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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 2016The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents March 2016 Wanted: master developers for Rice Creek CommonsA solicitation for a master developer for Rice Creek Commons (RCC) was released February 1 by the Joint Development Authority (JDA) - a board made up of two Arden Hills City Council members, two Ramsey County Commissioners, and an Arden Hills resident as the Chair. The JDA is respon- sible for the implementation of the former TCAAP site’s master plan for redevelop- ment. Ramsey County purchased the 427-acre site in April 2013 for almost $29 million. Since then, the County has remediated the soil contamination to meet the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s standards for residential uses. Although the County owns the site, the City still has land-use authori- ty. The JDA was formed to give the County a seat at the table for the land-use decisions and to give the City a seat at the table for picking the master developer. The solicitation, marketed nationally, seeks proposals from potential developers who meet certain evaluation criteria such as proven qualifications to accomplish a project of the size and scope of Rice Creek Commons with experience in mixed-use projects, a vision for integrating cohesive design elements, financial capacity, level of commitment, and more. According to Jill Hutmacher, Arden Hills’ Community Development Director, it is unlikely that there will be one developer who has all the skills needed to complete this multi-faceted project. More likely, the JDA will be looking for one master devel- oper who is able to demonstrate partner- ships and examples of work with teams of sub-developers. The deadline for proposals was March 9. A Selection Review Committee—consisting of City and County staff and consultants, as well as a representative from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) — will review all the proposals and forward the ones that meet the submission requirements to the JDA. From there, the JDA will select the master developer. The JDA is only evaluating the experience, expertise, and partnerships of the applicants at this stage. Once the JDA selects a quali- fied developer, the County will negotiate on price. “We don’t expect a multitude of responses (to the solicitation),” said Hutmacher. “This is a complicated project. It’s not just a simple, straightforward transaction.” The TCAAP Master Plan was approved by the City of Arden Hills in July 2015 and by Ramsey County in January 2016. Ac- cording to the plan, Rice Creek Commons will be a cohesive mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods surrounding a town center. The site has approximately 320 acres of developable acreage, of which approximately 50 percent is commercial and 50 percent is residential. The master plan outlines a mixture of commercial and retail properties, three neighborhoods with a wide range of hous- ing types, and an internal network of parks and trails that will connect into the larger regional system. “A successful development will incorpo- rate best practices for integration of the natural environment, transportation/transit, recreation, and energy sustainability for its 3,000 new residents, 4,000 jobs, and the region as a whole,” according to the plan. Any changes to the master plan by the developer will have to be approved by the City Council. by Emma Theis • Solicitation released February 1, 2016 • Pre-proposal conference February 18, 2016, 2 p.m. • Deadline for submission of questions February 19, 2016, 4 p.m. • Responses to questions posted February 26, 2016 • Solicitation responses due March 9, 2016, 2 p.m. • Solicitation Review Committee evaluation and shortlist March 24, 2016 • Deadline for submission of additional information April 8, 2016 • Evaluation, interviews, and recommendation to JDA April 14, 2016 • JDA selects master developer May 2, 2016 • Negotiate terms and conditions of master developer agreement (JDA) TBD • Negotiate terms and conditions of purchase agreement (County) August 2016 • Approval of master developer agreement October 2016 • Approval of purchase agreement (County) December 2016 Rice Creek Commons planning schedule Dates and locations are subject to change. Arden Hills Service Directory 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m. 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 Jonathan Wicklund 651-278-8077 jwicklund@cityofardenhills.org Acting City Administrator: Sue Iverson 651-792-7816 siverson@cityofardenhills.org Communications Committee Editors/writers: Susan Cathey, Tina Kulzer Writer: Emma Theis Council Liaison: Jonathan Wicklund 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 For the first time in decades, the City of Arden Hills is making plans for new park space. The Master Plan for the Rice Creek Commons development includes plans for four City parks. To meet the recreation needs of the projected 3,000 additional residents that will call the new de- velopment home, approxi- mately 25 acres of the 427-acre site is desig- nated as park and public open space. Per the Comprehensive Plan Amendment pertain- ing to the Rice Creek Commons site: “Four City parks will be located within or adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Amenities will be planned for each park based on the population served and to complement existing amenities in the developed portion of the City. The timing of park development will be aligned to the development of adjacent neighborhoods. In order to provide flexibility, the exact boundary and location of each park included on the TCAAP property may move within its given district. However, each park will be required to include the identified amenities within the City’s TCAAP Master Parks and Open Space Plan.” Under discussion: amenities Development plans for the park space are currently being discussed and refined by the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee (PTRC), City Council, and others involved in development of the site. Basic amenities such as playgrounds/play structures, picnic shelters, half-court basketball, multi-use open space, parking, bike racks, bathrooms, and water fountains are being proposed for all parks in the development. Larger, activity-specific amenities such as tennis courts with pickleball lines, skating rinks and warming houses, full-size soccer fields and basketball courts, and a splash pad are op- tions that are being considered for inclusion in selected parks within the development. Trails will connect Trail development and connectivity also figure largely into the park and open space plans for Rice Creek Commons. Trails will be constructed along the Spine Road and along the collector road adjacent to the Town Center District and the natural resources corridor. Additional trails linking neighborhoods with each other and recreational areas will be constructed as development occurs. Ramsey County is acquiring additional land for a north-south regional trail on the eastern boundary of the site. This trail will connect Highway 96 with the Rice Creek Regional Trail. Ramsey County is also acquiring land for a wildlife corridor directly north of the site and a future trailhead off of County Road I. City Park profiles: series conclusion continued on page 3 by Tina Kulzer 3 January 25, 2016 • Appointment of Jonathan Wicklund to the City Council • Approved no parking signs on Sandeen Road (5-0) • Approved AT&T Wireless Antenna Con- ditional Use Permit Amendment at 3900 Bethel Drive (5-0) • Tabled the Development Agreement Determination Letter for 3177 Shoreline Lane to the February 8 meeting (4-1 Mc- Clung opposed) • Approved 2016 Employee Compensation Plan for non-union employees (5-0) • Approved Ramsey County Conservation District – Shared Services Agreement (5-0) • Approved Lake Johanna Fire Department capital expenditures (5-0) • Approved Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) Goals and Metrics (5-0) February 8, 2016 • Approved Lake Johanna Fire Department capital expenditures (5-0) • Approved purchasing two pickup trucks (a two-door and a four-door) and a Hot Box (5-0) • Approved a new voting system contract with Ramsey County (5-0) • Approved the amendment of the 2016 Fee Schedule (5-0) • Approved the appointment of James Lambeth to the Planning Commission (5-0) • Approved a gambling permit for Mer- rick, Inc. (5-0) • Tabled the Development Agreement Determination Letter for 3177 Shoreline Lane to the February 29 meeting (4-1 Wicklund opposed) Pre-order a compost bin or rain barrel online today at http://recycleminne- sota.org/work/compost-bins-rain-barrels/ for pickup on April 22 at the Roseville Skate Center, 2661 Civic Center Drive, Roseville. • Compost Bins $59 • Rain Barrels $74 Order rain barrels and compost bins now! When royalty comes to call... Allegra’s Mike Strub got a big hug from Klondike Kate (Theresa McConnon) when the 2016 St. Paul Winter Carnival royalty made a stop in Arden Hills on February 4. King Boreas LXXX (Jim Flaherty), shown at right, is the son- in-law of Allegra owners Dale and Carol Beane. Allegra is celebrat- ing 30 years in the print business. Did you know...? • The Carnival treasure was hidden in Arden Hills’ Tony Schmidt Park in 2012. • Arden Hills resident Maureen Damman was crowned Queen Aurora of the Snows in 1996. She was the first married queen since the original carnival in 1886. After that first year, only single women could be chosen until the rules were changed in 1991. photo by Susan Cathey The availability of parks and open space is – and historically has been – a defining factor in quality of life for most residents in Arden Hills. The park land and open space plans for Rice Creek Commons continue this tradition. Park series conclusion After exploring each City park individually within the pages of this newsletter, a few common threads are worth revisiting in summary: 1. Many of the City’s parks came into be- ing through selfless donations of land, resources, time, and effort from resident families and businesses. 2. Resident feedback and participation in planning processes have historically played a significant role in the develop- ment of City parks. 3. The importance of open space and op- portunities to connect with the outdoors is a founding ideal to which the City has remained faithful through decades of development, as well as in plans for the City’s future. Our City parks are the link by which we stay connected to the abundant nature in our community while living in the larger metropolitan area. This connection remains important as the City continues to grow and modernize. The unique dichotomy – to have “the best of both worlds,” so to speak – is a defining asset of our community and something in which we can all take great pride. continued on page 3 Rice Creek Commons park and open space plan continued from page 2 Benchmarks: a review of recent City Council action The City of Arden Hills is collaborating with the cities of Vadnais Heights and Shoreview on a series of small busi- ness workshops. The first workshop is Thursday, March 17, 2016. See the City website and Facebook page for more information. Small business workshops set 4 City residents now have a choice in cable television service providers. The City Council approved a new cable franchise agreement with Century- Link at its November 30, 2015, meeting, ushering in a new era of competition for cable television service dollars in the City. Comcast of Minnesota, Inc. is the incum- bent franchised cable operator in Arden Hills and has been the lone option for cable television service since their initial cable television franchise was granted in 1983. According to the Findings of Fact related to the agreement, the City Council ap- proved the franchise based on the benefits it would bring to the City and its residents. It would create competition in the delivery of cable services that will: • introduce state-of-the-art broadband networks that increase the availability and quality of cable services, • spur the development of new tech- nologies, • improve customer service issues, and • minimize rate increases. “Competition for any service – in any market – is a good thing,” said Patrick Haggerty, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs – Midwest Region for CenturyLink. “The feedback we’ve received thus far indicates that people are excited about having an alternative video services provider option.” Reasonable, equitable build-out planned CenturyLink currently provides tele- phone and internet services in Arden Hills through an existing legacy communications system. Upgrades to this infrastructure must be completed to accommodate the addition of video services to their offerings. The telephone/internet/cable television service bundle that CenturyLink offers is called PRISM®TV. The approved franchise agreement outlines an equitable build-out of cable infrastruc- ture for the entire City following reason- able provisions set forth by the Federal Cable Act. The agreement calls for system construction over a five-year period, with an initial mandatory minimum build-out commitment of 15 percent of the City within the next two years. Provisions in the franchise agreement related to quarterly meetings and expanded, additional build- out based on market success are designed to accelerate this initial timeline. Comparing to Comcast The State’s “level playing field” statute is in place to ensure a competing cable franchise is not more advantageous than an incumbent franchise in respect to franchise fees (both pay the City at five percent), area served (both offer service to the entire City), and public, educational and govern- ment (PEG) access requirements offered. The franchises are largely similar in these respects. However, CenturyLink’s franchise term is five years as compared to 15 years for Comcast; and Comcast’s current PEG com- mitments are exceeded by the CenturyLink franchise in the following areas: • Sixteen total PEG channels offered, all in High-Definition (HD) and acces- sible through premiere placement in a “North Suburban Mosaic,” • A Twin Cities Metro PEG Interconnect Network, by which the City can share live programming with other cities, • Usage of unsold/unused airtime for the NSCC to air public service announce- ments, and • Twenty-five hours of video on-demand service per member city. Do you qualify? “Our deployment will be scattered, as it is the characteristics of our infrastructure that determine whether a household qualifies for the PRISM services,” explains Hagger- ty. To find out if your household qualifies for PRISM®TV – or for more informa- tion about PRISM®TV features, channel lineup, and plans and prices – visit www. seeprismtv.com or contact local retailers in Roseville (651-631-2682, RosevilleRe- tail@centurylink.com) or Blaine (763-795- 8082, BlaineRetail@centurylink.com). To learn more: The City Council Findings of Fact, other documents relating to and supporting the approval of the franchise agreement, as well as the approved cable television franchise ordinance in its entirety, are post- ed on the City’s website in the November 30, 2015 City Council meeting archives. CenturyLink franchise brings cable options to Arden Hills residents by Tina Kulzer Get household items fixed for free and learn valuable repair skills at the next Fix-It Clinic--Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Maplewood Library, 3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood. Counselor Realty moved into approxi- mately 4,000 square feet of space in the former McGuire’s building at 1201 County Road E in July 2015. Nineteen full-time real estate brokers office out of the space which also includes a training center and conference room. Counselor subleases space to a Minneso- ta mortgage broker and title company for the convenience of their clients. Coun- selor was previously located in Fridley, but according to Kevin Bumgardner, managing partner, the brokers are largely based in the Arden Hills-Shoreview area in terms of their work and their families. “Brokers really wanted to find a location in Arden Hills.” Now that they are settled into the new office, Counselor looks forward to hosting gatherings on their patio this summer. Counselor Realty finds a home in Arden Hills Get it fixed for free! 5 by Susan Cathey A new smiling face greets visitors to City Hall, as the recently hired Customer Support Representative has begun her job. Jolene Trauba started work on February 8. She has taken on many duties, starting with assisting visitors and phone customers with general informa- tion and answering questions on City services, as well as programs and events. In addition to providing customer service, Jolene provides clerical and administra- tive support to all City departments. Her job includes preparing correspondence, processing license and permit applications, registering participants for City programs, The City Council is back to full strength following the appoint- ment of Jonathan Wicklund to fill the vacancy created by the death of Bob Woodburn last fall. The oath of office was adminis- tered to Wicklund at the January 25 City Council meeting, after which he took his place on the dais with the rest of the Council members. There were seven applicants for the position. Jon will need to stand for election this November, and the term of office will run until the 2018 election. Jon brings many strengths to the Council position. He has a finance background, with an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. He is a self-described quick learner. And he is clearly a people person, with a Master of Divinity degree from Bethel University and a previous position as Pastor at Calvary Church in Roseville. New faces at City Hall There are many advantages to recy- cling, such as saving energy, protect- ing our natural resources, and benefiting the economy by providing jobs in the recycling industry. A few facts: • A glass container can go from a re- cycling bin to a store shelf as a new container in as little as 30 days. • Aluminum cans are the most valuable container to recycle and have the high- est consumer recycling rates in the US. Each year the aluminum industry pays out more than $800 million for empty aluminum cans. • Puffs brand tissue boxes are made from recycled newspapers at the Rock-Tenn paper facility in St. Paul. • A single, standard-sized corrugated box can be recycled up to eight times. • The plastic recycling industry provides jobs for more than 52,000 Americans. • Recycling one ton of paper saves at least 14 trees, three cubic feet of landfill space, and 7,000 gallons of water. Check out RamseyRecycles.com or call 651-633-EASY (3297) answered 24/7. Using energy-efficient light bulbs is a great way to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. These bulbs last longer than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs, for ex- ample, use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to ten times longer than incandes- cent bulbs. They do contain mercury, so they cannot be placed in the garbage. Metro Paint-A-Thon is a program offered by the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches that helps low-income seniors and people with physical disabilities to live in their homes. Homeowners are matched with teams who prepare and paint home exteriors or other qualifying structures—at no cost to the homeowner. Interested homeowners and agencies can find program details – including eligibility requirements – at: https://www.gmcc.org/paint- athon/homeownerapplication. Contact Molly Chandler, Di- rector of Senior Services, at 612-276-1579 or mchandler@gmcc.org, for additional information. Bright lighting ideas! Why recycling efforts matter Paint-a-Thon applications due April 14 His current job as Executive Di- rector of Trout Lake Camps cer- tainly draws on all those assets. Jon is a family man with three children in the Mounds View Schools, of which he is also an alumnus, having grown up in Ar- den Hills. He loves the outdoors and is very active, running mara- thons, golfing, and climbing. A highlight was ascending Mt. Kilimanjaro. Jon believes the long-term plans for Arden Hills are good ones and he is looking for- ward to helping to shape and accomplish these goals. He wants to help encourage the growth of new business in the com- munity and is excited about the possibili- ties offered by the Rice Creek Commons development. maintaining City files and records, and much more. Jolene comes to Arden Hills from a receptionist job with the City of Andover, and she’s excited about the variety of tasks and the opportunity to use many more of her skills in this position. She’s very pleased to be working in such a beautiful facility and has found everyone to be friendly and helpful. Besides a new job, Jolene has a new cabin “up north” and is looking forward to the hiking, campfires, and other outdoor activities that she loves. She is in a bocce ball league and has already recruited some of the Arden Hills staff to join her in this sport. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs use 25 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. That is up to 50,000 hours of light! The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency notes that lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average home’s electric bill. Switching to LED or CFL bulbs is a great way to reduce those costs. Read full article at: https://www.rethinkrecycling.com/blog/ bright-ideas-dark-days-cfls-and-leds Jonathan Wicklund Jolene Trauba Recycling articles on this page courtesy of Ramsey Recycles Postal Customer ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities, MN Permit #1962 I n s i d e Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 Rice Creek Commons development New faces at City Hall New cable TV option available Counselor Realty finds a home News from the Mayor Just a few months ago we enjoyed having the County Road E, County Road H and County Road 96 bridges reopened. Each of these bridges now have pedestrian walkways, so pedestrians and cyclists have a safe way to cross. The reconstruction of County Road F also included a trail segment from the bridge to Mounds View High School, so students are now able to walk safely to school on a walkway rather than on the road shoulder. You are receiving this article in mid- March, which means we are only a few months from the beginning of another year of road construction. This year, like last year, will feature several bridge improve- ments. Bridges will be reconstructed at County Road E2 and County Road H, both going over Interstate 35W. The changes to the County Road E2 bridge will include adding a pedestrian walkway and addressing structural needs. If you look underneath the bridge on the east side, you will notice wooden supports have been put into place. MnDOT has indicated that the bridge has taken a few hits and scrapes from semi-tractor trailers over the past few years. The wooden supports are there as added protection, in the unlikely event the bridge takes a major hit by a semi-tractor trailer. The new bridge will be built with more clearance than the current bridge. Being without the County Road E2 bridge will have a substantial impact for people who live, work, or go to school in western Arden Hills. One of the questions I am asked is, how long will it take to recon- struct the bridge? It is expected to be about four months. The County Road H bridge will be re- constructed with a new design. The new design is needed for additional vehicle traffic anticipated on the Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) development. The reconstruction of the County Road H bridge is the first major construction item for Rice Creek Commons. Additional road improvements between Interstate 35W and County Road 10 in Mounds View will also be done. These improvements are designed to maintain access to local busi- nesses and improve overall traffic flow. The intersection of County Road F and Lexington Avenue will also be under construction this summer. The Highway 694 project changed the traffic pattern for drivers coming south on Hamline Avenue. To reach Highway 694 drivers need to go to County Road F then south on Lexington. This traffic pattern has led to an increase in traffic at this intersection. This summer County Road F and Lexington will have additional turn lanes installed to support the increase in traffic. The intersection will not be closed during construction. How- ever, during some phases, especially during peak travel times, delays may occur. As a City we have had our share of bridge work, and along with it the inconvenience. However, in the end we have safer roads able to carry more traffic with fewer delays and safer options for pedestrians. Eventual- ly the bridge work that needs to be done in our City will be finished. This year should be our final year of construction on major roads and bridges. Thank you for your patience as improve- ments are made. Sincerely, David Grant Mayor The Bridges of Ramsey County—the sequel Spring Egg Hunt Saturday, March 26, 2016 10:30 a.m. Cummings Park Ages 1-12 $7 per child Registration deadline is March 23. See the Spring Parks & Recreation guide or the City website for more details.