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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 2020The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents June 2020 City, County and State COVID-19 Updates Vote Early by Absentee Ballot City Offices and City Meetings City offices remain closed to the public, while city services continue. City meetings are being held virtually. To receive COVID-19 email or text updates from the city, visit cityofardenhills.org/NotifyMe and then scroll to the Alert Center and City News to sign up for the latest announcements. To reach city staff, call 651-792-7800. City to Maintain Regular Office Hours During the Summer Due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, city offices will maintain regular hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., instead of moving to a modified summer schedule as in prior years. Parks, Trails and Courts are Open; Follow CDC Guidelines Following a temporary closure, city playground equipment is now open. Use at your own risk. Playground equipment is not regularly cleaned or sanitized. City tennis courts and trails remain open. Please follow proper distancing and other CDC guidelines when using city parks and trails. Recreation Activities to do During COVID-19 City Parks and Recreation programs have been cancelled for the summer, but staff has compiled a list of indoor, outdoor and online activities for people of all ages, including seniors. Visit the city’s recreation web pages to view the list. Park Shelter Rentals, Garage Sale and Solicitor Permits Suspended Due to COVID-19 concerns, the City Council has temporarily suspended the city park shelter rentals, garage sale permits and door-to-door solicitor permits, including permits for non-profit organizations. Call Joe Vaughan at 651-792-7848 to add your name to a list for future facility rentals. Residents should check with Ramsey County on rentals at Tony Schmidt Regional Park and Lake Josephine County Park. Athletic fields may be available for use. All users will need to comply with the State’s guidance and seek approval from the city. Contact Joe Vaughan at 651-792-7848 for an application and to submit a return-to-play plan for clubs and teams. COVID-19 Updates (Continued on Page 4) All voters can vote early before Election Day by absentee ballot in Minnesota. You do not need to provide a reason for voting early. • Voting for the August 11 State Primary begins Friday, June 26. • Voting for the November 3 General Election begins Friday, Sept. 18. All registered voters can request an absentee ballot via the Minnesota Secretary of State website at mnvotes.sos. state.mn.us for the primary and general election. The ballot will be mailed to your home. You can track your ballot to make sure it's been received and counted after voting. More information about voting by mail for Ramsey County residents is available at ramseycounty.us. Search for elections and voting. Arden Hills Service Directory 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 www.cityofardenhills.org 651-792-7800 Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 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 612-599-2457 fholmes@cityofardenhills.org Dave McClung 651-332-0352 dmcclung@cityofardenhills.org Steve Scott 651-604-0919 sscott@cityofardenhills.org City Administrator Dave Perrault 651-792-7824 dperrault@cityofardenhills.org Communications Coordinator Dawn Skelly 651-792-7817 dskelly@cityofardenhills.org Council meetings are held at City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Meetings of the Planning Commission are televised as well. Visit cityofardenhills.org for information about archived meeting playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official newsletter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. City News Updates MPCA Partially Delists TCAAP from State Superfund List Last month, The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency partially removed the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) from the State’s Superfund list following the same actions taken last fall by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, when it delisted, or removed, the soil and surface water from the Superfund National Priorities List. Groundwater contamination associated with the 2,370-acre Arden Hills site remains on both the state and federal Superfund lists and will continue to be treated through an existing groundwater cleanup program. Drinking water for the planned Rice Creek Commons development will come from Saint Paul Regional Water Services, which serves all of Arden Hills. Fire Department Moves Forward with Land Purchase Agreement: Bethel Requests to Subdivide Anderson Center Property and Pursues Senior Living Facility On May 22, the Lake Johanna Fire Department Board has approved moving forward with an agreement to purchase a property parcel at Bethel University's Anderson Center for a proposed future fire station location. The fire department has not taken ownership of the property, as the purchase agreement allows for a contingency period of 60 days from when the land is approved to be subdivided by the city. Construction plans have not been developed. The purchase agreement outlines the land acquisition details. Simultaneously, Bethel University submitted an application to the city’s Planning Commission for a preliminary plat and master planned unit development at 12 Pine Tree Drive (Bethel Anderson Center). The university is requesting to subdivide the northern section of its property into two new lots of record. The university also announced that it is in the process of selling the northwest six acres of the 42-acre Anderson Center property for a senior living facility. To subscribe to Planning Commission or City Council agendas, or to Lake Johanna Fire Department Station Search updates as they are published, visit cityofardenhills.org/NotifyMe. To view all agendas, packet materials and minutes visit the city website home page and click on View Agendas and Minutes. 2019 Drinking Water Report Available The city’s 2019 Consumer Confidence Report (also known as the Drinking Water Report) is now available online. Visit cityofardenhills. org/2019DrinkingWaterReport. To receive a printed copy, call city staff at 651-792-7800. Benchmarks: A Review of Recent City Council Action April 13, 2020 All items approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote unless noted. • Approved Resolution 2020- 019 Appointing Suzanne McGaugh and Kristine Poelzer as members of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee (PTRC) for terms ending December 31, 2022. April 27, 2020 Holden excused; all items approved by a unanimous 4-0 vote unless noted. • Approved Proclamations declaring Week of May 10-16 as National Police Week and May 17-23 as National Public Works Week. • Approved a resolution ordering the preparation of feasibility report for the 2021 Pavement Management Plan. • Approved a motion to approve professional services agreement with Ulteig Engineering for Karth Lake runoff control. • Approved first quarter 2020 city financial report. • Approved a planned unit development amendment for Mounds View High School improvements. • Approved a 2040 Comprehensive Plan text amendment for land use definitions. May 11, 2020 All items approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote unless noted. • Approved appointment of Matthew Seifert to the position of Public Works Maintenance Worker. • Approved a joint powers agreement with Minnesota Department of Military Affairs for improvements, operations and maintenance of sanitary sewer and lift stations that service the Military Readiness Center on the Arden Hills Army Training Site (AHATS) property. • Approved replacement water service valve for the Arden Manor community for $8,900. May 26, 2020 All items approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote unless noted. • Approved 2019 city financial statements and audit report by MMKR Public Accounting firm. • Approved temporary lay-off of employee in city’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Department due to COVID-19 reductions in recreational programs. • Approved motion to reimburse liquor license fees for businesses impacted by COVID-19 statewide shutdown order. • Approved engineering services proposal to Paulson and Clark Engineering for replacement/ upgrade of city hall heating, ventilation and cooling system. The system suffered numerous outages in past years. • Approved a variance request at 3244 Sandeen Road for a floor area ratio (FAR) increase from 0.30 to 0.34 (approved 3-2, Holden, McClung opposed) • Approved tabling a variance request at 1741 Venus Ave for a front yard deck/walkway replacement. Applicant will revise specifications and present under the existing request within 60 days. • Approved a resolution allowing flexibility for reopening of restaurant and bar establishments within the city upon approval of submitted plans consistent with State guidelines. Flexibility will allow expansion of outdoor seating to mitigate indoor separation requirements. For a complete listing of recent City Council action, visit cityofardenhills.org and click on View Agendas & Minutes. City Council Seats up for Election Are you interested in running for the Arden Hills City Council? Two City Councilmember seats will be up for election this fall. They will be for four-year terms (2021- 2024). Candidate filing packets will be available in July. Watch for more details in the July city newsletter. COVID-19 Updates (Continued from front page) Council Approves Temporary Flexibility for Businesses Last month, the City Council approved a resolution providing for temporary flexibility within the city code for businesses to continue operations consistent with phase two of Governor Tim Walz’s Stay Safe MN plan. The resolution is designed to further aid in the support and recovery of local businesses. Any temporary flexibility requested by local businesses must be reviewed and approved by city staff. For further information or to request an application, please contact staff at 651-792-7800. Ramsey County Updates Help Team Reminder The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office has formed a COVID-19 "Help Team" to assist those in the community who are most at risk and vulnerable during this time. Help team functions include the pickup and delivery of essential items, coordination of the donated items and referrals to other organizations and services. For help, call or text 651-448-3874 for assistance Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Always call 9-1-1 for emergencies. Dashboard on Open Ramsey County Find the latest Ramsey County data about COVID-19 through a new digital dashboard on Open Ramsey County with detailed demographic information on a range of data. The dashboard lists the number of COVID-19 cases by city. Visit ramseycounty.us/coronavirus. Property tax deadline extended to July 15 for qualifying taxpayers The deadline for payment of first-half property taxes for qualifying Ramsey County property owners who are financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis has been extended from May 15 to July 15, 2020. An online lookup tool is available to help property owners identify if their property qualifies for the extension at taxextension.ramseycounty.us. The July 15 extension is in addition to Ramsey County’s one-time late payment penalty waiver program that taxpayers may use one time every 10 years. State Updates Stay Safe MN Order is in Effect Effective May 18, the Governor replaced the Stay at Home order with a Stay Safe MN order that encourages Minnesotans to stay close to home but allows for gatherings of friends and family of 10 people or less and the opening of retail stores and other main street businesses that have a social distancing plan and operate at 50 percent occupancy. Additional guidance for businesses, including a template plan and checklist, is available on DEED’s website at mn.gov/deed/safework. The Governor’s office issued guidelines for reopening outdoor dining and salons on June 1. Residents can schedule an ap- pointment to have Public Works staff pick up buckthorn through the end of October. To schedule a pickup, visit cityofardenhills. org/buckthorn for information on filling out a pickup request form and pickup procedures. Information about reserving a buckthorn removal tool can also be found on the web page. You can also call city staff at 651-792-7800. The Ramsey County Arden Hills compost site at 3530 Hudson Avenue also accepts buckthorn from residents. Roots must be removed. For hours of operation visit cityofardenhills. org/yardwaste. You may also place buckthorn roots in a yard waste container provided by your garbage hauler. Call your hauler for more information. Night to Unite Moved to Tuesday, October 6 With the COVID-19 pandemic discouraging large gatherings for the near future, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office is joining other member agencies of the Minnesota Crime Prevention Association in rescheduling the 2020 Night to Unite / National Night Out date to Tuesday, October 6, 2020. More information will be available in future newsletters. Buckthorn Removal and Disposal Options Homeowners who live adjacent to city parks and trails are required to remove any private property from city-owned parks or trails in order to preserve and protect shared parks and trails for all. Examples of encroachments onto public land include: • Constructing or placing sheds, playground equipment or fire pits • Building a fence • Storing of fire wood or miscellaneous items • Disposing of lawn and yard waste • Maintaining city-owned land by mowing and removing vegetation These activities are essentially privatizing what should be public open space and are prohibited. If you have encroached into public land, please take the necessary corrective action. Thank you in advance for preserving parks and trails for all to enjoy. If you have questions, please contact city staff at 651-792-7800. Development projects change frequently. Visit cityofardenhills.org/ developmentprojects for current information. Click on the Agenda and Minutes button on the city’s website home page to view Planning Commission and City Council agendas and minutes. Residential Development Application Submitted for Former Fire Station 1 Location Barry O’Meara has submitted a land use application for a variance and preliminary plat at 3246 New Brighton Road. O’Meara is proposing to remove the existing vacant fire station and then subdivide the property into four (4) owner occupied single-family residential lots under the name of Ecko Estates. The applicant is requesting a variance to reduce the minimum lot width from the ordinance-required 85 feet to 81.75 feet. North Heights Lutheran Church Seeks to Add Day Care Center North Heights Lutheran Church at 1700 Highway 96 has submitted a land use application for a conditional use permit that will allow the church to operate a day care facility in the lower level of its Arden Hills campus. If approved, the center plans to matriculate approximately 100 children between the ages of 33 months to five years who will be supervised on-site by 10 instructors between two and five days a week. Gateway Interstate - Scannell Properties Land Development Project Application Gateway Interstate - Scannell Properties has submitted a land use application to develop the vacant land at the end of Round Lake Road and Gateway Boulevard. The applicant is proposing to construct a 250,000-square-foot office and warehouse facility. Mounds View High School Construction and Traffic Update Work is underway at Mounds View High School to add 27,300 square feet of additional classroom space and a 49,000-square-foot gymnasium addition. A recent traffic and pedestrian study was undertaken to address the significant increase in pedestrian crossings of Lake Valentine Road by students using the parking lot north of the school building. The traffic and pedestrian study was approved by the City Council, and the school district is developing a plan to implement the recommendations. To subscribe to Planning Commission and City Council agendas as they are published, visit cityofardenhills.org/NotifyMe. Note: Due to COVID-19, meetings are being held virtually. This may change in the future. Find information about participating in or listening to live meetings on the city website at cityofardenhills.org/coronavirus. Development Updates Encroachment onto City Parks and Trails is Prohibited Road Improvement Updates Speed Trailer Alerts Drivers to Current Speed In an effort to alert drivers to their current speed, the city is rotating placement of a driver feedback speed display trailer on various city streets, beginning with Snelling Avenue North within the street segment south of County Road E. The speed trailer will be relocated every two weeks. The list of sign placement locations currently includes Ingerson Road, Hamline Avenue and Lake Valentine Road. Residents who request additional locations should call the Public Works Department at 651-792-7800 or 651-792-7846. 2021 Pavement Management Program Study (Hazelnut Park/Glenpaul Area Street Improvements (2021) In lieu of an open house meeting, a presentation about the 2021 PMP Feasibility Report has been recorded and posted to the city website at cityofardenhills.org/constructionprojects. The project study is evaluating needed street and utility improvements in the Hazelnut Park/Glenpaul neighborhood in southern Arden Hills, as well as along Lake Valentine Road from Snelling Avenue North to Janet Court. MnDOT Snelling Avenue / Hamline Avenue Median Closure The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) hosted a virtual public meeting on May 19 to discuss the closure and future plans for the center median along Highway 51 (Snelling Avenue) at Hamline Avenue. This median closure restricts southbound traffic on Highway 51 from making a left turn onto southbound Hamline Avenue. The presentation slides, meeting recording and a map identifying the location of the proposed closure can be found on the city website at cityofardenhills.org/roadconstruction. From there you can navigate to the MnDOT and County web project page. Feedback from the meeting will help inform MnDOT’s decision regarding temporary or permanent closure of the left turn movement from Highway 51 (Snelling Avenue). Arden Hills Census 2020 Response Rate at 82 Percent Thank you to those who have responded to the 2020 Census Survey. As of May 20, the Arden Hills response rate was 82 percent. If you haven’t already filled out the Census survey, please respond today. Visit 2020census.gov to learn more. Did you know that at least 30 percent of waste in Ramsey County could be separated out for food scraps collection? This material contributes to methane emissions in landfills. Instead, food scraps can be separated and used to create compost either through Ramsey County or at home. How do I participate? To get you started, pick up a free starter-kit, which includes a collection bucket and some starter bags at the Arden Hills Yard Waste site at 3530 Hudson Avenue. When the bag gets full, tie it closed, and put it in your car. Stop at any Ramsey County collection site and drop the bag in the collection dumpster. Collection at yard waste sites are open at specific times, but other collection sites are available 24/7. Check RamseyRecycles. com/FoodScraps for the addresses and hours at each site. You can pick up one free compostable bag at the drop-off sites to start your next collection. How to Get Started with Food Scraps Collection Attention: Do you Want to Receive City News as it Happens? Did you know the city publishes news that is not included in this newsletter? There are many notices that fall between newsletter issues and are no longer timely for publication. To keep up to date on city news as it happens, subscribe to city news updates online at cityofardenhills.org/NotifyMe. Check out our website home page news, follow us on Facebook, or find us on Twitter. What is Stormwater Runoff? Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks and streets prevent stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground. Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants. Anything that enters a storm sewer system (like down a drain in your street) is discharged untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water. What can I do? • Adopt a Drain near your house and help prevent these pollutants from washing into local water bodies. • Properly dispose of Household Hazardous Waste like medicines, paints and chemicals at the Ramsey County Household Hazardous Waste sites. • Take your yard waste to a local Ramsey County collection site. Don’t let it build up around drains or rake into waterways. • Remember to clean up your pet waste. • Install a rain garden or rain barrel on your property. • Limit herbicide and pesticide applications on your property, especially before windy or rainy days. • Keep your vehicle maintained to prevent auto fluids leaking onto the streets. Arden Hills Beekeeper Andrew Murray returns for the season to set up honeybee hives as part of the city's efforts to "bee" pollinator-friendly. Cultivating Sunshine at Floral Park - a Bright Spot What's the Buzz? The Beekeeper is Back! George Kruse and Dan Dietz maintain the lovely gardens at Floral Park. Stop by and thank them or volunteer your time. Photos by George Kruse Postal Customer Inside COVID-19 Updates Development Project Updates City Beekeeper and Gardening Volunteers Street Improvement Project Updates ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid TWIN CITIES, MN Permit #1962 Made in Arden Hills Features Animal Ortho Care Animal Ortho Care, located at 1251 Red Fox Road, develops orthotics braces, prosthetics and medical devices that provide rehabilitation and pain management for animals. Animal Ortho Care is part of Arden Hills-based Caerus Corporation, which also owns OrthoCor and L’il Back Bracer. The company is dedicated to applying medical technologies already proven on human patients to change the course of animal rehabilitation. Three things to know 1. Animal Ortho Care is the only animal bracing and supports company in the country to offer custom and semi-customizable animal braces. The company also has created the world’s first wearable pain management device for dogs called the Embrace Relief System. 2. The most popular product is the dog knee brace. The company’s custom dog knee braces are manufactured in Maryland by their fabrication team, while the Embrace Orthopedic Support and Ready to Fit dog knee braces are made in Arden Hills. 3. Unlike other animal orthotic companies, Animal Ortho Care is not limited to helping dogs. The company has helped more than 25,000 animals including llamas, cows, horses, goats, elephants, Congratulations to the Class of 2020! You persevered through very difficult conditions this year and many of you were denied the traditional ceremony and recognition you deserve. We are proud of you! cats and the list goes on. Animal Ortho Care works with non profits and animal sanctuaries around the world. The company has more than 20 employees and is growing with the increasing demand for conservative treatment options for pets. For more information, visit aocpet.com. Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734