It is strongly recommended to avoid planting trees within the public right-of-way (generally 30 feet in each direction from the center of the street).  Trees planted in the right-of-way cause numerous problems such as:

• reduced visibility for motorists and pedestrians 
• structural damage to streets, sidewalks, bike paths, and underground utilities 
• excessive leaf shedding in the fall, creating hazardous slippery conditions

The City reserves the right to trim or remove trees in the right-of-way that are obstructing signs or causing hazardous conditions for pedestrians or vehicles.  As a general rule, trees should not be planted within 20 feet of the back of the curb, or within 5 feet of the side/rear property lines, or within any other easement that may exist on the property. In addition, care should be taken to plant at least 15 feet from any existing structure (sidewalk, driveway, house, hydrant, power lines, water shut-off valve, etc.) in order to avoid costly damage from heaving roots. These distances are minimums; the more clearance provided, the less likely it is that future problems or conflicts will develop.

As always, contact Gopher State One Call before you dig so utilities can be properly located.  Dial 811 or visit http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/

Yes, you do need a permit if you are making any changes to your driveway. Click here for the permit application.

Before you dig, call Gopher State One Call at (651) 454-0002 or visit their website at gopherstateonecall.info. They will arrange for utility companies to mark the buried utility lines in your yard. It’s a free call, and it could save your life. Please call 48 hours in advance of digging. Also, you should review your property survey to determine the location of easements on your property. Depending on the type of easement, there may be restrictions on improvements that can be made in the easement.

These areas around storm water ponds are intended to have a natural landscape that serves several important purposes. For the following reasons, property owners are encouraged to leave the buffers around storm ponds in their natural state:

• The vegetation provides a layer of protection for the water, consuming harmful nutrients (such as fertilizer runoff) before they reach the water surface and contribute to algae formation.
• The vegetation prevents erosion from compromising the slopes of the pond.
• The vegetation creates a uniform landscape along the sides of the pond, providing an aesthetic amenity for the neighborhood.
• The vegetation provides a natural habitat shelter for waterfowl.

Stormwater runoff occurs when rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks and streets prevent stormwater from naturally infiltrating into the ground. Runoff can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants during a rainfall or snowmelt event. This polluted runoff can flow into a storm sewer or directly to a lake, stream, river or wetland. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged into nearby surface waters.

Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals and people. Sediment can cloud the water and make it difficult for aquatic plants and habitat to survive. Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Fish and other aquatic organisms cannot exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels.

Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil and automotive fluids can poison aquatic life. Surface water pollution in these forms can pose a health hazard to animals and people.

Polluted stormwater can also affect drinking water sources such as ground water or other surface water features from which the potable supply is drawn. This, in turn, can affect human health and increase drinking water treatment costs.

Damaged sod will be repaired by the City as soon as time and weather permit. The City is not responsible for damage to irrigation systems, landscaping, or other items located within the City right-of-way. Please call the Public Works Department at 952-447-9896 or use this form to report sod damage. 

Mailboxes that have been directly hit by a snowplow will be repaired at the City’s expense as soon as time and weather permit. In certain cases, temporary repairs will be made to avoid disruption in your mail delivery. Please call the Public Works Department at 952-447-9896 or use this form to report a damaged mailbox. Please note, the City is not responsible for mailboxes knocked over by the weight of the snow rolling off the plows. To avoid potential damage to your mailbox, please make sure it is installed according to these specifications.

The Public Works Department is responsible for clearing snow and ice from certain sidewalks and trails after a snowfall exceeding two inches. The Winter Maintenance Policy includes a map of all sidewalks and trails that will be cleared by City staff. Sidewalks and trails not shown on this map are the responsibility of the homeowner and should be cleared of snow and ice within 48 hours of the end of the snowfall event. Visit our Map Dashboard to view the trail and sidewalk plowing map and other City maps.

Certain roads in our community fall under County, State, SMSC or Private jurisdiction and are not plowed by the City.  View this map to see which entities are responsible for plowing which streets.

County and State roads that are not plowed by the City include:

• Hwy 13
• County Road 17 (Marschall Road)
• County Road 18 (Crest Ave NE)
• County Road 21 (Eagle Creek Ave SE)
• County Road 42 (140^th Street NE)
• County Road 82 (154^th Street NW)
• County Road 83 (Mystic Lake Dr NW)
    

Streets that are plowed by the City (as indicated on this map) are plowed according to the following priorities:

1. Main thoroughfares
2. Streets providing access to schools and commercial businesses
3. Low volume residential streets
4. City parking lots and ice rinks, and certain sidewalks and trails

Per our Winter Maintenance Policy, plowing will generally commence after snowfall exceeds two inches and will continue until all streets are cleared of snow and ice. Generally, for snowfall events that begin after 6 p.m., plowing will begin the following morning at 2 a.m.

Visit the Map Dashboard to view the plowing jurisdiction map, the trail and sidewalk plowing map, and other City maps.

A reduction in water pressure may be the result of your water softener not working properly. To check your softener, adjust the manual bypass valve so the water will not flow through the softener. If your pressure improves, your softener probably needs to be cleaned or serviced. If your water pressure does not improve, check the valves on the water line coming into your home (located just before and after the meter) to make sure they are open all the way. If pressure is still low, you may contact the Public Works department at 952-447-9896.

Total hardness:  19.3 grains per gallon (330 ppm)
Calcium:  12.3 grains per gallon (150 ppm)
Magnesium:  7.0 grains per gallon (120 ppm)
pH: 7.2

Learn more about the water treatment process on our Water Treatment Facility page.

The Public Works Department will repair water meters and can shut off service at the curb if a plumber requires it for other plumbing repairs. There is no charge for meter repair visits by City employees during normal business hours. Fees may be charged for other services. To request service, please contact Utility Billing at 952-447-9843 or 952-447-9844 or utilitybilling@PriorLakeMN.gov.

All hydrants are flushed in the spring to ensure that water lines and hydrants are working properly.  Occasionally this process can stir up deposits in the system, causing a slight discoloration in your tap water.  If this occurs, run all the cold water taps in your home until the water runs clear again (usually about 3-5 minutes).  If the discoloration doesn't clear after several minutes, please call the Public Works Department at 952-447-9896. 

Iron and manganese, harmless minerals that occur naturally in well water, can cause discoloration. Most of the Iron and Manganese in Prior Lake is removed in the treatment process at the Water Treatment Facility. A malfunctioning water softener may also cause discoloration. In the spring, routine hydrant flushing may stir up deposits within the pipes, resulting in rusty/discolored water. Usually, discolored water can be cleared up by turning on all the cold water faucets (including bath and shower) at the same time and letting them run for a few minutes to clear the lines.

The most common reason for the odor is stagnant water in your plumbing system, particularly within the hot water heater. The best way to eliminate the odor is to turn on the hot water at all faucets in your home, including bath and shower faucets. When the hot water has completely drained and fresh water is entering your home from the water main, the odor should dissipate. This process may take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes and use between 40 to 150 gallons of water, depending on the size of your hot water heater.