding that uh encroachment Agreements are fairly limited on un like Marian right now um this one stood out to me because of how significant this dock is from the property owner all the way across the public property which is still considered Basset Park granted it is wetland at the moment um but it it goes from one side of the parcel to the other
I think creates a barrier of access to the rest of the the parcel if we needed or anyone wanted to use it so that's what stood out to me and I just thought uh it might be worth more discussion before approving
it was my understanding from the um um agreement that maybe I'm wrong but I thought if the city was going to do something with that park or whatever then they'd have to remove their dock okay so I guess I I agree with you I looked at that for a long time trying to figure out wow okay but then when I read the agreement I thought okay so if we decide to do something with that Park we don't want everybody using the dock right I mean the private dock so then it could be removed
the property owner had provided some information that showed that the city in the past and the DNR has determined there is uh it does just barely touch Shoreland in one I think it's the North West Corner
I'm comfortable with the agreement knowing that if we do end up needing to use the property then you know we would we would go through that
the applicant proposes to split out LW B of air Lakes DEA first edition into two lots lot one and out lot a
the goal with moving um this facility to Lakeville is so that they can enclose all of their vehicles as well as um materials and so forth and fleet vehicles there is definitely some yard space for them to have some equipment outside um there's a couple of different kinds of of asphalt depending on what they're storing in those locations um but for the most part um um most all of the vehicles will be closed um inside
we shared the plan um when the initial application came in we shared the plan and then we met with DEA staff to go through the plat basically to share with them the alignment for 222nd Street eventually you can see right here that road will dip they're just called to sacking it initially and this is Township property so we wanted the township to be aware of the alignment for 222nd Street as it would extend into their site and touch Flag Staff
at the Planning Commission meeting you mentioned how you had just had some conversations with the township about the access road the dirt road could you expand on any developments since then
we're very excited to have dakot electric come to Lakeville sorry to our friends in Farmington but uh we do appreciate you moving to Lakeville
Ordinances & Resolutions (10)
Original plat from which Lot B is being split into Lot 1 and Outlot A in the Second Edition
Preliminary plat for Dakota Electric facility development north of 225th Street and west of Flag Staff Avenue
Resolution awarding construction contracts for 185th Street expansion between Iava and County Road 50
Resolution accepting bids and authorizing contracts for first responder skills training center
Agreement for private dock improvement on public property (Basset Park) on Lake Maran; includes provision for city removal if property is needed for public use
Agreement between city and township for maintenance of 225th Street; township evaluating paving timeline
Multi-phase project to install new locking system at park facilities; Phase 1 completed at Steve Mad Building, Performing Arts Building, and Fine Arts Building; Phase 2 planned for Heritage Center
Two-day strategic planning process for Recreation Department and Heritage Center; implementation plan in development
New landing page and direct URL for Parks and Recreation as part of larger city website refresh; expected launch later in 2025
Six-month brochure covering summer and fall programming; mailed to all Lakeville residents and available online
Source document
Was this story helpful?
Other Topics from This Document
North Creek Development - Wetland and Eagle Habitat Concerns
Grand Prairie Park Construction Progress
Spyglass Park Phase 2 Development
Parks and Recreation Strategic Planning
Parks and Recreation Website Redesign
Park Maintenance Operations and Staffing
Recreation Facility Reservations and Events
Art Center and Performing Arts Programming
Active Adults Programming and Heritage Center
Consent Agenda Items - Multiple Approvals
Orchard Trail Encroachment Agreement - Lake Maran Dock
Airlake DEA Second Edition Preliminary Plat
Want to know when new stories arrive?
Enter your email to receive updates.
We will not use your email for any other purpose. You can unsubscribe at any time.