Apple Valley city staff announced on July 10 that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency awarded the city a $5 million stormwater resiliency implementation grant to fund improvements in older southwest neighborhoods.

Brandon Anderson, the city engineer, told the council the MPCA identified $35 million statewide for implementation grants and Apple Valley received $5 million to begin work on a set of neighborhood projects that include stormwater infrastructure and park improvements. "Earlier this year, city staff... worked diligently with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and reached out and solicited proposals... the City Of Apple Valley was selected for $5,000,000 of that to begin work with projects related to... the Apple neighborhoods in the Southwest Portion of Apple Valley," Anderson said.

Anderson said the work will be phased and coordinated with the city's capital-improvement planning. Specific park-linked projects include an infiltration base and underground chamber at Dutchess Park to preserve a ball field and fund new playground equipment; a wet pond and trail loop at Greening Park; and an active-play infiltration pond at Pennock Park. The grant timing will allow some phases previously scheduled for 2030 to be advanced to 2026–2027; staff said some nearby properties experienced phasing shifts and that city staff will re‑communicate the revised construction sequence and increase public engagement.

Staff described the neighborhoods as older areas deficient in storm sewer and piping, which matched the grant's selection criteria. The grant award was announced by staff during the council's consent-item discussion; related contract change orders and CIP adjustments were included in consent approvals.