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Postal Customer ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid St. Paul, MN Permit #1962 I n s i d e Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 Presbyterian Homes--Phase II Election results Ingerson Park Time to strap on the skates! Notes from the Mayor It is that time of year when people look back at what hap- pened in 2014 and ahead to 2015. The notable events in 2014 are too many to include in a short letter, but I would like to share a few notable events from this past year. The first phase of Lexington Station opened bringing nine new retail businesses to our community. While future phases are several years out, the long-term out- look for this area seems bright. Road work for the County Road 10 and Highway 96 interchange was finally com- pleted. Arden Flats was completed and the units were rented out. We don’t have many apartments in Arden Hills. This develop- ment provides a housing type that we were short on. As many of you know, the former Car- roll’s Furniture on County Road E has sat noticeably vacant over the past year. Late this year the building was sold. Reuse of the building is expected next year. Comcast has been seeking a new franchise agreement for several years following the expiration of the current agreement. Late this year the ten member cities of the North Suburban Cable Commission along with Comcast agreed to extend the current contract for two years while working on a new agreement. Rice Creek Commons (also known as TCAAP) continued to move forward, through the efforts of the City council, residents, consultants, City staff, and Ramsey County commissioners and staff. This year the final building was removed and a final ground breaking ceremony took place on June 6, the 70th anniversary of D Day. This year the City moved from dual sort to single sort recycling. A single sort recycling program allows us to mix our paper and plastics together, eliminating the need to sort items. Other improvements are planned for next year. Looking forward to 2015 Presbyterian Homes will be adding 40 units of independent living on the corner of Lake Johanna Boulevard and County Road D. This is the final phase of the Planned Unit Development. Construction of bridges will be in full swing with County Road E, Highway 96 and I-35W, and Lake Valentine Road over I-35W all scheduled for improve- ment. While the County Road E Bridge is being rebuilt, the City will begin work on improvements in the B2 zoning district. This will include several improvements along County Road E: new lighting, sec- tions of sidewalks, medians and a double left turn from eastbound County Road E to northbound Lexington Avenue. In 2015 utility bill payment will include an auto-pay feature. This auto-pay feature will work for a bank account or credit card. Signing up means one less bill to remember to pay. The focus of Rice Creek Commons (formerly called TCAAP) will turn from cleanup to grading and infrastructure work. It will be a year of getting the land ready to sell. A note of thanks As I look back on 2014, I want to say thank you to everyone who made things possible. They include: residents and businesses who provided input; residents who serve on committees, commissions, and task forces; City Council members and City staff. I want to thank all of them for their contributions. A special thanks to Councilmember Ed Werner for his four years of service to the City and welcome to a new Councilmember, Robert Wood- burn. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Sincerely, David Grant Mayor A look back at 2014