HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 2015The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents June 2015
T he Rice Creek Watershed District
(RCWD) was awarded a Clean
Water Fund Grant from the Clean
Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment, in
the amount of $3,000,000, to complete
a series of projects designed to clean up
Long Lake. One of these projects, the
Middle Rice Creek Meander Restoration
Project, is currently in the design phase.
Nearly 2,000 feet of new stream will be
created as a result of this project.
Middle Rice Creek is located between
Baldwin Lake in Circle Pines and Long
Lake in New Brighton. The segment of
Rice Creek between County Road I and
I-35W in Arden Hills—formerly part of
the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant,
and currently being redeveloped as Rice
Creek Commons—is being targeted as a
restoration area. Additional restoration
and stabilization work may occur on up-
or-downstream segments, depending on
budget. It is also worth noting that
a similar project was successfully
completed by the RCWD just north
of this area in Shoreview.
Middle Rice Creek has been altered
dramatically over the years. The
creek was straightened in the early
1900s, presumably for agricul-
tural purposes, and since that time,
development has begun crowding
the stream. The two photos at right
show Middle Rice Creek before
and after it was straightened. You
can see the natural winding path
of the stream in the 1938 image.
Before being straightened, Rice
Creek had many twists and turns
which kept water moving slowly.
Slower moving water means less
erosion of the stream bank and bed.
The goals of this project are first to restore
a more natural, meandering path, and then
to stabilize stream banks with native plants
and trees. Past studies and experience
have shown that these steps will lead to
improved habitat for aquatic life in Middle
Rice Creek.
Middle Rice Creek flows into Long Lake,
and estimates suggest that about 107 tons
of sediment are washing into the lake each
year as a result of erosion. As sediment
moves downstream, it carries phosphorous
with it. Phosphorous fuels algae growth,
which, in high amounts, gives lakes an
unpleasant green color and smell during
the heat of summer. Recreation, aesthetics,
and habitat are all expected to improve in
Rice Creek and Long Lake as a result of
this project.
Construction of the new channel is expect-
ed to occur in the winter of 2015-2016.
Plans outlined for restoration of Middle Rice Creek and Long Lake
Once complete, the new channel will be
offline (or without water) for one year to
allow plants to become established. In the
winter of 2016-2017, the old channel will
be filled, and water will begin flowing
through the new channel. The new channel
will provide deep, slow-moving pools and
shallow riffles for aquatic life to thrive.
The RCWD is working closely with
Ramsey County Parks and Recreation staff
to keep residents informed about the proj-
ect. Short and long-term signage will be
posted at key trail entrances, and a canoe
trip is planned in partnership with Friends
of the Mississippi River once the project
has been completed.
Please visit RCWD’s website (www.
ricecreek.org) or consider following us
on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/
ricecreekwd) to monitor progress on this
and other exciting projects.
by Jessica Bromelkamp, Rice Creek Watershed District
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
7:30-11:30 a.m.
City Contact Information
651-792-7800
www.cityofardenhills.org
Sheriff and Fire
911
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
Robert Woodburn 651-633-2389
rwood37393@aol.com
City Administrator:
Patrick Klaers 651-792-7810
pklaers@cityofardenhills.org
Communications Committee
Editors/writers: Susan Cathey, Tina
Kulzer
Writer: Emma Theis
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
as well. Visit www.cityofardenhills.org
for information about taped meeting
playbacks.
Arden Hills Notes is the official news-
letter of the City of Arden Hills, an
equal-opportunity employer.
2
City Park Profiles--a series
Perry Park
3700 New Brighton RoadOn any given day, there are numerous reasons for
City residents to pay a visit to Perry Park. This
“Level One” park is the largest City park in Arden
Hills, occupying 20 acres (equal to that of Floral Park) on
the east side of New Brighton Road at Thom Drive. It was
developed over the decades to accommodate a wide range
of organized sports, social events, neighborhood activities,
and recreational pursuits.
Situated in the midst of the beautiful and expansive Tony
Schmidt Regional Park space, Perry Park boasts high-quali-
ty athletic facilities, connectivity to a scenic county trail system, and a heritage that dates
back to the founding days of our now-vibrant metropolitan community.
The first major park development
Perry Park began as 20 acres of undeveloped, largely wetland property purchased by the
City in 1966 from Ralph Perry (1914-1999). It was the City’s first major park develop-
ment project and was not completed until 1972. During this time, a permanent shelter,
hockey boards and lights, two ball fields on the south side of the park (referred to at the
time as “upper” Perry), roadway, and parking were installed.
A Park Committee headed the project and – together with the City Council – spent a
large amount of effort planning, coordinating, and completing this first stage of develop-
ment. As a result of the time required and breadth of such a large project, the City’s first
full-time Director of Parks and Recreation was hired to assume the responsibility for
future park developments.
Arden Hills made a significant financial investment in Perry Park, and $95,042 was
spent to complete the project. However, very few of the City’s expenditures were on
labor costs. Park Committee members, neighbors, teen youth, and volunteers provided
most of the labor that built Perry Park – as was the case with most of the City park de-
velopment and beautification efforts of this time.
During the City’s major period of park improvement in the 1970s, a second phase of
construction was completed at Perry Park: a park sign was installed, two more ball fields
were constructed on the north (“lower”) side (which
was swamp land and was originally planned to be left
undeveloped as natural park area), and the hockey rink
was relocated to the north side by the new ball fields
– where it still is today. The play structure area was
graded and equipment added by 1981.
A hub for athletics and events
City Council minutes from 1969 regarding Perry Park
stated, “Necessity for getting the ball fields in playing
condition is urgent.” Resident access to ball fields was
a priority for Perry Park during its early development,
and it accounts for a significant portion of the park’s
usage today. The park features three adult ball fields
and one youth ball field, all fully equipped with sideline
and outfield fencing, bleachers for spectators, and field
irrigation. Considered by some to be more of an athletic complex than a park because of
the scope of the ball fields and related amenities, Perry Park is home to the City’s adult
softball leagues and is also heavily utilized by other sports groups and leagues in the
community.
by Tina Kulzer
continued on page 4
Benchmarks: a review of recent City Council action
3
April 27, 2015
• Approved text amendments to the
Arden Hills Erosion and Sediment
Control Ordinance, and Subdivision
Ordinance. These text amendments
are required in order to align City
ordinances with the Federal Clean
Water Act and the State General
Stormwater Discharge Permit require-
ments. (5-0)
• Approved Planning Case 15-006–Site
Plan Review and Conditional Use
Permit for the Welsch’s Big Ten Tav-
ern to build an outdoor patio. (5-0)
• Approved a proclamation declaring
National Police Week as May 10–16,
2015. (5-0)
• Adopted the assessment roll for the
2015 Venus-Crystal neighborhood
pavement management project. (5-0)
May 4, 2015
• Approved the Valentine Bluff Devel-
opment Contract, based on the March
30, 2015, City Council approval of
Planning Case 15-004. (5-0)
• Approved the assessment roll for the
Grant-Noble-Lake Lane pavement
management project. (5-0)
W ith the beginning of warmer weather,
many winter indoor activities
move outside. One of these is the favorite
outdoor fire. Not everyone realizes that a
simple backyard fire can have catastrophic
results. Not so many years ago, a home in
Arden Hills was completely destroyed by a
fire that began with the outdoor grill.
So what are the cautions and preparations
you must know before you start a camp-
fire in your yard? Although no permit is
required, the Lake Johanna Fire Depart-
ment website (http://www.ljfd.org/data/pdf/
rec-fire-rules.pdf.) warns that “all residents
who intend to have a recreational fire are
responsible for abiding by the following
rules and regulations.”
Before you strike a match, visit the website
to review that page. The rules are there to
protect you, others, and your property.
Here are some of the Fire Department’s main rules regarding recreational fires:
• Any person planning to have a recreational fire must be aware of any local burning
bans that are in effect. If a burning ban is in effect, all recreational fires are prohib-
ited.
• The wind speed must be below 10 miles per hour.
• The fire must be constructed in a fire “ring” or pit at least 25 feet away from any
combustible material or structure.
• The fire can be no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet, and no higher than 3 feet.
• Any open burning is restricted to vegetative, non-polluting material, which can-
not be practically composted or chipped. Only clean natural wood can be burned.
Treated or painted wood, plastic, rubber, leaves and grass are not allowed. Also,
State law prohibits the burning of trash.
• Flammable liquids or accelerants cannot be used to start any recreational fire.
• Buckets, shovels, garden hoses, or a fire extinguisher with a minimum 4-A rating
shall be readily available for use at a recreational fires.
• A person knowledgeable in the use of fire extinguishing equipment shall constantly
attend the fire. An attendant shall supervise a recreational fire until such fire has
been completely extinguished.
• The Department may extinguish a fire if it “determines that smoke emissions are of-
fensive to occupants of surrounding property or if the fire is determined to constitute
a hazardous condition.”
Be aware that this list is NOT complete. See the Fire Department site for the complete
list of current regulations. And have a safe summer!
Follow the rules for recreational fires and have a safe summer!
• Approved a construction services con-
tract with Elfering and Associates for
pavement management services. (5-0)
• Approved the League of Minnesota
Cities (LMC) policy for sign retro re-
flectivity as the City sign retro reflec-
tivity policy. Federal law requires all
cities to manage street sign inventory
to meet federal reflectivity require-
ments. Adopting the LMC policy
brings City policy into conformity
with Federal law. (5-0)
by Lois Rem
4
Using hazardous items properly and disposing of them safely
The park also has a large picnic pavil-
ion that is available for event rental. It
features indoor plumbing and bathrooms,
a small kitchenette with refrigerator, and
a covered dining/picnic area with tables.
The pavilion amenities, combined with
one of the most prized of all park ameni-
ties – ample parking – make Perry Park
a frequent choice for hosting community
and family gatherings and City-sponsored
events and celebrations.
Other park amenities include: playground
equipment; open field space for soccer
and other summer youth sports camps;
and a hockey rink with boards, lights, and
warming house for use in winter months.
A critical amenity added in 2010-2011
is trail connectivity to Tony Schmidt
Regional Park.
A tribute to a founding family
Jewell Perry Martin is the niece of Ralph
Perry and still lives next door to Perry
Park in a house that he built. The pride in
her family’s accomplishments and their
role in local history is strong. “It’s a plea-
sure to have the Perry name recognized in
such a way in Arden Hills,” Ms. Martin
said.
According to Perry family genealogical
records provided to Arden Hills Notes by
Ms. Martin, Ralph Perry was the son of
William Joseph Perry (1869-1932), who
managed and operated the Perry family’s
popular bathing and picnic beach resort
on the northern shore of Lake Johanna in
the early 1900s. He was also the grandson
of Charles Louis Perry (1816-1904), who
is widely regarded as the first resident of
Mounds View Township (modern-day
Arden Hills) and one of the first settlers of
Ramsey County.
Charles Perry and his family were forced
to leave their farm near the military res-
ervation of Fort Snelling in 1840. Charles
struck out on his own and eventually
settled upon the quiet shores of Lake
Johanna where he purchased an 89-acre
homestead in 1849. Here he farmed, lived
in harmony with neighboring indigenous
tribes, became engaged in local politics,
raised his family, and lived out the remain-
der of his life.
In a Perry family historical retrospective
written for the Ramsey County Historical
Society, Jewell Perry Martin’s son, Patrick
Martin,
concludes:
“Charles
Perry Park,
established
on the site of
his original
homestead,
honors him.”
Caution! Danger! Warning! Poi-
son! Common household products
stored in the kitchen, bathroom,
garage or shed might be labeled with these
signal words and must be disposed of
properly. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, every year the average
U.S. household accumulates 100 pounds of
hazardous waste items like paints, cleaners,
oils, batteries, and pesticides which contain
potentially hazardous ingredients that
require special care for disposal.
Household hazardous waste products are
potentially harmful to people, pets, and the
environment and should never be poured
down the drain. If unsure of how to prop-
erly dispose of the product, start by taking
a close look at the product’s labeling.
Hazardous waste materials and
products: What’s in a label?
Protect yourself and your family. Read the
label before you buy and use a product.
Many injuries and unsafe exposures can be
avoided by reading the label to learn such
things as:
What the product is for?
•Does it do just one job, or can I use it for
several tasks?
•Look for restrictions, such as “avoid using
product on plastic, metal or fabric.”
How it is used?
•Is the product ready-to-use, or do I mix it
with water?
•How can I mix the product safely?
•How much will I need?
How hazardous is the product?
•Can the product burn your skin?
•Can it catch on fire?
•Should you use it outside?
•Should you wear protective gloves,
goggles, a breathing mask or other equip-
ment to prevent being exposed?
What should I do in case of an accident?
•Does the label say what to do if the
product contacts skin, or is inhaled or swal-
lowed?
•Does the label give enough information to
prepare for and respond to these accidents?
County drop-off locations
Got hazardous waste to dispose of? No
problem, your county has drop-off loca-
tions to assist you. For more information,
including drop-off locations, visit ramsey-
recycles.com or call 651-633-easy (651-
633-3279).
Perry Park continued from page 2
from Ramseyrecycles.com
5
T he County Road E Improvement
project is underway with a comple-
tion target of mid-August. This
summer’s construction inevitably affects
the businesses located along the stretch of
road between the Snelling overpass and
Lexington Avenue. We will highlight some
of those businesses in our summer issues to
encourage patronage despite the obstacles
in getting to them.
For Now Bikes-Tri-Fitness, May and June
are very busy months. Although it is more
a destination business than a drive-by stop,
the road work has a significant effect on its
program participants, many of whom come
after work or on weekends for group rides
and workshops. Manager Jeff Hagen, who
maintains the business website, tries to
keep current information about road condi-
tions and closures posted but says it is dif-
ficult because things change so frequently.
Now Bikes has been in Arden Hills since
1999 and at 1201 County Road E since
2013. The store’s motto is “Helping people
become better cyclists”. To that end, it
carries and services many brands of high
quality bicycles as well as cloth-
ing and accessories. One of the
unique things about the business
is the Guru-Fit, a computer-based
dynamic fitting device designed
to help cyclists find the bike that
will give them their most comfort-
able, powerful, and aerodynamic
ride. Hagen says he believes Now
Bikes is the only bike retailer in
Minnesota to have the Guru-Fit
available.
Although there is some concern
about getting people to the shop
this summer, Hagen is excited about the
new bike lane on the bridge over Snelling
Avenue. Group rides have typically de-
parted only heading east on County Road
E because of the danger in crossing the
bridge. New routes can be planned once
the bridge is completed and open.
For information on events and equipment,
go to Nowbikes-fitness.com.
A mid the dust of demolition and con-
struction and the confusion of ramp
and road closings and detours, the instal-
lation of the new bridge over Highway
51 and the County Road E Improvement
Project are scheduled to be completed by
mid-August. County Road E medians are
being rebuilt, beginning in mid-May, fol-
lowed by the bulk of the construction work
taking place at Lexington Avenue, where
County Road E is being widened for dual
left-turn lanes and a new signal system
is being installed. Businesses along this
road should have received notices from the
contractor and inspector, informing them of
schedules and contact information.
The Minnesota Department of Transporta-
tion’s construction of a new bridge on Lake
Valentine Road (Old County Road F) over
I-35W was delayed due to issues with the
bids. That project should start in July. The
bridge itself should be finished by the end
of the construction season in November,
although some of the final clean-up work
may have to be carried over until next
year. The Mounds View Schools and the
First Student School Bus Company were
informed about the change as they will be
impacted by the bridge work and closures.
Road construction presents challenges and opportunities for Now Bikes-Tri-Fitness
Summer events to note
Penny Carnival at Perry Park
Friday, July 24
1-3 p.m.
Gather up your pennies and
come celebrate the end of the Park and Recreation Department’s 2015 playground
program.
Bark & Rec Day at Hazelnut Park
Saturday, July 25
1-3 p.m.
Dog owners: mark your calendars! On Saturday, July 25, from 1-3 p.m., the Arden Hills
Parks and Recreation Department and the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee are co-
sponsoring a “Bark & Rec” Day at the off-leash dog area in Hazelnut Park.
Residents will have an opportunity to get to know more about the dog park and explore
the trail system surrounding Hazelnut Park. There will also be refreshments and a dog-
themed make-and-take craft project for the kids. This event is free to all Arden Hills
residents.
Look for a flyer with event details in the July utilities mailing from
the City.
The off-leash dog park at Hazelnut Park is now open.
More about that road
construction progress
by Susan Cathey
Now Bikes-Tri-Fitness Manager Jeff Hagen
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
Middle Rice Creek Restoration Plans Outlined
Perry Park, Arden Hills’ First
Road Construction and Local Businesses
A Bark & Rec Day – What’s That?
News from the Mayor
A s your mayor, from time to time I
surf the internet to see what is new
or updated about our City. It is one
of many ways to keep in touch with what
is going on. Sometimes I find news that
is surprising, and other times it is simply
updated figures on a variety of items. This
month I would like to share some of the
things that I have discovered recently.
A few months ago Kate Brown became the
Governor of Oregon. What you may not
know is that Governor Brown is a 1978
graduate of Mounds View High School. It
speaks well of the education she received
from the Mounds View School District.
She still has family in the area and returns
to the Twin Cities to enjoy our many
amenities.
Arden Hills is the home of a semi-pro
football team, the Titans of the Northern
Elite Football League (NEFL). The team’s
home field is University of Northwestern.
The University is actually half in Roseville
and half in Arden Hills. Our two cities
share master planning approval for the
University campus. Technically, I believe
the new athletic field is in Roseville, but
the internet says the team is based in Arden
Hills. See http://www.northernelitefootball.
com for more information.
Sperlings (http://www.bestplaces.net/
city/minnesota/arden_hills) indicates that
our median home cost is $283,700 and
increased 8.9 percent last year. The City
certainly keeps track of the median home
values; however, the increase this year
is very strong from a historical perspec-
tive. Unemployment in Arden Hills is 4.1
percent versus the national average of 6.3
percent (at the time of reporting). In terms
of school funding, we spend more than
the national average per student per year.
There are 19.1 students per teacher, which
can vary from year to year. The graduation
rate is 97 percent, which is 8 percent above
the state average.
In terms of median family income we rank
in the 94th percentile in the state with a me-
dian family income of $84,757. Only one
other Ramsey County city ranks higher,
that being North Oaks.
According to http://www.areavibes.com/
arden+hills-mn/livability/ our City ranks
20th in the state in terms of an overall
livability score. We are given high marks
for amenities, education, housing, employ-
ment, and a low crime rate. We receive low
scores for cost of living, which is 17 per-
cent above the state average, and weather,
due mainly to air quality.
Based on the 2010 census, there were
9,552 people, 2,957 households, and 2,019
families residing in Arden Hills. The racial
makeup of our City was 90.3 percent
White, 1.7 percent African American,
0.2 percent Native American, 4.9 percent
Asian, 1.0 percent from other races, and
1.9 percent from two or more races. His-
panic or Latino of any race was 2.8 percent
of the population. Of the City’s housing
units, 1,065 were developed during the pe-
riod of 1970-1979, representing one-third
of the homes in our community.
Many people know the TCAAP facility
was built initially to supply ammo for
World War II, which for the U.S. started
after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941. What is not commonly
known is that TCAAP was started in Au-
gust of 1941, well before the attack. This
fact is commonly overlooked since both
occurred in 1941. At its height in 1945,
TCAAP employed 26,000 people, more
than half of them women. Our “Rosie the
Riveter” made bullets.
In terms of history, the name Arden Hills
comes from two sources. The word Arden
came from the name of a large farm in the
area called Arden Farms, which was built
by millionaire Joseph Hackey in 1906.
The name Hills came from the topography
of the area. Mounds View got its name
from its view of the mounds of sand and
gravel, including the glacial kame (hill)
on TCAAP. One of the former roads on
TCAAP was named after Mounds View.
I hope you have found these items of
interest. If you have other interesting facts,
please send me an e-mail at
dgrant@cityofardenhills.org
Sincerely
David Grant
Mayor