Metro briefs: Grant aids cleanup of East Moore Lake in Fridley

Fridley has accepted a $400,000 grant from the state Board of Water and Soil Resources Clean Water Fund to improve water quality in East Moore Lake.

The city plans to build an iron-enhanced and biochar sand filter at the Gardena Avenue storm sewer outlet, which flows into the lake. The filter will remove trash, sediment, phosphorus and bacteria from stormwater runoff before it enters the lake.

The project also includes converting shoreline turf into a native plant buffer to discourage geese from gathering and to filter runoff.

Construction is planned for 2022, and when done, the project should reduce cases of elevated bacteria levels in the beach area and enhance recreational suitability, the grant said.

The Clean Water Fund receives sales tax revenue generated by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

TIM HARLOW

The city of White Bear Lake will spend $180,000 to rebuild and restore the historic Erd-Geist Gazebo in Matoska Park.

A $150,000 donation will cover a majority of the cost, with the city's Parks Fund covering the balance.

A wealthy family that summered in White Bear Lake first built the two-story structure in the 1880s. The Victorian-era gazebo was moved to the public park in the 1970s and has been restored several times.

Shannon Prather

Lakeville's residential building boom is continuing into 2021. The city has issued more residential building permits than any other metro-area city so far in 2021, beating Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Dayton and Otsego, which were next on the list.

From Jan. 1 to March 31, the city has issued permits for 165 single-family homes and 37 townhouses. That compares with 117 single-family home permits and 22 townhouse permits issued during the same period in 2020.

Overall, the limited supply of homes in the Twin Cities has been increasing demand for new housing. Homebuilders have struggled to keep up with demand.

Erin Adler

The Andover City Council has tabled discussion about building outdoor pickleball courts, leaving it to the city's Parks Commission to decide whether to include them in its five-year improvement plan.

For now, the courts are still in the city's parks improvement plans for 2025, but they could be removed when the commission presents recommendations for projects in the years 2022 to 2026.

A group of residents has been pushing the city to put in a six- or eight-court facility in response to the growing popularity of the sport.