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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 May NL 2022 (PDF)The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents May 2022 Around Town: Arden Hills Trails Arden Hills is well known for its many miles of trails. Residents and non-residents alike take advantage of the solace they offer as a convenient connection to nature. The City Council is aware that resident demand is very high for more trails in the City. While many appreciate the trails, few are aware of the complex, extended, and expensive process of constructing them. Safety is the primary factor considered by Arden Hills' leadership when determining which trails will be constructed next. Other considerations that impact the decision-making proces include connections to pre-existing trail systems, coordination with other city, county, and state agencies, specific funding opportunities, corridor studies, and existing capital projects. Projects that involve multiple agencies often require a more extended planning period. It is important to understand that the construction of trails is not a simple task, since many factors go into the planning and design phase before the trails can be built. Many of these variables can greatly impact the overall cost of the project, including: • Topography and grade of slopes • Vegetation and foliage • Impact on wetlands • Soil conditions • Existing road sections and curbs • Right of Way space • Retaining wall needs • Driveway impacts • ADA compliance • Public utilities including sewer and water • Stormwater Management requirements In 2018, Arden Hills constructed the trail that extends along Old Hwy 10 from County Rd E2 to County Rd E, then along County Rd E to the connection at the Highway 51 interchange. This trail is about 4,500 feet in length and cost $2.4 million dollars to construct. In conjunction with road and utility improvements, an asphalt trail will be constructed on the west side of Snelling Avenue North from Highway 51 to County Road E. As of now, the estimated cost of the trail is estimated about $1.5 million. Construction is anticipated to begin soon.1 Service Directory Arden Hills City Hall 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 cityofardenhills.org 651-792-7800 Summer Office Hours Monday–Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–5:00 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 ● 612-599-2457 fholmes@cityofardenhills.org Steve Scott ● 651-604-0919 sscott@cityofardenhills.org David Radziej ● 651-356-5928 dradziej@cityofardenhills.org City Administrator Dave Perrault ● 651-792-7824 dperrault@cityofardenhills.org Communications Coordinator Grace Arel ● 651-792-7817 garel@cityofardenhills.org City Council Liasons Fran Holmes and David Radziej Resident Resources cityofardenhills.org/1091/Resident- Resources Council meetings are held at City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. Meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Planning Commission meetings are also televised. 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 City Hall Summer Hours of Operation Summer staffing hours at City Hall begin Tuesday, May 31 and end Friday, September 2. City Hall will be open from 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30 am - 11:30 am on Fridays. Resident Resources Webpages The new Resident Resources webpages provide answers to your questions about living in Arden Hills. You'll find helpful information for residents, including locations of city amenities, how to pay your utility bill, how to receive city updates, and more. Access them at cityofardenhills.org/1091/ Resident-Resources. Touch-a-Truck event on May 21st Join us to celebrate National Public Works Week on May 21st from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm at Perry Park! Get a close-up look at some of your favorite vehicles, including a fire engine, squad car, patrol boat, snowplow, and more. Arden Hills Public Works, Lake Johanna Fire Department, Ramsey County Sheriff, Allina Health, and the National Guard will all be in attendance. Don't miss this afternoon of family fun! Dogs in Public Being a responsible pet owner means picking up after our cherished companions. Choosing not to do so is not only an unsightly and stinky eyesore-- when left on the ground to disintegrate naturally, dog feces break down into particles that pollute our watershed. This pollution can breed diseases that are transmissible to both animals and humans. Although dog waste is natural, the difference between it and that of wild animals is that wild animals eat a diet from their ecological habitat that may include wild berries, native vegetation, or critters lower on the food chain. Pets are often fed nutrient-dense pet foods that create waste full of nitrogen and phosphorus. An excess of these nutrients can upend the delicate balance of an ecosystem. Across the United States, the 83 million dogs we call family produce an impressive 10.6 million tons of poop every year! Whether it’s a Great Dane or Dachshund, every dog adds to the overall count. Your neighbors and your environment will appreciate your efforts to clean up your pet's waste. Leashing Rules With the weather turning warmer, many residents are enjoying walks with their dogs. They should be able to do so without becoming a victim of an aggressive animal. City ordinance requires that dogs stay within the confines of the owner’s property, and when in public, dogs should be restrained except in designated off-leash areas. Owners of aggressive dogs will be financially liable for injuries to people or other animals. Pet Licensing Dog and cat owners are required to apply for pet licenses biennially. You can do so online at cityofardenhills.org/150/Pet-Licenses. 2 Benchmarks: A Review of Recent Council Action April 11, 2022 City Council Meeting All items were approved unanimously by a 5–0 vote. • Approved the City’s updated Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management Plan and awarded contract for professional services with Rainbow Tree Care to treat existing ash trees on City property and private property (with a resident individually contracting). • Conducted a public hearing and approved a Resolution adopting and confirming Quarterly Special Assessments for Delinquent Utilities and certifying to Ramsey County. • Conducted a public hearing and tabled to May 9, 2022 the adoption of the Assessment Roll for the Snelling Avenue North Street and Utility Improvement Project. • Awarded the Snelling Avenue North Street and Utility Improvements Contract to T.A. Schifsky & Sons, Inc. Living with Wildlife Arden Hills is home to many wild animals, including foxes, coyotes, turkey, deer and more. Many animals like squirrels, raccoons and deer thrive on the habitat created by suburban sprawl and the fragmentation of woods and forests. Unfortunately, wildlife can cause damage to vegetation, leave behind waste, damage property and, in rare situations, become aggressive. Even those who cherish wildlife will recognize the enormous amount of damage and frustration animals can cause. To protect pets and wildlife, owners should monitor and leash pets in areas where they may encounter wildlife. Wild animals are protected and can't be killed to defend a pet. Do not take live animals to another area to release as this may spread disease. April 25, 2022 Special City Council Meeting All items were approved unanimously by a 5–0 vote. • Proclaimed the week of May 15-21, 2022 as National Public Works Week in Arden Hills recognizing the contributions which public works employees make every day to our health, safety, comfort, and quality of life. • Approved an agreement with Animal Humane Society to provide animal impound services for the City; replacing Saint Paul Animal Control who notified the City that it would no longer be able to provide these services. • Authorized City Staff to begin Summer Work Hours beginning Tuesday, May 31, 2022, and concluding Friday, September 2, 2022. • Accepted two donation from the Arden Hills Foundation: 1) $1,067.60 for a new park bench to be placed in Floral Park donated by Julie Gerlitz and 3 her family; and 2) $287.81 for a new plaque donated by Chris and Joanne Messerly that will be placed on an existing park bench. • Appointed Kerri Seemann to the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee (PTRC). • Held a special assessment hearing and adopted the assessment roll for the Arden Oaks Street Improvement Project and awarded the contract for this project to ASTECH Corporation. • Held a public hearing and approved the vacation of a drainage and ponding easement request for the Scannell Properties property located at Lot 1, Block 1, Gateway Interstate plat. • Held the required public hearing and approved an application for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a Class II Accessory Home Occupation. For a complete listing of recent City Council actions, visit cityofardenhills. org and click on “View Agendas and Minutes.” Animal control services are focused on domestic animal issues. Animal Control does not remove wild animals simply because they are on your property. The City recommends the use of private licensed professional animal control companies for removal of distressed wildlife. Deputies and police officers only respond when there is a threat to public safety involving injured or dangerous wildlife on private property. If you see road kill, like deer carcasses, call the road authority that has immediate responsibility. For interstates and state highways, contact the MN Department of Transportation. For county roads, contact Ramsey County Public Works. For city roads and streets, contact Arden Hills Public Works at 651- 792-7850. Emerald Ash Borer in Arden Hills If you live in Minnesota, it is likely that you have an ash tree on your property. Ash trees are a common native tree species and were also frequently planted as landscape or boulevard trees. More than one in five metro area trees is an ash tree. Where there are ash trees, there are Emerald Ash Borers (EAB), an invasive beetle from Asia. Emerald ash borer are small, iridescent green beetles that live outside of trees during the summer months. The larvae is worm-like and live underneath the bark of ash trees. Trees are killed by the tunneling of the larvae under the tree's bark. They spread through short-distance flights and infested firewood transported long distance The Current EAB situation St. Paul and Falcon Heights confirmed EAB discovery in 2009. The City of Shoreview confirmed EAB discovery in 2011. Since then, EAB has spread into Arden Hills. It is not known how these locations initially got infected, though close proximity to interstate highways could have played a role. The principal spread of EAB has been along travel corridors. Although it is not possible to stop the spread of invasive species, like the Emerald Ash Borer, the City of Arden Hills’ EAB Management Plan is designed to help manage the impacts. The City’s mitigation of EAB will be similar to the policy and intent of Dutch Elm and Oak Wilt Disease, which attempts to control and prevent the spread of these diseases. What can I do? • Don't import materials to 4 Minnesota that could harbor EAB such as firewood and all ash materials. • Don't move firewood unless it's Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Certified firewood with the Certified Seal below. • Remember that it is illegal to move all non-coniferous firewood outside of EAB quarantine areas and into Minnesota. • Be able to recognize EAB and remain vigilant about the condition of your ash trees. Rainbow Treecare EAB Discount for Residents The City has updated its EAB policy and signed a contract with Rainbow Treecare. Arden Hills residents are now eligible for a discounted price for EAB EAB on Penny with Exit Holes Photo by Howard Russell, Michigan State University treatment from Rainbow Treecare. Although the City is contracting with Rainbow Treecare, the City is not responsible for the actions or quality of work. Learn more about Rainbow Treecare's services at rainbowtreecare.com/tree-services How to Report EAB Please use one of the following methods if you suspect you have found EAB in a new location: • Contact Report A Pest via the MN Department of Agriculture's new online reporting form or by leaving a detailed phone message at 1-888-545-6684 • Send a report through the Great Lakes Early Detection Network App • Login or create an EDDMapS Midwest account and submit a report at eddmaps.org Find more information about EAB in Arden Hills at cityofardenhills. org/1173/Emerald-Ash-Borer- EAB. Information in this article was taken from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (cityofardenhills.org/mda-eab) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources websites (cityofardenhills.org/dnr-eab). Did you know the stormdrain on your street or in your backyard is directly connected to a neighborhood lake, pond, or wetland? Anything that goes down the stormdrain is not cleaned or treated before it enters our lakes and ponds. If litter is left on the street, sidewalk, or driveway, it will be washed into the stormdrain and ultimately the lake when it rains. Even seemingly harmless substances can have a dramatic effect on water quality, including grass clippings, leaves, and soaps. Help keep our local lakes, wetlands and ponds clean by sweeping all spilled substances or pollution off driveways, sidewalks, and streets. Never pour anything down the stormdrain—remember: only rain down the drain. Here's what you can do: • Adopt a Drain (https://adopt-a- drain.org/) near your home and help prevent these pollutants from washing into local water bodies • Properly dispose of household hazardous waste like medicines, paints, chemicals, etc. 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 • Install a rain garden or rain barrel on your property • Limit herbicide and pesticide applications, especially before windy or rainy days • Sweep up excess salt after snow and ice storms • Keep vehicle(s) maintained to prevent auto fluids leaking onto streets 5 Crime Prevention Tips In the past few months, there has been a rise in catalytic converter thefts in Ramsey County. Preventing these types of thefts is challenging for several reasons. Catalytic converters are not serialized, so it’s difficult to trace them back to the original owner. The metals contained in catalytic converters are quite valuable, so sales to recycling centers remain highly profitable. Some auto garages offer installation of anti-theft devices that are welded to the exhaust system of the converter. This is an expensive yet effective option. However, the cost is far less than that of a theft. Consider etching a unique number or code on the catalytic converter body so that it can be clearly identified. If stolen, this number can be provided to Law Enforcement to potentially help identify the offender. Park hybrid vehicles in garages or well-lit areas. Hybrid vehicles are a target for catalytic converter thefts because the precious metals they contain are consumed slower than in standard combustion engines. This article's information was taken from the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office monthly contract cities report. To report a theft, call 911. To contact the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, call 651-266- 7339 or email crimeprevention@co.ramsey.mn.us. Stormwater Drainage Infographic made by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Inside Emerald Ash Borer Information and Resident Discount from Rainbow Treecare Living with Wildlife Parks and Recreation: Touch-A- Truck event The Importance of Stormwater Drainage What to do with Plastic Bags Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 6 Ever wonder what to do with the extra plastic bags lying around your home? Plastic bags can accumulate rapidly. Unfortunately, they are not accepted in Republic Services curbside recycling because they can get caught in the sorting machines at recycling facilities. Instead, we recommend reusing plastic bags or bringing them to a nearby drop-off site. Most Cub Foods, Target, and Walmart locations have recycling receptacles for bags and other plastic films. Please visit https:// bagandfilmrecycling.org/ for a drop-off directory. Other items that can be brought to the plastic film recycling drop- off include pallet wrap, grocery bags, bread bags, disposable water bottles case overwrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, Ziplock and other food storage baggies, produce bags, product wrap, cereal box liners, air pillows, and bubble wrap. Just like plastic containers, plastic bags are also numbered based on the type of plastic used. Plastic bags labeled with #1, #3, #5, #6, or #7 cannot be recycled. Before you take your plastic bags to a drop-off location, please remember the following: •Make sure bags are clean and dry. •Do not include compostable or degradable bags, pre-washed salad bags, frozen food bags, mulch bags or material that has been painted or glued. •Only bags labeled with #2 or #4 (polyethylene) will be accepted For more information, check out RamseyRecycles.com or call 651- 633-3279.