A Message from the Mayor

Hello Neighbors,

As part of our ongoing effort to engage with our wonderful community, I am thrilled to share the latest episode of Mayor About Town. This show is dedicated to lifting up the people, places, and organizations that make Wayzata so special.

In this edition, we feature three amazing individuals:

• Kevin Ward from IOCP
• Ryan Carlson from Wayzata West Middle School
• Father John Klockemen from St. Bart's Church and School

We hope you enjoy getting to know them and learning more about their contributions to Wayzata!

Click here to watch

Contact the Mayor: 

City phone #: 952-404-5327

City email: amullin@wayzata.org

Facebook: facebook.com/mullinforwayzata

X: @Andrewmullin

Buckthorn Removal Conservation Work 

In early May, staff proposed and the Council approved funding, using tree replacement funds, to hire Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa to restore two city-owned woodland areas located at 450 and 550 Ridgeview Drive East, at the intersection of Far Hill Road. These properties have not been regularly maintained and have become heavily infested with buckthorn. MN Conservation Corps will be removing these and other invasives starting today and through next week before treating their stumps to prevent regrowth. 

Opening the forest floor in this way allows for natural shade tree regeneration and makes it more habitable for wildlife. The quality of these areas has been prioritized because of their visibility to drivers and Luce Line trail users, and due to the number of ash trees that have been lost along Ridgeview Drive to the east and west.

Dock Bumper Update

Last summer, we heard feedback that the original dock bumper design does not serve our boaters well. The City's dock working group, which includes boaters and users of Lake Minnetonka, reviewed the feedback and came up with a new design. The new vertical bumpers have been installed on select slips on a trial basis for a short period of time, in hopes that they perform better for boats of all kinds.

The plan is to see how they perform during this trial, then, if they work well, install the rest or pivot to a different solution as soon as possible. Feedback will be collected from boaters using the slips during the trial period via a QR code form that the dock masters will use.

Wayzata Art Experience Returns at the End of June

Kick off the summer with the lakeside festival, Wayzata Art Experience, June 21-22. Taking place in downtown Wayzata on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, this two day event, hosted by the Wayzata West Metro Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature 150 juried artists, food trucks, a food artisan market, an activity zone for families and kids, a beer + wine garden, a boat light parade and live music all weekend long.

Visit wayzataartexperience.com to learn more.

New E-Bike Ordinance Coming to Wayzata

The use of e-bikes as a form of transportation has increased significantly in recent years, and many now have the capability to go over 30 mph. During that time, the nation has also seen a dramatic and rapid increase of e-bikers hospitalized with head trauma. This trend is often linked to a lack of consistent safety regulations.

To address this, a new ordinance will be added to the Wayzata City Code & Charter requiring all people under the age of 18 riding e-bikes and motorized scooters to wear helmets.

The new ordinance will allow the Wayzata Police Department to make more stops and better promote, educate, and enforce risky operational behaviors with people under the age of 18 and their parents.

This ordinance aligns with other Lake Minnetonka-area cities and will have a strong impact on multi-modal transportation safety habits to the surrounding areas.

In addition to this ordinance, the City has placed signage along Lake Street encouraging bikers to slow down when coming through town and to indicate that bikes of any kind are prohibited on the Lakewalk.

Sign Up for Summer Recreation Programs

The City is partnering with Wayzata Community Education to provide recreation and enrichment programs for youth and adults in our parks. Programs include pickleball/tennis lessons, soccer camps, yoga, meditation, paddleboarding, and many more. Activity locations include Klapprich Park, Wayzata Beach, and more! 

Learn more and sign up at wayzataschools.org/communityed.

Register to Host a Night to Unite Block Party in August

Neighborhoods across Wayzata have been gathering to celebrate Night to Unite for more than 40 years! On August 5, in the evening, the Wayzata Police, Fire, City staff, and elected officials will visit neighborhood parties throughout Wayzata and Long Lake. Along with the police cars and fire trucks, there will be trinkets for kids and a crime prevention message at each stop. This is a great time to ask questions of elected officials, police officers, firefighters, and City staff.

Interested in hosting a gathering in your neighborhood? Fill out our online registration form at wayzata.org/nighttounite.

Registrations are due July 11, 2025.

An Update on Klapprich Park Improvements

City Council awarded contracts for the Klapprich Park Improvement Project at their May 6 meeting. The construction is scheduled to begin in early-mid June and will continue until late fall 2025.  

More information and updates will be added to the Klapprich Park project webpage. 

McGinty Road Repaving Work Has Begun 

Hennepin County has begun resurfacing CSAH 16 (McGinty Road). While the project is fully within Minnetonka, the marked detour route will affect Wayzata. Specifically, McGinty Road will be partially closed with only local access permitted during construction. The detour route will utilize Minnetonka Boulevard and Bushaway Road. Closures began this week and will continue for about three weeks.

Gleason Lake Road Reconstruction

Hennepin County is officially starting the process of preliminary engineering and design for the 2028 Gleason Lake Road (CASH 15) Reconstruction. The project will seek to modernize the corridor for all users and anticipates the full reconstruction of the roadway, including repaving the road, making improvements for people walking, biking, and rolling, and updating the stormwater system. 

Click to learn more

Watermain & Street Rehabilitation Project

Next week, the contractor will begin installation of new water services to connect homes along Hampton Street to the new watermain. After the homes along Hampton Street have been connected, the contractor will begin connecting homes along Central Avenue to the new watermain. The contractor and the City’s Utility Department will work with residents individually to schedule the connections.

If you have additional questions about this project, please contact Jen Schumann at jschumann@wayzata.org, or 952-404-5371.

Click here to learn more

1407 Holdridge Ln Fence Variance

Applicant and owner, Adam Elg, has applied for a variance to allow a fence in the front and side yard that is proposed to be six-feet-tall and 100% opaque. The purpose of the fence is privacy from Wayzata Blvd E. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the application on May 5. The report and recommendation were approved on May 20 and was approved by the City Council on June 3.