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Home My Public Portal AboutMedina Message Aug-Sept2023 Inside this issue: Hackamore Road Project ................................ Pg. 1 Land Use Applications ..................................... Pg. 2 Elevate Hennepin ............................................. Pg. 2 Budget Open House......................................... Pg. 2 Celebration Day Flyer ..................................... Pg. 3 Lakeshore Park Plan ......................................... Pg. 4 Friends of the Park Program .......................... Pg. 4 Rain Gardens ..................................................... Pg. 4 Wild Animals ..................................................... Pg. 5 Park Vandalism ................................................. Pg. 5 Hunting Season ................................................. Pg. 5 House Checks .................................................... Back Make a Difference with Composting ............ Back City Meeting & Event Calendar August 2023 2nd Wed—City Council 7 pm 8th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 15th Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 15th Tues—City Council 7 pm 16th Wed—Park Commission 7pm September 2023 4th Tues—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 5th Tues—City Council 7 pm 12th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 16th Sat—Medina Celebration Day 5pm 19th Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 19th Tues—City Council 7 pm 20th Wed—Park Commission 7pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. See city website for current info: www.medinamn.us Meeting agendas & packets on website when available. House Checks If you plan on being out of town please, call the police department and put your house on the house check list. We will check your house while you are out of town, if there are any problems, we will contact you. To sign up for a house check, call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Make a Difference with Composting Food scraps are a resource, not a waste! Here’s how backyard composting works: 1. Get a compost bin. Many lawn and garden stores sell compost bins. 2. Separate and collect your food scraps, coffee grounds, paper towels, and other organic materials in your home and layer them with brown materials, such as dry leaves, in your compost bin. 3. Maintain your compost pile by turning it with a shovel or pitchfork weekly or monthly. In six months to a year, the materials are recycled into nutrient-rich compost. 4. Compost can be used in gardens and at farms to add nutrients to the soil to help plants grow. Learn more at www.hennepin.us/composting CITY HALL 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@medinamn.gov City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PUBLIC SAFETY 600 Clydesdale Trail Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-9209 f: 763-473-8858 e: police@medinamn.gov Police Department Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mayor Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111 City Council Dino DesLauriers 612-812-3290 Todd Albers 763-360-5532 Joseph Cavanaugh 763-473-5123 Robin Reid 763-670-7614 City Council Meetings First & third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Planning Commission Meetings Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Park Commission Meetings Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Aug / Sept 2023 Hackamore Road Reconstruction The cities of Corcoran and Medina are partnering to reconstruct Hackamore Road from County Road 101 and extending west of County Road 116. Construction will occur in phases during the summer and fall of 2023 and spring 2024. The project includes the addition of turn lanes, wider shoulders, and a trail along the north of the roadway. The cities have contracted with Valley Paving out of Shakopee to complete the work. The cities have received financial support for the project from both the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Hennepin County. The roadway will be closed during construction. During Phase 1 of the project (late July-mid Sept), residents in the Reserve should use CR116 and residents in Wild Meadows should use CR101. Construction west of County Road 116 is anticipated to occur during the spring of 2024. Please visit hackamore.medinamn.us or scan QR code to the right to sign-up for automatic project updates or for more information. Planning & Finance Page 2 Aug / Sept 2023 Land Use Applications Under Review Cates Ranch Industrial Park – Northeast of Willow Dr and Chippewa Rd – Oppidan Investments has requested final plat approval for creation of two-lots for a warehouse development with approximately 300,000 square feet. The City Council is tentatively scheduled to review at the August 2, 2023 meeting. 1225 Maplewood Concept Plan – 1225 Maplewood Dr – John and Lisa James have submitted a concept plan for a 3-lot subdivision south of Maplewood Dr and west of Keller Rd. A hearing will be scheduled when complete, potentially at the September 12 Planning Commission meeting. 2024 Budget Open House Sept. 5th at 6 p.m. The City of Medina will be hosting a budget open house on Tuesday, September 5th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 2052 County Road 24. A brief presentation on the proposed 2024 budget and tax levy will be provided at 6:00 p.m., followed by a question and answer session between Medina residents and City officials. The City Council will also be considering a resolution to approve the preliminary tax levy during the regular Council meeting that begins at 7:00 p.m. The City is re- quired to certify the preliminary tax levy to Hennepin County in September. Elevate Hennepin Did you know local businesses here and across Hennepin County are eligible to receive free business advising and consulting services? To get started, visit ElevateHennepin.org or reach out to Economic.Development@hennepin.us to connect with a business navigator to help navigate this incredible resource. Elevate HennepinSM offers no-cost business advising from professional consultants. Businesses can get up to 25 hours of insight, technical assistance, or consulting from each advisor. The more than 20 advisors have expertise in all manner of business topics, including: • Accounting and bookkeeping • Finance • Legal • Marketing • Social media • Web development • Human Resources • Strategic planning • Loan and grant consulting Aug / Sept 2023 Page 5 Public Safety Community Help Requested to Stop Vandalism in City Parks Vandalism is taking its toll on city resources, forcing the Public Works department to spend endless hours repairing equipment, fencing, doors, and property. Replacing damaged items comes at a cost to taxpayers. We are asking the community to help stop the vandalism that is detrimental to providing clean and safe parks. Broken playground equipment, damage to nets, graffiti, illegal dumping, and things being set on fire, are some of the issues we’ve dealt with recently. Even with increased patrols there is not a feasible way to catch every vandal in the act. Medina’s parks are a great resource for our community and for visitors to be able to enjoy and not have to worry about coming to and seeing things torn apart or defaced. Help us protect and keep our park resources in good condition. Please call 911 if you witness destruction in action. Hunting Season is Coming Soon The City’s objective is to maintain hunting as part of the City’s rural character, while balancing the rights of the residents in reference to the disturbances caused by hunting. Every year we receive complaints in reference to our hunting. As the City of Medina continues to grow, our population becomes more dense, and less land is being used for hunting. The City believes that hunting is a valued privilege and wants to ensure hunting continues into the future. Hunters need to follow city regulations to ensure we can continue to enjoy this privilege. One of the main complaints is bird shots crossing property lines and hitting roads, houses, and other structures on adjacent property. We want to remind all hunters to be vigilant and exercise safe hunting practices. Know where your shots are going and where they are landing. You need to ensure the safety of the surrounding residents. If you are planning on hunting in Medina, please review the regulations and make sure that you are in compliance with the City ordinance found here: https:// medinamn.us/ regulations-fees/ licenses-permits/ hunting-permits/ Wild Animals Over the years, the Medina Police Department has received many reports of wild animals observed throughout the City. We have received reports of wolves, coyotes, bears, moose and even cougars. The fact is that with the rural setting of Medina and the abundance of wooded and secluded areas, any one of these animals could be here at any given time. We know that families of coyotes live in Medina and surrounding cities, and their numbers and reports of sightings are increasing. Other wild animals have been confirmed to be here in the past and probably will pass through in the future from time to time. The common question is whether or not residents should be concerned for their safety with these animals. Wild animal attacks are very rare. In Medina, we have no record of anyone ever being attacked by a wild animal such as coyote, bear, or cougar. With that being said, we do have reports of domestic animals being targeted or killed by coyotes in the area. Any wild animal is likely very protective of their offspring. If you would happen to come upon a mother and her young, it is recommended to stay calm and speak in a normal tone and wave your arms above your head and back away. This lets the animal know that you are human. By waving your arms above your head, it makes you look larger to the animal. In most cases if the animal gets your scent or sees you, they will run off. Most of these animals are typically nocturnal. If you see any of these animals out during the day, please call the police. There are diseases, such as rabies or distemper that cause these animals to become aggressive and disorientated. This can be potentially dangerous, and we recommend you call 911 to have an officer respond to determine if the animal is a safety concern. While the threat to humans from wild animals is very low, you may want to be careful with your pets and other domestic animals. If you have small dogs or cats, we recommend that you watch them while they are outside. If you feel a coyote or other wild animal had gotten too close to you, your pet, or domestic animal, please call the Medina Police Department to report it. If you have further questions regarding this, you can call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Page 4 Aug / Sept 2023 Lakeshore Park Renovations The Park Commission began planning for renovations at Lakeshore Park in 2021. The project involved multiple site visits to discuss existing park equipment and potential redesign options to optimize the functionality, safety, and recreational enjoyment of the park. Staff and the Park Commission thoroughly reviewed concept designs, public feedback, and estimated project costs. The Commission decided to focus on a watercraft storage rack, three seating decks tucked into the hillside, and an overlook deck and pavilion on the north side of the boat launch. In July 2023, the City Council adopted the Lakeshore Concept Plan. Renovations are scheduled to begin this fall and will continue into 2024. Parks Friends of the Park Program The Friends of the Park Program is a community effort organized to provide an ongoing opportunity to beautify and maintain the City’s parks and open spaces and the German Liberal Cemetery for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future residents. It is also the conduit for residents to suggest projects. Contact lisa.demars@medinamn.gov and/or visit https://medinamn.us/svcs/ parks-recreation/ to learn more about the program! Rain Gardens and Native Plants Reducing runoff is critical to minimizing the impact our yards and gardens have on nearby lakes and streams. In cities and towns, rain and snowmelt run over impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, streets, and parking lots picking up dirt, salt, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, bacteria, and garbage before running into storm drains. Since stormwater in storm drains is not treated, it can carry those pollutants into the closest lake or stream. Finding ways to keep stormwater on land and let it soak into the ground can lessen the negative effects on water quality from stormwater and even help replenish groundwater. Rain gardens allow stormwater to soak into the ground before it becomes runoff, prevent erosion by holding soil in place with their deep roots, attract birds and butterflies, and require little watering and maintenance once established. For more information, check out our website at www.medinamn.us/svcs/ environment or www.bluethumb.org/raingardens/ Photo credit: Connie Fortin Photo credit: bluethumb.org Concept Drawing Credit: Steve Webster Aug / Sept 2023 Page 3 Celebration Day Flyer