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HomeMy Public PortalAboutFall 2006c Printed on 50% recycled paper c Printed on 20% post-consumer recycled fiber content paper City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telephone Numbers City Hall..............763-473-4643 Fax.......................763-473-9359 Police emergency .....................911 non-emergency .... 763-473-9209 Official Newspaper South Crow River News 33 2nd Street NE , Box 280 Osseo, MN 55369 Telephone Number: 763-425-3323 Mayor Bruce Workman....763-478-9435 City Council Carolyn Smith.......763-475-1003 Randy Brinkman...763-478-3242 Elizabeth Weir .....763-473-3226 Joe Cavanaugh...…763-473-3828 City Administrator Chad M. Adams….763-473-4643 e-mail: chad.adams@ci.medina.mn.us City Council Meetings First & third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Planning Commission Tom Crosby, Chair Doug Dickerson Marilyn Fortin Robin Reid Sharon Johnson Jeff Pederson Mary A. Verbick Planning Commission Meetings Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Park Commission Randy Hughes, Chair Galen Bruer Gerald Dykoff Tom Gregor Madeleine Linck Bob Pastor Ann Thies Park Commission Meetings Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Newsletter Editor City Administrator Chad M. Adams 2052 County Road 24, Medina MN 55340 2052 County Road 24, Medina MN 55340 www.ci.medina.mn.us Inside this issue: 2007 Proposed Budget & Tax Levy..........Pg. 1 2006 General Election Results..................Pg. 1 Community Survey Availability...............Pg. 1 Broadcast of City Council Meetings.........Pg. 1 Comprehensive Plan Timeline..................Pg. 2 Planning Commission Appointments........Pg. 2 Storm Water Construction Runoff............Pg. 2 Water Rate Increases ...............................Pg. 3 Park Commission Appointments...............Pg. 3 Snowplowing Information........................Pg. 3 Winter Weather Tips.................................Pg. 4 Facilities Master Planning.........................Pg. 4 County Road 19 Regional Trail ...............Pg. 4 Willow Drive Truck Traffic......................Pg. 4 Hunter Drive Trail....................................Pg. 4 Medina Celebration Day Recap................Pg. 5 Uptown Hamel Sign and Improvements...Pg. 5 5th Annual Uptown Hamel Winterfest......Pg. 5 City Calendar De c e m b e r Ja n u a r y ► 4th Mon—Truth In Taxation Hearing 6:30 pm ► 5th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 6th Wed—Comprehensive Plan Neighborhood Meet- ing for Businesses 7:00 pm @ Community Building ► 7th Thurs—Recycling Day ► 12th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm ► 19th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 20th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm ► 21st Thurs—Recycling Day ► 25th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 1st Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 2nd Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 4th Thurs—Recycling Day ► 9th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm ► 15th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 16th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 17th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm ► 18th Thurs—Recycling Day ► 1st Thurs—Recycling Day ► 6th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 13th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm ► 15th Thurs—Recycling Day ► 19th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 20th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm ► 21st Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm Fe b r u a r y A Quarterly Newsletter of the City of Medina www.ci.medina.mn.us Fall 2006 ► All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. ► Meeting agendas on web site when available. General Election Results Official results of the 2006 General Election as canvassed by the City of Medina City Council on Wednesday, November 8th: Mayor of Medina (two-year term, one-seat) VOTES Tom Crosby 1435 Bruce D. Workman 800 Write-Ins 9 Medina City Council (four-year term, two-seats) VOTES Carolyn A. Smith 1334 Daniel T. Johnson 1066 Jeff Pederson 912 Frank Mignone 453 Doug Dickerson 314 Write-Ins 13 The newly elected officials will be sworn in at the January 2, 2007 City Council meeting. Medina’s voter turnout for the 2006 General Election which includes actual votes compared to registered voters was 76%. 2007 Proposed Budget & Preliminary Tax Levy On September 5th, the City Council approved the 2007 preliminary tax levy and budget. The proposed levy was set at $2,150,000, which is a 10.65% increase from the 2006 levy. The tax levy represents the amount of dollars needed to fund general government operations for the City of Medina (in addition to other fees and sources of revenue). The proposed levy may be reduced by the Council during the Decem- ber Truth-in-Taxation (TNT) hearings, or subsequent budget meetings in December. The Council is prohibited by state law to increase the levy above the amount set on September 5th. Medina’s TNT date is scheduled for Monday, December 4th at 6:30 p.m. at the Medina City Hall. The total proposed general government budget for 2007 was also set at $3,750,595, which is an increase of 15.53% from 2006. The City’s tax rate will decline from 16.03% to 15.36%. 2007 will mark the fifth straight year that the tax rate will be decreasing. The City’s growth and increased market values continue to be the key sources to the declining tax rates. For a single-family residential home valued at $500,000 in 2006, the City’s tax burden was $801.50. In 2007, the City’s tax burden will be $838.62 for the same home, which includes an 8% market value increase factored into this analysis. It is important to note that an individual home’s market value increase will vary from home to home. More budget analy- sis and charts may be found on the City’s website at www.ci.medina.mn.us ► 21st Tues—City Council 5:00 pm ► 23rd Thurs—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 24th Fri—City Offices Closed (Holiday) ► 24th Fri—Recycling Day (Note day change) No v . Community Survey Results Results of the 2006 citizen/business survey were presented publicly be- fore the City Council on October 3rd. The entire survey is available on the City’s website or may be viewed or purchased at City Hall. The survey was conducted by National Research Center, Inc., based in Boulder, Colorado. General survey topics included growth, rural character, taxes, city services (existing and desired), and various other items relating to quality of life. Broadcast of City Council Meetings Effective January 2007, regular meetings of the City Council will be broadcast on your local Mediacom local government access channel. The meetings will be taped and aired according to a set schedule, and will not be aired via a live feed. The meetings will also be available to web-stream at www.lmcc-tv.org Planning and Environment Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control It’s Important to Control Storm Water Runoff from Construction Sites Sediment laden storm water runoff from construction sites is a leading cause of pollution for our surface waters. Research has shown that a one acre construction site delivers the same amount of sediment as 75 acres of agricultural land! Sediment pollution prematurely ages lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands resulting in physical and biological harm that is expensive and difficult to repair. Permits are Required for Certain Grading Activities In order to combat storm water runoff pollution from construction sites, the City of Medina requires individuals to obtain a grading permit prior to commencing certain grading activities. A permit is required for all land disturbing activities resulting in the grading of 50 or more cubic yards of soil (about three dump truck loads). Sites located in the Minnehaha Creek Watershed are required to obtain an additional grading permit from the Watershed District. In addition, sites disturbing one or more acres are required to obtain a permit from the Min- nesota Pollution Control Agency. City of Medina Storm Water Runoff Inspections It is the responsibility of the permit holder to employ Best Management Practices (BMP’s) as required by the grading permit. Construction site BMP’s may include but are not limited to perimeter control, temporary seeding, mulching, and tempo- rary construction site entrances. The City works cooperatively with erosion and sediment control specialists from Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik and Associates to insure the construction site BMP’s are properly installed and maintained. These specialists are currently inspecting 12 large construction sites which include subdivisions and commercial developments. Approximately 516 inspections have taken place this year. Common problems on these sites include the failure to maintain perimeter protection and temporary con- struction entrances as well as the failure to establish temporary vegetative cover. Protecting surface and ground water resources from construction site runoff is one of the many ways to insure a healthy environment for future generations. For more information on construction site storm water runoff control please contact : City of Medina—www.ci.medina.mn.us Zoning Code Chapter 8, Section 828.28 Land Filling and Land Excavation/Grading Operations or contact Planner Rose Lorsung at (763) 473-4643. Minnehaha Creek Watershed—www.minnehahacreek.org or contact them directly at (952)-471-0590 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency—www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-c.html#specialwaters Planning Commission Appointments The Planning Commission has three seats open for appointment/re-appointment on January 1st. Two seats will be for a three-year term, and the remaining seat filling two-years of an existing term. The seven-member Planning Commission is a rec- ommending body to the City Council and will have the following responsibilities in the next few years: ► Comprehensive Plan—is ongoing—will help shape the City’s development, growth patterns, densities, character, and infrastructure through 2030. ► Development project review—Includes subdivi- sions, site plan reviews, planned unit develop- ments, variances, conditional use permits, etc. Interested applicants may pickup an application at City Hall or via the City’s website. Deadline for applica- tions is Friday, December 15. Page 2 Wood-chip filled bags and sod are excellent perimeter control protection BMP’s as seen here in the Lake Medina development. Comprehensive Plan: General Info. & Timeline The Open Houses and Neighborhood meetings that have been held over the last several months are coming to a close. Twelve educational and community feedback sessions (on six topics) were conducted from May through October. Approximately 80 persons attended the last two Open House sessions per- taining to Open Spaces and Rural Character. Of the four Neighborhood meetings scheduled, one remains on the calendar for Wednesday, December 6, 2006 at the Hamel Community Building. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. and invites local businesses to attend and pro- vide city leaders with comments on their desires for the Comprehensive Plan. In January 2007, selected members of the City Council, Planning Commis- sion and Park Commission will begin formal meetings to recommend updates to the 2010-2030 Comprehensive Plan. The current timeline for the planning proc- ess includes an end of summer 2007 submittal to the Metropolitan Council for review. The City is required to complete the final plan by December 2008. The City thanks everyone who provided great feedback and insight in the open houses and neighborhood meetings this past summer and fall! Page 5 Uptown Hamel and Civic Events 2006 Medina Celebration Day Committee Highway 55 Rental Farmers State Bank of Hamel Fortin Hardware Co. ChiroExpress Howie’s Barber Shop Walter G. Anderson, Inc. Hamel Athletic Association Hamel Lions Medina Golf & Country Club Adam’s Pest Control, Inc. Gramercy Club Hamel Electric, Inc. Dean R. Johnson Construction, Inc. Daily Bread Professional Chef Service Country Side Café Medina Entertainment Center Uptown Hamel Redevelopment Marketing Sign & Public Improvement Update The City Council will be discussing options to place a temporary “Redevelopment Area” sign on or near Sioux Drive to market the redevelop- ing Uptown Hamel area at their regular meeting on Tuesday, November 21, 2006. In addition to discussing the temporary sign, options will be discussed for a future site and location of a more permanent monument sign to promote the Up- town Hamel area. Interested community members and busi- nesses are encouraged to attend the meeting to comment on the options or to present ideas for the signs. Phase I of the public improvements involving Sioux Drive, Mill Drive and the creation of storm sewer infrastructure for the area is nearing final completion. A few modifications are currently being made to the Sioux Drive No-Whistle crossing to accommodate Federal Rail Administration regulations. Phase II of the public improvements that includes the rebuild of Hamel Road and streetscape beautification is scheduled to begin in January 2007 through a Feasibility Report being initiated by the City Engineers. A public improvement hearing is targeted for fall 2007. If authorized to proceed by City Council, Construction of the Phase II public improvements could begin in spring 2008. Annual Uptown Hamel Winterfest Saturday, February 3, 2006, Noon-5:00 pm Community members are invited to at- tend the 5th Annual Uptown Hamel Winter- fest on Saturday, February 3rd in Hamel Le- gion Park. The festivities and events will be centralized around the Hamel Community Build- ing, ice skating rink, and sledding hill. Food, beverages, and restrooms and will be available to the general public. The City of Medina would like to thank all the contributors, exhibi- tors, and volunteers who were involved in Medina Celebration Day. This event could not have happened without their support. Target Inn Kahoots Scherer’s Pumpkin Patch Hamel Fire Department Wright Hennepin Electric McDonalds MN Land Trust Hennepin County Conservation District West Hennepin Pioneers Association Boy Scouts Troop 570 U of M Extension Service Hamel Library Northwest Suburban Chamber Fantastic Sam’s Culver’s T Nails Mobil Gas Station Recap on Medina Celebration Day 2006 Medina Celebration Day was held on Saturday, September 23rd. Even with the rain, a large number of Medina residents and businesses participated in the event. There were a lot of exciting activities for families and the community. Some of the activities that the children participated in were face painting, a petting zoo, s’mores around the campfire, and a pumpkin painting contest. Adults enjoyed live mu- sic, educational and historical displays, and local food and beverage vendors. The night ended with an impressive fireworks display. One of the sign options Page 4 Public Safety and General Info. Winter Weather Preparedness and Tips Winter Survival Kits ► Keep these items in your vehicle: Extra blankets; Spare coats, mittens, boots, hats; Medium-sized snow shovel; Jumper cables; Tow chain; Toilet paper; Coffee can; Candle, and, Matches. Ice Safety ► Wait to walk out on the ice until there is at least four (4) inches of clear, solid ice. ► Go out with a partner and keep a good distance apart as you walk on ice. ► Snowmobiles and ATV’s need at least five (5) inches, and cars and light trucks need at least eight to twelve inches (8—12) of good clear ice. ► Wear a life jacket. Life vests or float coats provide excellent flotation and protection from hypothermia. ► Carry a pair of homemade ice picks. ► Avoid driving on the ice whenever possible. Keep vehicle windows open and un- buckle your seatbelt while traveling on the ice. ► Fact: 68% of all ice fatalities occurring in Minnesota since 1976 involved a vehicle. Snowmobile Safety ► Always ride with a partner, ride responsible, no alcohol or drugs, stay on marked snowmobile trails, maintain space between snow- mobiles to avoid collisions, know the trail or terrain and ride for the conditions. Fish House Safety/Security ► Check with local bait shops for ice conditions before hauling your fish house out on to the ice, secure your ice house door with a pad- lock, and remove fishing equipment from fish house to prevent thefts of equipment. Facilities Master Planning Continues Under the guidance of consultant Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd. and a Citizen’s Advisory Committee, the City continues to move for- ward with outlining the needs for short-term and long-term facilities as the community grows. The Advisory Committee meets the last Thursday of each month, generally at 5:00 p.m. in City Hall to discuss alternatives for future site locations and space needs for City Hall, Police Department and Public Works. The public is welcome to attend and is advised to review posted meeting notices at City Hall and on the City’s website prior to attending to confirm date, time and location of meetings. Meeting reports and other information relating to the Facilities Master Planning process will also soon be available through a link on the City’s website. The consultant’s Facilities Master Plan report is expected to be prepared and delivered to the City Council in spring 2007. The final report will include costs to build any of the recommended and alterna- tive options for future facilities. County Road 19 Regional Trail After receiving a presentation and reviewing recommenda- tions from the Medina Park Commission, the City Council de- cided on October 17th to locate the regional bike/pedestrian trail on the east side of County Road 19, with much of the trail located in Baker Park Reserve. The Council conditionally approved the location of the bituminous trail on the east side with the requirement to Three Rivers Park Dis- trict that a horse trail be maintained as part of the bike/pedestrian trail construction. The Council also asked Hennepin County to continue working with City staff and neighborhood residents of the Dockside area to consider a trail link from Baker Park to Ard- more Avenue on the west side of County Road 19. The regional trail is being funded by a federal grant and Hennepin County funds. Hennepin County is the applicant for the grant and will be preparing final plans for the trail. Trail completion is not expected until 2008. Hunter Drive Bike/Pedestrian Trail Partial improvements to the Hunter Drive Trail from Hamel Road to Medina Road are currently underway. The City continues to work on final design and possible easement acqui- sition to complete the trail. The trail is desired to be completed in 2007. Most of the trail is being located on the west side of the road (from Medina Road to Elm Creek Drive). The trail will then move to the east side of the road down to Hamel Road. The trail is being de- signed to include a 10’ bituminous surface. Willow Drive Truck Traffic The City Council welcomed public comments during a November 8th hearing pertaining to resident concerns with the amount of truck traffic present on Willow Drive. A Willow Drive Resident’s Group submitted a petition and report to the Council to request prohibition of truck traffic on Willow Drive (from Hamel Road to County Road 6). Following public comments at the hearing, the Council directed City Staff to prepare a list of solutions to reduce or prohibit truck traf- fic on Willow Drive for an upcoming meeting. City Staff plans to provide the information to Council at the December 5th meeting. Page 3 Public Works and Parks 2007 Proposed Water User Rates A Water Rate Analysis was presented to the Medina City Council on Wednesday, November 8th that included a recom- mendation to increase water user rates by 10% to all Hamel area water users. Rates for the Medina Morningside and Independ- ence Beach are proposed at a 5% increase. The recommendation for the 10% increase to Hamel users for 2007 remains unchanged from the analysis and recommen- dations from a year ago for 2007. However, water connection fees (the one-time fee for developers hooking up to the Hamel Water System) will increase by 19%. As past newsletter articles have indicated, the rate increases to the Hamel Water System are needed to finance the recent construction of the Water Treatment Plant, which is now in operation. New wells and water lines have also been included in the Hamel system’s Capital Improvement Plan for the last few years, and a new water tower to support the system is planned for 2008. Final action on the proposed water rates and connection fees will occur at the December 19th City Council meeting. The new rates and connection fees would be effective January 1, 2007 if approved by City ordinance. Snowplowing Tips for the Upcoming Winter Weather Season ► Starting of Snowplowing Season: As a general rule, snow removal operations may start as soon as two inches of snow has accu- mulated. If a heavy snow fall is predicted, snow removal will be based on the existing conditions, snow forecast, wind conditions and time of day. Ideally the crew works to keep the roads passable during the morning and evening hours. During a normal snow fall all roads are plowed. During a snow storm, lesser traveled residential roads and cul-de-sacs may have the plowing delayed while the crew concentrates on thru-roads. ► City Methods for Ice Control: The City uses a salt/sand mixture for ice removal. During extremely cold conditions salt will not melt ice so the use of sand will be used for traction. The City is concerned about the environmental impact of salt and sand as well as the fiscal impact of materials. Therefore, the City does not have a bare pavement policy, this may mean that City roads may be slippery and drivers should drive cautiously ► Damage to Property: During any plowing operation, there is always potential for damage to mail- boxes, sod, or other structures that are on the public right-of-way. The City assumes no responsibility for damage caused by snow plows, including mailboxes. If a mailbox is damaged the City may provide a temporary mail box. Be- fore the snow season begins, mailboxes should be checked for sturdiness and repaired as needed. To limit sod damage, it is advised to place a marker along curb lines. Wood and fiberglass markers are permitted. Metal poles are strictly prohibited within the City right-of way. ► Location of Receptacles on Garbage/Recycling Days: On garbage and recycling days, please place garbage receptacles out of the way where the plow drivers will drive. Plow drivers do not want to get out and move containers, but at the same time we do not want to spread garbage or recyclables over your yard. ► Street Parking Details: The City has an ordinance that prohibits parking on any public street from November 1 through March 31 during the hours of 1:00AM – 6:00AM. This parking policy is enforced by the Medina Police Department. If at all possible, it would be appreciated by the City crew if any time during the day it snows, that vehicles are not parked on City Streets. By doing so, the snow plowing will be more efficient and will result in a quicker snow removal. ► Plowing of Sidewalks and Trails: It is the responsibility of property owners to remove snow on their sidewalks. The City will begin plowing trails this winter season. The Medina Public Works Department strives to maintain safe, clean and passable roads all winter long. Roads are maintained using City equipment and personnel. In some areas, the City contracts out plowing services. Park Commission Appointments 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 1st. Both seats include a three-year term. The Park Commission is a recommending body to the City Council and will be involved with the following projects in the next few years: ► Working with Open Space Task Force on Open Space Preservation of Medina’s natural features & resources ► Long-term Capital Improvement Plan of trails, park equip- ment, and acquiring new parks, trail easements and open spaces. ► Development projects—Review of subdivisions to deter- mine proper location of trails, dedication of parks, and utilization of park dedication fees. ► Comprehensive Plan—review is underway and recommen- dations are expected to be proposed to the City Council and Metropolitan Council in 2007 Interested applicants may pickup an application at City Hall or via City’s website. Deadline for applications is Friday, Decem- ber 15.