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HomeMy Public PortalAboutJune July 2016 Inside this issue: Municipal Elections-Filing for Local Office Pg. 1 Irrigate Your Lawn Properly .......................... Pg. 1 City Held Community Meetings .................... Pg. 2 Land Use Applications Under Review.......... Pg. 2 City Business Profile: Contemporary Images ............................................................................ Pg. 2 Bike Rode for Kids—June 11th .................... Pg. 3 Xcel Energy Scam ........................................... Pg. 3 Night to Unite—August 2nd ......................... Pg. 3 Blue Bag Organics Program ........................... Pg. 4 Tips for Collecting Organics at Home ......... Pg. 4 Summer Concessions Now Open ................ Pg. 4 Ardmore Sub-Watershed Assessment .......... Pg. 5 Medina Celebration Day Logo Contest ........ Pg. 5 2016 Road Projects in Medina ....................... Pg. 5 City Meeting Calendar ..................................... Back Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report ............................................................... Back City Seeks Election Judges ............................. Back The City of Medina is Now on Facebook .... Back City Meeting Calendar June 7th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 14th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 15th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm 21st Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 21st Tues—City Council 7:00 pm July 4th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 5th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 12th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 19th Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 19th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 20th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Meeting agendas on website when available. Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report The 2015 Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report can be seen in its entirety on the City website at: http://medinamn.us/svcs/utilities-services/ consumer-confidence-drinking-water-report/. If you would like a hard copy mailed to you, please call Medina City Hall at 763-473-4643. The City of Medina is Now on Facebook Like our page at https://www.facebook.com/cityofmedinamn/ to stay up-to- date on city news. City Seeks Election Judges The City is still looking for a few more election judges for the 2016 Gen- eral Election on Tuesday, November 8th. Election judges are paid positions that supervise and help with elections at the polls. If you are interested in serving as an election judge, please fill out an ap- plication and mail it back to City Hall by June 13, 2016. Election judge appli- cations can be found on the City’s website at http://medinamn.us/citygov/ elections/ or call City Hall. Questions can be directed to Election Coordina- tor Jodi Gallup at 763-473-8850 or email jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us. CITY HALL 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@ci.medina.mn.us City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PUBLIC SAFETY 600 Clydesdale Trail Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-9209 f: 763-473-8858 e: police@ci.medina.mn.us Police Department Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mayor Bob Mitchell 763-473-1042 City Council Jeff Pederson 612-916-6448 John Anderson 612-618-5702 Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111 Lorie Cousineau 612-251-3244 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. Newsletter Editor Jodi Gallup Assistant City Administrator June / July 2016 Municipal Elections—Filing for Local Office The City of Medina’s next municipal election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Medina will have three positions on the ballot during the November General Election. The Mayor (2 year term) and two City Council (4 year terms) positions are at -large positions, representing all Medina residents. Persons interested in running for these offices may file at City Hall. The filing peri- od begins on Tuesday, August 2nd and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. More information can be found on the City’s website at http://medinamn.us/ citygov/elections/ or call City Hall. Questions can be directed to Election Coordinator Jodi Gallup at 763-473-8850 or email jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us. Irrigate Your Lawn Properly to Reduce Strain on the City Water System and to Conserve Water Long periods of dry weather conditions cause water demands to peak on the City of Medina’s water system. 60% of this demand is due to lawn irrigation. Many com- munities incorporate water bans to reduce the strain on the water system. While the City of Medina is not implementing a ban at this time, it may be necessary to do so in the future. You can do your part by following the tips below: Avoid over-watering. About one inch of water per week is adequate. Too much water will weaken your lawn’s root system. Each head uses 15 gallons per minute; which equates to 300 gallons in 20 minutes per head. Mow grass to a height of at least three inches. Taller grass shades the roots and soil surface, which reduces evaporation. Clogged heads or damaged lines are not only wasteful, but bad for your lawn – and your water bill. Ensure you are water- ing your lawn – not streets, sidewalks and driveways. Avoid the set it and forget it method. If it is raining or has re- cently rained, you don’t need to water. Power outages may adversely affect your irrigation setting; check it often! Planning & Business Page 2 June / July 2016 Land Use Applications Under Review The following land projects are currently under review by the City. For more information on one of the projects, or for an update on the review schedule, please visit http:// medinamn.us/citygov/departments/planning-zoning/ or con- tact the Planning Department at (763) 473-4643, ext. 1. Excelsior Group Concept Plan – 2120 and 2212 Chippewa Road – The Excelsior Group has requested review of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Plan for development of 87 single family lots on 37 acres north of Chippewa Road and west of Mohawk Drive. The applicant requests flexibility to the City’s staging plan through the PUD process. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing on June 14. Just for Kix Site Plan Review, Variance, and Plat – 45 Highway 55 – Clough Properties, LLC has requested approval of a Site Plan Review for construction of an 18,040 square foot building to include a dance studio and retail. The applicant has requested a variance to increase the maximum hardcover in the Elm Creek shoreland overlay district from 25% to 50% and also a plat to combine the property annexed from the City of Plymouth. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing on June 14. Lot Line Rearrangement – 2605 and 2505 Willow Drive – the property owners have requested a lot line rearrangement be- tween the two properties to swap approximately 13,000 square feet of property. City Business Profile Contemporary Images, Inc. is celebrating its 21st year in operation and its 11th year as a Medina business. Contemporary Images specializes in the manufactur- ing and distribution of various printed materials. Their products and services include full color catalogs, bro- chures, stationary systems (business cards, letterhead & envelopes) as well as business forms. Contemporary Im- ages also offers full in-house graphic design services for their customers. Contemporary is proud to say they are ASI certified (Advertising Specialties Institute) which allows them to better serve their customer’s promotional product needs including items such as drink ware, pens, golf towels, etc. Printing questions? Find Contemporary’s contact information on their website at www.cii4print.com. They are located at 839 Meander Court in the Roll- ing Green Business Center off County Road 116, just north of Highway 55. City Held Comprehensive Plan Community Meetings On May 14 and 16, 2016, the City hosted Community Meet- ings to discuss updates to the Comprehensive Plan. Attendees took part in activities and discussions which will have a great influence on the future of the City, including the location and type of growth and development in the City. There was also a great deal of discussion related to subjects such as parks, trails, recreation and transportation. The Steering Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council will be discussing the feedback from the Community Meetings in the following weeks in order to prepare a draft of the Comprehensive Plan. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION!! Various opportunities exist for you to take part in creating the Comprehensive Plan and to help guide the future of the City. ► Participate electronically anytime at Medina’s mySidewalk page: https://medinacompplan.mysidewalk.com/ ► Discuss with your neighbors or with members of the Steering Committee, Planning Commission or City Council ► Send comments or speak to City Planner Dusty Finke at dusty.finke@ci.medina.mn.us or (763) 473-8846 Keep up-to-date on Medina’s mySidewalk page and through updates in the City newsletter. Medina Celebration Day Logo Contest Calling all Graphic Artists and Designers! Medina Celebration Day needs an Official Logo and we want YOU to create it! The Medina Cel- ebration Day Committee will select the winner in July and the winner's logo will be prominently featured in the September issue of Medina Living in addition to the various promotional pieces related to Medina Celebration Day in 2016 and beyond. Email all logo submissions, along with your name, phone number and address, by June 19, 2016 to info@MedinaMN.com. Logo must be high resolution (300 dpi or higher) and/or for- matted as a vector file. Public Works & Community June / July 2016 Page 5 2016 Road Projects in Medina Sioux Drive Turn Lane Improvement Project The Sioux Drive Turn Lane Expansion Project will include the addition of new turn lanes, exten- sion of the existing turn lanes, widening of portions of the roadway, replacement of the concrete medians and curb, and roadway striping. Work on this project will be in full force over the coming weeks. Comanche Trail, Cottonwood Trail, and Lak- eview Road Improvement Projects On May 3rd the City approved the feasibility re- ports and called for the public hearings for overlay projects to improve the following residential streets: Comanche Trail, Cottonwood Trail, and Lakeview Road. The public hearings for the road projects and special assessment hearings will be held on June 7, 2016 beginning at 7 p.m. at Medi- na City Hall, 2052 County Road 24, Medina, MN 55340. Tower Dr., Kilkenny Ln. & Hamel Rd. Utility & Street Improvement Project The City will be finishing the street and utility re- construction project on Tower Drive, Kilkenny Lane and Hamel Road this spring. In fact, it may even be done by the time this newsletter is print- ed. The last phase of the project is to apply the final wear course and stripe the street. Ardmore Sub-Watershed Assessment Completed Reprinted from Lake Independence Citizens Association Newsletter (LICA News) By: Robin Reid (LICA Board Member) Hennepin County Public Works and consulting firm Hakanson An- derson have completed the Ardmore Area Sub-Watershed Stormwater Retrofit Assessment—a very long title for an important project. The sub- watershed, consisting of 472 acres located almost entirely within the City of Medina, is the area that drains into Lake Ardmore and then flows from Lake Ardmore into Lake Independence. Preliminary numbers from a TMDL study performed by Three Rivers Parks and the Pioneer Creek- Lake Sarah Watershed Commission estimate the Ardmore Sub-Watershed adds 269 pounds of phosphorus to Lake Ardmore every year, subse- quently contributing to Lake Independence’s impairment. The Ardmore-Sub-Watershed Assessment was undertaken to locate sources of runoff and identify methods of reducing or filtering runoff. The results of the Assessment are summarized in an extensive report that lists a number of potential projects, suggested locations, and estimated cost. The recommendations were shared with the City of Medina to assist with the City’s decision-making process to determine the most cost- effective ways to meet the City’s TMDL reduction target of 284 pounds per year. The Assessment is divided into two sections: Urban (the Independ- ence Beach area) and Rural (the remainder of the sub-watershed consist- ing of portions of Baker Park and several agricultural properties). The suggested improvement projects for the urban neighborhood range from rain gardens and shoreline restorations to stream/gully stabilization and pond excavations. Projects for the agricultural properties include buffer strips, wetland restoration and livestock best management practices. Not all of the projects would be necessary. By providing an extensive list of possible projects, predicted results and estimated costs, the Assess- ment gives the City the data required to do cost/benefit analysis and se- lect the projects that are most feasible and most beneficial. If you’d like a PDF of the complete 82-page report, contact Jodi Gal- lup at jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us. Environment & Parks Page 4 June / July 2016 Tips for Collecting Organics at Home 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Use a kitchen pail lined with a compostable bag to collect food scraps, paper towels and food- soiled paper. Keep “wet” organics in a container in your re- frigerator or freezer until you are ready to bag your organics for collection. Convert your existing garbage can into an organ- ics bin and use a smaller garbage can. Label your containers so everyone in your household knows how to sort their waste. Order FREE labels for your home recycling, organics and trash bins by calling Jodi Gallup at 763-473- 8850 or email jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us. Collect organics (and recycling) throughout your home. Don’t forget about the bathrooms, bed- rooms, laundry room and office! Blue Bag Organics Costs You NO Extra Money and It’s Great for the Environment! Hennepin County’s waste to energy facility (burned to generate energy) is operating at maximum capacity and landfills are filling up! Medina residents can do their part in reducing waste by participating in the City’s Blue Bag Organics recycling pro- gram! The Blue Bag Organics recycling program is available to Medina residents at no additional fee. The cost of the program is already built into your monthly garbage and recycling fee. The Blue Bag Organics food waste recycling system is an amazingly easy way to recycle kitchen scraps, discarded leftovers, spoiled produce, paper towels, and paperboard like take-out containers. This organics waste is then converted into nutrient-rich compost to fortify lawns, flower beds, and backyard and community gardens. What makes the program so afforda- ble is that Randy’s Environmental Services collects the Blue Bags each week using the same truck they use to take away your reg- ular household trash. On trash day, Please make sure your Blue Bag liner is hand tied and placed in your regular garbage cart for curbside pickup (not your recycle cart). The Blue Bags are then separated at Randy’s Environmental Services’ facility. To start service, all you need to do is call Randy’s Environmental Services at 763-972-3335 to set up the delivery of your 32-gallon Blue Bag Organics can and lid, sixty 32-gallon Blue Bag Organics compostable can liners, and a ventilated kitchen compost bucket. Bonus—residents that participate in Blue Bag Organics recycling receive a cou- pon each spring for a free bag of premium organics compost to use in their own yards! Summer Concessions Now Open at Hamel Legion Park Each summer, youth from St. Anne’s Church in Hamel run the concession stand in the center of the four-plex ball fields in Hamel Legion Park as a fundrais- er for their upcoming missions. Conces- sions are open now through the end of June on Monday through Thursday eve- nings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Residents are invited to stop by the concession stand to support their efforts by purchasing an affordable hotdog, chips, popcorn, pop, water, candy or slushy. Public Safety June / July 2016 Page 3 Night to Unite is Tuesday, August 2nd Plan Your Neighborhood Party Today! Neighborhoods throughout Medina are invited to join the Medina Police Department, along with thousands of communities nationwide, to participate in the Night to Unite celebration on Tuesday, August 2, 2016. Medina Police officers, firefighters and City Council members will stop by and participate in neighborhood parties throughout the city! This is an opportunity to get to know your neighbors, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police community relations, let criminals know that neighborhoods are organized and willing to assist the police, and generate support and participation in crime prevention efforts. Night to Unite get-togethers can be as extravagant as a cookout, or as simple as an ice cream social. Please call the police department at (763)-473-9209 by July 25th with your party plans and times. We will arrange a visit from the police and fire department to come out and join your party! Bike Rodeo for Kids in the Target Parking Lot Saturday, June 11th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Medina’s annual bike rodeo for kids is on Saturday, June 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It will be held in the Target parking lot at 300 Clydesdale Trail. The event is free and is intended to have your children ages 3-12 polish up their bicycle skills. Kids will be able to ride through obstacles and bikes will also be inspected. Come for family fun, education on bicycle safety, and prizes! Please register for the event by June 3rd by filling out the form on the City’s website at: http://medinamn.us/citygov/ departments/police-dept/bike-safety-rodeo/. Questions can be directed to Brandon Wenande at 763-473-9209. Xcel Energy Scam Xcel Energy customers have recently been victimized by phone scams. Callers claiming to be from Xcel Energy are threatening to turn off nat- ural gas service or electricity if payment is not made immediately. If your account is in danger of being disconnected, Xcel Energy will send a no- tice through the mail; they will not call you. If you receive a suspicious call from an indi- vidual claiming to be from Xcel Energy asking for payment for an outstanding balance, hang up and check the status of your account by calling Xcel Energy Customer Service 1 800-895-4990 or Busi- ness Solutions Center at 1 800-481-4700 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5.p.m. By calling these numbers, you will be able to speak with a legiti- mate representative who will be happy to help you with any payment or billing questions. Don’t fall victim to a scammer! If you think you have been a victim of a scam or attempted scam, report your experience to Xcel Energy Cus- tomer Service at the above numbers. The infor- mation you provide will be shared with federal investigators. You should also contact the Medi- na Police Department at 763-473-9209. For tips on how to protect your account in- formation, go to Xcel Energy’s website at www.xcelenergy.com/scams.