South metro briefs: County Road 42 at I-35W closed starting Monday

The westbound County Road 42 will be closed beginning Monday at the I-35W junction for bridge repair and road improvements.

No westbound traffic will be allowed over the bridge for an expected five weeks, with access planned to reopen May 22. The closure of eastbound lanes begins May 22.

While access to I-35W North will remain open during construction, drivers traveling west on County Road 42 won't have access to Buck Hill Road. They should take County Road 11, I-35E North or I-353W North to get to westbound County Road 42.

Motorists traveling east on County Road 42 will still have access to I-35W North. Those traveling south on I-35W can still access the County Road 42 ramp, Buck Hill Road and both westbound and eastbound County Road 42.

The County Road 42 corridor has a daily volume of more than 50,000 vehicles, and drivers experience several traffic backups during the day.

The project will include an updated roadway, signals and signs, along with an extension of the left turn lane at the junction of County Road 42 and the I-35 North ramp.

Erin Adler

County Board to hold hearing on tax issues

The Carver County Board will hold a public hearing on a potential new sales tax and an increase in the wheelage tax at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the County Board room at the Carver County Health and Human Services Building (600 E 4th St., Chaska). The changes are being considered to fund pavement repair projects throughout the county and 26 road projects over the next two decades. Eight more projects are planned for the decade after that, according to Carver County.

Proposed are a half-percent transportation sales tax on almost every purchase made in the county. That includes a $20 excise tax on vehicles because they are otherwise exempt from the transportation sales tax. Also under consideration is an increase in the existing wheelage tax to $20 a vehicle from $10 a vehicle, which would be tacked on to annual vehicle registration fees.

The state sales tax rate is currently 6.875 percent, while Carver County has none.

Specifics on the funding proposal can be found on the county's website at www.co.carver.mn.us

Carver County will open its new drive-through Chaska License Center on Tuesday at 418 Pine St. The Chaska center will streamline tab renewals, joining the Chanhassen location in offering drive-through service for that purpose.

The drive-through will reduce wait time and make better use of lobby space, according to Carver County.

Customers must bring their bill, which Minnesota Driver and Motor Vehicle Services sends by mail, to use the drive-through. If they don't have it, they will have to go inside.

Erin Adler

City officials approved an amendment at Monday's City Council meeting restricting the height of grass on West St. Paul lawns to eight inches, a change from the previous ordinance stating grass could be a foot high. No one appeared at the public hearing held Monday related to the change.

City staff has since had to deal with "an increase in complaints and ultimately some very unsightly properties," the memo said.

Other communities' limits vary. South St. Paul and Richfield allow six inches, St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights have an eight-inch limit and Mendota Heights allows a foot of growth.

Erin Adler

Rosemount is seeking a new public works director and city engineer — a single position — to serve its population of 23,000 people. Patrick Wrase had the job for about a year beginning in the summer of 2015. The role has since been filled by an outside consultant.

The city, which employs 81 regular full-time workers, has an annual public works budget of about $20,000, according to a news release. The public works director supervises five employees but oversees 23.