Hennepin County Emergency Management is updating the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, as required by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Local jurisdictions are required to update the plan every five years to remain eligible for pre-disaster and post-disaster mitigation grant programs.

Community involvement and feedback are vital to the success of the plan. The information you provide by completing the survey below will help us better understand your hazard concerns and can lead to mitigation activities that can help lessen the impact of future hazard events.

Click here to take the survey

What is Hazard Mitigation?

Hazard Mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards, such as flooding, storms, high winds, wildfires, etc. Some examples include:

• Retrofitting water supply systems
• Stabilizing erosion hazard areas
• Elevating or retrofitting structures and utilities
• Building public safe rooms

Mitigation efforts undertaken by communities help to minimize damage to buildings and infrastructure, as well as natural, cultural, and historic resources.

Why Plan?

Hazard Mitigation planning helps emergency management planners to identify the types of hazards that could affect Hennepin County. Hazard Mitigation planning also helps emergency managers and communities to identify actions that can help to reduce losses from those hazards. Ultimately, hazard mitigation planning helps to protect the residents of Hennepin County.

Planning also helps to identify vulnerabilities and develop strategies to reduce the potential impacts of hazards. Building partnerships and reducing duplication of effort among organizations with similar goals is also a benefit of mitigation planning.

In the end, Hazard Mitigation planning helps to build communities that are more resilient to disaster and increases public awareness of local hazards and disaster preparedness.

For more about Hennepin County Emergency Management or to view a public copy of the 2018 All-Hazards Mitigation Plan, click the link below:

Emergency Management | Hennepin County

More information about hazard mitigation:

Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000

44 CFR 201

42 U.S.C. 5165 (Stafford Act, Section 322)

42 U.S.C. 4104c (National Flood Insurance Act, Section 1366)

HOW TO RENT THE COMMUNITY BUILDING

1. Contact the facility manager at 763-458-1838 to confirm date availability. Applications received without confirming date availability with the facility manager will be cancelled and are subject to a $25 fine. View the event calendar here.
2. Once you receive confirmation the date is available, fill out rental paperwork and complete payment. The options are:
   1. Complete paperwork and payment online here
   2. Complete paperwork and payment in-person at Medina City Hall
   3. Mail paperwork and payment to Medina City Hall

IMPORTANT: Reservations will not be confirmed until completed paperwork and payment is received.

ABOUT 

The Hamel Community Building is located at 3200 Mill Street, directly behind Farmers State Bank of Hamel off of Hamel Road. When coming off of Highway 55, turn South on Hamel Road or Sioux Drive into Uptown Hamel.

The Community Building is available at a reasonable cost. 2023 Pricing and Deposit Information.

The Community Building has capacity for 120 banquet guests or 150 theater (conference) seating.  It offers a food preparation kitchenette with an industrial fridge and freezer, large sinks, coffee maker, ample counter space and a kitchen service window.  A covered patio area overlooking the park allows for enjoying the lovely park with outside picnicking which includes access to a fire pit.

It is located in Hamel Legion Park, with close access to several recreational activities including six baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball court, soccer fields, large play structures, a volleyball court and easy access to trails. During the winter months, the Park also offers ice skating facilities, a sledding hill and warming house.

On August 30, 2021, Sheriff Hutchinson announced a new program dedicated to fighting a common type of phone scam: individuals posing as law enforcement agencies and demanding payment for a missed court date, jury duty, or other legal matter. The new program is called “Cops Don’t Call for Cash” and is focused on educating the public on the fact that law enforcement agencies will never contact individuals via phone or email to ask for any kind of payment.

“For years, criminals have been posing as law enforcement and demanding payment for some non-existent legal issue,” said Sheriff David Hutchinson. “These scams are often quite sophisticated and are designed to make people feel panicked. Fortunately, this is one of those issues for which education is really the answer. That’s why we gave this program the title Cops Don’t Call for Cash. Simply remember the name and you’ll be able instantly spot a phone scam.”

In these types of phone scams, criminals tell the recipient that there is a warrant out for their arrest because they missed a federal court appearance and are in contempt. The phone scammers tell residents that they will be arrested unless they pay a fine. The scammers often encourage residents to purchase prepaid money transfer cards, such as MoneyPak, call the scammer back, and read them the numbers on the cards. These scammers often have technology to make it appear that they are calling from a legitimate law enforcement agency phone number.

The Cops Don’t Call for Cash Campaign aims to eliminate this type of phone scam through a robust, multi-agency awareness campaign, led by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

Law enforcement agencies will only contact individuals who owe a monetary fine via mail and will never contact individuals via phone or email to ask for any kind of payment. If individuals receive such a call, they should remember the phrase “Cops Don’t Call for Cash,” refuse to provide any personal information or make any payments to the caller.

Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a scam caller should record the caller’s number, save any voicemails that may have been left by the caller, and contact their local law enforcement agency.

Individuals should not rely on caller ID or recorded messages to verify the origin of a phone call. In some cases, phone scammers can use technology to appear as if they are calling from a legitimate law enforcement or government agency number. Scammers have also been known to create fraudulent recorded messages that identify their number as originating from law enforcement.

If you are uncertain about the identity of a caller, hang up the phone, locate the official phone number of the agency, and call the number directly.

Renovations are underway at Hunter Lions Park (located at 3195 Hunter Drive). Installation of storm sewer pipe will take place where the current ball field is located, followed by excavation of the tennis courts. This is a phased project and work will be ongoing. While we regret any inconvenience to our residents and park guests, we are very excited for the updates to come!  A new tennis court and four pickleball courts will be constructed in the north east corner of the park. The baseball diamond will be reoriented, playground expanded, full basketball court added, and a paved trail with event pods will lead park users to the back nature area.

Click to view Hunter Lions Master Plan Map

Project Background 

On June 16, 2020, the City Council authorized the City to enter into an agreement with WSB to create a master plan for Hunter Lions Park. Throughout the remainder of the year, staff and the Park Commission worked with WSB Landscape Architect Candace Amberg on the project. The project involved a site visit to discuss initial aging park equipment and potential redesign options to optimize the functionality, safety, and recreational enjoyment at Hunter Lions Park. WSB created three layout options for Park Commission consideration, which was presented to the Park Commission at their August 19, 2020 meeting. The Park Commission reviewed and recommended refinement of those designs to one concept plan to be posted online for public feedback. The City sought public feedback of the concept plan through the website using a program called Social PinPoint to allow resident feedback. The public engagement period was advertised through the Medina Message mailed newsletter, email blasts, social media, and the City’s website.  

On October 21, 2020, the Park Commission reviewed the design changes based on the public feedback, project costs, and discussed staging the improvements over the course of several years due to the limited funds in the Municipal Park Fund.  On March 2, 2021, the City Council adopted the final Hunter Lions Park Master Plan.

Project to be Constructed in Seven Phases – Click to view Master Plan with Seven Phases

Phase 1: Reorient ballfield backstop (remove existing basketball court) 

Phase 2: Construct tennis & pickleball courts 

Phase 3: Construct new basketball court, remove existing volleyball court, construct new trails 

Phase 4: Expand playground with new equipment, add new site amenities 

Phase 5: New site amenities to include picnic tables, receptacles, picnic shelter on pad 

Phase 6: Install event pods along trail 

Phase 7: Natural resource management, prairie kiosk signs, prairie & creek enhancements, prairie benches 

Are you thinking about starting your own business or are you currently operating a small business and interested in FREE technical assistance?
Medina has partnered with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) to offer the Open to Business program. This program provides FREE one-on-one assistance from MCCD’s expert staff, customized to meet the specific needs of each entrepreneur. This can include creating a business plan, suggestions on financial management and bookkeeping practices, assisting with marketing, and referrals for financing. MCCD also administers a small business loan fund which provides capital to expand local businesses.

For more information please visit www.opentobusinessmn.org or contact John Endris from MCCD at jendris@mccdmn.org or (651)-216-6252.

UPDATES

4/22/22: Mayor Kathleen Martin’s Statement and Determination Regarding Conducting Meetings by Telephone or Other Electronic Means – effective April 30, 2022 to return to in-person meetings.

9/21/21:  Mayor Kathleen Martin’s Statement and Determination Regarding Conducting Meetings by Telephone or Other Electronic Means – effective immediately to return to virtual meetings.

6/3/21:  Mayoral Statement and Determination Regarding Conducting Meetings In-person starting June 30 2021

6/15/20:  City Hall is open for in-person service at the service window located at the lower level planning entrance. To minimize the amount of people in the office at any given time, employees will continue to work a combination of hours from home and in the office. Please schedule an appointment with the appropriate employee/department to ensure you can receive proper service while visiting City Hall. Employee contact information can be found at: https://medinamn.us/contact-us/staff-directory/.

5/18/20:  Playgrounds are open- Play equipment is not sanitized, use precautionary measures to keep your family safe.

3/17/20: City Council and Commissions begin to hold telephonic/virtual meetings pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.021 – until further notice. Links to join upcoming meetings can be found at: https://medinamn.us/citygov/agenda-n-minutes/featured-page-3/.

3/16/20: Mayor declares local emergency.

Mayoral Declaration No 2020-01 finding local emergency exists at the City of Medina, Minnesota

Mayor Statement and Determination Regarding Conducting Meetings by Telephone or Other Electronic Means

Resolution Extending Mayor Declared Local Emergency

(Excerpts from State Statutes in reference to emergency declarations and telephonic meetings)

Additional Resources and Information

• COVID-19 Vaccine Connector Tool – https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/connector
• Hennepin Homeownership Preservation Program – https://www.hocmn.org/HennepinHPP/
• https://covidcalculator.hennepin.us/ – The COVID Calculator will help you better calculate and understand recommendations for quarantines
• https://www.hennepin.us/business-support
• COVID-19 Business Relief Payments | Minnesota Department of Revenue (state.mn.us)
• https://www.hennepin.us/economic-development/programs/Emergency-relief
• https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/holidays.html#halloween
• Business4BusinessMSP.com
• https://www.hennepin.us/economic-development/programs/Emergency-relief
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (COVID-19 Facts)
• Minnesota Department of Health (COVID-19 Guidance)
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) – Information and Resources
• A Guide for Minnesota Small Businesses that Need Help (from DEED)
• https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
• https://www.sba.gov/content/sba-disaster-loans-minnesota-small-businesses-impacted-covid-19
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans Now Available
• Lake Minnetonka Emergency Management Group’s COVID-19 Response
• https://home.treasury.gov/cares
• Mental Health and Relieving Anxiety around COVID-19: https://youtu.be/IaldMzbiKj8 
• Business District COVID-19 Response Toolkit from Hennepin County
• Hennepin County – Emergency Rental Assistance due to COVID-19

The cities of Medina and Corcoran are in the planning stages for future improvements to Hackamore Road from west of County Rd 116 to east of County Rd 101.  Improvements being considered include widening, turn lanes and trail connections.  It is anticipated that improvements will be constructed in phases over multiple years, potentially beginning in 2021.

You are invited to help guide the design of these improvements and provide your feedback.  To maintain the health and safety of the community and respect CDC guidelines regarding public gatherings due to COVID-19, two online opportunities are available:

• A virtual public meeting was held on May 19, 2020.
  • Recorded Virtual Open House
• Complete an online mapping activity (open from May 14^th to June 4^th ) showing two alignment options with the ability to provide comments and thoughts.

For questions or comments, contact Dusty Finke, Planning Director, at 763-473-8846 or dusty.finke@medinamn.gov or Steve Scherer, Public Works Director, at 763-473-8842 or steve.scherer@medinamn.gov

Over the past several months, Three Rivers Park District has been working with Medina and other communities to collect feedback on the master plan for the Diamond Lake Regional Trail (DLRT). This master plan contemplates a future north-south regional trail in western Hennepin County, including potentially through Medina.

Establishing a master trail plan with identified preferred routes will help local officials secure the land for the trail as development occurs over several years or decades. The Diamond Lake Regional trail will be constructed in segments over the course of many years as development occurs and land can be secured along the trail route.

In response to the public feedback and the direction of the Medina City Council, Three Rivers is no longer evaluating any regional trail options which would extend south of the Hamel Road right-of-way in Medina.

The Medina City Council and Park Commission have requested that Three Rivers Park District instead study and seek public comments on alternative routes in the northern portion of the City.  The routes currently under consideration are on this map for quick reference.

The City Council and Park Commission desire to collect feedback and gage support for a regional trail which could serve the growing and more densely populated neighborhoods of northeast Medina with a paved, multi-use trail for walking, running, biking and in-line skating.

The regional trail would be envisioned to provide a grade-separated crossing over Highway 55 and provide a connection to Baker Park Reserve.  Along Hamel Road, the trail would be adjacent to the roadway and predominantly be located within right-of-way.

Next Steps from Public Engagement

All community feedback from the public engagement period on alternative routes in the northern portion of the City have been put into one comprehensive summary for Park Commission and City Council review and consideration, which can be found in the linked Park Commission report below.  Staff will be sharing the results of the planning efforts to the Park Commission at its regular meeting on May 19, 2021 and the City Council at its regular meeting on June 1, 2021. The City Council will continue their discussion on the Diamond Lake Regional Trail at the June 15, 2021 meeting.

Regular Meeting of City Council:  Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 7:00 PM

Virtual Meeting Link:  Click here to join the meeting

For telephone audio only:  Dial 1-612-517-3122; Enter Conference ID: 632 071 137#

• Agenda
• June 15th Meeting Packet

• June 1st Meeting Report

Park Commission Meeting information from May 19, 2021 Meeting

• Diamond Lake Regional Trail Summary – Report to Park Commission – This report includes engagement summary and public comments received
• Meeting Visual Presentations from Staff
• Meeting Visual Presentation from Three Rivers Park District
• Video from May 19, 2021 Park Commission Meeting

Online (interactive map, message board, email at https://www.letstalkthreerivers.org/diamond-lake-regional-trail-master-plan) (comment period closed on May 12th)

Questions on the project, email DLRT@threeriversparks.org or call Stephen Shurson, Three Rivers Project Manager, at 763-559-6766

Information from Past Meetings regarding this topic (the original proposed trail routes south of Hamel Road in the meeting information below are no longer being considered):

• Video from 2/16/21 Meeting
• Video from 2/23/21 Meeting
• Video from 3/2/21 Meeting
• Maps (high resolution) – showing original three route options
• Public Comments from first engagement period as of 03.02.21
• Presentation from 2/16/21 Meeting – on project overview, route analysis, and preferred route
• Presentation for 3/2/21 Meeting – meeting between Park Commission & City Council to discuss alternative options/next steps