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Home My WebLink About04 April 2021The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents April 2021 The City of Arden Hills was the defendant in litigation challenging Ordinance 2019-005 and the prohibition of the sale of flavored tobacco products within the City. In a January 2021 order granting the City’s motion for partial dismissal, the Ramsey County District Court rejected the plaintiff’s legal challenges to invalidate the ordinance. As a result of a subsequent settlement the City reached with Arden Hills Tobacco, Inc., the portion of Ordinance 2019-005 prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products within the City is stayed against adults-only tobacco stores until July 1, 2023. The Ramsey County District Court has now entered final judgment in the lawsuit. As a result, tobacco license holders in Arden Hills (other than adults-only tobacco stores) have until April 16, 2021 to comply with Ordinance 2019-005. Status of Flavored Tobacco Litigation in Arden Hills In Ramsey County, six cities have passed regulations that restrict or prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco—Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Roseville, Shoreview, and St. Paul. A statewide bill to end the sale of all flavored products has been proposed at the Minnesota Legislature. The proposal is supported by 60+ health care organizations, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. House Bill 904 cleared a Minnesota House of Representatives committee on February 17, 2021. The measure would prohibit retailers from selling flavored tobacco and related products, including menthol cigarettes. Statistics: Kids and Tobacco Communi�es that restrict sales of fruit- and candy- flavored tobacco Communi�es that restrict sales of all flavored tobacco, including menthol Communi�es that prohibit sales of all flavored tobacco, including menthol Metro communitieess rreessttrriicctinngg tthhee ssaallee ooff flflaavvoorreedd ttoobbaaccccoo www.ansrmn.org Updated March 2021 Saint Paul Minneapolis St. Louis Park Robbinsdale MendotaHeights Shoreview Arden Hills Roseville Falcon Heights New Hope Golden Valley LilydaleEdina Fridley Lauderdale HennepinCounty In 2016, 5.7% of Minnesota eighth- grade students reported vaping in the last 30 days, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Three years later, that number had doubled to 11.1%. Minnesota kids are vaping at high rates, with one in five high school students using e-cigarettes and 70% of high school and middle school users reporting signs of nicotine dependence, according to new data from the 2020 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey. The new Minnesota data also shows about four in five Minnesota students (78.4%) reported that the first tobacco product they ever tried was flavored. According to the American Lung Association, an estimated 480,000 lives per year are lost because of tobacco use, which includes the key ingredient, nicotine. Percent of students who vaped in the past 30 days 30% 26.4% 25% 20% 16.3% 17.1% 15% 11.1% ii I 10% ■I5% 0% Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 11 ■2016 ■ 2019 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, MN Dept. of Health Marriott SpringHill Suites Is Open for Business SpringHill Suites by Marriott, located off Interstate 694, opened for business this past November. The all-suite hotel has 139 rooms, a conference space, fitness center, outdoor patio, and indoor pool. The 550-square-foot meeting space, the Hawkeye Room, is available to rent (maximum occupancy of 39 people) with access to the outdoor patio and fire pit. If you rent a room at SpringHill Suites, you can sign up to use the indoor pool at one-hour blocks for a family group or up to five people; cleaning is done after each group uses the pool. Spring Clean-Up Day and Egg Hunt Are Cancelled The City of Arden Hills will not be hosting a Clean-Up Day this spring due to COVID-19 restrictions; the fall Clean-Up event is pending and more information will be forthcoming: stay tuned! It was a difficult decision to cancel the Spring Egg Hunt, which is a popular event, but the changing guidelines and the safety of our staff and residents made holding the event too difficult. Park Shelter/Pavilion Rentals and Garage Sale Permits Available; Soliciting Remains Suspended City park shelter and pavilion rentals are now open for the season. Visit cityofardenhills.org/933/Picnic-Shelter-and-Park-Pavilion- Rental for more information. Garage sales are also allowed. Please visit cityofardenhills.org/947/Miscellaneous-Permits to apply. Door- to-door soliciting remains suspended until July 1. For questions, contact City Hall at 651-792-7800. Solar Energy and Arden Hills Have you ever thought about solar panels in Arden Hills? Homeowners can install solar panels on their homes to increase energy savings while reducing their carbon footprint. The Arden Hills City Council encourages the use of renewable energy in the community, especially options such as solar panels. Any Arden Hills resident interested in installing solar panels on their home must obtain permits from the City of Arden Hills, followed by an inspection of work once the project is completed. Refer to the City’s Solar Installation web page at cityofardenhills.org/1028/Solar- Installation for more details, and to learn about solar rebates and incentives. Arden Hills Service Directory Arden Hills City Hall 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 www.cityofardenhills.org 651-792-7800 Office Hours Monday through Friday 8 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 Gretchen Needham ● 651-792-7817 gneedham@cityofardenhills.org Communications Committee Council Liaison Fran Holmes 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 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 Stay in the Local Loop: Sign Up for “Notify Me” The City of Arden Hills wants to help residents be informed and aware of news and events in their communities. If you’d like to receive news notifications, sign up for News Flashes through Notify Me, the City’s alert system, at cityofardenhills.org/ list.aspx to receive emails and text messages about news that is important to you. Select from categories including news updates, newly published newsletters, and City Council and various Committee and Commission meetings; unsubscribe at any time. Except as indicated, all items were approved unanimously by a 5–0 vote. February 22, 2021 City Council Meeting • Approved the settlement agreement with Arden Hills Tobacco, Inc. whereby adults- only tobacco stores are prohibited from selling flavored tobacco products after July 1, 2023. • Accepted the resignation of the Community Development Manager/City Planner Mike Mrosla, with a last day of March 1, 2021. • Authorized staff to begin the recruitment process for a City Planner. Benchmarks: A Review of Recent City Council Action • Approved proposal for on-call City Engineer Services with HR Green, Inc. and Designated HR Green as Engineer of Record for the City. • Approved the permanent elimination of the Recreation Coordinator position (4–1, Councilmember Scott opposed). March 8, 2021 City Council Meeting • Appointed Emily Rousseau to the Financial Planning and Analysis Committee (FPAC) for a term expiring December 31, 2023. • Approved Resolution declaring Costs to Be Assessed, ordering the Preparation of Proposed Assessments and calling for a Public Hearing on Proposed Assessments for the 2021 Pavement Management Program (PMP) Street and Utility Improvement Project. • Resolution regarding support of Job Creation Fund Application in connection with Boston Scientific Corporation (tabled March 8 and adopted at the March 15 special meeting). For a complete listing of recent City Council action, visit cityofardenhills.org and click on View Agendas & Minutes. City of Arden Hills Employee Recognition Congratulations to Public Works Supervisor Jeff Frid for an impressive 15 years of full-time employment with Arden Hills; Public Works employees Max Arvidson and Thomas Mikacevich for 10 years of full-time employment; and City Clerk Julie Hanson, City Administrator David Perrault, and Public Works employee Michael Christofore on 5 years of full-time employment with the City of Arden Hills. The City applauds your service and commitment: thank you for your work on behalf of our community! Michael Christofore Thomas MikacevichMax Arvidson City Administrator Dave Perrault Public Works Supervisor Jeff Frid City Clerk Julie Hanson Last year’s garden plot lessees have priority in leasing the same plot from the year before. After April 5th, plots will be leased on a first come first serve basis. You may lease one plot until April 30th. If there are any plots available after April 30th, then you may reserve an additional plot beginning Monday, May 3rd. If you are interested in reserving a garden plot, please complete and mail the Garden Plot Sublease with the $51.00 fee to the City of Arden Hills. A layout of the available plots is included on page 2 of the form. Please indicate your first, second, and third choice on your sublease form. We will notify you of your assignment after May 7th. For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 651-792-7848 or visit the Garden Plot Rental page at cityofardenhills.org/210/Garden- Plot-Rental. If you don’t have the proper soil or sunlight conditions at your home but would love to grow your own flowers, herbs, and produce, the City of Arden Hills offers a solution: Once again, land will be set aside for local residents for the sole purpose of gardening. If you don’t have a garden or want a second garden, this is for you! The garden site is located on Old Highway 10 between Highway 96 and Lake Valentine Road. There will be a $51.00 plot fee to cover the costs of garden preparation. Spring/Summer 2021 Parks & Recreation Guide Get ready for the warmer weather with sports offerings and playground programs for a variety of youth ages, and yoga and meditation classes for adults. For detailed information on upcoming available courses, visit our Parks & Recreation Guide page on our website at cityofardenhills. org/204/Parks-and-Recreation-Guide. Register for Parks & Recreation activities online, or print and fill out the registration form and return it to the City of Arden Hills City Hall at 1245 W. Highway 96, Arden Hills, MN 55112. The City of Arden Hills Parks & Recreation Department is accepting applications for the following part-time seasonal positions: • Playground Leader • Evening Sports Instructor • Tennis Instructor (group lessons and private lessons) • Youth Soccer Official Pay rate depends on position. Apply by Friday, April 16 at 4:30 pm. For more information and to apply, please visit cityofardenhills.org/425/ Employment-Opportunities. City Seeks Seasonal Workers Calling All Gardeners: Garden Plots Are Available! Spring Road Construction If you are preparing to tackle a home improvement project this spring, keep in mind you may be required to obtain a permit through the City before starting construction. Exterior additions such as a deck, shed, and fencing require a zoning permit; interior projects such as basement finishing and replacing windows will require a building permit; and replacement of a water heater, furnace, or AC system will need a mechanical permit. This is only a partial list: for a full list of which projects necessitate a permit, visit the City’s Building & Permits web page at cityofardenhills.org/154/ Building-Permits. Upon approval of the permit, construction must be started within 180 days or a new permit will be required. Upon finishing work, please make sure to contact the City so an inspection may be conducted. A minimum notice of 24 hours is required for all inspections. For any questions about permits or inspections, contact Building Official Rob Ward at 651-792-7813. Reminder: Permits Needed for Many Remodeling Projects Buckthorn is an invasive species that negatively impacts local plant life diversity. To get rid of it, you have to pull it up by the roots or cut it down and spray the stump with a powerful herbicide that will prevent it from coming back and spreading. By request, the Public Works Department will pick up buckthorn from residential homes on Fridays from the end of May through the end of October. Residents are required to place the buckthorn in neat, manageable piles along the street curb. Please note that only buckthorn will be accepted. To arrange for a buckthorn pick up, you must complete and submit the Buckthorn Pick-Up Request form. The deadline for same-week pick up is noon on Thursdays. If a form is submitted after noon on Thursdays, the buckthorn will be picked up on Friday of the following week. For more information and to arrange for a pick up, visit the City’s buckthorn web page at cityofardenhills.org/308/ Buckthorn. Buckthorn Removal and Disposal Options The following road construction and improvement projects are scheduled to start this spring in Arden Hills: • Street and utility improvements within the Hazelnut Park neighborhood, including an evaluation of pavement and utilities along Lake Valentine Road. • Installation of two new pedestrian crosswalks with raised medians along Hamline Avenue near Wyncrest Court and Indian Oaks Circle. • Installation of drainable improvements along with north portion of Shorewood drive to resolve local flooding issues. • Karth Lake Runoff Control Project near Cummings Park. For project details and updates, visit our Road Construction Projects web page at cityofardenhills.org/216/Road- Construction-Projects. Postal Customer Inside Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 Flavored Tobacco Litigation Update Garden Plot Rentals Spring/Summer Parks & Rec Guide Permit Requirements Reminder Spring Road Construction ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid TWIN CITIES, MN Permit #1962 Ready to Recycle: What to Do with Disposable Cups, Straws, and Utensils The convenience of “take it to go” can make recycling confusing: which disposable items can be recycled or composted, and which should be trashed? Here’s a handy guide, compiled from Ramsey County’s A to Z Recycling & Disposal guide (ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/ a-z-disposal-guide), to help you wade through the choices. Recycle It ● Plastic cups and lids with a #5 recycling number ● Coffee sleeves (made of cardboard) Compost It ● Paper or plastic to-go cups and lids with BPI certification ● Straws with BPI certification (may be printed on the wrapper or the straw itself) ● Utensils with BPI certification (may be printed on the wrapper or the utensil itself) BPI certified items are accepted at Ramsey County’s food scraps collection sites (ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/collection-sites/food-scraps). Trash It ● Styrofoam™ cups ● Plastic and paper to-go cups ● Plastic straws ● Plastic utensils Still not sure? When in doubt, throw it out. It is best to avoid contaminating the food scraps or recycling collection. So, if you just don’t know, throw your disposable item in the trash. What To Do with Different Types of Glass Not all types of glass are recyclable. Some types of glass have a different melting point than others and cannot be mixed together. Keep in mind the following, and you’ll be ready to recycle. Okay in curbside recycling cart: • Glass bottles – OK to leave caps on • Glass jars – OK to leave caps on Should be placed in the trash: • Broken glass • Drinking glasses • Window glass • Mirror glass • Glass cookware • Mason jars and glass vases