HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 1979Published by the Ardeny Association
No. 124
"The lamps are going out all over Europe;
we shall not see them lit again in our life-
time."---- Edward,'Viscount Grey of
OFallodon (1862-1933)
Spoken August 4, 1914, from the windows of
%V the Foreign Office, London, as the lamplighters
were turning off the lights in St. James's
CNPark.
IL
Ramsey County, apparently in a budget move,
' has announced it is going to stop paying for
FA 19 street lights in Arden Hills. If we want
the light, we will have to pay for it ourselves.
' R . • • (It costs roughly $100/year/light.) Of the
• • • 19, the Public Safety Committee and the Council
e have agreed that two on County Road I can go
' (north of the Arsenal where there are no homes),
as can two along New Brighton Road (by the Church and at Hudson.) We are going
to try to sweet-talk Control Data into paying for the two at their entrance
on Lexington. As for the other 139 a study is being done on just what are
the reasons for a street light in the first place. The Assistant Clerk -Admin-
istrator is preparing a map showing all the street lights in Arden Hills, and
who is paying for each.
' This month's Town Crier has enclosed a brochure on the North Suburban
Area Crime Prevention Fund. In 1976, the City Council of Arden Hills passed
a resolution supporting the establishment of this crime fighting organization.
However, since Arden Hills does not financially support this fund, it should
be clearly understood that the Council is neither encouraging or discouraging
;your donations. That is completely up to you.
From our Building Inspector Larry Squires: A total of 207 Building Per-
mits were issued in 1978 with a total estimated valuation of $2592889000. Of
these permits, 134 were for new single-family dwellings, with an average value
of $729000. (The year before we issued 61 single-family permits with a $54,000
average.) In 19789 we also approved permits for 3 garages, 112 mobile homes,
' 3 fences, and 1 swimming pool. Also, 3 summer cabins were demolished on Lake
Johanna.
However, the big increase was in commercial development. Northwestern
National Bank, the additions in Bethel, Flaherty's addition, the Roseville
Bank, Minnesota Diversified Products, Eastside Beverage, Scholls, the Mounds
View High School addition, our own Public Works' Building addition, and Mutual
Service, all add up to a whopping $15 million. Love to see all that tax, base.
Nevertheless, the tax exempt property in Arden Hills is around 60% of the
total valuation. Of the tax exempt properties, the big ones are: the Arsenal,'
Bethell State and County properties, School District #6219 Presbyterian Homes,
Arden Hills, and Northwestern College.
Last month's letter-of-resignation from the Planning Commission by Terry
McCloskey and my accompanying editorial has elicited little response from any-
one but the Planning Commission. Here are excerpts from the two letters from
Planning Commission members. The first was written by Planning Commission
chairman Tom Lynch to Mayor Crepeau:
"As Chairman of the Planning Commission, I must say that I share-many of..,,Mr.
McCloskey's concerns. However, I believe,this would be a good time;to remind
the Planning Commission members and the citizens of Arden Hills that the Plan-
ning Commission is not a governing body, but rather a Commission'`to rev +e
planning concerns of the City, and make recommendations to the;.Pouncil.
"We, the Planning Commission, are an appointed body charged with the zoning
and planning aspects of this growing city. We are to look towpr-d good planning
principles and zoning. The Council, being an elected body, ma:* concern them-
selves with the wishes of the citizens of Arden Hills, while arriving'at their
prudent and final decisions. The majority of Council members have served on
this Planning Commission in the past, and have experienced =the planning and
zoning concerns present today."
And this next is from a letter written to me ,by Richard Ericson,. Plannin
Commission member:
"Three cheers for"
planning commission meetings:' when they are discussing
the little fence that's goingupnext to me; when it's my pet planning;issue
and I want to be heard; when my application for a variance is being resisted
and I want them to give me time to argue the rightness of my case; when 50
of my neighbors and I all want to voice our position on the development which
is going to change the character of our neighborhood; when the "small detail"
is me; and when I want to have the matter.tabled so that I can have another -
crack at it --for or against. ,
".....The nature of a deliberative body is inherently cumbersome, even -though -
all of us would certainly like to find ways to bring efficiency to the process,
I am very concerned about this problem, not only because it involves our time,
but because it could inhibit citizen participation. However, I've never known
of any reticence when citizens really care about an agenda item. Also, there
are dangers in moving too many decisions into the administration. Itm for a
system which gives a public airing to decisions, even if it -takes time.
"And, Terry, you deserve a bit of good natured ribbing. I wish that you would
have been at more of our meetings when you were a member. Some that you mis ed
weren't so bad. Many of the issues that you and Diane wrote about have .,surely
been discussed. We'll keep trying to be more productive in an important activ-
ity in which there is never a perfectly satisfactory decision."
These excerpts were selected for publication by the Newsletter Publication ,
Committee who gave approval to print the first letter too. This Committee
has also directed me to publicly thank the Planning Commission for all ,their -
time and for the thoughtful effort they put into their decisions. The Plan-
ning Commission has reassured me that the Planning Commission is doing ,an
excellent job.
The Human Rights Commission is working to discover just what problems we
have in AH in this field, and what can be done to solve them. At their Feb, l
meeting (if you get this by then), a realtor will discuss what the housing
situation is in AH regarding minorities and low-income. In March, the' topic
will be "Blacks in the Community", with the speaker yet to be announced. Other
topics will be'covered later in the spring. Do plan on attending some or
all of these meetings.
Here is a list of the committees appointed for Arden HillsAfor 1979• If you
have particular concerns in any area, just give the committee member a call.
' The Village Hall can put you in touch with the right person.
BOARD OF APPEALS
Eugene Engelbert, Jr. Chr.
Dennis Foerster
James Littlefield
Peter McCall
Mary Alice Slick
FINANCE COMMITTEE
'Thomas Mulcahy, Chr.
Rodney Schumacher, V.
James Afdahl
Dean Cochran
Donald Krieger
Ed Menze
Kris Poelzer
Leland Starr
Ross Steele
Duane Vaughn
PARKS & RECREATION
Mar—yam Blomquist, Chr.
Adele Anderson
James Gebhard
Tim Glaros
Cheryl Grudnoske
Sharon Hughes
Dodie Kostishack
James Moore
Betty Schlotthauer
Chr.
PLANNING COMMISSION
Thomas Lynch, Chairman
Robert Curtis
Maurice Johnson
James Luban
Chris Peterson
Marjorie Erickson -Peterson
Gary Thorn
Jeanne Winiecki
Richard Ericson
HUMAN RIGHTS
Cal Meury, Chairman
Barbara Younoszai, V. Chr.
Garfield Kachel
Joy Class
Barbara Kehrberg
John Kostishack
Kristi Birch
Wayne -Grudem
Richard Johnson
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
Richard Schultek, Chr.
Eric Birkeland
Gene Colestock
John Grudnoske
Michael Holland
Chuck Kelly
Duane Long
Leland Starr
Richard Tufte
PUBLIC
SAFETY
John Picha, Chr.
Susie
Taylor, V. Chr,
Dennis
Foerster
Major
H. Jones
Terry
Meury
A. J.
(Jim) Schmaedeke
Gerald Singer
Michael Smith
Jerome Time
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Dave Loc ey , Chr.
Karen Berke
Claire Birkeland
Katharine Crichton
Trudy Harmon
Janet Hollenhorst
Sue Meneghel
UNDERGROUND UTILITY
COMMITTEE
Village Engineer
Building Inspector
Richard Schultek
CIVIL DEFENSE COMM.
Mayor Crepeau, Chr,
A.J.Schmaedeke, Secy.
Cable TVt The speaker at the November meeting of the Ramsey County
League of Local Governments was Mr. W.D. Donaldson, Executive Director of the
Minnesota Cable Communications Board. Mr. Donaldson said that presently cable
television is available in Apple Valley, Bloomington, and Fridley. In order
for cable television to be provided, a city must grant a franchise and estab-
lish an advisory board. Donaldson explained that very often the area best
suited for a cable territory will be larger than a single city. In such a
case, a group of cities would be encouraged to act jointly. The Minnesota
State Cable Communications Board will provide no -cost consulting to a city in
the development of a franchise.
So, if anyone is still interested, there is a State Board which might
have more information.
POTPOURRI: AH is working on a proposed ordinance to regulate Sauna, Massage,
and Rap Parlors. Apparently the trouble in St. Paul and the discussions in
.Shoreview have prompted the action..... Presbyterian Homes bas donated another
$900 to Arden Hills, totally unasked. Thank you for the good lesson.....Look
out for the police on County Road Et going west through downtown AH. As that
right lane narrows and finally disappearsg several cars have been tagged for
improper lane change.....The Highway Dept. has denied a stop light at the Ham -
line -Old Snelling -Highway 51 intersection. They say nothing is needed altho
there is "some stacking in the evening." Apparently they've never been
stacked there on the ice.....
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Now that we know the difference between a bank and a drive-in, AH is try-
ing to determine the difference between a fence, a gate, a monument and a sign
The developer of Briarknoll (just south of the Townhouses) wants a small
structure on either side of the entrance to Briarknoll, at the intersection of
Hamline and Colleen Ave. This "structure" is a square pillar, with a short
fence extending from it at 900 angles, parallel to the roads, and with a sign
that says "Briarknoll". Although Hunter's mark and Chatham each have identi-
fying signs, theirs are temporary and this is meant to be permanent.
And even if we knew what to call this structure, does Arden Hills want
such area identification within the city? Does this type of identification
wake a neighborhood more cohesive, or does it just further cut up an already
sub -divided city (freeways, lakes, railroads, school districts)? If you have
an opinion on this, please give me a call.
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
Feb. 1 Human Rights Comm. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 Rice Creek Watershed 7:30 p.m
Housing in Arden Hills 19 Public Safety 7:30 p.m. (these
7 Planning Commission 7:30 p.m. meetings have been changed to
8 Finance Committee 7:30 p.m. the 3rd Monday of each month)
12 Council 7:30 p.m. 21 Public Works 7:30 p.m.
13 Parks & Recreation 8:00 p.m. 26 Council 7:30 P.M.
28 Rice Greek Watershed 7:30 P.m�
All -these meetings are held at the Village Hall; it's a good idea to verify
date and time before you come. Village Hall: 1450 W. Highway 96,.633-5676.
The Arden Association is a non-profit organization existing for the purpose of
informing Arden Hills' residents of Village activities and business The Town'
Crier expresses opinions of theedito r on these matters and attempts 'to make its
contents informative and interesting._ Readers' comment on anything is encour-
aged. Deadline for the next issue is February 16. '
Secretary -Editor: Diane McAllister, 1200 Ingerson Road, 55112. 484-0773