Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 2014The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents July 2014 Last of TCAAP buildings is demolished; development plans proceed Single-sort recycling is coming to Arden Hills. Beginning on July 15, residents will be able to put recyclable papers and containers together in the same bin. Additional types of food and beverage containers, #4 and #5 plas- tics, will now be accepted as well. These include tubs and bowls, such as yogurt, butter and produce containers, and trans- parent deli and “to go” containers. Why is this change occurring? Many Arden Hills residents have asked for single-sort recycling, which communities all over the state and nation are adopt- ing. According to Eureka Recycling, the company which holds the current contract for the City, “Industry reports show that the number of people who participate will increase because of the easier sorting and that single-stream recycling will increase collection efficiency.” It is also significant that markets have been developed for ad- ditional types of plastic because the more plastic that is recycled, the greater the savings in energy and resources. Toward curbside compost collection Single-sort can also help to bring curbside collection of composting. According to a recent report from the Minnesota Pollu- tion Control Agency, over 35 percent of what we toss in Minnesota is food waste by Susan Cathey Preparations for development of the former Twin Cities Army Ammuni- tion Plant site are advancing this spring and summer, including road fund- ing, final demolition and plan approvals. In May, the State Legislature approved $29 million to help fund transportation projects providing better access to the TCAAP site. The improvements include a new bridge with pedestrian trails at I-35W and Highway 96, a new inter- change at I-35W and County Road H, a new interchange at Highway 96 with the future spine road, and interior ac- cess roads. In a joint statement, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Chair Jim McDonough and Arden Hills Mayor David Grant called the legislative fund- ing “another important milestone for the redevelopment of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant.” The statement also said: “These interchanges are critical access points to the former TCAAP site that need to be redesigned to support re- development efforts…This investment signals the rebirth of this site as a job creator and will help return it to the tax rolls after 70 years.” The last of the 44 former ammunition plant build- ings on the 427-acre development site was demolished in June. A ceremony to mark the oc- casion, attended by City, County and other officials, was held on the 70th an- niversary of D-Day. Kimley-Horn and Associates and Wenck Associates were selected to design the TCAAP public infrastructure. They will recommend designs for the spine road and thumb road connection to County Road I, the water and sanitary sewer systems, and the stormwater management systems. The City Council was expected to finalize a Master Plan land use map in late June. The Council is scheduled to vote on the Alternative Urban Area Review and Miti- gation Plan in July. See the City website to view the draft Master Plan and the draft Alternative Urban Area Review. (Top) Mayor David Grant was among the ceremo- ny’s speakers. (Bottom) Council Members Brenda Holden and Fran Holmes take their turns with the hammer during the demolition ceremony for the final TCAAP building. Photos courtesy of Ramsey County. Single-sort recycling comes to Arden Hills in July continued on page 2 by Kristine Goodrich 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) 651-767-9640 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 and non-recyclable paper that could be composted. “One of the biggest benefits of single sort is that it creates the oppor- tunity to co-collect (collect in separate compartments on the same truck) recy- clables with compostables (food waste and non-recyclable papers),” explained Chris Goodwin, Customer Relations Manager at Eureka. “Single-sort collection will make it much less expensive to add composting to the program in the future, should the decision be made.” At its April 21 work session, the City Council examined and discussed two op- tions prepared by staff for moving forward with single sort-recycling. One option involved waiting to begin the program until the current contract with Eureka is up, in March 2015. The other option, which Council Members selected, required amending the contract to begin implemen- tation of single-sort this summer, which includes the additional plastics, while Single sort recycling continued from page 1 using residents’ current bins. Nothing else will change at this time, including pickup days. Meanwhile, the City will imple- ment the Request for Proposals process to examine recycling services and consider further changes to the program, signing a new contract to go into effect March 1, 2015. This plan was formally approved at the May 27 City Council meeting. Watch for a flier from Eureka with details about what can and cannot be recycled. If you have questions, you may call Eureka’s Zero-Waste Hotline at 651- 222-7678 or go to its website: www.eurekarecycling.org. Want to learn more? There’s lots of additional information about recycling and its benefits at www.RethinkRecycling.com Benchmarks: a review of recent City Council action 3 ment to extend the deadline for final plan submission of Phases 2 and 3 of the Arden Plaza development (5-0) June 9, 2014 • Approved a temporary permit for grading along County Road E by Freeway Park for a future trail (5-0) Take a stroll along Johanna Shores May 27, 2014 • Approved tennis court maintenance for the Johanna Marsh tennis court (5-0) • Approved planning case 14-015—a Planned Unit Development amend- ment for Boston Scientific to con- struct a 730 square-foot addition onto building 10 (5-0) • Approved an addendum to the recy- cling contract to include single-sort collection of recyclables (5-0) • Denied the purchase of a Building Department vehicle (5-0) • Approved a contract with Xcel En- ergy to install 31 light poles on Gate- way Boulevard as part of the Round Lake Road improvement project (5-0) • Tabled planning case 14-014—for a side yard setback variance at 1850 Venus Avenue (5-0) • Approved planning case 14-018 a Planned Unit Development amend- Still a work in progress after more than two years of construction, Presby- terian Homes & Services is building a redeveloped senior living community at Johanna Shores, located at 3200 Lake Jo- hanna Boulevard. The project has already significantly changed the face of Johanna Shores; however, Presbyterian Homes & Services’ almost-60-year commitment to serving older adults in Arden Hills remains unchanged. Since its inception as the original Pres- byterian Home in 1955, Johanna Shores has served more than 24,000 older adults. In 2011, Presbyterian Homes & Services embarked upon a three-phase redevelop- ment of Johanna Shores. Phases one and two, completed during 2012 and 2013, included the demolition of outdated build- ings and facilities and the construction of a new campus that aims to accommodate the expected increase in need for housing for older adults in the community. The timeline for the third and final phase of the redevelopment project is yet to be finalized, but is anticipated to begin in 2015. Phase three will see the construction of brownstone row-style townhomes that will offer additional independent living accommodations. The redeveloped 23-acre site now includes 54 senior apartments, 72 assisted living apartments, 36 memory care suites and 208 care center suites. The campus features a 38,000-square-foot “Town Center,” which provides a bevy of activi- ties and services, including a conservatory, wellness center, business center, movie theater, chapel, classrooms, physicians, library, salon, and bistro. Outdoor amenities include extensive landscaping, featuring flower gardens, ponds, and a gazebo; an outdoor chapel; a boat dock with pontoon launch; and fully-accessible walking trails. The entire project embraces the premiere location on the shore of Lake Johanna. The community is welcome to enjoy the walking trails at Johanna Shores, which can be accessed by the public at Sandeen Road (southeast of site) and Shorewood Drive (northwest of site). The Johanna Shores walking trails connect with the larger trail system that winds around Lake Johanna and through the neighborhood. This summer, plan a bike ride or leisurely stroll along this route and take in this extraordinary addition to the Arden Hills community. Primary Election Day is August 12 Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. On the primary ballot • US Senator • Governor and Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • State Auditor • Attorney General In-person absentee voting is available at City Hall August 7-11 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, August 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Request a ballot online at www.mnvotes.org Election season is on the horizon! • Denied the CTV franchise renewal proposed by Comcast (Arden Hills is one of 10 member cities on the North Suburban Cable Commission, and the City’s denial means that it cast a negative vote on the proposal as a Commission member.) (5-0) Interested in running for City office? The Mayor’s seat and two Council Member seats are open in Arden Hills. You can file an affidavit of candidacy from July 29 to August 12. The cost is $2, and filing packets are available at City Hall. If you have questions or want to know to where to vote, visit www.co.ramsey.mn.us/elections or call the County at 651-266-2717 or the City of Arden Hills at 651-792-7800. by Tina Kulzer 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’s future Single-sort recycling is here! Visit Johanna Shores Night to Unite is August 5 Notes from the City Council The last three-and-a-half years have been very eventful for the City of Arden Hills with the Viking stadi- um discussion; road and bridge redevelop- ment with I-694, Highway 96 and I-35W; redevelopment of properties such as the Holiday Inn and Lexington Station; and the construction of the Fox Ridge housing development and new apartment building on County Road F. The most significant project is the future development of the TCAAP property. The City of Arden Hills is working with Kimley-Horn and Associates, LLC, to complete a Master Plan, Alternative Urban Areawide Review, and regulations and policies for the TCAAP site. This work is expected to be complete by fall of 2014. Bonding for TCAAP road improvement The 2014 bonding bill recommendation of $29 million is for road improvements needed around the TCAAP property. The funding to replace a bridge at I-35W and County Road 96 and a new interchange at I-35W and County Road H will increase the site’s traffic capacity and will have regional significance beyond TCAAP. I-35W interchange bridge at Highway 96 A diverging diamond interchange (DDI) is a recommended alternative for the bridge at Highway 96. A DDI, also called a double crossover diamond interchange, is a diamond interchange in which the two directions of traffic on the non-freeway road cross to the opposite side on both sides of the bridge at the freeway. It is unusual in that it requires traffic on the freeway overpass (or underpass) to briefly drive on the opposite side from what is customary. A DDI helps reduce delay and risk of accidents and improves safety. A disadvantage is drivers may not be familiar with configuration, particularly with merg- ing maneuvers along the left side of the roadway or the crossover flow of traffic. Additional bridge projects in 2015 Reconstruction is tentatively scheduled in 2015 for two additional bridges. They are the County Road F bridge over I-35W and the County Road E bridge over Snelling Avenue. These bridges are old and are sorely in need of replacement. County Road F bridge over I-35W This bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2015. This road, just west of Mounds View High School, is also referred to as Lake Valentine Road. County Road E bridge at Snelling This bridge is located west of McDon- ald’s on County Road E. Those who used this bridge on foot or bicycle know how dangerous the bridge is. Plans have been discussed for a pedestrian sidewalk on the south side of the bridge and space for bicycles on the north side of the bridge. County Road E improvements The Council has ordered preparations of final plans and specifications anticipating a 2015 construction. Project includes new street lighting, boulevard trees, and con- crete sidewalk repairs. Also included is the widening of County Road E at Lexington Avenue to provide for a dual left turn lane to northbound Lexington, reconstruction of the County Road E median and a mill and overlay of County Road E. Have a wonderful and safe summer. Ed Werner, City Council Register your neighborhood for Night to Unite on August 5Night to Unite is 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5. The annual celebration gathers neighbors and public safety personnel together to promote safe communities. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office encourages Arden Hills neighborhoods to hold block par- ties. Sheriff’s Office representatives visit each registered party. To register, go to www.co.ramsey.mn.us/sheriff/crimepreventuion/ ntu. The website also has activity ideas, downloadable invites and other resources. Residents also can call the Crime Prevention Unit at 651-266-7338 with questions.