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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 2020i _ The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents Ecko Estates to Replace Fire Station No. 1 At it's June 22, 2020 meering the City Council approved a variance and subdivision for O'Meara Construcrion for their proposed project located at 3246 New Brighton Road, which will be known as Ecko Estates. On September 28th, the City Council approved the Final Plat for Ecko Estates. The Final Plat is a legal document that is recorded with the County Surveyor's office. The primary purpose of the Final Plat is to delineate properry boundaries and is used to describe and dedicate rights-of-way and easements. O'Meara Construction l�as been building custom homes in Arden Hills since the early 1980s. Since acquiring the property in 2019, they have submitted a development applicarion to the City requesting to subdivide the properry into four (4) owner occupied The City of Arden Hills is seeking input on relaxing the standards for keeping chickens on residential properties within the Community. The Arden Hills' City Code currently does not prohibit the keeping of chickens, however the majority of residential lots do not meet the setback requirements for chicken coops. City Code states tl�at the location for buildings that house chickens shall be located a distance of 200 feet from any lot line. Please take the online survey at https://bit.ly/3j71M2o or on the City's webpage. The suivey is open until November 5, 2020. By taking the online survey, City Council and staff can better gauge the level of community interest and other details on this subject. The information compiled from this survey will be shared with the City Council and public at a later date. Contact the Planning Department at 651- 792-7800 with questions. ��`�� �' -�i��� �m-:`+:� �s�r��� ��@ � -� :.- �� m � _ - i;� � . , -_ - ������p��, �� �,�,�N, 4,; � .� � ���,. —�'"�"° �Iii�ff��l �� �:-: G������I � � ',�� � ������� � �I�I�I '_ _' _:� i�!,��I�l -�-- - �I � ��, . � � ���il'I������Ily�! October 2020 single-family residential lots. In order to subdivide the properry,they needed a variance to reduce the minimum lot width from 85 feet which is required by ordinance, to 81.75 feet. O'Meara Construcrion is planning to demo the exisring fire station and associated structures in the near future, with grading and home construction anricipated to begin in 2021. For informarion about absentee and early voting as well as polling locations, see page 3. For informarion on the City Council candidates, see pages 2-4. Candidates were asked to provide the following information: 1) Please tell us about yourself and your general interest in serving on the Arden Hills City Council. 2) Please provide us with informarion on what you would like to see happen in Arden Hills, your specific interests as a Council candidate, and relevant background and experience. 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 651-631-1866 fholmes �cityofardenhills. org Dave McClung 651-332-0352 davemcclung�cityofardenhills. org Steve Scott 651-604-0919 sscott@cityofardenhills. org City Administrator Dave Perrault 651-792-7824 dperrault�cityofardenhills. org Uacant Communications Coordinator 651-792-7817 Communicarions Committee Council Liaison Steve Scott Council meerings are held at City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7:00 p.m. Meerings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Meetings of the Plaiuung Commis- sion are televised as well. Please visit cityofardenhills.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. City Council Candidates Outline Their Goals (continued on pages 3-4) Pve been foriunate to call Arden Hills home for the majority of my life. Born and raised here, I decided to settle back in Arden Hills following college. I attended Mounds View Public Schools K-12, and graduated from Mounds View High School in 2014. I graduated from Hamline University in 2018 with a BA in Political Science. Since undergrad Pve worked on several state legislative campaigns, as a political associate for a national democratic reform organization, and most recently ►w"_ .-., � s �a ��`. as the Government Affairs Director for the Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors (SPAAR). This fall I started pursuing a master's degree in public administration. Pve been proud to witness how Arden Hills has changed and grown over the years. Yet, despite this change, the leadership on City Council has consistently failed to include new and diverse voices. At a time when our city is faced with a plethora of decisions and challenges, Arden Hills is in need of fresh perspectives. The four issues I see as most pressing include: the Rice Creek Commons redevelopment, climate change, COVID-19, and community input and equity. The Rice Creek Commons redevelopment on the TCAAP site continues to be the best option to add needed housing, jobs, and recreation to our region. However, the project remains stalled. We need city leaders who are willing to move the redevelopment forward instead of treating it like a detriment to our city. I intend to work with Ramsey County in achieving the full potential of the TCAAP site while respecting the needs ofArden Hills. As the effects of climate change become more and more severe it's vital for cities like Arden Hills to take action. On City Council Pll prioritize policies that put the health of our environment first. The well-being of our planet and future generations depend on the actions we take now. The public health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has put an incredible strain on our community. Residents and businesses deserve timely public health updates and economic assistance information. In the face of a chaotic federal response to COVID-19 the actions of local governments like Arden Hills are even more important. And finally, our city leaders must start fighting for the priorities of residents. As your City Councilmember I aim to bring a culture of accessibility, responsiveness, and representation to City Ha1L P11 also advocate for policies that ensure Arden Hills is a welcoming, equitable, and inclusive community for everyone, which is often missing from our current city leadership. Truly prioritizing and addressing these issues will require a stronger vision and bolder action. Pm determined to provide these once elected to City Council. Please feel free to reach me at 651-280-9917, or at goldmanforardenhills@gmail.com. You can also find more info about our campaign at goldmanforardenhills.com. I humbly ask for your vote, and hope that you join our campaign to move Arden Hills forward. •❑ *»� ****� • � � ..�` .� ._� I� Election Information The City of Arden Hills contracts with Ramsey County to administer elecrions. For more information about voring before Elecrion Day by either absentee ballot (envelope voring) open now through November 2, or during the early voting period of October 27 through November 2(where you place your ballot directly in the ballot counter), visit cityofardenhill s. org/electionsandvoting. Arden Hills City Hall is no longer an early voting locarion. The following locations are open now through Monday, November 2 for in-person absentee voting: • New Brighton Community Center 400 lOth St NW, New Brighton • Ramsey County Library - Roseville 2180 Hamline Ave N, Roseville • Ramsey County Elections Office - Plato Building 90 Plato Blvd. W, Suite 160 If you received your absentee ballot by mail, you can drop it off in person. V'isit https://www. ramseycounty.us/re sidents/ elections-voting/voters/vote-election- day/vote-mail and select "Return your ballot in person" for a list of locarions and hours. Election Day, Tuesday, November 3 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Uote only at your assigned precinct. Precinct 1: Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 Lexington Avenue N Precinct 2: Anderson Center (Bethel University Satellite Campus), 2 Pine Tree Drive Precinct 3: North Heights Lutheran Church, 1700 West Highway 96 If you do not know your polling place, visit the Office of the Secretary of State's Polling Place Finder at https://pollfinder. sos.state.mn.us/. You can visit the City's website at www.cityofardenhills.org or My husband, Jim and I have lived on Beckman Ave in the SW corner of Arden Hills for over 40 yrs. I have been an Arden Hills Council member since 2002 and have over 18 years of experience with diverse council issues. I am not afraid to ask the hard questions. I am proud of the work I have done as an Arden Hills Council member. I am always prepared and actively participate at council meetings. `� I enjoy talking with and helping =� '� residents. Residents should not , ' � ��,. %: �� ����;t��� hesitate to pick up the phone and call councilmembers. Meetings are open and detailed minutes are available on the City website. I am running to keep the City financially sound, provide life-cycle housing, expand our trail system and maintain City assets for as long as possible. The TCAAP (Rice Creek Commons) development must be a complementary extension of our current City. It is crucial that TCAAP doesn't place the City at financial risk for current and future Arden Hills taxpayers. I have extensive TCAAP (Rice Creek Commons) knowledge having participated in the development of the JDA, TCAAP Redevelopment Code (TRC) and the planning and zoning of the properiy. The City is at risk. Residents and businesses cannot be taxed out of the City. At what cost do we develop, if it forces people out of their homes and businesses. The City currently has 46% affordable housing, we can't force those folks out through taxes for TCAAP. Our City recently received a AAA bond rating, the highest for a City our size. I will continue to keep costs down through, a.) Maintenance, keep City assets as-long-as possible, b.) Plan for future replacement costs and large City expenditures so that there are not large fluctuations in taxes, c.) Do more projects in house and limit consultants spending. COVID will have an impact on future years' budgets. Purchases and projects will need to be postponed, however the Council must be careful not to postpone items that will become costly in the future. I will continue to find grant opportunities and work with our legislators to secure state bonding money to expand trails and utilities projects. We also need to focus on encouraging businesses to create public amenities, shared parking, and trails. These partnerships have and will allow the City to add and connect trails. This is necessary since the City's budget is $5 million annually and a mile of trail cost roughly $1 million. I would like the City to do additional work with the Sherif�'s department on issues of racial equity and ensure our City confronts issues related to diversity and inclusion. Contact me at HoldenBJ24�a,aol.com , 651-636-2987 or visit my website Brenda4ardenhills. com. 651-792-7800 �° - I am honored to serve as a City ', �'�� Councilmember and I am asking for your �:: ��, support for re-election. I first ran for City �� Council because I was concerned that wa� �� a � t� � �,�.. ,_. � - � ,. ��� -M ... — ��,.'r' __�' �l ' ,, " ,.:. residents' voices were not being heard on issues. I ran to be an advocate for residents and to keep the small-town, neighborhood feel we all love and enjoy. I have worked to keep that feel, even as Arden Hills has grown and matured over my time on Council. T�;� _ Recently, a group of residents suggested � �g _ ..:, - -/�il � `. a code ordinance change to the City Council. These residents did research, talked to neighbors, put a petition together, and contacted the Council. Unforiunately, a majority of the Council was not supportive of the proposed change, or even a broader discussion of the proposal. I argued that we should further discuss the issue and supported trying to achieve what the residents were asking for. That is my job as your representative. A few things I have been proud to be a part of as a Councilmember: • The City upgraded its bond rating to Triple A from Standard and Poor's, due to strong financial stewardship of your tax dollars. • The City continues to expand one of the jewels of living in Arden Hills, our trail system. I have always worked to maintain the trails and build new ones. • I am the City's representative on the Lake Johanna Fire Department Board of Directors. • I have helped lead an effort to purchase land in southern Arden Hills to house a future fire station/headquarters. A new facility in the heart of Arden Hills will greatly improve response times to emergencies in our City. • I am fiscally conservative - I have voted to keep taxes low, while still providing exceptional services. If I am re-elected, I will: • Fight to maintain, enhance, and build new parks and trails. • Work to build the new fire station/headquarters for the Lake Johanna Fire Department. • Be a strong voice to keep taxes low while maintaining the services you have come to expect. • Represent you, to be available to answer your questions, bring issues that are important to you before the City Council, and make sure that Arden Hills continues to be an open, supportive community to live, work, and play. • Make sure that every voice is respected and heard. I believe that Covid-19 may fundamentally change the nature of municipal services and how services will be delivered. It is more important than ever to listen to your concerns and involve you in planning efforts to meet these challenges. What Can You Do for Water This Fall? Fall is here! Temperatures have started to drop and everyone is breaking out their favorite sweatshirts and comfy clothes. The Vikings are playing on Sundays and pumpkins will soon make their yearly appearance. Most importantly, leaves will fall from the trees and scatter across the ground. While this is l�appening, pollutants may be entering your water. Tree leaves contain key nutrients used for plant growth. If these leaves flow into our lakes and streams, they will break apart and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen will be re- leased. This is how nutrients become pollutants! These nutrients srimulate algae growth and reproduction. Algae is natural, but it will start to turn the lake green in large quanrities. What can you do for water quality this fall? Rake your leaves! Taking away this source of nutrients will cut off the algae's fuel for growth. If algae can't grow, our lakes will be clearer. Grass clippings contain nutrients as well. So, if you are still mowing your lawn, you can catch or mulch those clippings. Leaves and clippings should be com- posted or bagged and given to a yard waste disposal organization. Don't forget to check street storm sewer grates and remove leaves and other debris tl�at could lead to increased nutrients in our lakes and streams. Arficle and photo courtesy ofRice Creek Watershed District. Please e-mail me at davemcclung�a,comcast.net or give me a call at 651-332-0352. I ask for your vote for re-election to the Arden Hills City Council. � Hiring a tree maintenance service deserves careful consideration and caution. Residents are urged to consider the following when selecting a service: • Due to COVID-19, door-to-door soliciting is currently not allowed in the City. Most reputable companies have all the work they can handle without going door-to-door, and many times door-knockers are looking to earn quick money. • Verify the company is licensed with the City. All tree maintenance services in Arden Hills must be licensed. Licensing involves specific insurance requirements including August 24, 2020 Approved Resolution 2020-031 Staying the Date of Enforcement relating to the sale of flavored tobacco Approved the appointment of Steve Baar to the Public Works Department as a maintenance worker. This action filled an existing vacancy. Accepted a donation from resident Susan Johnson for $1,000 to the Arden Hills Foundation. Funds will be used for the Cummings Park Art Larsen Memorial Garden. Approved Resolution 2020-0033 relating to Planning Case 20-016 for a minor subdivision of an existing lot at 3235 Lexington Ave with added condition. Approved Resolution 2020-034 authorizing the Lake Johanna Fire Department Three Cities Agreement and Arden Hills' share (not to exceed $341,000) ofthe land acquisition costs. North Oaks and Shoreview have also accepted the agreement. Approved a Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program proof of liability for personal and properiy damage (such as your house and your neighbor's) and workers' compensation. A list of licensed contractors is available on the City website at https://www. cityofardenhills.org/411/Tree-Service- License • Obtain multiple bids, compare estimates and always ask for references. You can also contact the Better Business Bureau to check the company's reputation. • Make sure you receive a written contract that outlines expectations such as dates, work to be performed, clean- up details, total cost, etc. funded by a federal CARES (COVID Aid, Relief and Economic Security) grant authorizing $5,000 for eligible Arden Hills small businesses upon approval of application submitted to the City. September 14, 2020 Approved a Developer Agreement with Bethel University per the previously Council-approved Planning Case 20-005 which consists of a Master Planned Unit Development and Preliminary and Final Plats for 2 Pine Tree Road. This allows only the relocation of the existing driveway to the north. Approved a contract for $44,570 with Michael's Corporation to reline deteriorating sewer line segments near Arden View Court and Colleen Avenue . Adopted Resolution 2020-037 ordering improvements and preparation of plans and specifications for the 2021 Pavement Management Program (PMP). A public hearing was held for input on proposed street repairs amounting to $3.8 million. The areas affected are proposed for reconstruction with added curb and gutter for portions of Jerrold Ave, Glenpaul Ave and Prior Ave. Areas designated for reclamation are portions of Edgewater Ave and Jerrold Ave not requiring full reconstruction. Adopted Resolution 2020-038 setting the preliminary levy for property tax amounts certified to Ramsey County as payable in 2021 at a 4.25% rate totaling $431 million (McClung opposed). Adopted Resolution 2020-039 setting the preliminary levy for property tax amounts for the Karth Lake Special Taxing District as payable in 2021 totaling $6,611. Adopted Resolution 2020-040 setting the date for the City's Truth in Taxation public hearing for December 14 at 7pm. Adopted Resolution 2020-042 extending the submittal period for Arden Hills' small businesses to apply for COVID relief grants until September 25. --.- Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 Inside Ecko Estates Development Backyard Chickens Survey City Council Candidate Profiles Elecfion Informafion ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid St. Paul, MN Pe�it #i962 Postal Customer Tired �a��-�-Lanterr�? I �, � � � ��� � ,,�- � � �=� �r` ,�,� ��;ry,� � '� ,� ---�.��!�IMNI��.�. What do you do withyour jack-o-lantern once Halloween has come and gone? When your pumpkin begins to sag and smell, your first thought might be to throw it into the garbage. Did you know pumpkins can't be thrown away in the trash? It's like your leaves and other yard waste. However, your old Halloween pumpkin can still be beneficial to your yard and garden. First be sure to remove candles, wax, and any decorations from pumpkins. Once clean, your pumpkins can be placed in your compost or broken down and spread over your garden to improve the soils. If you don't have a garden or compost, you can bring your pumpkin to Ramsey Yard Waste Collecrions Sites for disposal.