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1. What is the purpose of the Police City Hall project?

For several years, the city has been challenged with the space to do our work and increased repair and replacement costs to keep the buildings housing police, city hall, fire and public works viable to meet community needs. An independent 18-month pre-design study completed between September 2022 and November 2023 identified an additional 110,000 square feet is needed to meet police and city hall service demand and community needs. 

The Police City Hall project addresses those needs and addresses the needs of police and city operations for the next 30 years. The project remodels existing space and adds square footage to meet the needs of our police department and city operations while offering new space for the community to enjoy together.

2. Why is this project needed now?

Like a growing family or business, we’ve outgrown our current spaces. And, like any aging structure, there are significant investments needed to maintain the structural integrity of the current police and city hall space. Since the current city hall building was constructed in 1988, the nature of city services and community needs has evolved. As service demands increase, police officers and city employees need space to support service to the community, wellness, training, and security. Space has been repurposed beyond its intended use, like using our only training room and closets to house the behavioral health unit. This longstanding practice has resulted in current space and operational deficiencies.

3. What needs are we trying to address?

With unmatched and longtime community support for public safety, our unique approach to policing means we have unique space needs for police operations. The project allows our police department the opportunity to meet all training and tactical needs on one campus, and in one building. This allows for more time to address growing public safety and mental health needs across the community. As we expand roles for mental health and community outreach, the space will accommodate needs today and for the next 30 years. Meeting the needs of our police department also allows us to reimagine city hall spaces to create great experiences for the community and open city hall for more community gatherings.

4. Will this impact our service to the community?

The Police City Hall project is designed to address our current and future needs. We understand that our current spaces hold us back from creating the kinds of experiences where people find a place they want to come back to again and again. The community and employees are looking for more welcoming and usable shared spaces, where people feel at home. The Police City Hall project creates community-centered spaces for us to gather and rethinks how we deliver service to you at city hall and beyond.

5. Is this the most cost-effective way to meet the community’s needs?

The city is committed to doing facility projects right. That means we are focused on making investments in city facilities that will not need expansion or major renovation for the next 30 years. We use our guiding principles to inform these decisions, learning from past projects like Fire Station No. 1. We evaluated a number of different options to address police and city hall needs. Reusing and remodeling the existing facility is the most cost-effective alternative, one of many reasons we decided to keep both police and city hall operations on site, specifically: 

• Renovation of existing buildings costs significantly less than building new, realizing the efficiency of reusing the existing building structure. Given our needs, new construction is estimated by our construction managers to be 30% to 40% more expensive.
• There are portions of both police and city hall that will be maintained or lightly renovated, increasing the value in the existing building. Current plans maintain costly existing police infrastructure and training facilities.
• •All identified space needs were able to be accommodated on the existing site, maintaining the value of the current building. Selecting a new site would add acquisition and site costs beyond current project costs.

6. How is the project being funded?

This project will be funded through utility franchise fees. Here’s what that means for you:

Your Residential Bill:

For residential properties, the fee is increasing by $4 per month which will be assessed through your gas and electric utility bills. 
This means you will see an $8 franchise fee per monthly bill. 

Commercial Properties:

Franchise fees for commercial properties will vary.

In December 2024, the City Council authorized the use of general obligation capital improvement bonds and approved a franchise fee funding strategy. On January 21, 2025, the City Council adopted plans and specifications, authorized construction bids, and updated the franchise fee ordinance to support project funding. 

7. How can I stay informed about the project’s process?

This project web page will be updated regularly throughout the course of the project. Additionally, updates will be shared via the City’s social media channels, the Burnsville Bulletin, and more.

8. What other facility needs does the City have?

The City Council has prioritized the Police City Hall project for construction beginning in 2025, with two additional projects identified through our study projects to modernize Fire Station No. 2 and the Public Works facilities.