A Long-Term Plan to Strengthen Public Safety in Owatonna
The City is committed to providing excellent public safety services and meeting the needs of our community and first responders.
In planning for future police and fire facilities, the City's goals have been to:
Protect and improve public safety
Continue to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars by addressing facility needs efficiently and proactively
Support the safety, health and well-being of first responders
Continue to support strong relationships with regional partners and the public
Ensure flexibility to meet public safety needs today and well into the future
What's Being Proposed
A Public Safety Taskforce reviewed building conditions, toured peer community’s public safety facilities, compared site options and evaluated whether combined or separate facilities would be the best use of taxpayer dollars.
Based on this work, the City Council put forward a plan to build:
A new Police Department at the City-owned vacant lot on North Street
A new Fire Station at the current Law Enforcement Center site
Because the City already owns both properties, the projects can move forward without the added costs and extra time required for purchasing new land and displacing local homes and businesses.
A New Police Department on North Street
The North Street site — a vacant lot next to Cash Wise, formerly a Cemstone property — was identified as a viable location for Owatonna's new police department following additional property acquisitions and site evaluations.
In July 2026, the City acquired three additional parcels for redevelopment, expanding the available property. This created an opportunity to consider the site for the proposed police department. Before bringing the option to the City Council, staff conducted additional evaluations, including soil borings, to determine whether the site could accommodate a modern police facility.
The expanded property provides enough space to position the building with proper setbacks, construct outside the floodplain, regrade the site and maintain safe separation from the adjacent railroad tracks.
Key reasons the site was selected include:
City-owned property, avoiding the need for additional land acquisition
Central location that supports fast, reliable emergency response
Enough space to meet modern facility and safety requirements
Productive use of a site that has historically been difficult to develop
Responding to Community Input
The West Hills Campus was originally proposed for the new police department because it met the City's initial site criteria: City ownership, a central location, and enough space for a modern facility. As planning continued, residents raised real concerns with the City about locating a police station at West Hills, particularly its historic significance.
At the same time, City staff continued evaluating alternatives, including the Pillsbury College site, the former high school site and the North Street site, to ensure the City was making the best long-term decision.
The City took that feedback seriously, and it became a key factor, alongside site conditions, cost and long-term project needs, in the decision to move forward with North Street instead.
For more information about the site evaluation and the Council’s decision, review the presentation or watch this recording of the September 15, 2026 City Council study session, where City staff presented the North Street site.
Site Planning Underway
A high-level site map for the North Street location is shown below. Detailed building design, floor plans and renderings have not yet been developed for this site and will be shared as they become available through the City's planning, engineering and public review process.
What features would be included in the new police station?
Secure “sallyport” (garage entry) for bringing people into custody safely
Secure holding area designed for detainees
Private interview rooms for victims, witnesses and families
Separate public, staff and custody areas
Dedicated evidence processing and storage
Dedicated training and defensive tactics room
Fitness, wellness and recovery spaces
Proper decontamination facilities
Modern mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems
A New Fire Station at the Current Law Enforcement Center Site
The current Law Enforcement Center site was identified as the best location for a new fire station because it provides a centralized location for fast emergency response. For fire services, even a few minutes can make a major difference during an emergency, which is why a centrally located station is critical to reach people quickly across Owatonna.
Preliminary Facility Design
The rendering below represents an early concept of the new station’s design to show the general scale, layout and character of the proposed facility. Final building design and site details will continue to evolve through future planning, engineering and public review processes.
Interior and Exterior Floor Plans
What features would be included in the new fire station?
Apparatus bays large enough for modern fire trucks
Dedicated gear storage away from vehicle exhaust
Clean/dirty separation for contaminated gear
Dedicated decontamination rooms
Proper ventilation to reduce exposure to harmful substances
Properly-sized training room designed for hands-on exercises
Rest and recovery space for firefighters
Room for today’s equipment and future growth
Modern mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems
Conceptual floor plans of the proposed fire station are above, totaling approximately 42,300 square feet. This estimate is subject to change as the design is finalized. A site plan of the proposed fire station is shown below.
Why Two Separate Facilities?
After more than two years of study and evaluation, the plan to build two separate police and fire stations was determined to be the most responsible and cost-effective option because it:
Protects fast emergency response times: The new police and fire station sites are strategically located to support the fastest response times and most reliable public safety services across Owatonna.
Uses City-owned land: The City already owns both properties, so there is no need to buy additional land. This lowers overall costs of the projects and avoids the need to acquire private property.
Meets long-term community needs: The new police and fire stations will be designed to serve first responders and the Owatonna community for the next 50 years. Modern facilities will strengthen public safety, support future growth and end the cycle of repairs and costly short-term fixes needed to keep aging buildings running.
Why does location matter for public safety?
For emergency services, even a few minutes can make a major difference. Centrally located facilities help first responders reach emergencies quickly and reliably across the community, which is critical during fires, medical emergencies and rescue situations.
Station location also plays an important role in Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings, which can affect property insurance costs for residents and businesses. Because some firefighters respond from locations across the City before reporting to the station, maintaining a central and strategic fire station location is especially important to support fast response times.
What Other Sites Did the City Explore?
During the planning process, the Public Safety Task Force spent more than six months evaluating sites across Owatonna to identify the best long-term locations for new police and fire facilities. The review process focused on several key priorities, including:
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Fire response is time-critical. Even a few minutes can make the difference between containing a fire to one room or losing an entire structure.
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Sites were evaluated based on their ability to support fast, reliable response throughout Owatonna.
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Using existing City property helped avoid displacing homes or businesses while reducing overall project costs.
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The City evaluated long-term costs, operational efficiency and overall value to the community.
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Sites were reviewed for their ability to support future operational needs and long-term growth.
The City evaluated a wide range of potential locations across Owatonna. While each site offered certain advantages, the locations below were determined to be less effective in meeting the City's priorities for emergency response, operational needs, long-term flexibility and responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Site availability changed in summer 2026, leading the City to revisit its evaluation and identify North Street as the best option for the police department.
Click here to review the sites originally evaluated, watch this recording of a May 5, 2026 City Council Study session, review the presentation from the September 15, 2026 City Council meeting or watch this recording of the September 15, 2026 City Council study session where the North Street site was presented by City staff.
Why Address These Needs Now?
City leaders have spent several years studying Owatonna's public safety needs. The message is clear: the longer we wait, the more these projects will cost — and the harder it will be for police and firefighters to do their jobs safely and effectively.
The current police and fire stations keep aging, increasing maintenance needs and leading to more frequent, costly repairs
Neither station was built for how police and fire teams work today, impacting the health and safety of first responders and the essential services they provide
Construction costs increase over time, so delaying these projects will make them more expensive