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Athletic Gear Donation Event April 17 - 28, 2023

The city is partnering with United Heroes League to collected good-condition athletic gear and equipment which will be donated to military families in need. United Heroes League is a non-profit organization that keeps military kids active and healthy through sports while their parents serve our country. So far they have helped over 50,000 military families keep or start their kids in sports. United Heroes League wants to ensure that all 5 million military kids are able to develop critical life skills through sports.

We are collecting:

  • Good, condition items (like ones you’d find at play it again sports)
  • Downhill and cross country skis
  • Cleats for baseball and soccer
  • Gloves/mitts
  • Skates
  • Lacrosse items
  • Golf clubs

Collection boxes located at:

  • Mendota Heights City Hall (1101 Victoria Curve)
  • West St. Paul Sports Dome (1655 Livingston Ave)
  • Doug Woog Arena (141 6th St S, South St. Paul)

No work out clothing/tennis shoes

Want more info? Visit https://unitedheroesleague.org/

Box ¾ full? Contact Courtney: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 651-552-4118

Water Conservation

The City of Sunfish Lake is unique in a lot of ways.  The large lots, rural feel, and lack of public sewer and water in a community surrounded by city’s with more urban settings and infrastructure makes Sunfish Lake a special place.  With every home in the city on an individual well system, it is more important for our city’s citizens than for the other communities around us to protect and conserve our water resources.  At the time of this writing, the region is entering into what are considered “drought” conditions, which puts even more stress on the local water resources and supplies of water in the ground that each of our wells draws from.  It is strongly encouraged that you consider implementing the water conservation practices outlined below:

 

  • Take shorter showers, which saves gallons of water.
  • Add more efficient shower heads which can save as much as 13,000 gallons a year for an average household.  Xcel Energy provides low volume shower heads at the Xcel Energy Store website.
  • Toilets are one of the biggest sources of indoor water consumption.  Older toilets use much more water than new toilets.  Make sure you have updated toilets that use less than 1.6 gallons per flush.
  • Consider trading in your top-load washer machine for a high efficiency front loading washer.  You can save up to 36 gallons of water per load.
  • If your faucets are older, you can benefit from installing aerator flow restrictors on faucets.
  • Lawn irrigation use by Americans amounts to about 9 billion gallons of water daily.  In many instances home lawns and landscapes are over-watered. Consider adding soil moisture sensors that prompt the lawn irrigation only when needed.
  • It is best to water deeply and infrequently, and watering should not take place during the heat of the day to prevent needless evaporation.
  • Consider converting areas of sodded lawn to drought resistant lawn and low-maintenance plantings that require much less watering. 

 

Implementing the practices outlined above can help to ensure that plentiful fresh groundwater is available for future generations, and will help to protect the special attributes of this unique city.

Lower Mississippi River Water Management Organization Survey

Are you interested in your local water resources? LMRWMO is Seeking Public Input.  See this link:

 Go to the survey

Water Pumping From City Lakes and Wetlands

Many residents may not know that pumping from lakes and wetlands within the City requires a permit.  The SFL City Council first passed an ordinance in 1989 to prohibit pumping from the City’s lakes and wetlands without an approved City Permit.  City Ordinance requires issuance of an Interim Use Permit for pumping of any lake, stream, wetland or natural or man-made pond water.  You can find the specifics of the ordinance in this link: https://www.sunfishlake.org/ordinances/article-xi-protection-of-the-environment/1107-water-use-permit/?template=protostar&print=1&layout=default

 

The process for water use permit review and approval follows that which is required for Conditional Use Permits – which involves public notice, a public hearing at the Planning Commission,  and review and action by the City Council.   Some of the things that are considered in the review of pumping applications are:

 

  • Whether pumping could occur when the lake is low
  • The noise from the pumping machine
  • Whether the pumping apparatus has to be removed from the shoreland when pumping is not occurring   
  • Whether pumping may occur at night
  • How would the pumped water be used and where would it go
  • Whether any erosion control needs to be installed

 

This review process is necessary for the protection of our natural resources.  Please contact City Planner Lori Johnson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to know more about the permitting process, applications and deadlines.

Treeways

  • explore subfolder image 2023 Treeways
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways 2023 - 5 Open Woodland Restoration
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways 2023 - 4 No Goats No Glory
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways 2023 - 2 Woodland Evolution
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways 2023 - 3 Oh Deer
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways 2023 - 1-EAB 2023 Update
  • explore subfolder image 2022
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2022_-_5-Filling_Open_Spaces
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2022_-_4_LifeOfTrees
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2022_-_3_BuckthornForever
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2022_-_2_VistaPruning
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2022_-_1-EmeraldAshBorerUpdate
  • explore subfolder image 2021
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-9_Emerald_Ash_Borer_Status
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-8-Thanks_Neighbors_Recycling
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-3_Our_Learning_Curve_Controlling_Buckthorn
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-1_Smart_Tree_Removal
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-2_Our_Experience_Fighting_Oak_Wilt
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-7_Burning_Permits
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-4_Pets_and_Other_Animals
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-5_Chronic_Wasting_Disease
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021-6_Wildfire_Firewise
  • explore subfolder image 2020
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2020_4-Managing_your_estate_landscape
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2020_3-Managing_invasive_species
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2020_2-Making_lemonade_when_you_lose_your_ash
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2020_1-Living_well_in_Sunfish_Lake
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2020__5_Friends_of_Musser_Park
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Deer_Population_Update_2020_8
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Landscaping__Bee_the_Change_2020_-_7
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Trees_and_Woody_Plants_for_Particular_Purposes_2020_-_6
    • An Adobe Acrobat file Treeways_2020_8
  • explore subfolder image 2019
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2019 04 EAB and You
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2019 03 Living the Life
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2019 02 Street Trees Near Charlton Road
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2019 01 Sunfish Lake Tree Inventory
  • explore subfolder image 2018
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 7 When a Tree Dies
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 6 Choosing Trees
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 5 Restoring Wildflowers
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 4 Invasive Species Reality Check
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 3 EAB and Wildfires
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 2 Trees in Winter
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2018 1 Living Well in SFL
  • explore subfolder image 2017
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2017 4 BeeKindMN.org
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2017 3 Tick Borne Diseases
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2017 1 Bluebird Trail
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2017 2 Mosquito Borne Disease
  • explore subfolder image 2016
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2016 05 Burning Leaves
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2016 04 Deer Management
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2016 03 The End of Nature
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2016 02 A Walk in the Park
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2016 01 Big Piles of Brush
  • explore subfolder image 2015
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 07 Mosquito-Borne Diseases
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 8 Wildflower Planting Demo
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 06 Lyme Disease
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 05 Maximum Woodland Tree Diversity
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 04 Minnesota Noxious Weeds
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 03 Native Wildflower Plantings
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 02 Being Friendly with Native Bees
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2015 01 Raising Bees and Chickens
  • explore subfolder image 2014
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 09 Grapevines Gone Wild
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 08 Sunfish Lake Algae
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 10 Oriental Bittersweet
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 06 Pesticides
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 07 Bee Pastures
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 04 Wild Land Care
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 03 Woodland Management
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 05 Bees
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 02 Burning Permits
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2014 01 Fire Number Signs
  • explore subfolder image 2013
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 09 Trouble With trees - Neighbors
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 06 Maintaining Your Woodland Estate
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 08 Trouble With Your Tree - Ask the City Forester
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 07 Is Your Tree a Hazard Tree
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 05 The Long View - Woodlands Forever
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 04 How do I Plant a Tree ..
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 03 Learn Not to Burn -- Live FireWise
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 02 How Do I Know if I Have EAB
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2013 01 EAB on Our Doorstep and Reforestation
  • explore subfolder image 2012
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 7 EAB -- The Genie is Out of the Bottle
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 6 Transplanting New Trees
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 8 Woodland Wildfires -- FireWise
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 4 Controlling Invasive Species
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 3 Garlic Mustard Control
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 5 Recommended Woody Plants
    • An Adobe Acrobat file 2012 2 EAB on Our Doorstep

Sunfish Lake Quarterly

  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2022-23-4
  • An Adobe Acrobat file 2022SummerNewsletterFinal
  • An Adobe Acrobat file 2022_Spring_NewsletterFinal
  • An Adobe Acrobat file winter2022_DakCoCorrected
  • An Adobe Acrobat file 2021WinterJanFinal
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2019-17-1
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2018-16-1
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2017-15-2
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2016-14-2
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2015-13-3
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2014-12-3
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2011-9-1
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2010-8-1
  • An Adobe Acrobat file SFLQ-2009-7-4

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Things to Do

The Recycling Zone

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We are a small community proud of our heritage and committed to the preservation of our pristine, rural character. We cherish our privacy, yet know we are part of a thriving Dakota County and the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area. With these partnerships in mind, we strive to preserve that unique spirit which is Sunfish Lake, Minnesota.

© 2023 City of Sunfish Lake, Minnesota
Thursday, March 30, 2023