City of La Crescent, Minnesota

Brief information concerning La Crescent, Minnesota. La Crescent is part of the La Crosse area.

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

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WHAT IS SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL?

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national and international movement to create safe, convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk to and from schools. The program has been designed to reverse the decline in children walking and bicycling to schools. Safe Routes to School can also play a critical role in reversing the alarming nationwide trend toward childhood obesity and inactivity.

La Crescent was awarded funding in July of this year to complete a city wide SRTS plan. A leadership team consisting of partnerships among many stakeholders that include educators, parents, students, city officials, engineers, planners, business and community leaders, health officials, and bicycle and pedestrian advocates will be working on this plan beginning in September, 2019 and ending in July of 2020.

STATE WATER USER RATE CHANGE

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CITY OF LA CRESCENT

NOTICE OF RATE CHANGE

STATE WATER USER FEE

 

The Minnesota Legislature has approved an increase in the drinking water service connection fee from $6.36 annually to $9.72 annually effective January 1, 2020. This fee is passed through to the Minnesota Department of Health’s Drinking Water Protection Program. City Residents are charged this annual water user fee on their utility bill to pay for the last two quarters of the current year and the first two quarters of the next year. Due to the timing of the State rate increase, the following will be the 2019 Rate Calculations for city residents connected to water service:

 

7/1/19-12/31/19 = $3.18 (1/2 of the current rate of $6.36)

1/1/20-6/30/20 = $4.86 (1/2 of the new rate of $9.72)

Total rate to be collected in 2019 = $8.04

 

Starting in 2020, the annual rate charged will be $9.72.

 

HEAVY DUTY TOTES FOR SALE

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The City of La Crescent has Heavy Duty totes for sale.  Great use for storage.  If you are interested please call 507-895-2595.  $8.50/tote.

Downtown Development

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Planning for the Downtown of our future: La Crescent

The following ‘boards’ were presented at a Public Meeting on February 22. They represent a draft of ideas for Downtown Development. They are based on the recently completed La Crescent Comprehensive Plan and another Public Meeting in November where we asked questions, conducted a walking tour and learned from our consultants. The final ‘idea boards’ will guide the City Council, Staff and Committees in their work. Action is required to meet the citizens’ requests for more local retail and commercial options and a more ‘attractive’ and ‘active’ downtown. City aggregation of property, generation of policies, seeking out developers for specific projects, crafting our community image….all depend on a common vision, a common goal. The process of idea generation, public input and refining and adopting a vision is essential.

It is also essential that we do not just meet and share our ‘opinions’–an outside experienced professional opinion is required to introduce new ideas, new thinking and the knowledge of what has worked, or failed, in other communities. Jason Valerius and his team with MSA Professional Services from Madison, Wisconsin is guiding our process.

Our work is led by the Planning Commission with the assistance of the Economic Development Committee and the local Chamber of Commerce. The City Council will review and adopt the ideas and concepts and then it will be the direction we are headed. From then forward each of our decisions should be with an end goal in mind. We will not have a different future unless the next decision we make or the next building that is permitted is on the path toward a better future.

These boards are not the specific final outcome. No one can predict the future this precisely. But zoning, regulation, street reconstruction, redevelopment funding can be ‘aimed’ in the direction to support ‘the vision’.

Comments are encouraged as is your participation. If you would like be involved you can send your email address to [email protected] and you will be added to the emailing lists. If you have comments you may send them to [email protected]. You are also encouraged to share your perspective with me as the Chair of the La Crescent Planning Commission and feel invited to attend our meetings and participate and stay informed. 

Some themes are shown on the various board: narrowing the streets to gain more sidewalk for out-of-doors seating; use of ‘reverse’ angle parking; use of multistory mixed use (retail, commercial and housing) buildings; relocation and reconstruction sites for a City Hall/Library/Police/Governmental lease space; Downtown higher density housing; Grocery location; focus on prime redevelopment sites; residential reuse if a future decision was to relocate the Elementary School; and a location for a gathering ‘place’ at the ‘take-off’ of a bike and pedestrian bridge from 1st Street South to cross HWY 14/61.

On April 4th we will be discussing the next draft based on the February meeting. To get an email notice please send your email address. If you are already getting notices you will be informed.

Thank you for reviewing our work to date. On behalf of the many that are part of envisioning a bright future for La Crescent, Don.

Donald Smith / 608.792.9897 / [email protected]

Downtown Vision Adopted 2017

La Crescent Downtown Redevelopment Scenarios

La Crescent Downtown Streetscape Exhibit Boards

Notes from 2-22-17 Public Meeting

Parking Standards

 

 

City of La Crescent

315 Main Street
P. O. BOX 142
La Crescent, MN  55947

(507) 895-2595

Contact the City of La Crescent

(507) 895-8694 CITY FAX

507-895-8183 POLICE DEPT FAX