HomeMy Public PortalAboutDec 2013 Jan 2014 Inside this issue:
Open House for Public Works/Police ......... Pg. 1
Illegal Garbage Dumping ............................... Pg. 1
Land Use Applications Under Review .......... Pg. 2
Announcing Mediacom in Medina ................ Pg. 2
Recycle Half of all You Throw ...................... Pg. 3
Master Water Steward Program ..................... Pg. 3
Medina Area Transportation Services ........... Pg. 3
Winter Parking Regulations ............................ Pg. 4
House Checks by Police Department ........... Pg. 4
Snow Plowing & Ice Control Policy ............. Pg. 4
City Business Profile: GO2 Print Media
Group ................................................................ Pg. 5
Medina Celebration Day Recap ..................... Pg. 5
2014 Budget Approval .................................... Back
Holiday Train ................................................... Back
Park & Planning Commission Vacancies ..... Back
City Calendar .................................................... Back
City Calendar
December
3rd Tues—City Council 7:00 pm
10th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm
17th Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm
17th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm
18th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm
21st Sat—Council Office Hours (by appointment)
24th Tues—City Offices Closed
25th Wed—City Offices Closed (Holiday)
January
1st Wed—City Offices Closed (Holiday)
7th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm
14th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm
15th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm
20th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday)
21st Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm
21st Tues—City Council 7:00 pm
All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted.
Meeting agendas on website when available.
2014 Park & Planning Commission Vacancies
The City is seeking residents to serve on the Medina Park Commission
and Planning Commission. On each commission, there are two seats up for
appointment/re-appointment effective January 2014 for three-year terms.
The seven-member Park Commission serves as a volunteer recom-
mending body to the City Council and meets the third Wednesday of each
month at 7 p.m. in Medina City Hall.
The seven-member Planning Commission serves as a volunteer recom-
mending body to the City Council and meets the second Tuesday of each
month at 7 p.m. in Medina City Hall.
Interested applicants may pick up an application at City Hall or via the
City’s website at www.medinamn.us. Deadline for applications is Friday,
December 13th.
2014 Budget Approval—The 2014 budget is on the City Council’s
regular meeting agenda for approval on December 3, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at
City Hall.
Holiday Train—Sunday, December 15th
The Holiday Train is scheduled to stop in Loretto on Sunday, Decem-
ber 15, 2013, at 4:15 pm. Activities for kids will begin at 3 pm on West
Railway Street. Please bring food items to donate to the local food
shelves. Monetary donations will also be accepted. For more information
please visit www.medinamn.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
Elizabeth Weir 763-473-3226
City Council
Jeff Pederson 612-916-6448
Melissa Martinson 763-473-8082
John Anderson 612-618-5702
Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111
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 to City Administrator
Dec 2013 / Jan 2014
Open House for Public Works/Police Facility
January 22nd, 3:30 PM—6:00 PM
Medina is pleased to announce that an Open House will be held for the newly ren-
ovated Public Works and Police Building at 600 Clydesdale Trail on Wednesday, Janu-
ary 22, 2014, from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
As of November 15, 2013 the Medina Public Works will have moved out of their
1975-era pole barn into their new offices, garage and equipment storage spaces. We
will no longer have to store expensive, off-season equipment out doors in all climates.
The operations of the Police Department, previously in the cramped space of the
lower floor of City Hall, will have moved to the new facility, allowing valuable police
cars to be parked in the police garage, safe from tampering and from hail damage. The
new facility is close to commercial areas and Medina’s more dense, developing areas.
The Open House will include a plaque dedication ceremony to acknowledge for-
mer Mayor Tom Crosby’s foresight and leadership in guiding the City through the
complex process of funding the purchase and remodeling of the facility.
The purchase price of the building at 600 Clydesdale Trail is $4.125 million. Reno-
vation costs for the public works and police functions are $3.375 million. Additional
good news is that Medina’s new facility is within budget and on time, and the brush
disposal function will remain on the City Hall property, convenient for resident use.
The annual debt obligation to serve the $7.5 million in bonds for the project is
approximately $500,000 lower than projected, because of Medina’s advantageous bond-
ing rates. This will be funded primarily through City tax revenues, with a portion of
the payments allocated to the water and sewer funds, reflecting specific services pro-
vided to those utilities by Public Works.
Please stop by at the Open House of the new Public Works and Police Facility at
600 Clydesdale Trail on Wednesday, January 22, 2014, from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM. The
plaque dedication ceremony will be held at 3:30 PM with Tom Crosby’s family.
Illegal Garbage Dumping—A Serious Problem to Report
Illegal dumping is any waste, whether it is oil, furniture, appliances, trash, litter
or landscaping cuttings, etc., dumped upon any public right-of-way, City property or
private property, without consent of the owner.
Why is Illegal Dumping a Serious Problem for the Community? It is an eyesore,
decreases neighborhood property values, costs taxpayers in clean-up costs, negatively
impacts plants and wildlife, poses safety hazards to people, provides breeding
ground for disease carrying rodents, disrupts natural land and water processes, pol-
lutes surface and ground water, and lowers the quality of life for residents.
Community help is essential to catching and deterring illegal dumping. The City
encourages anyone who encounters illegal dumping to report it to the Medina Police
Department by calling 763-473-9209; take down the date, time and location, descrip-
tion of vehicle and license plate number, description of person(s) dumping, and what
items were being dumped.
Planning & Cable Franchise
Page 2 Dec 2013 / Jan 2014
Land Use Applications
Under Review
The following land use and development pro-
jects are currently under review by the City.
For more information on one of the projects,
or for an update on the review schedule, please
contact the Planning Department at (763) 473-
4643.
D.R. Horton Stage I Plan – north of Hwy 55,
between Arrowhead Dr. and Mohawk Dr.
D.R. Horton requests Stage I approval for a
mixed-use development to include 85 single-
family homes, a 50-60 unit apartment building,
and 8 acres of commercial on 80 acres (42 net
acres). The purpose of a Stage I Plan is to
establish uses, densities, and general site lay-
out. In-depth development plans occur at
Stage II review. The Planning Commission
held a Public Hearing at the September 10 and
October 8 meetings. The City Council is ten-
tatively scheduled to review at the December
3, 2013 meeting.
Woods of Medina – 710 Shawnee Woods Rd
Jeff Pederson has requested preliminary plat
and rezoning approval for a 16-lot single fami-
ly subdivision on 9.5 acres east of County
Road 116 at Shawnee Woods Road. The Plan-
ning Commission held a Public Hearing on
November 12, 2013, and recommended ap-
proval. The City Council is tentatively sched-
uled to review on December 17, 2013.
Fawn Meadows – east of County Road 116 at
Medina Lake Drive
Money Tree Holding, LLC has requested ap-
proval of a subdivision with 13 single-family
lots on 10 acres (5.72 net acres) located north
of the proposed Reserve of Medina subdivi-
sion. The Planning Commission is tentatively
scheduled to continue a public hearing on the
application on December 10, 2013.
Wakefield subdivision – 3385 County Road 24
Wakefield Family Trust has requested approval
of a rural subdivision of three lots on 74 acres
at the southeast corner of County Road 24 and
Homestead Trail. The Planning Commission
is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hear-
ing on the application on December 10, 2013
or January 14, 2014.
Announcing Mediacom in Medina
As many of you know from our summer 2012 newsletter, the City of
Medina entered into a direct franchise with Mediacom for the express pur-
pose of bringing broadband access to all residents and businesses in the city.
The franchise begins January 1, 2014. An aggressive 2-3 year, 30-mile build
out will begin in the spring of 2014.
Mediacom is already serving many neighborhoods in Medina, and begin-
ning with the spring 2014 build out, many more neighborhoods will begin to
gain access to Mediacom’s many communications services. The build out
will take place over several years, and upon its completion, 100% of Medina
will have access to broadband and Mediacom’s many state-of-the-art services.
Mediacom Services to Homes and Businesses
Mediacom’s advanced fiber-optic network delivers digital television, high
-speed internet, and phone service to 200 Minnesota communities and town-
ships, including Medina. Mediacom’s broadband service offers multiple speed
choices, including an ultra-fast 105 megabits per second download speed.
Businesses of all sizes will, over the term of the build out, have the op-
portunity to access robust broadband and lower-cost telecommunication ser-
vices. Mediacom Business offers solutions tailored to each business’s needs,
including Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions, which is already used by hospitals,
schools, financial institutions and industry in other locales.
Information for Existing and New Customers
For existing customers of Mediacom, there will be no change in services,
pricing or plan options. For both existing and new customers of Mediacom,
the customer service number is 1-866-609-6180 and website is:
www.mediacomcable.com.
Mediacom’s website provides detailed information on its digital packages,
which offers OnDemand Viewing, digital video recorders (DVRs) with a new
TIVO version, and mobile access (TV Everywhere).
Mediacom’s Mound office at 2381 Wilshire Blvd, Mound, 55364 is use-
ful to pick up or exchange equipment, pay bills, or even test-drive products
such as a DVR, the OnDemand menu, or digital packages for additional
sports, movies or children’s programming.
The Mediacom Mobile Care App is a simple way to request service, trou-
bleshoot issues, check or pay balances, or reach a service representative.
If you have any questions or concerns about how Mediacom can best
serve you, please don’t hesitate to contact them via any of the communica-
tions channels presented above.
Welcoming Mediacom to our Neighborhoods.
Mediacom and Medina are looking forward to enjoying a close working
relationship, with the shared goal of bringing broadband access and service to
everyone who wants it.
Please contact Mediacom directly to request new service or service up-
grades and to discuss any customer service issues you may have.
Mediacom is continually upgrading its infrastructure. If there are any
issues during the build out, please do not hesitate to contact Mediacom di-
rectly to discuss them. Notices will go out to neighborhoods as the build out
rolls out.
Stay tuned!
Dec 2013 / Jan 2014 Page 5
Community News
City Business Profile: GO2 Print Media Group
GO2 Print Media Group moved into Uptown Hamel in April 2011, after an extensive six month building renova-
tion. Owner Tom Therrien has a passion for community and is excited to be a part of Uptown Hamel's growth.
GO2 is a full service Marketing Solutions company. Although its forte has been print for years, customers have come to
lean on GO2 to partner with marketing departments across the nation, offering one stop marketing manufacturing assistance
for a variety of advertising needs.
The building sits at 62 Hamel Road in Uptown Hamel. Tom and his colleague, Steve Nicol, built out and custom crafted to
look like an old Horse barn, and the office suites appear to be horse stalls. The building was gutted to the studs and re-
built. Seeing its potential, they set out to make something beautiful from what could have been considered ruins. Stop in for a
cup of coffee, and say hello!
Medina Celebration Day Recap
The City of Medina would like to thank all the contributors, exhibitors and volunteers who were involved in Medina Cele-
bration Day. This event could not have happened without their support.
Medina Celebration Day Committee
Cub Scout Pack 538
Boy Scout Troop 570
The Brost Clinic
Buffalo Wild Wings
Caribou Coffee
Complete Eye Care of Medina
Countryside Café – Peg’s Catering
Crosby, Tom
Cub Foods - Plymouth
Ditter Heating & Cooling
Dobo’s (Danny’s Catering)
Dojo Karate
Dunn Brothers
Farmers State Bank of Hamel
Flaig, Sharrie
Fortin Consulting Inc.
Fortin Health & Wellness Clinic
The Foursome - Plymouth
Friends of Wolsfeld Woods
Gramercy Club & Residents
Gregor Farm & Greenhouse
Hamel Electric
Hamel Fire Department
Hamel Lions
Hennepin County Sheriff’ – K9 Unit
Highway 55 Rental & Sales
Holiday Station, Plymouth
Jake’s City Grille - Plymouth
Jimmy’s Pizza
Jockey Person to Person
Lafayette Country Club – Mtka Beach
Lenny Leuer - Honey
Ling Inn / Aunt Jens Motel
Loram Maintenance of Way Inc.
Lunds/Byerly’s – Plymouth & Wayzata
Maggie’s Family Restaurant - Plymouth
Maple Crest Garden Center & Landscaping
Mayer Mobil Gas Station
Medina Education Institute – Kumon Math
Medina Entertainment Center
Medina Golf & Country Club
Medina Police Department
Medina Public Works Department
Miller, Marge
The Original Pancake House - Plymouth
Pham, Wayne
The Pilates Advantage
Polaris Industries Inc.
Rainbow Foods - Plymouth
Rockler Companies Inc.
Rogers 18-Movie Theatre
Scherer Pumpkin Patch
Shamrock Golf Club - Corcoran
Sivets, Colleen & family
Smashburger - Plymouth
Sunsets of Wayzata
Target – Donation & Volunteers
West Financial Credit Union
Wright Hennepin Electric
Medina Celebration Day was held on Saturday, September 21st, at Ha-
mel Legion Park. The City was excited to see a large number of attendees
once again this year from the community and businesses. The afternoon
was filled with many great activities for young and old alike, including a
business expo, bingo, inflatable bounce, pumpkin decorating and games,
face painters, police, fire, & public works vehicles, K9 Unit demonstration,
door prize drawings, as well as a great fireworks display, sponsored by area
businesses and residents.
Public Works & Public Safety
Page 4 Dec 2013 / Jan 2014
Reminder Winter Parking
Regulations are in Effect
There is no parking on the streets of Medina between
1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. The regulations are in effect until
March 31st. The police enforce this ordinance to keep the
streets clear for snowplowing. If you have any questions
in reference to the parking ordinance, please call the police
department at 763-473-9209.
House Checks by Police Department
During the Holiday Season many of us are traveling out
of the area. If you are planning 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 just call the Medina Police Department
at 763-473-9209.
The City will use City employees, equipment, and/or
private contractors to provide snow plowing and ice con-
trol services on City roads. When snowfall occurs, the
City shall consider many different factors to determine
level of snow plowing or ice control services, including,
but not limited to:
amount of snowfall, usually a minimum of two to
three inches (2”- 3”);
time of day;
day of the week;
wind speed and direction;
temperature;
personnel availability and safety;
equipment availability; and,
local weather forecasts (before beginning snow or
ice control operations).
Upon review of the factors noted above for each
snow event, the City will implement a service plan for
snow plowing and ice control services, but recognizes that
service delivery may be affected by equipment break-
downs, unreliable forecasts, changing temperatures, or
equipment getting stuck, which may require down time of
an hour or more for two equipment units.
The City has five separate snow plowing routes for
each of the City’s five full-time employees, which does not
allow for 24-hour snow plowing service coverage. There-
fore, on an extended snowfall with brisk winds, several of
the City’s roads will become impassable (although County
Roads 24, 201 and 19 are usually in the same condition).
Snow Plowing Priority Route Schedule
The City’s snow plowing priority schedule is:
1) Main collector roads
2) Residential streets
3) Cul-de-sacs and dead end streets
4) Trails
City snow plowing personnel will attempt to be out clear-
ing roads prior to rush hour beginning (either early morn-
ing, or late afternoon) to avoid being an obstacle to traffic.
Method of Ice Control
The City uses a treated salt and/or salt-sand mixture (20%
salt) on City road surfaces. The City does not maintain a bare
pavement policy. However, the City’s re-plowing and scraping
practices often create bare pavement conditions with the excep-
tion of −20 °F weather.
Damage to Mailboxes and Other Obstacles
Making contact with a mailbox is a common obstacle snow-
plow operators face during storm activities. The City will con-
duct a review of each mailbox incident to determine whether the
City will provide reimbursement for the damaged mailbox. On-
ly mailboxes actually hit by a snowplow will be the responsibility
of the City. The City will not be responsible for damage to
mailboxes or support posts caused by snow or ice coming into
contact with the mailbox. The City will reimburse the mailbox
owner $50.00 for the replacement of the mailbox and/or the
post, and up to $75.00 for a double mailbox and post. If weath-
er and frost conditions prevent replacement at the time, the City
will supply a temporary box.
The City will not be responsible for any damage to obstacles
that are located in the right-of-way, such as sprinkler heads,
fences, garden areas, etc. The City is also not responsible for
repairing grass or sod that has been damaged in the right-of-
way.
Complaints Procedure
Complaints shall be directed to and reviewed by the Public
Works Director on a first-come, first-serve case basis. If reme-
dy or repair is approved by the Public Works Director, a sched-
ule of the necessary corrective work with the appropriate City
personnel or contractor will be directed. Emergency complaints
will be handled in an expeditious manner when available re-
sources are sufficient.
REMEMBER: City ordinance prohibits parking on any public
street from November 1 through March 31 during the hours of
1:00 AM – 6:00 AM. If at all possible, the City plow crew would
appreciate having no vehicles parked on City streets when snow-
fall occurs during the daytime.
Snow Plowing & Ice Control Policy
Dec 2013 / Jan 2014 Page 3
Environment & Transportation
Master Water Steward Program
The Freshwater Society is accepting applications for a second class
of volunteer Master Water Stewards. When you are accepted into the
program, you will receive intensive training on how to protect the lakes
and streams from pollution in your neighborhood. Everything on city
streets flows to our water - oil from cars, bacteria, salt, litter, sediment,
fertilizer. Each year, more polluted runoff reaches our lakes and rivers.
Your yard is connected to rivers, lakes, and streams, and you can make
a difference in keeping water clean and healthy.
Master Water Stewards is a partnership between the Freshwater
Society and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District funded by a state
Clean Water Fund grant. In 2014, the program is available at no charge
to participants, and is limited to 30 residents of the Minnehaha Creek
Watershed District. The program works to recruit, inspire and train
citizen volunteers who work in their own communities to organize and
build projects to keep storm water and the pollutants carried by storm
water from flowing into lakes and streams.
This fall, members of the first class of Master Water Stewards have
been installing rain gardens, rain barrels and water-permeable walkways
in neighborhoods around Minnehaha Creek and the Minneapolis Chain
of Lakes. If you are interested in becoming a Master Water Steward,
please visit the website at www.masterwaterstewards.org and attend an
informational session at the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District of-
fice, 15320 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka on:
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,
Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
For more information about the program contact Peggy Knapp at
pknapp@freshwater.org or (763) 219-1252. For 2014, the program is
open only to residents of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.
Medina Area Transportation Services
Although the City of Medina does not have any
regular public transportation routes such as buses,
there are a few transportation options for Medina
residents that are listed below.
Transit Link (651) 602-5465
Transit Link (formerly Dial-A
-Ride) serves the seven county metro area and aug-
ments regular transit routes in areas that don’t have
frequent regular service. Rides can be reserved by
calling 651-602-LINK (5465). More information is
at http://www.metrocouncil.org/Transportation/
Services/Transit-Link.aspx
Metro Transit (612) 373-3333
Metro Transit offers a free online ride-
matching service for residents of the metro area.
Individuals create an account and enter information
like trip origin, destination, day(s) of the week and
time(s) of day they wish to match with other riders.
The system matches users automatically based on
their preferences and location, and users can con-
tact their matches directly to set up a ride. To learn
more and sign up, visit http://metrotransit.org/
carpool. Their hotline is available for users who
have questions or issues: 612-373-3333, option 5,
or commuterprograms@metrotransit.org.
Interfaith Outreach Community Partnership
(IOCP) (763) 489-7708
Interfaith Outreach Community Partnership
has a rides program where volunteers provide rides
in their own vehicles to community members in
need of getting to medical appointments or adult
basic education (at its building). Community mem-
bers must live in one of the 8 communities served
by IOCP (which includes Medina).
Community members needing transportation,
call the transportation line (763) 489-7708 where
volunteers will gather information about the need-
ed ride. The volunteer will then notify our volun-
teer drivers. When a driver is able to take the ride,
the ride is confirmed with the community mem-
ber. They ask for two business days’ notice and do
their best to fill the ride. The more notice they
have, the better they are able to meet the need.
Senior Community Services (952) 541-1019
Senior Community Services is also able to link
seniors with services such as transportation. Call
for more information.
Recycle Half of All You Throw
Do you know how easy it is to juice up your recycling? Load it up?
And milk it for all it’s worth? Of more than a million tons of garbage
thrown away each year, we only recycle 39 percent. We can do more -
help the county reach their goal of recycling at least 50 percent of all
waste by 2015!
To help you get to half, remember to recycle all of these materials
that are still commonly thrown in the trash:
Milk cartons & juice boxes
Soup, broth and wine cartons
Yogurt, pudding and fruit cups
Disposable cups
Margarine, cottage cheese, and other plastic containers
Produce, deli and takeout containers
Dishwashing liquid bottles and detergent jugs
Shampoo, soap and lotion bottles
Toothpaste, medication and other toiletry boxes.
Also remember to recycle everywhere you go – at home, at work
and at play! Learn more about what you can recycle and get all of your
recycling questions answered at RecycleHalf.com.