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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 2016The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents July 2016 Lake Johanna Fire Station Number One to close Lake Johanna Fire Station Number One, located on New Brighton Road at Jerrold Avenue, figured promi- nently in the lives of the families in the sur- rounding neighborhoods during the 1950’s and 60’s. The noon whistle told the kids it was time to head home for lunch. The 9 p.m. siren was curfew and ended the games of Kick the Can and Starlight, Moonlight. On winter days, there was ice skating on the frozen pond behind the fire station; on summer patriotic holidays, Cub Scouts and Joy Shockley’s baton twirlers followed the fire engines in parades down Lake Johanna Boulevard. And of course, many of the neighborhood dads were the volunteer fire fighters who were summoned by the siren at various times of the day and night to rush off to a fire. That first Lake Johanna fire station opened in 1943, with one truck, after members of the Department sponsored numerous fund- raising activities to provide start-up capital for fire service to the community. Those same volunteers pitched in to do the actual construction as well. Over the years, a new larger station was built next to the original, and that building underwent reconstruction in 1988. Much has changed since the first station opened. The Lake Johanna Fire Department is now a private non-profit organization providing fire protection services to the Cities of Arden Hills, North Oaks, and Shoreview. The Department covers 36 square miles and protects a population of about 41,000 residents. Lake Johanna Fire Chief Tim Boehlke pointed out on a large map the area served by the department, which has changed over time, and the location of each of the fire stations. Given the larger service area, Station Number One is clearly no longer in a beneficial location, and the aging building is in need of many repairs. Thus it was decided last year to close this facility as soon as a buyer is found for the property, which is zoned residential. The closure will leave a de- partment consisting of three stations, 16 vehicles, four full-time staff members, and about 60 paid on-call fire fighters, who are trained in Hazardous-Materials Opera- tions and EMT, as well as Fire Fighting. Many members have training such as Water/ Ice Rescue, Haz-Mat Technician, Ropes and Confined Space. Twenty-four hour staffing began at two of the stations in July, 2015. According to Boehlke, the new staffing has improved the Department’s response time in emergencies of many kinds as well as structure fires. Chief Boehlke, a 31-year department veteran who grew up in the neighborhood, says he is not taking the closing lightly and recognizes the history in the building. How- ever, with 24-hour staffing, professional training, and increasing cooperation with other fire departments in the area, Boehlke says, “The service in Arden Hills has never been better, and closing this station is not going to change that.” by Susan Cathey Lake Johanna Fire Station Number One Pictures: Below: Chief Boehlke Bottom right: First Station One, 1943 Bottom left: New fire truck, early 1960s Arden Hills Service Directory 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 www.cityofardenhills.org Summer Office Hours Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.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@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 Council Liaison: Jonathan Wicklund Staff Liaison: Julie Hanson 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 archived meeting playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official news- letter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. 2 Recycling everywhere you go! Penny Carnival Friday, July 29, 1-3 p.m. Perry Park Gather up your pennies and come celebrate the end of the 2016 Summer Playground programs! Bark and Rec Day Saturday, July 30, 1-3 p.m. Perry Park Second annual event for dogs and dog- lovers in the new off-leash dog area at Perry Park. FREE event for all ages. Re- freshments and snacks will be available. July Parks and Recreation event news Summer is here! Even if you’re not at home at times this summer, you can still actively participate in recycling. Make environmentally friendly decisions no matter where you are by taking your commitment on the road. Green away from home You’ve worked hard to make sure that recycling is the norm at your house. But do you take that with you when you leave? A little bit of planning ahead along with the willing- ness to seek out recycling options goes a long way while you’re away from home. Plan ahead Before you leave, take a few small steps to ensure that you will be able to recycle while out. • Don’t buy individually wrapped snacks • Do buy snacks in bulk or make sure that packaging is recyclable (or stick with snacks that have their own packaging like fruit!) • Don’t buy big packs of bottled water • Do bring a refillable water bottle • Don’t throw things in the first trash bin you see • Do look for recycling bins or bring a bag to store recyclables Don’t see it? Ask for it! If you don’t see recycling options, be sure to ask. If you attend a special event and recy- cling is not provided, contact someone from the organization and let them know that you would have liked to have been able to recycle while at their event. Write a letter after the event or ask someone during the festivities. Fore more information visit www.ramseyrecycles.com. Night to Unite is August 2 The annual Night to Unite neighborhood gathering is sched- uled this year for Tuesday, August 2. Neighborhoods are encouraged to register their events with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department. To learn more about Night to Unite, go to www.ramseycounty.us and type Night to Unite in the search tab. from Ramsey Recycles Three City Council seats are up for election this fall—two are four-year terms and one is a two-year term. Anyone interested in filing an Affidavit of Candidacy may do so beginning August 2, 2016. Candidate filing packets will be available at City Hall or at the Ramsey County Elec- tions Office (90 W. Plato Blvd. St. Paul) during the filing period. The last day to file is August 16, at 5 p.m. The cost to file is $2 and must be paid with cash or check. Thinking about running for a City office this fall? 3 Watch for “No Parking” zones around State Fair Park and Ride sites this summer This summer, the City has plans to install temporary ‘No Parking’ signs on streets affected by the annual influx of parked cars near Minnesota State Fair Park and Ride lots. There are four Park and Ride locations in Arden Hills: •Bethel University Anderson Center (for- merly Country Financial), one block south of County Road E on Pine Tree Drive; •Catholic United Financial on Lexington Avenue, two blocks south of County Road E; •Presbyterian Church of the Way on Lexington Avenue, three blocks south of County Road E; •Trinity Lutheran of Lake Johanna lot on New Brighton Road, north of County Road D. On many days during the run of the Great Minnesota Get-Together, these locations are well-utilized and the lots fill quickly, often resulting in increased parking on surrounding streets. Issues, ranging from excessive littering, to lawn and property damage, to US Mail and deliveries not being received because mailboxes are blocked by parked cars, are often reported by residents in these areas. More importantly, these parking problems present a significant public safety issue. Impacted residents have reported that driveways are often blocked by cars so that they cannot safely use them. Not only does this increase the likelihood of property damage to cars, but it puts resident safety at risk, as well as that of Park and Ride us- ers as they circle blocks to find parking and walk to and from their parked cars. In addition, the Park and Ride buses struggle to pass through the cramped streets in order to drop off and pick up riders. The Lake Johanna Fire Department has also expressed concern as to whether their emergency vehicles would be able to access a home in these areas if their as- sistance was needed. In years past, the City has installed tem- porary signage, only to have the parking problems migrate to other streets. Some residents have even resorted to posting their own signs on their property and using barricades such as sawhorses to reserve adequate space for safe usage of their driveways and ensure mail delivery. Many times, unfortunately, these measures have been ignored and even physically removed by fairgoers. Mayor David Grant and Councilmember Brenda Holden plan to canvass affected neighborhoods prior to the start of the State Fair to determine which streets are most affected and require signage to ensure public safety during this time of year. The proposed signage will indicate that viola- tors are subject to towing. In the weeks since Mark Moser joined the Public Works team in early May, he has been busy pitching in on projects involving all departments: parks, sewer, streets, surface water, and water. Some tasks that have presented themselves – such as a water main issue at Perry Park, blacktopping the parking lot at Ingerson Park, and maintenance of the lift stations – have required some on-the-job learning. Other general maintenance and landscap- ing projects cover familiar territory. It is this variety of job responsibilities, the opportunity to apply his past work experience, and the chance to gain new job skills that appealed to Moser when he applied for this position with the City. He has approximately 14 years of experience in the construction industry and enjoys working outside and using his hands to build and repair. His most recent work ex- perience was an approximately three-year stint in facilities maintenance and supervision at a college campus in North Dakota. Born and raised in western Wisconsin, Moser is happy to be back in the Twin Cities with a job that presents potential for growth and relative job security. “I am looking forward to being part of the growth in Arden Hills and keeping the community happy,” he said. “Having a job that serves the public and keeps them safe is very gratifying for me.” Moser will be spending the summer work- ing, house hunting in the Ham Lake area with his wife, and hopefully finding time to do a little hunting or fishing. • Authorized City staff to coordinate repairs on the Arden View Court storm sewer (5-0). • Approved the Cooperative Agree- ment PUBW2016-13(R) with Ramsey County for the reconstruction of the County Road H/35W Interchange between Old Hwy 8 and the easterly 35W Ramp Terminal (5-0). • Accepted a proposal to complete 1½ inch mill and overlay on Sandeen Road (5-0). • Approved resolution 2016-017 relat- ing to commission and committee appointments. Terrance Finlay is now part of the Parks, Trails, and Recre- ation Committee (PTRC) (5-0). • Approved a motion to enter into a contract with William S. Joynes to conduct the recruitment, screening, and selection of the Administrator Candidates for the City of Arden Hills (5-0). Note: other minor items were approved. Review online minutes from meetings for details. Mark Moser joins Public Works team Benchmarks— A look at City Council actions by Tina Kulzer by Tina Kulzer Postal Customer I n s i d e Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 Lake Johanna Fire Station One to Close Summer Recycling Tips Parking at State Fair Time Mark Moser Joins Staff News from the Mayor Subscribe to these social media resources to learn about City events, recreation opportunities, and more. www.twitter.com/ardenhills/city www.facebook.com/CityofArdenHillsMN Find us on social media With Alatus now chosen as the de- veloper for Rice Creek Commons, the question I am asked often is, “What is next?” I would like to share with you some of the major efforts underway and some of the significant milestones that are to be accomplished by the end of this year. Two major items are now underway. First is the development of a new County Road H bridge with improved entry and exit ramps. Construction should be substan- tially completed later this year. County Road H will be the major entrance to Rice Creek Commons. The second item is a 90-day study being conducted by the developer to determine what the market demand is for various zoning types. For example, there are several zoning districts that will support single family homes. The market demand study will show what price points, amenities, and styles are in greatest demand. The town neighborhood is perhaps the most interesting area in the study. It has smaller lots, some apartments or condo units along with a variety of other possible housing types in addition to retail. The study will answer just what amenities will be supported in the town center neighbor- hood. A walkable area with shops, res- taurants, fountains, plazas, and gathering areas is one of the endless possibilities. The commercial district will also be part of the study to determine the demand for office and light manufacturing employers. The market study will also answer several key questions. How should the boulevard look? How should the water feature that runs through the development look and function (as well as be an amenity to the property)? Should Rice Creek Commons remain as the name of the development? The Rice Creek Commons name was developed for the purpose of marketing the property to developers. It was not intended to be the final name, but it could be. In the next six months there are two very important agreements that need ratification. The development agreement will specify various phases of development on the property. It is anticipated that the develop- er, along with other partners, will purchase sections of the property to start the devel- opment. As areas are developed, additional property will be purchased. The study will help determine which areas should go first and which areas will be developed in later phases. For example, perhaps the town neighbor- hood should go first with its variety of housing and shops. With this established, commercial developers will have some of the amenities they desire and companies will follow. Then again, perhaps the retail should go first, creating a variety of retail and restaurants, thereby driving housing. Maybe employers should go first, creat- ing a demand for housing and retail. The development agreement will document the phasing of the development. As such, it is a major item to be completed. The purchase agreement will specify the financial transaction. In some ways it is similar to other real estate purchase agreements. Where it differs is the amount of detail specified in the document. The amount of detail required increases the overall level of effort, time, and discus- sions necessary to complete the agreement. In this transaction, the County is the seller and Alatus is the purchaser. Naturally, the developer cannot develop the property until a purchase agreement is signed. It is another major item that must be completed. Hopefully, by the end of the year each item will be completed. It is a lot of work, but things are moving forward. I think we are taking the time to do things right. If you have suggestions, pass them along to the City Council and/or City staff. Have a great summer. David Grant, Mayor ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities, MN Permit #1962