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Home My Public Portal AboutDec 2009-Jan 2010 Inside this issue: Hamel Road Reconstruction Completed......Pg. 1 2010 Park Commission Vacancies.................Pg. 1 2010 Planning Commission Vacancies..........Pg. 1 City Business Profile: Loram..........................Pg. 2 Hunting Regulations........................................Pg. 2 Broadcast of City Council Meetings..............Pg. 2 Things to Remember as Winter ApproachesPg. 2 Driveway Width Ordinance Amendment.....Pg. 3 City Works on New Zoning Regulations......Pg. 3 Proposed Public Works Facility Project Newsletter City Calendar December 1st Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 8th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 15th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 16th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm 19th Sat—Council Office Hours 9-11:00 am 25th Fri—City Offices Closed (Holiday) January 1st Fri—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 5th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 12th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 16th Sat—Council Office Hours 9-11:00 am 18th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 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 web site when available. Upcoming Public Hearings/Meetings 2010 Budget and Tax Levy on December 1, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall—The Council will be accepting public comment on the proposed 2010 budget and tax levy. A City budget insert provid- ing some details on the budget was included with your Truth in Taxa- tion Statement recently mailed by Hennepin County. More information is also available on the City website at www.ci.medina.mn.us. Public Works Facility on December 1, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall—Following discussion of the 2010 budget, the Council will be accepting public comment on the Public Works Facility project. Please review the project overview inserted into this newsletter. City Council Saturday Office Hours City Council Saturday Office Hours are on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at City Hall. The office hours are an informal setting and serve as an opportunity for residents to bring your thoughts to elected officials for a better Medina. Normally, one or two members of the Council will be present during the office hours. Residents are encouraged to check the City’s website for scheduling confirmation/cancellation. 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 Carolyn Smith 763-475-1003 Daniel Johnson 763-473-0744 Elizabeth Weir 763-473-3226 Mike Siitari 612-719-2453 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 Chad M. Adams Other Contributors Jodi Gallup Dec 2009 / Jan 2010 2010 Planning Commission Vacancies The Planning Commission has three seats open for appointment/re-appointment beginning January 2010. One seat is for a one-year term and two seats are for three- year term. The seven-member Planning Commission is a recommending body to the City Council and will have the following responsibilities in the next few years: ► City Ordinances—with the completion of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, several zoning and land use ordinances will be updated and reviewed by the commission. ► Development project review—Includes subdivisions, site plan reviews, planned unit developments, variances, conditional use permits, etc. Interested applicants may pick up an application at City Hall or via the City’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us. Deadline for applications is Friday, December 18th. 2010 Park Commission Vacancies The City is seeking residents to serve on the Medina Park Commission. Two seats on the seven-member commission are currently up for appointment/re-appointment effective January 2010 for a three-year term. The Park Commission serves as a volunteer recommending body to the City Council and meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Medina City Hall. Interested applicants may pick up an application at City Hall or via the City’s web- site at www.ci.medina.mn.us. Deadline for applications is Friday, December 18th. Hamel Road Reconstruction Completed The Hamel Road Reconstruction Project in Uptown Hamel was recently com- pleted in the past few months. The project was designed with an emphasis on pedes- trian friendliness and consisted of a reconstruction of Hamel Road from Brockton Lane to Hunter Drive, brick paver sidewalks, new water and sewer utility installation under the road, private utilities located underground, streetscape improvements and storm water improvements. The project was funded through special assessments to benefited properties, water and sewer capital funds, and Tax Increment Financ- ing revenues generated from development and market value growth in the area. The City extends its thanks to the busi- nesses and residents affected during the project construction for their patience and support these past few years. General Government Page 2 City Business Profile: Loram Maintenance of Way Loram Maintenance of Way has been in business since 1954 and moved to Medina in 1974 in order to grow its business and have direct access to the rail line operated by the Soo Line. Loram is the largest maintenance contractor to rail- roads in the US, Canada and Mexico. Loram’s name is derived from the mainte- nance services it provides along the railroad’s track structure known as the right- of-way. Loram’s machines are very large sophisticated equipment and perform the following services, rail grinding the top of the rail, shoulder ballast cleaning the ballast alongside the edge of the railway ties, ditch cleaning, specialty excava- tion services and rail pick-up and delivery. Loram’s main customers in North America are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, CSX transportation, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Kansas City Southern de Mexico, Ferromex and Amtrak. Loram historically assembled its own equipment at its facility in Medina and recently began selling this equipment outside of North America. Major railroad customers include Queensland Rail in Australia, mining companies CVRD (Vale) and MRS in Brazil, the Ministry of Rail for China, India Rail, Network Rail in the U.K. and customers in the Philippines, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Colombia and South Korea. Loram also supplies the transit and metro markets with recent cus- tomers such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Francisco, the Beijing, Nanjing and Xi’an metros in China, the New Delhi metro, Kuala Lumpur metro in Malaysia, and the Metro North on the east coast of the US. In 2009, Loram was selected as one of Minnesota’s Export Company’s of the Year. As a result of the success of its international business, Loram expanded its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in 2008 by adding 50,000 sq. ft. of of- fice space and 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and manufacturing space. This new facility houses 300 employees and is in the final stages of receiving silver LEED certification, which means it’s a green building. Next time you drive down Ar- rowhead Drive, see if you can pick out the architect’s vision for the building of a train leaving a station. Dec 2009 / Jan 2010 Hunting Regulations Medina’s current hunting regula- tions were discussed at the November 4th regular Council meeting to deter- mine the need for any future revisions. No changes were made at the meeting. The Council deferred the item to the Council’s annual goal setting session in January/February 2010 to decide if additional review is needed on the regu- lations. If the item is established as a goal/priority for 2010, the City will so- licit more public input through a public hearing on any proposed hunting regu- lations. Contact the Medina Police Depart- ment at (763) 473-9209 if you have any questions on existing hunting regula- tions. Broadcast of City Council Meetings Regular City Council meetings are taped and aired according to a set schedule on your Local Access Govern- ment Channel, if you receive Mediacom cable service. The meetings are also available via the internet through web- steaming at www.lmcc-tv.org. Things to Remember as Winter Approaches The City adopted a Snow Plowing-Ice Control Policy this year, which can be seen in its entirety on the City Website at www.ci.medina.mn.us. 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 snowfall occurs during the daytime. Please check your mailbox for sturdiness and get repaired as needed, as the City is not responsible for mail- boxes damaged by snow being pushed off the roads. To limit damage to sod, it is advised to place a marker along curb lines; however, metal poles are strictly pro- hibited within the City right-of-way. Be cautious of what you use and the amount you apply for your own personal ice control, as it will eventually end up in the storm sewer and out to our lakes and rivers. It is the responsibility of property owners to remove snow on their own sidewalks. On garbage and recycling days, please place receptacles out of the way so they will not be hit when snow is being plowed. Shore up your fall projects before winter, so spring rains will not erode. The City has a compost and brush pile located behind the Public Works building off County Road 24 which is open seven days a week during daylight hours. Feel free to bring your leaves and other plant and tree trimmings, but please make sure they are placed on the correct pile and that any plastic bags go back home with you. Page 3 Planning & Zoning Dec 2009 / Jan 2010 City Continues Work on New Zoning Regulations The City Council approved the 2010-2030 Comprehensive Plan on November 17, 2009 following prior Metropolitan Council approval. Implementing the new Plan will require re-writing many existing zoning regulations and also creating some new ordinances. Following is a summary of the work completed so far this year and the topics which will be discussed in the coming months. If you wish to be involved in the process or desire additional information, please contact City Planner Dusty Finke at (763) 473-8846 or dusty.finke@ci.medina.mn.us. Commercial Zoning Regulations The City Council approved new regulations for commercial districts on March 17, 2009. These dis- tricts will be in close proximity to Highway 55 or Highway 12 and are meant predominantly for retail, service, and office uses. Rural Public/Semi-Public and Rural Residential The City Council created a new district called Rural Public/Semi-Public on June 16, 2009. This district is intended to regulate institutional facilities such as governmental, religious, and educational uses in the rural area of the City. The City Council also re- moved these institutional uses from the list allowed across the Rural Residential zoning district. Sewered Residential Zoning Regulations The City Council created new residential zoning districts on September 15, 2009. These districts will regulate future single-family and multiple-family resi- dential development in order to create high-quality and sustainable neighborhoods. Business Park District and Business District The City Council adopted these regulations on November 17, 2009. The districts will apply to property identified as “General Business” in the 2030 Comp Plan, generally in the vicinity of Highway 55. These districts will include mainly office, warehouse, and some industrial uses. Mixed-Use Zoning Regulations The Planning Commission has reviewed and recommended approval of regulations for property identified as “Mixed-Use” in the 2030 Comp Plan. These properties are generally large undeveloped proper- ties which abut residential land uses on one side and commercial land uses on the other. The draft ordinance allows for a mix of residential and commercial land uses on these parcels in order to act as a transi- tion and to limit impacts on adjacent residential property. The City Council will begin reviewing the ordinance at their December meetings. Future Ordinances The City will discuss a variety of additional topics in the months to follow, including: ► “Point system” to regulate the timing of future development ► Stormwater and Low Impact Development regulations ► Conservation/Open Space Development ordinance ► Parking and Signage regulations Driveway Width Ordinance Amendment On November 17, 2009, the Medina City Council approved of changes to the Driveway Ordinance which allows wider driveways for residential properties. “Urban” and “Suburban” Driveways The change increases the maximum width of a single driveway approach for a suburban lot to 24 feet at the edge of the road, and 28 feet at the property line. The driveway approach is the portion of the driveway between the actual road surface and the property line of a parcel, which is typically 12-17 feet back from the road. Before the change, width was limited to 22 feet. “Rural” Driveways The change also increased the maximum width of a single driveway approach for a rural lot to a maximum of 24 feet at the property line, and to increase further in width where meeting the road. This additional width is limited to the amount necessary to maneuver from the driveway to the roadway and vice versa. Before the change, width was limited to 22 feet without lan- guage allowed for additional width. If you have any question on these changes, please contact the Planning Department at (763) 473-4643. Medina Public Works Facility Project Newsletter—Keeping You Informed Proposed Public Works Facility Project Newsletter November 2009 Invitation for Public Comment The City invites Medina residents and businesses to the December 1, 2009 City Council meeting to learn more about or comment on the proposed Public Works Facility project. The Council meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. at Medina City Hall and the Public Works Facility project will follow the 2010 Budget and Tax Levy public comment period on the agenda. Project Background The City of Medina’s existing Public Works Facilities are located at 2052 County Road 24, on the same site as City Hall. The existing facilities consist of a 7,400 sq. ft. building for storing vehicles, maintenance area, equipment and offices, as well as an outdoor storage area, salt shed, fueling facility and brush pile. Existing Public Works Facility Site A Citizen’s Advisory Panel studied existing City facilities from 2006 to 2007 and reported in July 2007 to the City Council a recommendation for a new Public Works Facility and a new but separate City Hall/Police facility. A Public Works Facility was identified as Priority #1. The Panel’s Facilities Master Plan is on the City’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us The City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) has also been identifying a need for a new Public Works Facility as early as 2004, with initial completion scheduled for 2007. Project Need The City’s Facilities Master Plan identified the following needs for constructing a new Public Works Facility:  The current site and yard are not sufficient to house public works vehicles, equipment and operations.  The existing site is non-conforming with City Code regulations.  Safety concerns consist of poor ventilation, work circulation, spacing between work functions, storage of tools/carts, parts open to spillage/contamination with lubricants.  Lockers, showers, meeting/training space, lunchroom and offices are insufficient or non- existent.  Area for cleaning and maintaining vehicles is non- existent.  Lighting, heating and everyday environmental needs are lacking. What has been done so far? The City completed a Facilities Master Plan, which in 2007 originally recommended a project scope including a new facility of 45,000 sq. ft. as part of a Phase I construction, the acquisition of 20 to 30 buildable acres, location near the Trunk Highway 55/Arrowhead Drive intersection, estimated cost of $8,000,000 (land & facility), and a funding source of General Obligation Bonds, with partial funding from utility revenues. In fall 2009, City Staff recommended a refined project scope including:  New facility of 30,000 to 35,000 sq. ft. (Phase I)  The acquisition of 8 to 10 buildable acres for Phase I, and consider securing 20 to 30 acres for long- term build out. (continued to next page) Medina Public Works Facility Project Newsletter—Keeping You Informed (continued from last page)  Location near the Trunk Highway 55/Arrowhead Drive intersection (with priority near Hennepin County Public Works to maximize operating/cost saving efficiencies for fueling and salt facilities.  Estimated cost: $6,500,000 (land & facility)  Funding source of General Obligation Bonds, with shared funding from water, sewer and storm water revenues. Land Acquisition: The City has been meeting with land owners, including Hennepin County, near the Trunk Highway 55/Arrowhead Drive intersection to explore land acquisition opportunities. Public Relations: In addition to past project updates in the City newsletter, the City hosted an Open House of the existing facilities on August 27, 2009 to provide an opportunity for residents to view facility conditions. A presentation on the project scope, cost, financing options, and schedule was provided at the Open House. How will my City taxes or City utility rates be affected? If the City issues $6.5 million in bonds with a 5% interest rate for 20 years on the project, the annual debt obligation will be $547,656. Because public works operations consists of roads, parks, water, sewer and storm water, the revenue sources to pay for the debt service would come from a share of increased City taxes and utility fees. About 47% would be funded from City taxes, 26% from water fees, 20% from sewer fees and 7% from storm water fees. Here are some quick facts on the City tax and utility fee impacts:  The City’s tax levy would increase by about 10% (an additional $256,000).  Tax increases and utility rate increases would occur in 2011 or 2012.  The annual tax increase on a $300,000 home would be $82  The annual tax increase on a $750,000 home would be $131  The annual tax increase on a $500,000 business would be $151  A water facility fee would be charged at $134/yr. (or $11.22/mo) for each user.  A sewer facility fee would be charged at $105/yr. (or $8.76/mo) for each user.  A storm water facility fee would be charged at $6 per Residential Equivalency Factor each year (i.e. 1 REF = 1 urban residential single-family household) What is the next step? The tentative schedule for the Public Works Facility project includes:  2009 - The City plans to determine a financing option, solicit proposals for architect, and continue land acquisition negotiation.  2010 - Final project design and bonding approval for the project.  2011 - Public bidding on plans, bonds issued, and project construction begins. What are the financing options? The City Council is considering two financing options for the project:  Referendum Bonds – Requires public support through a special or general election. Administrative costs will be incurred with coordinating an election. Less than 1% of cities use this option.  Capital Improvement Bonds – Requires creation of a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). A public hearing must be conducted prior to CIP approval and allows for a 30-day reverse referendum prior to closing of bonds. 75% of cities use this option. (24% of cities use EDA Lease Purchase bonds, which the City does not prefer using for the project). To Learn More: The City will be conducting more public discussions and open houses on the project over the next several months. Promotion of the meetings will be through the City newsletter, project newsletters, or other notices. The City website also has project information. Project Contacts: City Administrator Chad M. Adams, (763) 473-4643 e-mail: chad.adams@ci.medina.mn.us Public Works Superintendent Steve Scherer, (763) 473-4643 e-mail: steve.scherer@ci.medina.mn.us