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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust-September 2014The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents August/September 2014 City approves final TCAAP land-use map The land-use map for the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant is finalized. The map sketches out the desired development of a 429-acre area of TCAAP. The Arden Hills City Council ap- proved the final map on June 30. There are a few changes from the draft map, namely to the neighborhood parks and the addition of a retail area off of Highway 96. The map envisions a mix of residential, commercial and office uses in the TCAAP development area. In addition, it maps out major roads as well as parks and open spaces. TCAAP is expected to become home to between 1,500 and 1,700 house- holds and will host approximately 4,000 jobs. Business areas Most of the west and south edges of the development area are designated as “flex- ible business,” where office, retail, or light manufacturing uses will be permit- ted. The flex area totals 76 acres. The southeast five-acre corner of the property, adjacent to Highway 96, is now reserved for retail development (a change from the draft map, in which the south end was all flexible business). More commercial and office space is mapped in the northwest area of the main portion of the develop- ment area. In total, nearly 20 acres of retail store sites, nearly 22 acres of offices, and nearly 78 acres of flexible business development is planned. A large corporate office campus is envisioned on a 43-acre northern parcel known as “the thumb.” Mixed use area Nine acres east of the commercial/office areas is plotted for mixed uses. It is envi- sioned to include retail and office spaces as well as housing in multi-story, multi- occupant buildings. Residential neighborhoods The map dedicates three areas, totaling nearly 113 acres, to housing. The Creek neighborhood and the Hill neighborhood continued on page 4 by Kristine Goodrich will be comprised of mostly single-family homes, as well as potentially some town- houses. The Town neighborhood will have mostly townhouses, as well as potentially small single-family homes, apartments or condos, and senior housing. Parks, trails, water and open space Four active parks, with playgrounds, ballfields, picnic shelters, and/or other rec- reational amenities are planned. The City’s Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee helped select the amenities. You’re invited to attend a “State of the City” meeting in September The City Council has scheduled two “State of the City” meetings for residents and businesses. The first one will be on Thurs- day, September 18, at 7:30 a.m. at Flaherty’s Arden Bowl, 1273 W. Couny Road E, and the second will be on the following Tuesday, September 23, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1245 W. Highway 96. The Council and Economic Development Commission are in the process of determining details of the presentations, but likely topics will be TCAAP, transportation improvements, development projects, and an overview of City finances. Final details will be posted on the City website. This land-use map illustrates potential development at the former TCAAP site. Arden Hills Service Directory 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 Summer Office Hours Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m.--5:00 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 651-792-7800 www.cityofardenhills.org Sheriff and Fire Emergency 911 Sheriff (non-emergency) 651-767-0640 Fire (non-emergency) 651-481-7024 Water and Sewer Problems (During non-business hours) 651-767-0640 Mayor: David Grant 651-538-0747 dgrant@cityofardenhills.org Councilmembers: Brenda Holden 651-636-2987 bholden@cityofardenhills.org Fran Holmes 651-631-1866 fholmes@cityofardenhills.org Dave McClung 651-332-0352 davemcclung@comcast.net Ed Werner 651-636-2547 ewerner@cityofardenhills.org City Administrator: Patrick Klaers 651-792-7810 pklaers@cityofardenhills.org Communications Committee Kristine Goodrich, editor; Susan Cathey, Tina Kulzer Council Liaison: David Grant Staff Liaison: Amy Dietl Desktop Publisher: Mary Nosek Council meetings are held at City Hall on the second and last Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Meetings of the Planning Commission are televised live at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. Visit www.cityofardenhills. org for information about taped meet- ing playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official news- letter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. 2 by Tina Kulzer Around the Town In a new series for Arden Hills Notes, we are going to take a closer look at the 14 parks within the City of Arden Hills. Year after year, feedback provided by residents of Arden Hills reflects that the quality and accessibility of parks and other green spaces consistently rank very high as contributors to quality of life in the City. In this series, we hope to provide a closer look at the history of park acquisition and development, il- lustrate the long history of com- munity involvement and support in the development of the park system, and highlight the unique amenities offered at each park today. A bit of history City Council minutes from the years fol- lowing the City’s incorporation in 1951 reflect a strong concern for creating parks and play areas within the City. At that time, a Public Welfare Committee was responsible for advising the City Council on parks and recreation business matters. Official Parks and Recreation Committee members were not recorded until 1968. At this point in the City’s history, this committee was truly a working committee: planting trees, flowers, and plants; laying sod; grading park sites; and building play equipment and park shelters. A period of growth The development of the City’s parks gained momentum and reached its peak in the 1970’s for several reasons. First, the recreation department of the Mounds View Public Schools—which at that time held the responsibility for providing year-round leisure activities and services for residents and families—underwent a reorganization which placed responsibility for parks and recreation programming onto municipalities. A municipal Parks and Recreation Department was created in Arden Hills in 1973. Although the City and the Mounds View Public Schools operated in cooperation under a Joint Powers Agreement (in which municipalities were given priority for use of school facilities, buildings, and grounds for recreation programming), the need for City-owned park facilities in which leisure-time programs and services could be provided became more urgent. Secondly, as the United States entered a period of economic inflation in the 1970s, the expectation was that Arden Hills families were going to be traveling less for leisure and looking within the City for leisure-time activities and services. The City’s first full-time Parks Director was hired in 1972 to spearhead park development and improvement ef- forts going forth. Arden Hills also experienced its greatest period of growth from 1970-1979, building 1,065 housing units during this time. As a result, park system improvement efforts were Let’s get to know our parks! continued on page 3 Benchmarks: a review of recent City Council action 3 • Approved Planning Case 14-014: set- back variance for 1850 Venus Avenue (3-2 Holden and Holmes opposed) July 14, 2014 • Approved 2013 City Financial State- ment and Audit Report (5-0) • Accepted Final 2013 Fourth Quarter Financial Reports (5-0) • Awarded 2014 Seal Coat Improve- ment (5-0) • Approved liquor license application for Noodles & Company (5-0) June 30, 2014 • Approved Lake Johanna Fire Depart- ment capital expenditures (5-0) • Approved Planning Case 14-021: temporary wall sign extension for Arden Flats, 1290 County Road F West (5-0) • Approved Parks and Recreation sea- sonal positions (5-0) • Approved charitable gambling per- mits for both St. Katherine Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Chops, Inc. (5-0) • Approved the adoption of quarterly special assessments for delinquent Utilities (5-0) • Approved Highway 96/I-35W Inter- change Municipal Consent (5-0) • Approved TCAAP Master Plan Land Use Map (3-2 McClung and Werner opposed) focused on land acquisition to meet the needs of the growing City population. Park de- velopment efforts were also a priority during this time and focused on improving several park sites each year. In the decades that followed, park development focused mainly on smaller improvement projects and maintenance of existing park space, due to the limited availability of open land to develop in Arden Hills, which affects the amount of money available to grow the park system. The Master Plan for development of TCAAP property includes park space, which would be the first addition to the City’s park system in many years. Our parks today The City’s Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee (PTRC) represents the interests of Arden Hills citizens in leading the continuing development, expansion, and improve- ment of park resources. The PTRC recommends to the City Council actions that support those interests; monitors the use of and the improvements in parks, trails, and recreation; and collaborates with other City committees, commissions, and staff in improving the City’s natural spaces. Today, the Arden Hills park system offers residents a wide range of amenities and op- portunities for outdoor activity at its 14 parks. From smaller parks with rain gardens and peaceful walking trails to larger parks with top-quality team sports facilities and playground equipment for kids, there is truly some- thing for every outdoor enthusiast in Arden Hills. The closing sentiment of a Parks and Recreation Report from the 1980s holds as true today as it did then: “Arden Hills is known for quality living. This ‘good life’ can continue for our families with community support of on-going programs.” “Arden Hills is known for quality living.” Parks continued from page 2 Pay those utility bills online! Correction: The Benchmarks published in the July Arden Hills Notes incorrectly stated that Planning Case 14-014 was approved on May 27. The case was tabled on May 27, and a revised application was approved on June 30. During the first half of 2014, the Arden Hills Foundation record- ed 16 donations, totaling $3,528. The list includes dona- tions from compa- nies and individual residents. Some of the donations were designated for specific projects such as park benches, the Foundation’s sponsorship of the Valentine Hills Roadrunner Fun Run, water qual- ity improvements for Karth Lake, and a matching-gift program for a gateway sign at Lexington Avenue and Highway 96. The Foundation has launched a Facebook page where residents can learn more about Foundation news. The Foundation is grateful for all the donations it receives. Here are some ways to donate: • Write a check to the Arden Hills Foundation and send it to City Hall. • Designate your United Way gift to the Arden Hills Foundation. (The Foun- dation recently received approval to accept donations via the United Way.) Arden Hills Foundation update Coming soon, the City will be offering online and automatic utility billing payments. See the City website for instructions on how to sign up and for more information. One park on the northern border of the site will be adjacent to the Creek neighbor- hood. In the Hill neighborhood a park is planned in the southeastern corner, and in an addition to the draft plan, a second park is planned along the western edge. A fourth park is planned east of the Town neighborhood, adjacent to the water treatment plant. There also will be a town square green space in the mixed use area. In total, more than 19 acres of parks are planned. Three small City parks in the Hill and Creek neighborhoods were removed from the plans and instead developers will be encouraged to include privately owned and maintained park areas. Corridors of open space, ponds and wetlands, totaling nearly 43 acres, will meander between the neighborhoods and By recycling, Twin Cities area residents can: Use less energy * Recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for three hours. In one year, metro area recycling of metal, glass, and plastics saved enough energy to heat over 78,000 houses for the year. * Production of recycled paper uses 80 percent less water, 65 percent less energy and produces 95 percent less air pollution than paper production using raw materials. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions * The amount of cans and bottles recycled in the Twin Cities metro in one year reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 125,000 cars off the road. * The amount of residential and commercial recycling in Minnesota in one year re- duced greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 2.3 million cars off the road. Save natural resources * Recycling aluminum reduces water consumption and air pollutants by 95 percent. * Making glass from recycled material cuts water pollution by 50 percent. * Recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water. Create jobs * The plastic recycling industry provides jobs for more than 52,000 Ameri- can workers. * Over 36,000 jobs in Minnesota are involved in recycling. Recycling creates four jobs for every one job created in the waste management and disposal industries. Generate revenue * Recycling generates $64 million in Minnesota tax revenue every year! To learn more: contact your community recycling program or visit www.RethinkRecycling.com, the metro area’s resource for recycling and waste disposal. It’s back-to-school time again. For many, that means shopping for new supplies and clothes and setting new schedules. Here are a few ideas on how you can green-up your back-to-school routine. Clothes: Shop at secondhand stores. You can find great clothes at low cost to you and the environment. Buy quality cloth- ing that won’t wear out and can be handed down. Supplies: First, take inventory at your home and find leftovers from last year. We know that shopping for new school stuff is fun, but that pencil purchased last year and never sharpened will work just as well this year. Buy notebooks made of recycled content, with paper that is processed without chlorine. Use both sides of every page before mov- ing on to the next notebook. Lunch boxes: Use a washable, reusable lunch box rather than a brown bag every day. Use reusable containers instead of baggies or plastic wraps for your sand- wiches and snacks. Generally, packing healthier lunches will produce less waste; an apple or orange is better for the kids; and the leftovers are compostable. Buying in bulk rather than individual packages will save you money and reduce waste; packaging makes up 50 percent of trash by volume. Recycling: If you don’t already have them, now is a great time to get a couple paper recycling bins in your home. Put one near where your child does his or her homework and where you pay your bills. Notebook paper, office documents, un- wanted mail can all be recycled. Approxi- mately 21 percent of household garbage in the Twin Cities metro area is recyclable paper. To learn more about what you can do to green-up your back-to-school routine, visit RamseyAtoZ.com or call 651-633- EASY (3279) (answered 24/7). Think your recycling efforts aren’t very important?Back-to-school tasks can be greener, too TCAAP continued from page 1 4 business areas. A network of trails also will wind through the neighborhoods, along the main road, and connect with existing trails and TCAAP open space. What’s next? Now that the map is decided, the City is beginning work on the policies and regulations phase of the master planning process. This includes deciding zoning, development design standards, and other development regulations. Recycling schedule for Arden Hills Here’s the recycling collection schedule for Arden Hills: • Tuesday collection--neighborhoods south of I-694 • Wednesday collection--neighborhoods north of I-694 In the June issue of Arden Hills Notes, one of the Benchmarks from the June 9 City Council meeting reported that the Council had “denied the CTV franchise renewal proposed by Comcast.” Some Arden Hills residents may be won- dering what this franchise is and why the Council voted as it did. North Suburban Cable Commssion Arden Hills is one of ten member cities of the North Suburban Cable Commission (NSCC), which administers and enforces the franchise agreement with the cable company. The franchise fees paid by Comcast are essentially its rent for using the public rights-of-way. The NSCC also manages CTV, a nonprofit organization that provides community television to the cities in the group. These are the channels on which Council meetings, graduations, sporting events, parades, and other com- munity activities are broadcast. The Com- mission believes that CTV has served the cities well. The current franchise was granted in 1998. The Commission has worked dur- ing the last three years on needs ascertain- ment of its members, a technical audit, two franchise fee audits, and Comcast’s proposal for franchise renewal. Procedure for renewing a franchise There is a formal procedure being fol- lowed, as required by the Federal Cable Act, which includes: • Needs assessment • Commission’s request for renewal proposals • Staff report and request for renewal pro- posal given to cable operator (Comcast). • Commission’s review of the proposal followed by a recommendation to the Councils of each of the ten cities (In this case, the recommendation was for preliminary rejection of Comcast’s proposal.) The next steps are pending: • A judiciary hearing by an administrative law judge • The cable company’s opportunity to present evidence in favor of the proposal • Further review and recommendation by the NSCC • Another vote by the cities • Comcast can require a judicial review if the proposal is finally denied Major issues considered Craig Wilson, the longtime Arden Hills representative to the NSCC, identified three issues that need to be resolved between the parties: the PEG fund, a proposed reduction in the number of channels, and charges for I-Net. The position of the NSCC is essentially a desire to maintain the status quo, a system in which Public, Educational and Govern- ment (PEG) access fees are collected by Comcast and used by the Commission to fund both operational and capital costs of CTV. Comcast believes that a ruling by the Federal Communications Commis- sion indicates it’s time for a change and is proposing that cities use the franchise fees paid by cable or other funding for the operating costs. Those fees are already committed for other communications needs, leaving open the possibility that CTV North Suburbs would no longer be able to function without the current fund- ing system. The fiber-based Institutional Network (I- Net) links local government facilities and CTV. Comcast has already been compen- sated for the six strands of fiber, and the cities, schools, and libraries which use I-Net provide their own equipment to con- nect to and manage the network. Therefore the cost to Comcast is very small and no additional fees have been charged. How- ever, in the new proposal, there would be a monthly managed services fee of $1,600 per connection. Informal talks underway, too While the formal procedure goes forward, informal discussions continue to take place in the hope of reaching an agreement without legal action. Comcast will operate as usual during the entire process. Cable franchise renewal under negotiation For more detailed information or to see the independent reports submit- ted to the NSCC and the City Council, go to the Arden Hills City website. Fall is in the air by Susan Cathey 5 City Hall returns to regular hours on Tuesday, September 2 Summer hours end and regular hours resume at City Hall on Tuesday, September 2. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for City Hall staff and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for Public Works staff. Fall Clean-up Day is Saturday, October 4 Fall Clean-up Day for Arden Hills and Shoreview residents is Saturday, October 4, at the Ramsey County Pub- lic Works Facility, 1452 Paul Kirkwold Drive, Arden Hills. Refuse, electronics, and household hazardous waste are accepted. Hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fees will be charged this fall. There’s a $10 charge for cars bringing items for disposal; $25 for vans, SUVs, and trucks; and $35 for trailers (8’ x 10’ or smaller). Visit the City website for more detail. 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 TCAAP land-use map complete Learn about our parks Cable franchise talks ongoing Recycling efforts produce results Scenes from Night to Unite Arden Hills community members gathered for Night to Unite neighborhood parties on August 5. Some 26 Arden Hills neighborhoods organized Night to Unite parties, and com- munity officials, fire departments, and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office representatives stopped by to visit with participants.