Northwood Road is scheduled to undergo a major reconstruction project starting next spring.
Residents living along Northwood Road will face road construction delays next summer after the city begins a three-year project that includes upgrading street conditions, along with water and sanitary sewer systems, sidewalks and lighting.
The Prior Lake City Council approved the improvement project at its Sept. 23 meeting, following a presentation by Assistant City Engineer Luke Schwarz.
Streets in the project area are said to have varying needs of mill and overlay, reclamation, or reconstruction. A feasibility study was presented and approved by the council in August. According to the report, the existing pavement in the area is in extremely poor condition and requires replacement. Residents have seen the detailed proposal, along with costs that will be assessed to the benefitting properties.
The project will take approximately three years to complete. An assessment hearing will be held in March 2026, and construction is expected to begin in May. A substantial portion of the first phase should be completed by September.
The total cost of the project is approximately $18 million.
Spring Brook Bay dock agreement
City staff and members of the Spring Brook Bay Association have spent considerable time discussing use of a lot that is .14 acres in size and located along the southern shore of Upper Prior Lake off of Green Heights Trail.
Spring Brook Park was platted in 1949 and Spring Brook Park 2nd Addition was platted in 1956. Collectively, the two subdivisions included 31 original single-family residential lots and one outlot. Over the years, several lots have been combined, and the subdivisions now total 19 residential lots and one outlot.
Several residents within the association have provided city staff with deeds showing the developer granted the original purchasers of their parcels some level of lake access in that area. Some deeded easements provided ingress and egress to Prior Lake, use of the beach and shoreline, and “Lot A” could be used for swimming, boating, landing and parking boats. The city of Prior Lake obtained ownership of Lot A via “Conveyance of Forfeited Land” from the State of Minnesota in 1994.
Based on easement language included in some of the deeds, some resident of Spring Brook Park have used Lot A to access Prior Lake and have installed docks and lifts, moored watercraft, and have stored docks, lifts and other personal property on the site.
Two years ago, several residents purchased and installed a joint dock system that allowed for the mooring of 12 watercraft on one dock. They were later informed by staff that code required approval from the city or the Department of Natural Resources if the structure was used to moor six or more watercraft. The city issued temporary approval for up to 12 watercraft to be docked during the 2025 boating season.
A compromise was crafted and presented by Community Development Director Casey McCabe during the council meeting that included granting approval of a 12-slip dedicated waterfront dock system provided residents form an association and comply with several conditions relating to installation, maintenance and use of the dock. Other conditions for use of Lot A included dock installation, maintenance and removal; prohibition of rental slips, prohibition of storage on the property; property maintenance; parking of golf carts and all-terrain vehicles on the property; and signage. The resolution allowed for the city to reconsider the action in the future if stipulations were not being met. City staff supported the resolution outlining the terms that was presented by McCabe.
Staff and council members cited the large amount of time that has been put into the Spring Brook Park issue over the past 18 months. McCabe said the number of emails that had been exchanged regarding the project probably came close to 250.
Prior to the vote on the resolution being taken, Mayor Kirt Briggs said he had a problem with the city requiring a neighborhood group to form a homeowners’ association. He also stated the proposed resolution extended rights beyond what was listed in the various deeds, and Spring Brook Park residents would be conferred benefits that are not made available to other city residents.
The resolution passed on a 4- 1 vote, with Briggs voting no.
2026 city budget discussion
Finance Director Nicole Klekner presented the preliminary budgets and proposed tax levy for 2026.
Key points noted were: $24 million of the city’s budget will be spent on public safety, which represents an increase over the current year due to staffing additions.
The first pass at the budget resulted in a 7.58% levy, which was reduced to 7.46%. Personnel expenses account for 72% of the budget.
The estimated average increase for homeowners is expected to be $76, based on a median home value of $400,000.
The final budget and tax public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9. Prior to that meeting, parcel-specific truth-in-taxation notices will be mailed to all homeowners.