For New Residents

Our new resident packet is a great starting point to learn more about Fridley. It holds information about our City Council, how to stay connected and get involved, Public Safety information and more!

Do you need a new resident packet? Email us, call 763-571-3450 or download the printable New Resident Packet(PDF, 3MB).

Our Vision

We believe Fridley will be a safe, vibrant, friendly and stable home for families and businesses.

Demographics

The City of Fridley is a first ring suburban community with a 2020 estimated population of 29,500. The City is 10 minutes north of downtown Minneapolis and 20 minutes northwest of downtown St. Paul. Incorporated in July 1949, Fridley now covers 11 square miles of area and is home to several private and public schools including a K-12 International Baccalaureate school district and some of the most important industries in the Midwest, nation and world. We also have beautiful parks and trails including Springbrook Nature Center and Moore Lake Beach.

97% of residents consider Fridley a "good" or "excellent" place to live! Get a complete picture of the City from our 2021 Citizen Survey Results.

Government

The City of Fridley has a Council-Manager form of government. The elected City Council sets the policies for the operation of the city, and the day-to-day administrative responsibility rests with the City Manager who is appointed by the City Council. The City Manager oversees the activities of all eight departments and is the primary liaison between City Council and City staff.

The public is invited to City Council meetings, usually held on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (7071 University Avenue NE).

Fridley City Council is also advised by six commissions.

Business and Development

An industrial spine around the rail corridor has served the City well and has provided the City with nearly as many jobs as the number of citizen's who reside in the community. Fridley is home to the largest number of employees in Anoka County. Consequently, the unemployment rate for the city is below the national average.

Fridley is home to many large and small businesses including Medtronic, Cummins and Unity Hospital, who each employ over 1,000 people. The City of Fridley is committed to helping you start, expand and sustain your business with our open-door policy and community outreach.

Remembering Our Past

We continue to make history every day, from innovative community development to commemorating historical events. Every summer, Fridley '49er Days celebrates the birth of our community.

• 1847: John Banfill became Fridley's first settler when he built the Banfill Tavern. At that time, the area was called Manomin. The Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts now resides on that site.
• 1851: Abram M. Fridley, for whom the city was named, settled in Manomin.
• 1879: The area's name changed to Fridley by an act of the Minnesota State Legislature.
• 1949: Fridley was incorporated as a village. The first Mayor was Carl Hartman who also served as the first police chief and fire chief.
• 1957: The Village of Fridley became a Home Rule Charter City. About the same time, Fridley experienced an industrial boom. By 1960, Fridley's population swelled to 15,182 residents.
• May 6, 1965: Fridley was devastated by two F4 tornadoes (at the time it was classified as 3 distinct tornadoes, but was revised in 1973 based on a new theory regarding multiple vortexes). One in every four homes was destroyed or damaged. Under the leadership of Mayor Nee and countless other people, the city was rebuilt and again became a prosperous community.
• 1973: Springbrook Nature Center opened.
• 1974: Fridley '49er Days started in celebration of the City's 25th anniversary.
• 1986: A tornado ripped through the Springbrook Nature Center, staying on the ground for 16 minutes and resulting in years of cleanup.
• September 21, 2005: Approximately 300 homes and 2,000-3,000 trees were damaged by a rotating storm called mesocyclone with strong straight-line winds.
• October 2009: Fridley Police debuted a Police K-9 program with the addition of Nitro and Kona.
• November 2009: Northstar Commuter Rail began service in Fridley.
• 2014: Redevelopment began on the Northern Pump/BAE site that once received 6 Battle E awards from the Navy. Northern Pump opened in 1940 and became a manufacturer of the Navy's gun-barrels.
• 2014: Fridley HRA acquired the former Columbia Arena after 8 years of deterioration and vacancy.
• May 6, 2015: Over 800 people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tornadoes that destroyed the city.
• 2016: Springbrook Nature Center opened its doors to a $5.1 million expansion to the interpretive center.
• 2018: City of Fridley opened its new Civic Campus at the site of the former Columbia Arena

Fridley has a number of service organizations and community organizations that better our community. For more information about each one and how you can get involved, please click on the links below to visit their websites.

If you're a community organization that would like to be listed on this web page, please complete the Community Organization Form for consideration.

Tourism

The Twin Cities Gateway is a travel destination like no other in Minnesota. The Twin Cities Gateway is a group of ten communities, including Fridley, adjacent to Minneapolis and St. Paul, located on the northern edge of the Twin Cities. The Twin Cities Gateway offers easy access to all the fun and excitement of metropolitan life while retaining small town charm and a sense of community.

• Learn about the fun things in Fridley

Service Organizations

Are you looking for ways to be involved in and/or serve the Fridley community? Click on the links below to learn more about various service organizations in our community:

• Anoka County Master Gardeners
• Fridley City Band
• Fridley Rotary
• Fridley Lions
• Fridley Women of Today
• Fridley Youth Sports Association
• League of Women Voters Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids Area
• Metro North Chamber of Commerce
• Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce

Community Interest

• Anoka County Historical Society
• Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts
• Fridley History Center/Fridley Historical Society
• Fridley Post Office
• Mississippi Brank, Anoka County Library

Water/Sewer is handled through City Hall. Please call (763) 572-3529 with questions. Natural gas is handled through CenterPoint Energy, and electricity is handled through Xcel Energy.

Please visit our Utilities Page for more info.

View our complete list of licensed waste haulers. Residential customers should look for a company with a Class I designation. All residential curbside recycling in Fridley is handled through Republic Services: (952) 941-5174.

List of Licensed Waste Haulers

There are 4 public school districts that service areas of Fridley, as well as a number of private schools within the city. 

Information on polling locations, voter registration, absentee ballots and becoming an election judge is available on our Elections Page or by calling City Clerk Deb Skogen at (763) 572-3523.

Fridley Elections / Voting Information

• Plastic bottles
• Berry Boxes & Deli Containers
• Cream Cheese / Butter Tubs
• Yogurt, Pudding or Fruit Cups
• Mail, Office & School Paper (all colors)
• Envelopes, Receipts & Scrap Paper
• Magazines & Catalogs
• Newspaper, Inserts & Phone Books
• Aseptic Containers for Soup & Juice
• Cardboard Boxes & Gift Boxes
• Cereal, Cracker, Pasta, Cake Mix Boxes
• Glass Food/Beverage Bottles & Jars
• Metal Food & Beverage Cans

Recyclables should be placed loose in the recycle cart, never in plastic bags.

Recycling and Waste Disposal Information

The Northstar Commuter Rail connects to downtown Minneapolis, the airport, the Mall of America and more. Access is on 61st Avenue at either East River Road or University Avenue.

Fridley Northstar Station: serves the commuter train as well as bus routes that run along East River Road, including routes 810 and 852.

There's also a park and ride lot at the Church of Saint William: 6120 5th Street NE. This location serves bus routes along University Avenue including routes 10, 824 and 854.

For more information on fares, routes and where to purchase Go-To cards, please visit MetroTransit.org.

All dogs over 6 months must be licensed and vaccinated against rabies. Fridley dog licenses are issued for the lifetime of the dog, or until its ownership is transferred. The license fee is $25.

We do not require cats to be licensed.

Fridley Dog License Information

A permit is needed for all new construction, additions, remodeling, alterations and most replacements. Improvements that can be done without a permit might include fences (fence handout), painting, papering, floor coverings or any other cosmetic changes. See the State Building Code, Section 1300.0120, Permits, on the State of Minnesota website for more details or see Permit Requirements for Building & Construction page.

The Fridley City Council typically meeting on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month. Meetings start at 7pm and are held in the Council Chambers, main level of City Hall. Our City Council Page provides information on our Council members and how to learn more about meeting content.

City Council Page

Fridley resides within Anoka County and the county offers a variety of programs and resources to help families in need. Click the link below to visit the Anoka County Human Services Division for details.

Anoka County Human Services

Yes! With some limitations, home businesses, known in City Code as Home Occupations, are allowed in Fridley. Key requirements include:

• Home Occupations are allowed within homes in residential Zoning Districts: R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1, and O-6.
• The Home Occupation cannot use more than 2 off-street parking spaces, in addition to the spaces required by the home.
• The Home Occupation should not be identifiable from outside the home.
• No more than 1 non-resident employee is allowed. All other employees must reside in the home.
• Retail sales are prohibited, unless incidental to a service (e.g., a barber selling shampoo), or sales conducted by mail.
• No more than three garage sales may be held per year. Sales may last up to 3 days at a time.
• The following are not allowed as Home Occupations: massage therapy, automotive repair, commercial food service, and businesses with more than 10 customer vehicles per day.

Fridley does not issue Home Occupation licenses. Depending on the type of Home Occupation, other approvals may be required from other agencies (ex: Family Child Care Provider license, Cottage Food Producer registration, etc.)

Read more in the Home Occupations Handout(PDF, 193KB) or Fridley City Code Chapter 205.