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Home My Public Portal AboutJune July 2009 final Inside this issue: Moratorium on Religious Institutions...........Pg. 1 Hamel Road Reconstruction & Streetscape Pg. 1 Forming a New Lake Association..................Pg. 1 Public Works Facility Progress Report..........Pg. 2 Surface Water Runoff and Prevention..........Pg. 2 Twins Youth Baseball Clinic ..........................Pg. 3 2008 Annual Report Available........................Pg. 3 National Night Out..........................................Pg. 3 Long-Term Fire Services Update...................Pg. 3 Medina Celebration Day..................................Pg. 3 Open Burning Ordinance...............................Pg. 3 City Calendar June 2nd Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 9th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 16th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 17th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm July 3rd Fri—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 21st Tues—City Council 7:00 pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Meeting agendas on web site when available. Summer City Council Saturday Office Hours Suspended City Council Saturday Office Hours will experience a summer break during the months of June, July, and August. They will reconvene in September through the end of the year on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at City Hall. Residents are encouraged to check the City’s website for scheduling confirmation/cancellation. Upcoming Public Hearings/Meetings Pioneer Trail Roads Public Improvement/Special Assessment - June 2, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall - Notices have been outlining proposed assess- ments for street improvements to Pioneer Trail. Residents may attend the meeting to ask questions or provide comments on the proposed assessments. Open House: Zoning Regulations for Future Residential Development - June 30, 2009 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at City Hall - The City of Medina will soon be discussing zoning regulations related to future residential develop- ment in the City, and will be seeking assistance and input from property owners and interested stakeholders! Information from this meeting will help create regulations to result in high quality neighborhoods as future growth occurs con- sistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Contact Associate Planner Dusty Finke at 763-473-4643 or dusty.finke@ci.medina.mn.us with any questions. Council Approves New City Logo On May 5, 2009 the City Council approved the final version of the City’s new logo. Additional information on the logo’s implementation can be found on the city’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us. The City thanks all citizens that submitted feedback on the logo throughout the process! 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 June / July 2009 Hamel Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Progress Construction crews have been active the past month in completing work on the Hamel Road project (from Brockton Lane to Hunter Drive). Brick paver sidewalks and other site improvements have been amongst the recent work completed. In the coming month, sod and tree installation will occur along with the sidewalk completion. The final bituminous wear course, trash receptacles, benches, bike racks and plant- ers will also be completed this summer. Street lighting, road reconstruction and base course, curb replacement, and burial of previous overhead utilities were completed in 2008. The project is being funded through a combination of special assessments, tax increment financing, and City utility funds where water and sewer were replaced. Moratorium on Religious Institutions The City Council is currently reviewing ordinances related to the regulations and zoning of religious institutions, government buildings, and schools. Following a May 5 Council meeting review, the ordinance was tabled for further review and discussion to the June 2nd Council meeting. A one-year moratorium was enacted on February 3 for religious institutions and facilities. The Planning Commission also previously held their public hearing with rec- ommendations for the Council on April 14th. The Council may consider lifting certain properties from the moratorium if the ordinances are approved at the June 2nd or sub- sequent meetings. Interested in Protecting and Improving the Lakes, Creeks & Ponds in Your Back Yard? Attend Minnesota Waters’ “Forming a New Lake Association” Presentation on August 12th Citizens that are interested in protecting and improving the water bodies in their back yard or neighborhood are invited to join a presentation put on by Minnesota Wa- ters to learn how to form a new lake association. Rep- resentatives from each of the Watershed Districts will also be present to address major water quality issues and answer any questions. The presentation will be held on Wednesday, Au- gust 12th at 6:30 p.m. at the Hamel Community Build- ing, 3200 Mill Drive, Medina, MN 55340. By forming a citizen-led lake or river group, you have the ability to initiate projects and programs of long-term significance that will lead to a healthier lake or river. Contact Jodi Gallup at 763-473-8850 or jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us with any questions. Top 5 Reasons to form a citizen-led protection group… 1. Property values 2. Water & habitat quality 3. Development 4. Influence; peers & officials 5. Aquatic invasive species Public Works & Environment Page 2 Surface Water Runoff and Prevention of Harmful Pollutants into Water Bodies With the arrival of spring, rain is inevitable. It’s time to think about surface water runoff and protecting the water bodies in our community from harmful pollutants such as sediments, phosphorus, nutrients, and unwanted debris. Following are some helpful reminders. Construction and Landscaping Projects Construction jobs completed in the spring and summer may require permits as well as erosion and sediment control meas- ures, ie: silt fencing, mulch, erosion blankets, bio-logs and/or a combination of these materials. These measures are used to prevent sediment from leaving the site and entering adjacent properties and streets eventually ending up in a storm sewer sys- tem which lead to ponds and lakes. Please contact City Hall to determine if a permit is needed. Think ahead about what might happen when a large rain event occurs during a project. Please be prepared and have proper control measures in place before the rain comes. For example, if a construction or landscaping project has a significant amount of exposed soils for more than a day, and there is potential that the sediment can be carried off your site from rain, the above measures should be taken. Remember that no dumping is allowed on any city street. Dumping refers to any debris including but not limited to sand, gravel, rock, leaves, brush, etc. Yard Clean Up Spring is a great time to get out and start cleaning things up. Debris such as paper, plastic and general trash that is left in yards from winter can be blown around and washed down the storm sewers ending up in ponds and lakes. Be sure to pick up any dog and cat feces in yards, because if washed into the streets it can add significant amounts of unwanted phosphorus and nutrients to our water bodies. Driveways should be swept of sand and gravel and disposed of in trash receptacles. This also prevents further sediments from reaching the storm sewers. Washing vehicles should be done on the grass and environmental friendly detergents should be used. Lawn Care When mowing lawns, do not cut and blow the clippings into the street. Fresh green grass clip- pings are full of nitrogen and if carried down the storm sewers to the lakes, can add to the nutrient loading and promote weed growth and algae blooms. A good measure to use when cutting grass is to mow the outer ten foot edge first. Cut and blow the clippings into the yard and then change directions so the clippings don’t reach the street or curb and gutter. Grass clippings are a good source of nitrogen, so mulching can be beneficial. Public Works Facility Progress Report The City has narrowed the search for location of a new public works facility near the Highway 55 Corridor and Arrowhead Drive area. The City’s current City Hall and Public Works Facility campus is not large enough to accommodate all City facili- ties as the City grows and as buildings become inadequate or over-crowded. A Citizen’s Advisory Committee, along with staff and a facilities space consultant, recommended in 2007 the construction of an off-site 43,000 sq. ft. Phase I public works facility on a 20 to 30 acre buildable site. The estimated cost of the facility and land was initially projected to be $8 million. The City has since decided that a smaller sized Phase I facility and less land acreage will be sufficient for several years of public works operations and activities. The City Council has also been discussing options to finance a future public works facility and land. Options include a lease-purchase bond through an Economic Development Authority (EDA), capital improvement bonds (including a public hearing and petition process to call for a voter referendum during a special or general election), or referendum bonds (including voter approval through a special or general election). All three options would include bonding for the project and increases to property taxes. The next steps for the project include further evaluation of sites for location of the facility, determination of size and scope of facility, and public input of the project progress and financing options. Public discussion of the project will be scheduled and encouraged during the August 2010 Budget Open House. A date for the Open House will be determined soon and will be advertised on the City website and in the next City newsletter (to be published and distributed in late July). June / July 2009 Page 3 Administration & Public Safety Twins Youth Baseball Clinic June 12th, 2 - 5 p.m. Twins Youth Clinic to be held on June 12th at the Hamel Legion Park ball fields, 3200 Mill Drive, from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM. Twins Youth Clinics are designed to teach the game's fundamentals including hitting, fielding and throwing, while also providing participants with positive messages about stay- ing in school and away from drugs and alco- hol. No registration is required to participate in the clinic. The clinic will provide quality hands-on instruction for boys and girls ages 6-16. The first session from 2-3:30 will be for youth ages 6-9 years old and the second session 3:30-5:00 is for youth 10-16. Par- ticipants are divided into three groups and rotated between hitting, fielding and throwing stations. The Twins provide safe, youth-friendly equipment. Youth participants are asked to bring their own gloves. Contact John Kastner at 763-478-6339 with any questions. Medina Celebration Day Saturday, September 26, 2009 The City is seeking residents or local business representatives to serve on a committee to organize and promote this year’s Me- dina Celebration Day. The event will again be held at the Com- munity Building site in Hamel Legion Park. City staff will be available to provide support to the committee as needed. If you are available and interested, please contact Linda Lane at City Hall by phone or e-mail at linda.lane@ci.medina.mn.us. Open Burning Ordinance In 2008, the City of Medina revised the Open Burning Ordinance 505. A major change in the ordinance is residents are exempt from the permit requirement if the burn is for recreational purposes (no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’). This would include a campfire or a fire contained in a charcoal grill, camp stove, or other device desig- nated for the purpose of warming, cooking, or ceremo- nial purposes. In the past we required an annual permit for the recreational fires. If you are planning other burns, such as large amounts of brush or vegetation, a permit is still re- quired. If you are planning for a prairie burn please check out the new ordinance, there are new require- ments in the ordinance that you must follow. The new ordinance can be viewed online at www.ci.medina.mn.us under the City code book. Please contact the Medina Police Department at (763) 473-9209 if you have any questions. If you would like to apply for a permit, you can stop by our office at 2052 County Road 24. National Night Out Tuesday, August 4th Neighborhoods throughout Medina are invited to join the Me- dina Police Department, along with thousands of communities nationwide, on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009, to participate in the Annual National Night Out celebration. Medina Police Officers, Firefighters and City Council members will attend and participate in neighborhood parties throughout the city. To officially participate in National Night Out events, contact your neighbors and plan a neighborhood get-together. It can be something as extravagant as a cookout or as simple as an ice cream social. Remember to register your neighborhood party with the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209 along with the times. By doing this, a visit will be arranged from the police and fire de- partments. If you have any questions, please call Tom Gregory or Josh McKinley at the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Long-Term Fire Services Update In October 2008, the City requested that the Lo- retto and Hamel Volunteer Fire Departments work together to consider consolidating training, operations, and/or equipment for fire services provided to Me- dina. The two departments have been meeting to dis- cuss options and future planning of the departments. A progress update and future plan will be provided to the Medina City Council in 2009. The Loretto VFD and Hamel VFD are both independently owned fire service providers and contractually serve 82% of Me- dina’s geographic area (not including Baker Park). 2008 Annual Report Available The City’s 2008 Annual Report can now be found on the City’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us under News & Current Events. This is the second year a comprehensive annual report has been completed. The annual report provides an overview of the City’s activities, accomplishments, and fiscal responsi- bility for 2008. The report outlines activity for each of the city departments including administration, plan- ning, public works, and police as well as statistics and charts demonstrating trend history. A copy of the report may also be purchased at City Hall for $5.00. June / July 2009