Woodbury City Council — Agenda
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Drinking Water Strategic Initiative: Water Treatment Implementation
Ordinance: Helmet Requirement for E-Bike Users under 18 Years of Age
Votes (2)
1A. Update on Drinking Water Strategic Initiative: Water Treatment Implementation
Dissent: Woodbury staff, particularly Public Works Director Mary Van Milligen, voiced strong opposition within the White Bear Lake Area Comprehensive Plan Work Group to city-financed funding for regional water infrastructure, proposing alternative funding mechanisms.
The update focused on the progress of the water treatment plant construction (32% complete) and pipeline installation (61,467 feet). Staff presented early summer 2026 pipeline phasing, including road closures and detour routes coordinated with navigation apps. Recommendations for 2027 water rates, maintaining the adopted five-year plan's 8% water and 5% sewer increases, were presented, with future updates to include O&M costs once clearer. Significant discussion centered on the White Bear Lake Area Comprehensive Plan Work Group, with Woodbury staff expressing strong concerns regarding potential cost-sharing obligations for cities, arguing against their inclusion in funding solutions not directly beneficial to their residents or within the scope of litigation.
1B. Consideration of Ordinance, Helmet Requirement for E-Bike Users under 18 Years of Age
Dissent: The Council on March 25, 2026, opted not to immediately adopt the helmet requirement, directing staff to bring the topic back for further consideration, indicating a lack of immediate consensus.
This workshop item followed up on a March 25, 2026 Council meeting directive to reconsider a potential helmet ordinance. Staff presented a proposed ordinance update (Section 14-38(d)) that would require persons under 18 to wear a properly fitted and fastened protective headgear when operating or riding an electric-assisted bicycle in public sites or open spaces. This proposal aims to align e-bike regulations with existing e-foot scooter requirements and enhance safety in response to increasing e-transportation use. The discussion encompassed the public process, including review by the Parks and Natural Resources Commission (PNRC) and previous Council workshops.
Notable Quotes (3)
Deliver resilient, system-wide treatment of drinking water for PFAS with continued urgency, while being mindful of community impacts.
Notably, nowhere does the legislation state that the fourteen communities included in the work group are intended to bear the costs of recommended infrastructure or other measures.
White Bear Lake’s water levels are being managed primarily for recreational purposes, and recent rebounds have been driven largely by increased precipitation. As Woodbury has consistently noted, using lake levels as a proxy for aquifer health is akin to using short-term weather patterns to understand long-term climate trends—one does not accurately measure the other.
Ordinances & Resolutions (12)
Official communication detailing the update on the Drinking Water Strategic Initiative.
Official communication detailing concerns about the White Bear Lake Area Comprehensive Plan Legislatively Directed Workgroup.
Letter from Woodbury Public Works Director expressing strong opposition to proposed funding mechanisms for the White Bear Lake Area Comprehensive Plan.
Document summarizing the status of studies informing the White Bear Lake Area Comprehensive Plan Work Group.
City policy aligning with the drinking water strategic initiative.
City policy aligning with the drinking water strategic initiative.
Official communication detailing the consideration of a helmet requirement ordinance for e-bike users under 18.
Ordinance adopted March 25, 2026, reorganizing e-transportation regulations into Chapter 14.
Definitions section of the proposed e-bike helmet ordinance, specifically for 'Electric-assisted bicycle'.
Public Site or Open Space section of the proposed e-bike helmet ordinance, adding helmet requirements.
Minnesota State Statute referenced for the definition of electric-assisted bicycle.
MPCA study update presented to the White Bear Lake Work Group regarding PFAS plume mitigation.