Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, please refer to the resident guide for additional phone numbers and community information. 

Solicitation Permits are required for any person, organization, or corporation desiring to sell wares door to door or solicit donations within the city limits. Read more at the online resource on solicitors.

You can get your tabs, titles, and DNR licenses at the Waconia Deputy Registrar Office in Waconia at 222 Main Street West, which can be contacted by phone at 952-442-4038. For driver's license or passport questions, contact the Carver County License Center, located at 418 Pine Street, Chaska, Minnesota. Contact the License Center by phone at 952-361-1900. An additional location can be found at 7808 Kerber Pass, Chanhassen, Minnesota, or can be contacted by phone at 952-361-3900. You can also visit the state's website. 

State DVS Website

The City of Waconia does not require pet licensing, however we do enforce the following in our ordinance: leash laws, feces pick-up, dogs at large, and noise ordinances.

Any resident having a problem with stray dogs should contact Caver County Sheriff’s Office, Community Service Officer, at 952-361-1231.

Our Senior Center is located at 201 South Vine Street and there are activities throughout the week for seniors to enjoy. 

The non-emergency phone number is 952-442-2316. Please leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible. 

After the third false alarm in a calendar year, there is a charge to cover the departments costs to respond to the alarm.  

Yes, if you would like to schedule a time to tour the Fire Station please call 952-442-2316 and leave a message. 

Residents needing to enroll in water utilities can complete the Move In Form online. Submitting the form at least 24 hours in advance will give us time to schedule a final meter read so we can bill as accurately as possible. Any questions can be directed to the Utility Billing Department at 952-442-3107, or by email.

And if residents are moving out, please complete the Moving Out Form online. 

If you are moving within Waconia, you will need to complete both a Move In and Move Out form. 

There are several ways to pay your utility bill. 

Visit our new customer portal to see detailed bill options and a direct link to pay your bill!

Direct Payment

You can set up automatically reoccurring payments directly through your bank account or with a credit/debit card simply by registering for an online account on Invoice Cloud or enrolling in auto pay. 

Online Check Payment

Payment online via EFT/ACH is also available. This is the ability to pay by check, online. 

Pay by Text

If you save a payment method in your online account, you can also have the option to pay via text. 

One Time Online Payment

You can make one-time payments as well, no online registration is required - just make sure you have your account number handy!

Go to www.invoicecloud.com/waconiamn to see all the secure and convenient ways you can pay your bill! 

Bill Pay

Bill Pay is an option that your current bank may provide free of charge. This service allows you to add the City of Waconia as a payee for bills that come due. In order to set us up as a customer so we receive payments appropriately, the customer must include the full utility account number with all 12 digits as follows: xxxxxxxxx.xxx. The period may need to be taken out based on your specific bank’s processing system. The utility account number ties directly to the utility account of the property in question.

Once processed through your bank, the City of Waconia will receive either an electronic funds transfer or a bank issued check with the utility account number specified so it can be applied directly to the correct account. Bill pay payments generate a receipt and are posted to the utility account within 2 business days of receipt.

In Person

Pay at the City Hall front desk. We accept cash, check, money order, or credit card payments (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express).

Drop Box

Residents have the ability to drop off their utility bill payments at any time of the day or night in the utility drop box located outside of City Hall. One of them is located directly in front of the main parking for City Hall off of the sidewalk. The other is mounted inside the City Hall front doors within the vestibule. 

Mail

We try to make paying your bill convenient for everyone, so mailing a check payment to City Hall is always accepted. The mailing address is:

Waconia City Hall
201 South Vine Street
Waconia, MN 55387

All properties will receive a minimum service charge billing on a monthly basis. The city’s base rates are defined in the city’s fee schedule (Ordinance 1100).

City officials encourage all special vehicle operators to observe state and local regulations in order to ensure the continued ability to drive in the City of Waconia. If you are interested in applying for a Special Vehicle Permit please fill out the application and return the documents to Waconia City Hall. 

The Waconia Food Shelf is a community organization providing food and supportive services to those in need and are committed to serving our families in a pleasant, dignified environment. They make an effort to provide a variety of foods our families can choose from to promote healthy eating. Offering food and groceries, household essentials, personal care items, monthly mobile grocery delivery, birthday bags, pet food, and seasonal kids resources. They can be contacted by phone at 952-442-3878.

If you need help or would like to donate, Gather and Grow Food Shelf is located at 11 Elm Street South, Waconia.

In an emergency, always call 911. For non-emergency calls, contact Sheriff's Dispatch at 952-361-1231.

The Carver County Sheriff’s have a drug take-back box located inside their Waconia Substation. It is located at the north end of the City Hall building. You can enter the side door and inside you will see a drop box that you can drop in prescription bottles.

No, deputies are assigned to Waconia and use the office area on the north side of City Hall. The Sheriff's Office use this office area as a substation and often there are deputies that do not serve Waconia using the office area. Driving to City Hall to contact a deputy is not recommended. Instead, call the Sheriff's non-emergency number at 952-361-1231. A deputy can return your call, arrange to meet you, or drive to your location. If it is an emergency, call 911.

The Compost site at Waconia Public Services is generally open from April until November. Actual dates and times may vary so please check the city website for a more detailed schedule. There is a fee of $1 per bag, $10 per pick-up or trailer. Materials collected are grass, leaves, garden waste, and brush no larger than 3" in diameter and no longer than 4' in length. Check the city’s website calendar, yard waste schedule, or newsletter for specific times and dates. 

Any weeds, whether noxious or not, growing on any privately owned lot or on any public boulevard abutting a private property, at a height greater than 6 inches are declared to be a nuisance. The owner or occupant of the property is responsible to cut and remove the weeds from the property.

If the owner or occupant fails to maintain the property, the city will send notification to remedy the nuisance within 5 days of receipt of the notice. If no action is taken by the owner or occupant, the city will take action to mow and/or remove the growth. Any costs incurred by the city will be billed to the property owner.

The City Council has designated certain areas where parking is limited or restricted during specified hours. For more information, see our resource on parking regulations.

Several internet companies are currently installing fiber lines in Waconia. Comcast is installing both internet and cable television services. You may see workers in your neighborhood performing trenching, boring, and placing cables within easements, and public rights-of-way which may impact your yard. 

Before construction begins, you’ll see small flags or spray paint markings identifying utility lines. These are placed after companies submit a request through the 811 system to ensure safe digging. Different colors indicate different utility types. 

After markings, crews will begin installing underground conduit and fiber lines—typically within 5 to 7 days. Most work occurs in public areas, but you will be notified by the contractor if work needs to be done in a utility easement that falls within your property line. 

You may also see construction vehicles and equipment such as trucks, directional drills, and utility vans. 

Yes. Companies like Metronet and Comcast have obtained the necessary permits from the City of Waconia to install fiber-optic cables within public rights-of-way and designated utility easements.  

Under Minnesota state law, telecommunications and utility providers are granted the legal right to access and use public rights-of-way and easements for the construction, installation, and maintenance of their infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks. These rights-of-way and easements typically include streets, sidewalks, and boulevard areas, that may extend into yards. While cities like Waconia have the authority to regulate the time and place of this work through a permitting process, they cannot prohibit utility companies from installing infrastructure in these areas if the companies are in compliance with state law and local permit requirements. 

The public right-of-way (ROW) refers to land set aside for public use and infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks, and utilities like water, sanitary sewer, gas, electric service and telecommunications. In residential areas, the ROW often extends beyond the paved street—typically about 16 feet from the back of the curb into what many homeowners consider part of their front yard. This space may include sidewalks, boulevard strips, and grassy areas near the curb. Though it may look like private property, this area is legally reserved for public infrastructure and may be accessed by the City or licensed utility companies for maintenance, repair, or installation work. 

In addition to the ROW, most properties also include Drainage and Utility (D&U) Easements. These are designated strips of land along the front (usually 10 feet past the ROW), rear, or side (usually 6 feet from) property lines. While these easements are part of a homeowner's lot, they grant legal access to the City and utility providers for the purpose of installing and maintaining essential services like stormwater systems, electrical lines, or fiber-optic cables. 

It’s important to understand that both the ROW and D&U easements are legally accessible by utility providers with proper permits. Even though these areas may appear to be private yard space, work can be conducted there without the property owner's direct approval. 

Contractors working for internet providers will typically leave door hangers or other notifications before beginning work. These will include the company name and contact info.

The work is being completed by contractors hired by the internet service providers, not by the City of Waconia.

Yes, generally each provider installs its own system. Fiber-optic networks are independently owned and maintained, and providers don’t typically share infrastructure. This means that if several companies want to offer service in your area, construction could happen more than once. 

With new developments, some utility providers opt to install infrastructure together in one trench prior to construction of new homes.  The city always makes this request but is not able to require it. 

Contractors usually finish within a few weeks. However, because multiple providers may be installing at different times, you could see activity more than once during the construction season. Most work is expected to wrap up by the end of 2027. 

If you notice no progress for over a week and property hasn’t been restored, contact the fiber-optic company contact for assistance. 

The companies will mail notifications to residents as service becomes available. Expect a “Coming Soon” notice a month in advance, followed by a confirmation once the network is ready.

Contractors are required to return any disturbed property—lawns, landscaping, etc.—to its original condition. This process may take time, so they appreciate your patience while restoration work is completed. 

If you have questions or concerns about the restoration process, contact the fiber-optic company for assistance. 

Please don’t remove them until the installation work is finished. These flags are essential for identifying underground utilities. Once the job is complete, the contractors will return to remove them.

The green boxes are called pedestals. They act as connection points for the fiber network and are typically installed in public right-of-way areas or utility easements for easy maintenance and service upgrades.

Sometimes installation requires limited work across driveways. Contractors will dig under driveways to limit the impact.

While most of the work is deep enough to avoid these, hand digging will be used in certain areas during construction. If you have these systems in your yard, it’s always best to mark these systems and notify the provider ahead of time. 

We recommend clearly marking the locations of any private systems like invisible fencing or sprinklers. While any damage caused by the contractors is the responsibility of the internet provider, marking these areas ahead of time helps prevent issues. Instructions for marking these systems will be included in construction alert door hangers. 

Franchise fee revenue is anticipated to be approximately $850,000 per year. If the City were to raise the property tax levy by $850,000 it would result in an additional $145/year tax increase to the average valued home. 

By implementing franchise fees, every residential address will pay the same flat rate per month, totaling approximately $120/year, a cost savings of $25/year for the average valued home vs. increasing property taxes.  

By implementing franchise fees, every residential address will pay the same flat rate per month, totaling approximately $120/year, a cost savings of $25/year for the average valued home vs. increasing property taxes.  

Historically, pavement maintenance and rehabilitation projects in the community have been primarily funded through state aid funding. This funding cannot be used on neighborhood streets, which is where the high need areas currently are. 

Playground replacements were not something the City was regularly doing as part of it’s maintenance plan. Playground systems typically have a useful life of 20-25 years. Over the course of the last 18 months, City staff have conducted an inventory of all the City’s park systems, including identifying installation date and assessment of the condition of the parks. A solid plan has been built moving forward to focus on one park replacement per calendar year. This will ensure all playgrounds stay safe in the community. 

No. Franchise fees would cover identified capital replacement or rehabilitation needs in the street and park systems. Playground replacements have historically not occurred regularly within the community and compete for funding with all other capital investment needs like roads, facilities, and equipment. Street mill and overlay recently has been paid for with state aid dollars, which neighborhood streets are not eligible for. The City’s park and street line items in the general fund are related to staff salaries, general street maintenance like patching & potholing, plowing operations, park mowing, turf maintenance, etc.

While cities can change where they allocate franchise fees, it is not common practice to do so. The City is looking at ways to write into ordinance where it would state that a 4/5 vote of the City Council is required to reallocate the franchise fee funds from pavement maintenance and rehabilitation and playground replacement to a different area. Playground replacement and pavement maintenance and rehabilitation are two maintenance activities that will always be necessary and important to have a funding source for. 

The City of Waconia will hold a public hearing on this on December 22, 2025 at the 6:00 pm City Council Meeting to hear community feedback. A vote will be held in early 2026. No final decision has been made on the approval or dollar amount for the fees.