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Minnetrista staff to issue letters so homeowners can pursue new DNR Canada goose removal permits
Summary
City staff told the Minnetrista Council that the Minnesota DNR has changed its permitting rules to allow homeowners to seek Canada goose management permits without a wildlife management plan; staff said they will draft a simple authorization letter for a resident and sent that to the council for approval, which council members did not oppose.
Community Development Director David Ael told the Minnetrista City Council at its April 20 work session that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has revised its permitting process for Canada goose management. "They no longer need a wildlife management plan," Ael said, and the new process allows a homeowner to apply for a DNR permit with a letter from the city confirming authorization.
Ael said staff contacted the DNR to confirm the change and that no standard DNR form is available yet. He asked whether the council was comfortable with staff drafting and issuing a simple letter to the DNR on behalf of a homeowner seeking a permit. "If you're okay with that, we'll go ahead and get a letter out to the homeowner and to the DNR," he said.
Council members expressed no objection to staff moving forward. Ael said the permit and any associated costs would be borne by the homeowner. Staff told the council they had reached out to other communities but had not found a widely used template; the city will draft wording and send it to the DNR under the new process.
There was brief informal discussion about how communities handle removal or egg‑control practices and what happens to birds taken under permits; council members commented anecdotally. City staff clarified that the city's role would be limited to issuing an authorization letter when requested and that the DNR controls the permit issuance and any operational conditions.
Next steps: staff will draft the authorization letter and issue it for the requesting homeowner; staff will also track whether additional residents seek similar permits under the DNR’s new process and report back if a citywide policy or template is needed.
