The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About2017 Aug-Sept Newsletter Inside this issue: Hwy 55 & CSAH 115/CR 116 Project ......... Pg. 1 2018 Budget Open House............................... Pg. 1 City Council Email Notifications ................... Pg. 1 Land Use Applications Under Review .......... Pg. 2 Open to Business Program ............................. Pg. 2 Coffee with a Cop ............................................ Pg. 3 Check Your House Numbers ......................... Pg. 3 Speed Trailer Requests .................................... Pg. 3 Hunting Season is Coming Soon ................... Pg. 3 Medina Water Tower Rehab Project ............. Pg. 4 Choose to Reuse Coupon Books ................... Pg. 4 Blue Bag Organics ............................................ Pg. 4 Lawn Care for Water Quality ......................... Pg. 5 Wetlands are Important Too .......................... Pg. 5 City Meeting Calendar ..................................... Back Medina Celebration Day .................................. Back City Meeting Calendar August 1st Tues—Night to Unite 2nd Wed—City Council 7 pm 8th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 15th Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 15th Tues—City Council 7 pm 16th Wed—Park Commission 7 pm September 4th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 5th Tues—City Council 7 pm 12th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 19th Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 19th Tues—City Council 7 pm 20th Wed—Park Commission 7 pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Meeting agendas on website when available. Saturday, September 16th 4:00-8:30 p.m. Hamel Community Building/ Hamel Legion Park, 3200 Mill Dr. This years’ event will feature the following: Bingo (Hamel Lions) Medina food vendors, farmers market & Medi- na business expo Face painting, inflatable bounce, pumpkin dec- orating & kids’ games Search & rescue dog & drone demos Antique fire truck & kid barrel train rides Emergency & city vehicles display (Touch-a- Truck) Bonfire & s’mores (Boy Scout Troop) Free popcorn and ice cream cones while sup- plies last Grand finale fireworks display at 8:00 p.m. For more information, business expo registration or volunteering opportunities, visit: http:// medinamn.us/medina-celebration-day/. CITY HALL 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@medinamn.gov 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@medinamn.gov Police Department Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mayor Bob Mitchell 763-473-1042 City Council Jeff Pederson 612-916-6448 John Anderson 612-618-5702 Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111 Lorie Cousineau 612-251-3244 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 City Administrator Aug / Sept 2017 City Council Agendas & Minutes Email Notifications Stay informed on what is happening at upcoming City Council meetings. The City emails copies of Council agendas and minutes at no cost to residents. If you would like to be added to the regular email notification list, email jodi.gallup@medinamn.gov to sign up. 2018 Budget Open House—September 19th at 6 p.m. The City of Medina will be hosting a budget open house on Tuesday, September 19th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Medina City Hall. A brief presentation on the pro- posed 2018 budget and tax levy will be provided at 6:00 p.m., followed by a question and answer session between Medina residents and City officials. The City Council will also be considering a resolution to approve the preliminary tax levy during the regular Council meeting that begins at 7:00 p.m. The City is required to certify the preliminary tax levy to Hennepin County by September 30th. *2017 Property tax breakdown per dollar for Medina Residents in the Wayzata School District Highway 55 & CSAH 115/County Road 116 Intersection Project Road construction at the intersection of Highway 55 and County Road 116/CSAH 115 is currently underway and will continue through the summer/fall construction season. The project will include replacing the existing signal system at Highway 55, construct- ing raised medians, modifying accesses, constructing facilities for pedestrians and bicy- clists, and upgrading the railroad crossing. More information can be found at http:// www.hennepin.us/residents/transportation/pinto-drive-medina. Planning Department Page 2 Aug / Sept 2017 Land Use Applications Under Review The following land projects are currently under review by the City. For more information on one of the projects, or for an update on the review schedule, please visit http://medinamn.us/citygov/departments/planning-zoning/ or contact the Plan- ning Department at (763) 473-4643, ext. 1. Medina Senior Community – N of Hwy 55, W of Mohawk Dr. – Lunski, Inc. has requested approval of a preliminary plat, rezoning and site plan review for construction of a 90-unit assisted living/independent living senior community and 24,767 sq. ft. office building on approximately 10 acres. The Planning Commission is scheduled to continue review at the August 8 meet- ing and the City Council is tentatively scheduled to review on August 15, 2017. School Lake Nature Preserve Conservation Design-PUD – 2700-2900 Parkview Drive – Wally and Bridget Marx have request- ed Conservation Design-Planned Unit Development (CD-PUD) General Plan and preliminary plat approval for a subdivision to include 6 lots east of Parkview Drive and north of County Road 24. The applicant proposes to place 40% of the buildable land (11.76 acres) and 70 total acres into a conservation easement with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the request at the June 13, 2017 meeting and recommended approval. The City Council is tentatively scheduled to review at the August 15, 2017 meeting. Excelsior Group PUD Concept Plan – 2120 and 2212 Chippewa Road – The Excelsior Group has requested review of a PUD Concept Plan for a 68 lot single-family development. The applicant seeks flexibility from the City’s Staging and Growth Plan in order to develop in 2019 instead of 2021. The City’s Comprehensive Plan allows for such flexibility if a request exceeds gen- eral City objectives and requirements. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing on the re- quest at the August 8, 2017 meeting. McDonald’s Trash Enclosure Variance – 822 Highway 55 – McDonald’s has requested a variance from setback requirements to replace a trash enclosure which is being removed in connection with construction on County Road 116. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to review on August 8, 2017. Open Systems International Lot Line Rearrangement – 4101 Arrowhead Drive – OSI has requested approval of a plat to shift lot lines adjacent to their property in order to construct a parking expansion. The Planning Commission is tentatively sched- uled to review on August 8, 2017. Snow/Crosby CUP for 2nd Home – 2402 Hamel Road – Buddy and Kim Snow have requested a Conditional Use Permit for construction of a 2nd home on property owned by Kim’s parents. The Rural Residential zoning district allows a 2nd home on properties over 40 acres in size for family, employees, or a guesthome. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the request at the July 11, 2017 meeting and recommended approval. The City Council is scheduled to review at their August 2, 2017 meeting. Free One-on-One Technical Assistance for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Are you thinking about starting your own business or are you currently operating a small business and interested in FREE technical assistance? Medina has partnered with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) to offer the “Open to Business” program. This program provides FREE one-on-one assis- tance from MCCD’s expert staff, customized to meet the specific needs of each entrepreneur. This can include creating a business plan, suggestions on financial management and bookkeep- ing practices, assisting with marketing, and referrals for financing. MCCD also administers a small business loan fund which provides capital to expand local businesses. For more information or to schedule a session, please contact Rob Smolund from MCCD at rsmolund@mccdmn.org or (612) 789-7337 ext. 260. More information is available on the City’s website: http://medinamn.us/opentobusiness/. Environment Aug / Sept 2017 Page 5 Lawn Care for Water Quality ‘Tis the season for turf grass maintenance! Most of us have lawns that need maintaining throughout the warmer months, but did you know that how you care for your lawn can have a big impact on water quality? What lands on your lawn can make its way into storm drains that lead straight to streams and lakes without treatment. That means if you fertilize your lawn, blow grass clippings into the street, or don’t pick up after your pet, all that might be going down the drain straight to water we rely on for drinking and playing. But it’s easy to minimize your impact! Here are some tips: 1. Mow high and often. Cut your grass to 3 inches or higher, which helps trap pollutants and leads to a healthier lawn that has stronger roots and is more resistant to weeds. Don’t cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time to avoid stressing the grass. You'll also avoid having large mats of grass on your yard, which smother grass and are more likely to wash off into the street. 2. Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings contain the same amount of nutrients as one round of fertilizer, which is good for your lawn and your pocketbook! Be sure to sweep up any clippings that blow into the street so they don’t run down a storm drain. 3. Water wisely. Lawns don’t need as much water as you might think. Lawns generally need about 1‐inch per week to stay green. Try to water in the early morning so the grass absorbs the water better and be sure to divert your sprinklers so they aren’t watering impervious surfaces. If a green lawn isn’t a concern for you, try to not water more than is necessary. Grass that turns yellow or brown in the middle of summer is just going dormant and will bounce back in the fall. 4. Fertilize in fall. If you are planning on fertilizing your lawn, it will be most effective in the fall. It’s also useful to get a soil test (soiltest.cfans.umn.edu) of your yard so you know what nutrients your lawn needs. Be sure to use zero phosphorus fertiliz- ers and sweep up any fertilizer that falls on hard surfaces. As an alternative to fertilizing, you can aerate in the fall instead. More tips can be found on the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District website at: www.minnehahacreek.org/education/keep-our -water-clean-home/low-impact-turf-care. You can help us improve the watershed, one action at a time! Wetlands are Important Too! There is a lot of information out there about protecting lakes and streams, but did you know that wetlands need protecting too? Wetlands are characterized by wet soils and support vegetation that adapt to the damp conditions. They function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater, and floodwater. As they trap and release water they filter out pollutants (especially phosphorus), control erosion, and provide habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife. If you live near a wetland, you can take steps to ensure you are helping protect this important resource: Establish and maintain a natural buffer area around the wetland. A wetland buffer is an unmowed, naturally vegetat- ed area next to the wetland that protects the wetland from the effects of nearby development by providing initial filtering of stormwater runoff. The larger the buff- er, the more effective it will be. Consider planting native plants in your wetland buffer. Native plants are well‐ adapted to local environmental conditions, help maintain or improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and are more effective in removing pollutants because of their deep roots. Decrease runoff from your property. By mowing your lawn higher, decreasing the amount of fertilizer and pesticides used, picking up pet waste, and sweeping up excess sidewalk salt, you can help minimize your impact on the wetland all year long. To learn more about wetlands and wetland restorations, visit www.minnehahacreek.org/education/keep‐our‐waterclean‐ home/wetlands. Public Works & Recycling Page 4 Aug / Sept 2017 Choose to Reuse Coupon Books Now Available The choices you make can help protect the environment and the local economy. Get free coupons for local reuse retailers now at Medina City Hall, 2052 County Road 24 or download the coupon book right to your smartphone with the Chinook Book App at http://chinookbook.com/ mobile/. Did you know an estimated 3 billion toys are sold across the U.S. each year? Keep them out of the trash by borrowing instead of buying. Did you know the average American throws away 70 pounds of clothes each year? Choose to rewear by donating and shopping thrift in- stead. Save the Earth! For more information about getting Choose to Reuse coupons, visit www.hennepin.us/ choosetoreuse or call 612-348-3777. Medina Water Tower Rehab Project City Water Users May Experience Water Pressure Fluctuations The City of Medina has bid and scheduled a water tower rehab project, which will begin the first week of September this year. The project involves sand blasting and repainting the tower inside and out. The project is expected to take approximately six weeks. The elevated tower creates the pressure that deliv- ers the water to your house. When the tower is off-line, the City will create the pressure with pumps. As with all mechanical operations, there is always the possibility of a glitch of some sort. You may not notice anything, or you may experience some pressure fluctuation if there is a large draw of water such as a fire hydrant being opened. There are limits as to what we can pump, so we ask that you conserve water as much as possible during this time. You will be receiving a notice with your next utility billing with more infor- mation. Are You a Blue Bag Organics Customer Yet? Sign Up Today to Receive a $20 Credit The Blue Bag Organics Recycling service is available to all single family Medina residents at no additional fee. The fee is already included in your single-sort recycle fee and garbage service. The City of Medina and Randy’s Environmental Services will even give you a $20 credit on your next garbage bill for signing up! This offer is limited to the first 340 new customers and only available to Medina residents. To start service, all you need to do is call Randy’s Environmental Services at 763-972-3335 to set up the delivery of your year’s supply of com- postable Blue Bags (choose between 13 gallon or 33 gallon) and a 32-gallon Blue Bag Organics can and lid are available if requested. The Blue Bag Organics food waste recycling sys- tem is an amazingly easy way to recycle kitchen scraps, discarded leftovers, spoiled produce, pa- per towels and paperboard take-out containers. This organics waste will be converted into nutri- ent-rich compost to fortify lawns, flower beds, and gardens. What makes the program so affordable is that Randy’s Environmental Services picks up your Blue Bag Organics each week using the same truck they use to take away your regular household trash. That means one less truck will be traveling on your street. On trash day, please make sure your Blue Bag Organics liner is hand tied and placed in your regu- lar garbage cart for curbside pickup (not your recycle cart). The blue bags are then separated at Randy’s Environmental Services’ facility. Aug / Sept 2017 Page 3 Public Safety Hunting Season is Coming Soon Every year we receive complaints in reference to hunt- ing. As the City of Medina continues to grow, our pop- ulation becomes more and more dense and less area of the City is being used for hunting. The City believes that hunting is a valued privilege and wants to ensure hunting continues into the fu- ture. To do this we need all the hunters to follow the City regula- tions to ensure we can continue to enjoy this privilege. One of the main complaints is in reference to birdshots crossing property lines and hit- ting roads, houses and other structures on adjacent property. We want to remind all hunters to be vigilant to exercise safe hunting practices. Know where your shots are going and where they are landing; you need to ensure the safety for the surrounding residents. If you are planning on hunting in Medina, please review the regulations on the City’s website at http:// medinamn.us/regulations-fees/licenses-permits/ hunting-permits/ and make sure that you are in compli- ance with the City ordinance. Safety and respect will help to reserve the privilege of hunting in Medina into the future. Speed Trailer Requests Speeding and driving complaints continue to be a major concern for Medina citizens. The police department takes a proactive ap- proach to enforce the speed limits and to follow up on traffic com- plaints. The department has been using the Kus- tom Smart speed trailer to assist in the control of speeding within the City. Over the last year, the trailer has been used for traffic studies and traffic control. It has been found to be very effec- tive in both areas. We have found that the speed trailer has a calm- ing affect on the speed of traffic in the area that it is used. We have had many requests from resi- dents to have the trailer parked in their neighbor- hoods. If you would like to see it in your neigh- borhood, please call the department at 763-473-9209, and we will get it to you. Please buckle up and drive safely. Help prevent traffic accidents. Check Your House Numbers Help Save Your Life or Family Take a few minutes to make sure that your house numbers are visible from the road. In an emergency, time can mean a matter of life or death. If your house numbers are visible from the road, police, fire, and emergency medical per- sonnel can save valuable time responding to an emergency. There is nothing more frustrating for emergency responders who cannot locate the correct house due to poor address numbers. Help us out. Check and make sure your house numbers are displayed properly and easy to locate. The life you save may be your own.