The estimated market value of all property in the city totaled more $1.66 billion in 2020, according to an annual report from City Assessor Reed Heidelberger.

That’s an increase of 5% from 2019’s value of $1.58 billion. The value includes new construction that took place in 2019, including 44 new single-family homes and 279 remodeling permits that provided more than $25.33 million in value.

Heidelberger said the city is fortunate to have a nicely balanced mix of residential and commercial/industrial value.

New commercial and industrial construction added $16.6 million, according to the report.

Residential and agricultural property accounted for 62% or just over $1 billion of the total value, followed by commercial with $362 million or 21.8%, apartments with $187 million or 11.2%, industrial with $57.1 million or 1.2%, and public utilities/attached machinery with just under $20 million or 1.2%. Mobile home parks and personal property accounted for the remaining 0.4%.

The city’s estimated market value comprises 26% of the total taxable market value in Douglas County, $6.42 billion. The value of other taxing districts include School District 206 – $5.1 billion, and the Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary Sewer District – $3.7 billion.

The report also examined tax-exempt property in the city, such as government buildings, churches and charitable organizations. The total market value of that property amounts to $1.62 billion and $322 million of that, 20%, was exempted. Compared to nine other similar-sized cities in the state, Alexandria’s 20% mark was the second lowest, trailing only Monticello with 11%.

Graduation ceremony at ATCC

Alexandria Technical and Community College will hold its graduation ceremonies at the Runestone Community Center on Wednesday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The council gave the college a special event permit.

Last year's graduation ceremony was canceled because of the pandemic. This year, instead of having one large ceremony, the college is breaking in into three smaller gatherings. About 2,000 are expected to attend throughout the day.

Alexandria police officers will help with traffic control and cones and barricades will be set up.

Several other special events were approved:

• Freedom First Riders will hold its annual motorcycle show at the RCC on May 22-23. In order to follow social distancing and occupancy limits, serving of food, beverages and alcohol will be held outside the RCC in a fenced in area. The council also issued a temporary liquor license for the event.

• The Alexandria Youth Basketball Club for its “Big Ole Hoops 3 on 3” tournament at the Matt Kjelland Memorial Courts on June 12 and possibly on June 13 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Organizers aren't sure about how many teams will compete. It could 15 or as many as 50, they said. They are looking into the possibility of adding a tented area for serving water and non-alcoholic beverages, and arranging a food truck at the event.

The council tabled a request to issue on-sale beer and wine licenses to The Edge Company at 624 Broadway, the former Ben Franklin site.

Owner Mick Miller of Carlos, who submitted the applications, said the business will offer a boutique and a higher-end kitchen store that will feature a full-fledged coffee bar with 32 seats. Some light pre-packaged food would be served.

The council voted to table the request because it didn't meet city ordinances for alcohol licenses. The ordinance requires meals to be prepared on the premises instead of pre-packaged food.

City staff will meet with Miller, who is in the process of getting a food license through Horizon Public Health, and discuss options for serving wine and beer.

Several other licenses were issued:

• A mobile food truck license to Papa Don’s Burgers and Wings. Under city ordinances, food trucks are allowed to stay in one location for no more than 21 days.

• On-sale beer and wine licenses to Viking Speedway. The speedway’s 2021 racing schedule, which includes 20 racing dates, was also approved. The 56th season opener is set for Friday, May 8.

• An off-sale beer license to Garden Center to sell 3.2 beer off-sale to its customers.

• A temporary on-sale liquor license to the nonprofit Willmar Stingers Community Fund for a baseball event on July 1 at Knute Nelson Memorial Park.

• A temporary on-sale liquor license to the Alexandria Fire Department Relief Association for a fundraising event at the RCC on Friday, May 15.

Stormwater ordinance amendments approved

Changes are being made to the city’s stormwater ordinance.

A public hearing about the changes was held but no one from the public spoke.

The council voted to give preliminary approval to the amendments. The goals of the changes are:

• Improve consistency of language and terminology between Alexandria’s and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s construction stormwater permits with matching definitions and descriptions of stormwater treatment systems.

• Reference MPCA construction stormwater general permit practices and systems to reduce insignificant variations.

• Define land disturbance categories and submittal requirements to be consistent with Alexandria’s stormwater permit process and building department criteria.

• Add MPCA ordinance requirements for salt storage and handling, and pet waste.

Bellanca Building fix-up continues

More improvements for the Bellanca Building at the airport are on the way.

The council authorized Alexandria Airport Manager Kreg Anderson to get bids for upgrading the building’s electrical system and for miscellaneous renovations – repainting the exterior, re-siding and restroom work.

The improvements are part of a $362,000 project to repair the building. The city and the Minnesota Department of Transportation are splitting the costs.