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HomeMy Public PortalAboutFeb March 2012 Inside this issue: Highway 55 Road Project: Summer 2012 ..... Pg. 1 Precinct Political Party Caucuses ................... Pg. 1 Seasonal Spring Weight Limits ....................... Pg. 2 Safe n’ Sober Program ..................................... Pg. 2 You Can Prevent Storm Water Pollution ..... Pg. 2 City Plowing Priority Schedule ...................... Pg. 2 Speed Trailer—Help Control the Speed ....... Pg. 2 Radon Testing: Take Action ........................... Pg. 3 City Business Profile: Countryside Café ...... Pg. 3 Uptown Hamel Skating/Sledding Social ...... Pg. 3 Grants Available for Water Friendly Landscaping ...................................................... Pg. 3 2012 Budget ...................................................... Pg. 4 Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance ............. Pg. 5 Planning Projects Under Review ................... Pg. 5 City Calendar February 14th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 15th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm 18th Sat—Council Office Hours (by appointment) 20th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 21st Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 21st Tues—City Council 7:00 pm March 6th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 13th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 17th Sat—Council Office Hours (by appointment) 20th Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 20th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 21st Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Meeting agendas on web site when available. Board of Appeal and Equalization on April 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall—This meeting is held annually for the pur- pose of reviewing and correcting the 2012 assessed property values or property classifications in the City of Medina. All persons considering themselves aggrieved by said assessment or who wish to complain that the property of another is assessed too low, may appear at the meeting and show cause for having such assessment corrected. The burden of proof is on the resident to justify a decrease in proper- ty value. The City is requesting that residents complete a City application prior to attending the meeting. The application will be posted on the City’s website in March. City Council Office Hours – Change of Procedure For the past five years council members have held “office hours” at City Hall on the third Saturday of each month from September through May. The office hours provide an informal setting for residents to bring to the elected officials City issues or questions which are best handled in per- son. The concept of office hours will continue. However, residents de- siring to meet with an elected official on the third Saturday between 9AM and 11 AM should make an appointment by calling Jodi Gallup, Assistant to the City Administrator, at City Hall at 763-473-8850 by noon on Friday before the Saturday session. February 8th City Council Meeting has been Canceled CITY OFFICE INFO 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340-9790 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@ci.medina.mn.us PUBLIC SAFETY p: 763-473-9209 f: 763-473-8858 City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mayor Tom Crosby 612-332-9111 City Council Elizabeth Weir 763-473-3226 Jeff Pederson 612-916-6448 Melissa Martinson 763-473-8082 Mike Siitari 763-473-2563 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 City Administrator Scott Johnson Other Contributors Jodi Gallup Feb / Mar 2012 Highway 55 Road Project: Summer 2012 The Minnesota Department of Transportation is planning a mill and overlay pro- ject on Highway 55 from just west of County Road 116 in Medina to Rockford. The project is scheduled to start the first or second week of June 2012. The first phase will start on the east end in Medina and go to County Road 19. The projected time will be six to eight weeks to complete. The detour will be High- way 55 to County Road 19 to County Road 50 east to County Road 101. With County Road 116 being an alternate detour. Phase two will be from County Road 19 to County Road 92, again taking six to eight weeks to complete. The detour will be Highway 55 to County Road 92 to County Road 50 to County Road 19. Project completion is tentatively scheduled to be in September 2012. The project is still in the bidding process so there may be some changes. Contact Public Works Superintendent Steve Scherer at 763-473-4643 or steve.scherer@ci.medina.mn.us for more information or updates on this project. Precinct Political Party Caucuses on February 7, 2012 Precinct caucuses are meetings organized by Minnesota's political parties to begin the process of selecting candidates for the 2012 election and policy positions to shape the party platform. Caucuses are a great opportunity to engage directly in the political process at the "grassroots" level. Precinct caucuses are open to the public and participation is encouraged by the political parties. In order to vote, offer resolutions or become a delegate at a precinct caucus, attendees must be eligible to vote in the 2012 election, live in the precinct and be in general agreement with the principles of the political party. This year politi- cal parties will conduct a straw poll to gauge caucus attendees' presidential candidate preference. The Republican, Independence, Green, Democratic-Farmer-Labor, and Consti- tution Parties will hold caucuses on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 7 p.m. The Liber- tarian and Grassroots Parties will not hold caucuses in 2012. A precinct caucus brochure that provides general information about the upcom- ing caucuses as well as contact information for each of Minnesota's six political par- ties is available online at: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=886. Caucus Finder: The Online Way to Locate Your Precinct Caucus Caucus Finder is an online application that assists Minnesotans in locating the major party precinct caucus meeting of their choice. Caucus Finder can be found at: www.mnvotes.org. There will be no Precinct Caucuses located at City Hall. Public Works & Public Safety Page 2 Feb / Mar 2012 Seasonal Spring Weight Limits The Medina Police want to remind everyone that spring weight restrictions will go into effect in early March. If you are planning a construction project, please ensure that you have your materials delivered prior to the weight restrictions. The reason for the restrictions is to protect our roads and keep the cost of road repair down for all taxpayers. We ask all of our residents and business owners to keep an eye out for large trucks using the roads during the restriction period. If you see them using a restricted road, please call 9-1-1 and report it. Help protect your roads! For questions, you can call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Safe ‘n Sober Program In 2012, the Medina Police Department will again be part of the Minnesota Safe ‘n Sober program. The program is grant fund- ed through the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety. Medina has participated in this program for the past 19 years. Medina’s officers have worked thousands of hours enforcing traffic laws, doing extra patrols for speed, seatbelt and DWI en- forcement. In 2011, the number of deaths on Minnesota roads dropped below 400 for the first time since 1944. When you look at the number of vehicles on the road today compared to 1944, this number is very impressive. It still means that one person a day in the State of Minnesota dies on our roadways, which warrants the continued need for this program. In 2001, there were 568 deaths on Minnesota’s roads. That number has been brought down over the last ten years to 349 deaths. Medina wants to continue this trend and make our roads as safe as possible. Medina’s officers will continue to work this pro- gram and enforce our traffic laws with the hope of someday elimi- nating all the deaths on our roadways. The City asks that everyone follow the rules of the road; don’t drink and drive and please, buck- le up and pay attention. This year and in the future there will be many discussions about distracted driving; talking on cell phones, texting, and using other devices that take our eyes off the roadway. These activities cause accidents. Please keep your eyes on the road and drive safely. If you have any questions, please feel free to con- tact the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Speed Trailer—Help Control the Speed The Medina Police Department will be putting out the speed trailer as soon as the snow is gone. The trailer displays the speed of oncoming vehicles on a 24” electronic board. The speed limit is also posted on the trailer. This reminds drivers of their speed. Re- search has shown that the majority of the driving public does not intentionally speed; they are just not paying attention. This speed trailer will be there to remind them to slow down. The trailer also has an onboard computer that records traffic flows along with vehicle speeds. The Police Department will be using this information to do target enforcement. The Public Works Department will use the information to complete traffic studies for each road. These traffic studies are for future planning. The Smart Speed Trailer will be coming to your neighborhood in the near future. If you would like it in your neighborhood for a specific traffic issue, please call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. City Plowing Priority Schedule 1) Main collector roads 2) Residential streets 3) Cul-de-sacs and dead end streets 4) Trails and ice rinks You Can Prevent Storm Water Pollution Storm drains carry excess water from streets and homes to nearby lakes and rivers. During the cold winter months, salt that is applied to our streets, sidewalks, and driveways eventually flows into our lakes and rivers. Help keep our waters clean this winter by following these few simple steps. Before the Storm – Apply a liquid de-icer be- fore snow storms to prevent snow and ice from building up. However, this is not a substitute for shoveling; it just makes it more effective. You can make your own liquid de-icer. Mix two cups of hot water and one cup of salt. Shovel That Snow – Shovel, snow blow, plow and/or sweep. These are all effective measures that will remove snow and mini- mize ice build-up. Less is Better – When applying salt, if there are leftover crystals still visible, the salt has been over applied. The left-over salt can be swept up and reused or disposed of in the trash. Temperature Matters – At low temperatures salt begins to become less effective; check your product for more details. When the temper- ature falls below 15 degrees consider using sand as an alternative to salt. Remember: Any salt that enters a storm drain does not go to a waste treatment facility. It goes directly into a local lake or river. Page 5 Planning Feb / Mar 2012 City Council Adopts Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance On November 15, 2011, the City Council approved an ordinance allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which can also be called guest homes or mother-in-law apartments. Previously, no more than one dwelling unit was permitted on a single lot less than 40 acres. The ordinance permits ADUs in virtually all residential zoning districts, but requires that conditional use permit approval be obtained from the City Council before construction. The ordinance also estab- lishes certain restrictions including: minimum and maximum habitable space, maximum of two bed- rooms, and preventing the separate sale or conveyance of the ADU. An ADU within residential dis- tricts served by municipal sewer and water are required to be located within the principal structure, such as within a basement or in a bonus space above an attached garage. If you have any questions on Accessory Dwelling Units or the new ordinance, please contact the Planning Department at (763) 473-4643, dusty.finke@ci.medina.mn.us, or debra@ci.medina.mn.us. Planning Projects Under Review The following land use and development projects and the following updates to the zoning regulations are currently under review by the City. For more information on the projects, or for an update on the review schedule, please contact the Plan- ning Department at (763) 473-4643. 116-lot single-family subdivision – Brockton Lane, south of Hamel Legion Park Lennar (U.S. Home Corporation) has requested PUD Concept Plan approval for a subdivision of the existing nine properties south of Hamel Legion Park and west of Brockton Lane into 116 single-family home lots. The developer proposes to incor- porate these homes into “The Enclave” which is located immediately to the west and was approved by the City Council in the summer of 2011. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to hold a Public Hearing on February 14, 2012. Conservation Design Subdivision – 2700 and 2900 Parkview Drive The property owner has requested a PUD Concept Plan Review for a Conservation Design subdivision proposing 8 lots on 110-acres (the applicant has reduced the concept from 10-lots). The proposal includes permanent conservation easements over a portion of the property and is requesting a density bonus to allow for additional lots. The Planning Commission and City Council reviewed the proposal and requested a number of changes (including a reduction in the number of proposed lots). The City Council is tentatively scheduled to review the request again on February 21, 2012. Setback Variance for Swimming Pool – 1512 Tamarack Drive The property owner has requested a variance in order to reconstruct the existing swimming pool which is in disrepair. The swimming pool is proposed to be 25-feet from the property line and the minimum setback requirement is 50-feet. The exist- ing swimming pool being replaced is 20-feet from the property line. The Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on December 13, 2011 and recommended approval of the variance. The City Council reviewed the request at the January 17 meeting and directed staff to prepare a resolution approving the variance. “Fields of Medina” subdivision – North of Highway 55; west of County Road 116 The City Council granted Final Plat approval on January 17, 2012 for a 65-lot subdivision on 32 acres of property at 1182 Highway 55 to be called the “Fields of Medina.” Mattamy Homes intends to begin to develop the property and build homes during the spring of 2012. Lot Split – 805 Hamel Road On January 17, 2012, The City Council granted preliminary plat approval to JJC LLC to split the existing lot into 2 residential lots and to rezone one of the lots to the R-2 (Two Family Residential) zoning district. The applicant will need to obtain Final Plat approval before the subdivision is finalized. Page 4 Feb / Mar 2012 2012 Budget City of Medina Summary Budget Data The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of 2012 budget information for the City of Medina citizens. The com- plete budget may be examined at Medina City Hall, 2052 County Road 24 or on the City’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us. The final General Fund Budget for 2012 was approved on December 6, 2011 in the amount of $3,786,425, a reduction of $5,000 or 0.1% from the 2011 General Fund Budget. The General Fund total property tax levy for 2012 was authorized for $2,619,335, an increase of 0.7% or $18,881 from the 2011 General Fund levy. The overall 2012 property tax levy was approved for $2,935,703, an increase of 5.1% or $143,062 over the total 2011 levy. The overall levy increased primarily due to new annu- al debt service payments on bonds issued to finance 2011 road improvements. Largely due to a 6.3% decline in the City’s over- all market value from 2011 to 2012, the City’s tax capacity rate is estimated to increase from 18.977% in 2011 to 21.313% in 2012. Feb / Mar 2012 Page 3 Community & Environment City Business Profile: Countryside Café By: Peggy Rasmussen The Countryside Café is located at the intersection of Highway 55 and Cty Road 116. The building was built in the late 1940’s and has always been a café. Many owners lived in an apartment over the café and it had several names over the years: “Leroy’s,” “The Knotty Pine Café,” “Glad-Mar Café” (The Old Maid’s”) and “Frenchie’s.” In 1975 we became “Countryside Café” and have continued to provide hearty breakfasts and lunches for the past 37 years. Originally our customers were mostly local residents, farmers, truckers, hunters and construction workers. As the area developed, we began to see folks from new busi- nesses and schools and developing neighborhoods. In 2001 we started to provide packaged food for golf courses, coffee shops and food trucks, which grew into a busy catering business and a Catering Commissary (located east of the Café). We cater weddings, business meetings, christenings, funerals, private dinners and parties. At our largest event we served 3,000 guests, but we also routinely serve groups of 10-12. Some events are quite elaborate with ice sculptures and canapés, while others are more cas- ual. We enjoy doing business in Medina and being part of the community. We invite you to stop into the Café for a meal or a piece of delicious pie. Please check out our web- site at pegscountrysidecafe.com for information about Ca- tering and events or friend us on Facebook. Uptown Hamel Skating/Sledding Social Saturday, February 11th, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Community members are invited to attend the Uptown Ha- mel Skating/Sledding Social on Saturday, February 11th from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamel Legion Park. The festivities will be centralized around the Hamel Community Building, ice skating rink, sledding hill, and fire pit. The Uptown Hamel Business Group is sponsoring the event and will be serving hot apple ci- der and making s’mores. For more information visit the Uptown Hamel Business Group website at https://uptownhamel.com or call Fortin Health and Wellness Clinic at 763-478-3978. Radon Testing: Take Action Though you can not see, smell or taste radon, it may be pre- sent at dangerous levels in your home. Radon is the second- leading cause of lung cancer, and causes over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. It has been brought to the city’s attention that a few resi- dents in Medina recently tested for radon in their homes and found levels high enough to warrant a radon remediation sys- tem. If you are interested in testing your home, you can receive test kit information from the Minnesota Department of Health at http://www.health.state.mn.us/. The MDH can also provide information regarding qualified remediation contractors in the area. Grants Available for Water-Friendly Landscaping Want to help protect clean water as you plan to beautify your yard this spring? The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) can help. The MCWD offers grants for projects that protect water resources in a variety of ways, whether or not you live on a lake or stream. Polluted stormwater runoff is the biggest water quality problem in Minnesota and across the country. In a natural envi- ronment, most rainwater soaks into the ground or is captured by trees or other plants. But in developed areas, rainwater runs off roads, parking lots and rooftops, carrying dirt, fertilizer, pesticides and other harmful material into lakes, streams and wet- lands. Eroded shorelines and streambanks also contribute sediments and excess nutrients to waterways. The poor water qual- ity that results affects recreation, fish and wildlife, and reduces property values near affected lakes and streams. The MCWD encourages using stormwater best management practices (BMPs) that catch polluted stormwater before it enters sewers or water bodies. The District is also ready to pay for up to half of the cost and help you plan what’s best for you. Eligible projects for the Stormwater BMP Cost Share grant funding include raingardens (planted depressions that filter stormwater), pervious pavers (hard surfaces which allow water to pass through), and other innovative BMPs that capture and filter stormwater. Eligible projects for the Shoreline and Streambank Stabilization Cost Share grant funding use native plants to reduce erosion along lakes and streams. The roots of native plants anchor the soil, filter and absorb polluted runoff, and beautify the shoreline or streambank. Their natural height and density also discourage geese, which are attracted to turf adjacent to water. Grants are available for improvements to private property including residential, business and private schools. For more information, contact Joe Barten, MCWD Cost Share Specialist, at (952) 641-4523 or jbarten@minnehahacreek.org or visit http://minnehahacreek.org/grants/cost-share-programs.