Laserfiche WebLink
______________________________________________________________________________ <br />City of Arden Hills <br />Planning Commission Meeting for July 5, 2017 <br />P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2017\PC 17-015 - Ramsey County - Organics and Yard Waste Collection Site – Tony <br />Schmidt Park\Memos_Reports_17-015 <br /> <br />Page 2 of 8 <br />Ramsey County submitted a Conditional Use Permit application in 2014 for SSO collection at <br />the Arden Hills yard waste site (Planning Case 14-008). The application was denied at that time <br />due to concerns that the service would affect the use of the park and neighboring properties by <br />increasing odors, litter, and traffic, and attracting unwanted wildlife. Ramsey County has since <br />implemented SSO collection at the six other yard waste sites in the County. <br /> <br />At the City Council Work Session on May 15, 2017, Ramsey County Environmental Health staff <br />presented collection data and observations from the first three years of SSO collection (2014- <br />2016) at the six County yard waste sites (Attachment B). Participation in the program has <br />increased steadily from approximately 24,000 total site visits in 2014 to nearly 52,000 visits in <br />2016. Ramsey County reported there have been no issues with odor, vermin, or increased traffic <br />associated with SSO collection at the other sites. Based on the discussion, the City Council <br />recommended that Ramsey County reapply for a CUP for SSO collection at the Arden Hills site. <br /> <br /> <br />1. Overview of Request <br /> <br />The existing Arden Hills yard waste site occupies approximately 1.5 acres of land on the western <br />side of Tony Schmidt Regional Park south of the Canadian Pacific Railroad line. The site is <br />accessed by an approximately 600-foot long driveway at the end of Hudson Avenue off of New <br />Brighton Road. Operating hours are currently Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and on weekends <br />from April through November. If SSO collection were to be added, site hours would be <br />expanded to include weekends during winter months (December – March). <br /> <br />The SSO collection area would consist of one or more covered containers that would be placed <br />on the eastern side of the site separated from the yard waste facilities (Attachment E). Ramsey <br />County uses a standard four cubic yard container for SSO collection. Photographs of the White <br />Bear Township SSO collection site have been provided in Attachment F. <br /> <br />Accepted materials would include food waste and scraps, and various types of non-recyclable <br />paper. All SSO materials are required to be placed in a compostable bag, which are provided to <br />residents by the County at no cost. Dry paper products, such as pizza boxes, can be placed <br />directly into the collection container. The collection containers are kept closed when yard waste <br />sites are not open and are serviced at a minimum of once a week by Ramsey County’s contractor, <br />Waste Management. <br /> <br />The Arden Hills yard waste site is currently staffed by site monitors who would also serve as <br />quality control for SSO dropped off by residents. Additionally, Ramsey County would <br />implement a promotion and education program to generate interest and educate the public on <br />what materials are acceptable. <br /> <br />Ramsey County has provided a letter with their application explaining the SSO collection <br />program in more detail (Attachment A).