Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Flock ALPR camera audit discussion
– Mill Street water main issues
– Excelsior Fire District report
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Deer Management Program approval
– Police Joint Powers Conflict
– Fire Chief Hiring Timeline
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Concern raised over utility bill increases
– Water Connection Program launch
– New hire process discussion
Some items from the Shorewood council meeting:
– 4th of July fireworks
– Annual deer harvest discussion
– Comprehensive Plan survey
The Shorewood council had some tough decisions to make at the Apr. 13 council meeting:
– Whether to build an $813k Mill Street water main serving only 25 homes.
-Whether to revoke an operating license for a massage business.
We watch so you don’t have to. Fresh eyes on every meeting, sharper reporting, and fast analysis—plus the links you actually need when you want to dig deeper.
Here are the simplified highlights of the council actions.
March 9, 2026 Shorewood council meeting.
We watch so you don’t have to. Fresh eyes on every meeting, sharper reporting, and fast analysis—plus the links you actually need when you want to dig deeper.
The bulk of the discussion at this meeting was to determine whether to approve an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the proposed Watten Ponds 2nd Addition subdivision.
An EAW is designed to evaluate potential environmental impacts and identify corrective measures before any final approvals.
SCA attends every City Council meeting so you don’t have to. Don’t be fooled by the appearance of a “routine” agenda. There are always surprises…
Here are the simplified highlights of the council actions.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in Shorewood.
At a recent city council meeting, a resident described in breathtaking detail, their harrowing experience as ICE surrounded a neighboring house: knocking, peering into windows and photographing license plates.
SCA attends every City Council meeting so you don’t have to.
The agenda this week seemed routine. As it turns out, matters from the floor was “zoom bombed” by three different men not shy about sharing racial epithets and other vitriol that shocked everyone present.
Jan 12, 2026 Shorewood council meeting.
We watch so you don’t have to. Fresh eyes on every meeting, sharper reporting, and fast analysis—plus the links you actually need when you want to dig deeper.
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Flock ALPR camera audit discussion
– Mill Street water main issues
– Excelsior Fire District report
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Deer Management Program approval
– Police Joint Powers Conflict
– Fire Chief Hiring Timeline
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Concern raised over utility bill increases
– Water Connection Program launch
– New hire process discussion
Some items from the Shorewood council meeting:
– 4th of July fireworks
– Annual deer harvest discussion
– Comprehensive Plan survey
The Shorewood council had some tough decisions to make at the Apr. 13 council meeting:
– Whether to build an $813k Mill Street water main serving only 25 homes.
-Whether to revoke an operating license for a massage business.
We watch so you don’t have to. Fresh eyes on every meeting, sharper reporting, and fast analysis—plus the links you actually need when you want to dig deeper.
Here are the simplified highlights of the council actions.
March 9, 2026 Shorewood council meeting.
We watch so you don’t have to. Fresh eyes on every meeting, sharper reporting, and fast analysis—plus the links you actually need when you want to dig deeper.
The bulk of the discussion at this meeting was to determine whether to approve an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the proposed Watten Ponds 2nd Addition subdivision.
An EAW is designed to evaluate potential environmental impacts and identify corrective measures before any final approvals.
SCA attends every City Council meeting so you don’t have to. Don’t be fooled by the appearance of a “routine” agenda. There are always surprises…
Here are the simplified highlights of the council actions.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in Shorewood.
At a recent city council meeting, a resident described in breathtaking detail, their harrowing experience as ICE surrounded a neighboring house: knocking, peering into windows and photographing license plates.
Who doesn’t enjoy a hummingbird?
These little creatures defy the odds as they migrate from Mexico to Canada, while entertaining bird watchers along the way.
Track their progress courtesy of Hummingbird Central.
Shorewood residents that have signed up for Ordinance Notification/Public Notice from the city received an email on Thursday 3/20/2025.
This email contained a Notice of Public Hearing for the Shorewood Planning Commission to consider several items related to rezoning 6 individual land parcels, a conditional use permit on another and multiple potential ordinance changes.
Three problems stand out with this notice.
The Minnesota Legislature is reconsidering a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the state’s housing shortage by promoting the development of “missing middle” (M2) housing. M2 proposes to offer options that bridge the gap between single-family homes and large apartment complexes.
This is a revised version of the bill that made its way through the legislature in 2024, without passage.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of March 10, 2025.
Links to the meeting video are included with each item.
To increase transparency and resident education, here is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of February 24, 2025.
Links to the meeting video have been provided for each item.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of February 11, 2025.
Links to the meeting video have been provided for each item.
Beginning in 2025, Shorewood switched its citizen reporting mechanism from SeeClickFix to Citizen Request Tracker® (CRT).
The cost savings will be $5k+ per year and removes a “citizen facing” product in favor of one much more controlled.
The land near Lake Minnetonka is home to many Indian burial sites. So, when 5000 yards of soil were removed for Tonka Bay infrastructure projects designated as burial grounds, the reaction was immediate.
Under the supervision of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC), tons of soil are now temporarily stored near Manitou Park and Tonka Bay City Hall.
A permanent relocation site proposed by MIAC and the city is meeting resident resistance.
Guest column by Alan Yelsey.
Alan Yelsey is a Shorewood resident who ran for mayor in the 2024 election.
The opinions expressed here are solely his own.
This weekend the cities of Shorewood and Tonka Bay will celebrate an abbreviated Arctic Fever.
There have been many iterations of the event over the last 20 years, its demise affected most notably by lack of snow due to climate change but also the loss of the dedicated staff and volunteers that conceived of and executed the annual community winter celebration.
SCA started as an idea in 2019. After three years of incubation, the website went live in summer of 2023
Overall, we are proud of our accomplishments and the buzz we have created around the community.
Here are four short articles you may find informative.
Here are three short articles you may find informative.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of June 14, 2025.
One of the biggest educational garden tours in Minnesota will be in the southwest metro this Saturday, July 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine.
Here are updates on some popular SCA articles.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of June 9, 2025.
Links to the meeting video are included with each item.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of May 27, 2025.
Links to the meeting video are included with each item.
The Tonka Bay city council recently held meetings to summarize the nine-month process, take emotional testimony, questions and opinion from residents and finalize plans for the relocation of the Native American burial soil currently located at the Tonka Bay City Hall parking lot.
During the Shorewood City Council work session on May 12th, a discussion regarding the proposed council “bylaws” revealed some stark differences regarding roles, responsibilities and the relative authority of elected members.
To increase transparency and resident education, below is a quick summary of the Shorewood City Council meeting of May 12, 2025.
Links to the meeting video are included with each item.
Prof. Mike Schuster and his team of researchers from the University of Minnesota are studying alternative buckthorn management strategies in Freeman Park’s western section.
This research focuses on methods aimed at exhausting the plant without relying on herbicides.
Update 12/1/2024 – The proposal to implement council bylaws was tabled until next year after the new council members are seated.
Since the middle of October, the Shorewood City Council has devoted all or part of 3 work sessions to discuss adding proposed “bylaws” to govern council operations and member’s behavior.
While clearly within the rights of the council to enact these “bylaws”, the details and timing of this initiative are concerning and raise quite a few questions. Here are just a few:
It’s hard to miss all the site preparation and construction activity happening in and around Shorewood.
Read further for descriptions of 10 projects that are in various stages of development
Once a rare sighting in the area, bald eagles are now a daily occurrence seen soaring above the Lake Minnetonka area, including on the southwest end of the lake and on the eastern bays.
The massive dirt piled in the Tonka Bay City Hall parking lot is not unnoticed.
In fact, it was a topic for the Sept 28 Tonka Bay Council Meeting where an impressive resident-council-consultant conversation addressed every question and concern in a full-blown “community conversation.”
The 2024 election results for Shorewood City Council have been published by the Secretary of State.
View the results here.
For those hopeful for some long-awaited enforcement on the kids on e-bikes, the wait will continue. On October 15 the Shorewood council passed its first ever ordinance regulating youth riding e-bikes.
The ordinance is quite simple:
The October 15 Shorewood council meeting will introduce an ordinance regulating e-bikes. Until now, the council has not publicly discussed the e-bike chaos in our city.
There was no public comment before the creation of this ordinance. How this version came to be, with so few specifics, is unknown.
Here are 5 suggestions for creating e-bike regulations:
As part of our continued service to residents, Shorewood Citizen Advocates is pleased to present the following profiles of the candidates for Shorewood City Council.
Shell game or voodoo economics – call it what you will, but our leaders in city council don’t want you to know that they can make a 13.9% budget increase look like a 3.2% tax increase because it’s an election year.
Wait – What? How does that happen?
Master Gardener volunteers are committed to providing the highest quality, research-based horticultural information and educational activities that enhance our community’s environment and quality of life.
This next year, why don’t you apply to be part of this great program?
Hennepin County is accepting applications for the 2025 Master Gardener program through October 1st.
Due to increasing public pressure, Shorewood has scheduled an open house for residents to ask questions and provide comments on the 2025 budget.
This is the first time the City has offered this opportunity!
Prof. Mike Schuster and his team of researchers from the University of Minnesota are studying alternative buckthorn management strategies in Freeman Park’s western section.
This research focuses on methods aimed at exhausting the plant without relying on herbicides.
Update 12/1/2024 – The proposal to implement council bylaws was tabled until next year after the new council members are seated.
Since the middle of October, the Shorewood City Council has devoted all or part of 3 work sessions to discuss adding proposed “bylaws” to govern council operations and member’s behavior.
While clearly within the rights of the council to enact these “bylaws”, the details and timing of this initiative are concerning and raise quite a few questions. Here are just a few:
It’s hard to miss all the site preparation and construction activity happening in and around Shorewood.
Read further for descriptions of 10 projects that are in various stages of development
Once a rare sighting in the area, bald eagles are now a daily occurrence seen soaring above the Lake Minnetonka area, including on the southwest end of the lake and on the eastern bays.
The massive dirt piled in the Tonka Bay City Hall parking lot is not unnoticed.
In fact, it was a topic for the Sept 28 Tonka Bay Council Meeting where an impressive resident-council-consultant conversation addressed every question and concern in a full-blown “community conversation.”
The 2024 election results for Shorewood City Council have been published by the Secretary of State.
View the results here.
For those hopeful for some long-awaited enforcement on the kids on e-bikes, the wait will continue. On October 15 the Shorewood council passed its first ever ordinance regulating youth riding e-bikes.
The ordinance is quite simple:
The October 15 Shorewood council meeting will introduce an ordinance regulating e-bikes. Until now, the council has not publicly discussed the e-bike chaos in our city.
There was no public comment before the creation of this ordinance. How this version came to be, with so few specifics, is unknown.
Here are 5 suggestions for creating e-bike regulations:
As part of our continued service to residents, Shorewood Citizen Advocates is pleased to present the following profiles of the candidates for Shorewood City Council.
Shell game or voodoo economics – call it what you will, but our leaders in city council don’t want you to know that they can make a 13.9% budget increase look like a 3.2% tax increase because it’s an election year.
Wait – What? How does that happen?
Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and Three Rivers Park District have proposed a change to the trail crossing at as part of the Strawberry Lane road project in Shorewood. A bike “radius” has been designed on each side of the crossing to slow bicycle traffic to 15 mph. Once through the radius, riders will cross the road at a 90 degree angle.The proposal suggests “yield” signs at the crossing, rather than “stop,” as most riders do not stop. However, in the short term, a “stop” sign will remain in place. Minnesota’s new “Idaho Stop” law could make management of any type of rider etiquette at street crossings more difficult. See the map below and read
UPDATE as of 11.17.23. Final grading along new trails is nearly complete. See photos in comments below. The paved trails are being reconstructed in tandem with the creation of a trailhead by Three Rivers Park District. A proposal was first introduced to the Council in August, 2022 and approved on 5.09.23. The estimated cost of the project as of May 9 date was $743,000. The City’s share is approximately $478,000. The balance is being funded by Three Rivers. View the Council meeting wherein the project was approved for bids on 5.9.23. Read the Engineer’s memo here, starting at Page 44. All asphalt segments will be replaced except for Segment “B”. Currently, this segment goes through the
“Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.” – Buddha UPDATE 11.15.23: The next neighborhood meeting is scheduled for 11.30.23 at 5:30. City Hall 10.11.23: The Council discussed the 9.21 meeting, the feedback received from the Eureka Road website, and a more format for the next community meeting with the residents. See the full discussion here. The words chosen in the cloud above are not random. They were voiced, often repeated, by frustrated neighbors, wanting to be heard at the City Hall open house on September 21. The subject discussed was the planned 2025 revision of Eureka Road North. Emotions ran high. The format of the meeting took a quick turn from
Cathcart Park Playground Cathcart post-weeding Freeman Park Volleyball Court South Rim of the New Pond in Freeman Park Update 9.19.23: Progress has been made on the Cathcart Playground Freeman Park volleyball court. See photos above. 9.1.23: Invasive plant species and EAB (Emerald Ash Borer) are flourishing on City property. In December 2021 a resident alerted the Council that it had approved payments for harmful chemicals to control invasive plants in the Parks. This contradicted the Bee Safe Resolution* of 2014. Since learning that the policy was not being followed, the Council has had vigorous debates about IPM (Integrated Pest Management) and the wording of the Resolution. The result has been $6,000 in consultant expenditures to analyze
Update 9.19.23: Mowing has occurred along the edge of Grant Street Pond. See photos below 9.1.23: Two city projects: Smithtown Ponds and Grant Street Pond are complete. See the photos of Grant Street Pond, one year after completion. A ClickFix ticket was recently submitted for the weeds. Canada thistle and invasive burdock have gone to seed, two ash trees have fallen into the pond, and three of the replacement trees are severely stressed. Smithtown Ponds, completed in June 2023, does not have any identifiable plan for ongoing maintenance. It appears to be a haven for wildlife. After a few months, the south rim of the pond, within Freeman Park, has a healthy crop of thistles and other undesirable
Read full story. Special Election: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 Primary for Special Election (assuming more than two candidate:Tuesday, April 30. Filing dates: Jan 30-Feb 13 (Feb 15 deadline for candidate to withdraw) This vacancy is the result of the resignation of Commissioner Chris LaTondresse who announced his intention to depart the County Board effective September 21, 2023.
Strawberry Lane construction is complete and speed concerns have been reported. Below is an excerpt from SeeClickFix.com regarding the results of a speed study done by the City.
Scott Zerby was sworn in on July 10 to fill a vacancy on the City Council. He previously served as mayor for eight years. Research indicates he ran unopposed for those terms. Read more in the July 13 SunSailor article covering his background, reason for applying and the interesting Council discussion in support or opposition to his appointment. Read about the process to select Zerby here: Candidate interviews, Appointment of ex-mayor to the City Council A review of the July Shorewood Planning Commission minutes showed that not everyone was impressed with the selection process. Commissioner Eggenberger had something to say.
Sec. 32-2. – Driving on sidewalks. (a) No person shall ride or operate any bicycle, motor scooter, skateboard, or in-line skates upon any sidewalk carelessly or heedlessly in disregard of the rights of others or in any manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person. (b) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle, skateboard, or in-line skates, roller skates, motor scooter, or motorized bicycle on the sidewalks of Water Street from George Street to Lake Street. (c) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle, skateboard, or in-line skates, roller skates, motor scooter, or motorized bicycle on the sidewalks of Lake Street from Water Street on the northerly sidewalk to 603 Lake
Resident Nancy Westman spoke to the Council on 9.25.23. Watch it here starting at minute 9.11 Read below a SeeClickFix* submitted by resident Barry Brown: Quick summary: A resident submitted a SeeClickFix regarding needed trail maintenance at Freeman Park. A second resident posted the city code regarding trail “standards.” The original submitter was able to follow up when the job was not done correctly by asking for accountability in meeting community expectations. *Sign up for SeeClickFix and stay in touch with resident “tickets” and how the City responds. See the thread:
Roads, intersections, sidewalks and trails are slowly disappearing due to creeping vegetation and low hanging tree limbs. Some trimming was done in Fall and early winter 2023-24.
So why has it taken so long? It can’t be staffing.
Watch the council meeting video of the appointment discussion. Shorewood council member Patrick Johnson resigned in May. Because the remaining term was less than two years, the city council chose to appoint to fill the seat leading to an application and interview process completed on 6.26.23. Seven residents were interviewed for the opening. Former Mayor Scott Zerby was appointed to the open seat. Background on Zerby: He served as Mayor from 2012-2020. Two 2-year terms and one 4-year term, all unopposed. Source: MN Secretary of State. In 2014 he led the Council to change the Mayor’s term from two to four years, making his final term four years. City staff determined that some online applications were lost
The City has a responsibility to manage snow and ice
First: The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail Crossing at Strawberry Lane
At the Dec. 11, 2023 City Council meeting a number
AGENDA and packet for Jan. 26, 2024 Retreat At the
Takeaways from the meeting: About 50 residents attended to hear
In June, 2022, a Shorewood-led report was released on Safe
During the City Council meeting of 11.27.2003, one of the
The Lake Park Villas development project, (former Truffle Hill property)
In 2016, Alex and Elena Ugorets requested a permit to
The Shorewood Council discussed a contract for removal at Freeman
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