The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutNovember 2020The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents November 2020 At its October 12, 2020 meeting the City Council approved Scannell Properties proposed project known as Gateway Interstate. Scannell Properties is a national developer with over 600 acres under development and over 3 million square feet of product developed since 2013. The Applicant is proposing to construct a 250,000 square foot office and warehouse facility on the existing vacant land at 4200 Round Lake Road. The site is highly visible from I-694 and I-35W. The front of the proposed building is orientated toward the interstates. The Applicant’s proposal includes space for office, manufacturing, warehousing/ wholesale, and research and development. Scannell Properties’ Gateway Interstate Project Receives Green Light Election Results While the final tenants are unknown at this time, the Applicant is anticipating to attract a wide variety of light industrial tenants. Construction is anticipated to start spring of 2021. Brenda Holden Dave McClung Arden Hills voters elected two City Councilmembers during the General Election on November 3. They are incumbents Brenda Holden and Dave McClung, who will fill four- year terms beginning January 2021. Holden received 2,862 votes; McClung received 2,582 votes; and challenger Bobby Goldman received 2,057 votes. For this and other General Election results, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website at https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20201103 Public Works Director/City EngineerArden 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 651-631-1866 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 Gretchen Needham 651-792-7817 gneedham@cityofardenhills.org Communications Committee Council Liaison Steve Scott 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. Please visit cityo- fardenhills.org for information about archived meeting playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official news- letter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. Todd Blomstrom was officially hired as the Arden Hills Public Works Director/City Engineer in February of this year, but was with the city prior as a consultant. Todd brings a solid background to the job. He has a Bachelors and Masters degree in engineering from the University of Minnesota and 20 years of experience as a licensed professional engineer. Todd has previously served as Public Works Director for two metro area cities and recently returned home to Minnesota after serving as a public works director for a county government in Colorado. Todd is currently focused on capital improvement planning, project delivery, staff development, and performance measures for the public works department. Ice Rink and Warming House Hours Brave the cold temperatures, lace up your skates and visit one of Arden Hills’ four outdoor skating rinks. Due to COVID-19, the warming houses at our ice rinks will be closed to the public, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying one of Minnesota’s most popular winter pastimes! There will be picnic tables available outside at each location. We hope to see you out skating this winter! The city’s ice rinks will open December 7, pending weather conditions. Cummings (Ice rink attendant only on duty Friday-Sunday; push light available on site), Freeway, Hazelnut and Perry Park will have an ice rink attendant on duty during the following times: Monday – Friday 4:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday 12:00-8:30 p.m. Sunday 1:00-7:00 p.m. Call the weather hotline at 651- 792-7841, to learn of rink closures, ice skating program and activity cancellations. Truth-in-Taxation Hearing Scheduled for December 14 The city will hold a Truth-in- Taxation Hearing on Monday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. See the city website for meeting information. The 2021 General Fund expenditure budget is proposed at $5,212,980. The preliminary tax levy increase is set at 4.25%, which equates to a tax levy of $4,311,090. Based on the preliminary values, the city’s share of property taxes would increase by $34 annually on a median valued home, which is projected to value $387,500 in 2021. The proposed levy increase goes to support the following: • Increases in Public Safety contracts • Reduced use of fund balance • Projected wage and benefit increases Benchmarks - A Review of Recent Council Action Brausen Automotive Brausen’s Family Automotive broke ground on their redevelopment project on October 5, 2020, a new 7,978 square foot Holiday convenience store and a 1,600 square foot carwash. The proposed car wash will include a unique conveyor belt system to pull cars efficiently through the car wash and reduce wait times. In addition, the applicant is proposing a 4,505 square feet garage and repair bay addition. The project is anticipated to be completed in the spring of 2021. Please Follow the City’s Snow Plow Policy The City’s Public Works Department works to provide safe driving conditions for residents while balancing costs of snow and ice control. Street plowing typically begins when 2 inches of snow have accumulated. Plows will get as close as possible to mailboxes, but residents are responsible for clearing snow from around mailboxes and fire hydrants. Please do not park vehicles on the street after the accumulation of two or more inches of snow and until after plowing has been completed. Parking is not allowed on any city street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. year-round. Springhill Suites by Marriot The Arden Hills Springhill Suites by Marriot is an all-suite hotel located at 3920 Northwoods Drive. The hotel has 139 guest suites. Amenties include an indoor pool, fitness center, meeting room and lounge area. The hotel is anticipated to open by year end. Development Updates All items approved by a 5-0 vote unless stated otherwise. Sept. 28, 2020 Regular Council Meeting Approved Planning Cases 20-018 Final Plat (old fire station @ 3246 New Brighton RD); 19-001 & 19-021 Development Agreement (Brausen Family Automotive Repair @ 1310 W CO RD E). Tabled Planning Case 20-010 Planned Unit Development/ Conditional Use Permit and Prelimi-nary/Final Plat (Scannell Properties @ 4200 Round Lake RD). Adopted Resolution 2020-046 amending program parameters and extending application submittal pe-riod until October 6, 2020 for Arden Hills’ Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program (COVID expenses). Oct .12, 2020 Regular Council Meeting Approved renewal of Elections Administration contract with Ramsey County for the period 2021-2026. Adopted Resolution 2020-048 authorizing repairs to City Hall heating/cooling equipment to Air Express for $280,783. Adopted Resolution 2020-049 extending application dated for the City’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program (COVID expenses) until October 23, 2020. Approved Planning Case 20-010 Master Planned Unit Development/ Conditional Use Permit and Pre- liminary/Final Plat (Scannell Properties @ 4200 Round Lake RD). (4-1 McClung opposed). Oct. 26, 2020 Regular Council Meeting Approved Planning Case 20-002 Conditional Use Permit/Planned Unit Development Extension (Summit Development @ 1718, 1720, 1722 Parkshore Dr and 4177 Old HWY 8). Adopted Resolution 2020-052 closing the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program (COVID Expenses) and disbursing remaining funds to other uses (4-1 Scott opposed). Approved appointment of the part- time Communications Coordinator position. Inside Election Results Scannell Properties Development Snowplowing and Ice Rinks City Council Benchmarks Crime Prevention Tips Deputy Mike Servatka, Crime Prevention Specialist The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office provides police services to Arden Hills, including Crime Prevention. Deputy Mike Servatka, a twenty-three-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, is the City’s Crime Prevention Specialist. Deputy Servatka had the following to tell Arden Hills’ Residents on Crime Prevention: “During my career as a peace officer I have been able to serve in a variety of duties including street patrol, court security, the jail, investigation task forces, and water patrol. In Crime Prevention we view crime as a three-legged stool. One leg is the Desire of a criminal to commit a crime; leg two is a Target of the criminal’s desire; and third is the Opportunity for the crime to be committed. It’s difficult for crime to sit on the stool unless all three legs are present. The increased number of thefts from vehicles we have experienced this summer has caused grief for the victims and is unsettling for everyone else in the neighborhood. Taking a few precautions can help prevent becoming a victim; these include not leaving valuables in cars, locking doors and parking in well-lit areas. Our Crime Prevention programming includes Neighborhood Watch, which is an association of neighbors who communicate with each other, deputies, and the community. When neighbors know each other’s names, normal patterns, and look out for each other, it is more likely that they will report activity that doesn’t seem quite right. Neighborhood Watch encourages neighbors to look out for each other. Contact the Sheriff if your neighborhood is interested. Currently, we are seeing scams to steal people’s money and identities via phone, email, text and pop-ups. Mail and package thefts are increasing and are likely to be more of a problem as online shopping increases heading into the holidays. Theft prevention includes depositing outgoing mail only into official USPS drop boxes and collecting incoming mail as soon as possible. For your packages; ask a trusted neighbor to watch for and retrieve your package when delivered; place a storage container on your stoop for packages so they cannot be readily seen from the street; or have packages delivered to your work or business address if possible. I and my fellow deputies are here to help the community of Arden Hills be a great place to live, work and raise a family. Give us a call anytime you think we can help – just call 9-1-1.” For more crime prevention tips please visit the Sheriff’s website: https://www.ramseycounty.us/ your-government/leadership/ sheriffs-office/sheriffs-office-divisions/ public-safety-services-11 Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734