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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 01-26-1995Y.0 JANUARY 26, 1995 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS .... 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY: JANUARY 30 6:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Public Safety Training Room TOPICS: Review parliamentary rules; Consider moratorium on certain types of development; 1995 Goals & Objectives; Roles & expectations of Council and Staff; Economic Development Strategy; and City Manager Evaluation Process JANUARY 31 5:30 P.M. BOARD & COMMISSION INTERVIEWS Public Safety Training Room 2. SPECIAL ELECTIONS - SENATE DISTRICT 33 -- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2. Voting will take place at the following locations: Pct. 15 (Pilgrim United Methodist Church), Pct. 16 (Bass Lake Playfield Shelter Building), Pct. 19 (Pilgrim Lane Elementary) and Pct. 20 (Zachary Lane Elementary). The City Center front counter will remain open until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1 for absentee voting. 3. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 8:00 p.m., Public Safety Training Room 4. TWINWEST NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS RECEPTION -- Wednesday, February 8, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. The Twinwest Chamber of Commerce will host a Newly Elected Officials Reception at the chamber office, 10550 Wayzata Boulevard. Invitation attached. (M-4) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO January 26, 1995 Page 2 5. MLC LEGISLATIVE DINNER -- Wednesday, February 8, Decathlon Athletic Club, Bloomington, 6:30 p.m.- social; 7:30 p.m. dinner/program. Invitation attached. (M-5) 6. METRO MEETINGS ---- The weekly calendar of meetings for the Metropolitan Council and its advisory commissions is attached. (M-6) 7. MEETING CALENDARS - January and February meeting calendar are attached. (M-7) 1. DEPARTMENT REPORTS a. Weekly Building Permit Report for Commercial/Industrial/Public and Use Types. (I- la) 2. MINUTES: a. Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, January 12, 1995. (1-2a) 3. NEWS ARTICLES. RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC. a. "Homebuyers Look for Bike Paths, Greenways; Not Tennis or Golf" - magazine article provided by Eric Blank. b. Attached Policy Priorities issues brochure developed by the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities. We also have on file a final copy of the AMM Legislative Policies for 1995. If you are interesting in reviewing, please contact Kathy. (I -3b) c. News release from the Municipal Legislative Commission outlining the Governor's 1996-97 budget plans for LGA/HACA. (I -3c) d. Copies of Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press concerning State Representative Myron Orfeld's Tax Redistribution Plan, collected under a cover letter from Attorney Robert Renner, Jr. (I -3d) e. Star Tribune article of January 25, 1995 about Governor Carlson's plans to change the way homeowners pay their property taxes. (I -3e) f. Star Tribune article of January 26, 1995 detailing the turn of events surrounding the January 22 Medicine Lake Ice Fishing Contest. (I -3f) 4. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS POLICY - CORRESPONDENCE a. Letter responding to Dr. Robert May, 18220 - 19th Avenue North, from Fred Moore, concerning the speed of traffic on 19th Avenue. (I -4a) A status report on all correspondence and inquiries is also attached. (I -4b) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO January 26, 1995 Page 3 5. MEMOS & CORRESPONDENCE: a. Letter from Cheryl Miller, Wetlands Program Director, Minnesota Audubon Council, congratulating the City on the adoption of the wetlands ordinance. (I -5a) b. Memo from Fred Moore regarding the upgrading of the bridge at I-494. (I -5b) c. Letter from Craig Gerdes mailed to Plymouth churches and apartment complexes on sponsoring alternative recreation events on Super Bowl Sunday. (I -5c) d. Letter of appreciation from Berteil Mahoney, Director, Teens Alone, for the City's 1995 human service funding contribution. (I -5d) e. Letter from LaDonna Hoy, Executive Director, Interfaith Outreach, on the Regency Pointe Collaborative Project. (I -5e) f. Letter to Dave Buzzelle, 10222 South Shore Drive, from Councilmember Granath, regarding procedure for considering South Shore Drive street improvements. (I -5f) g. Samples of letters sent to Plymouth legislators regarding the legislative dinner on January 23. (I -5g) Dwight Johnson City Manager M- LA Newly Elected Officials Reception Wednesday, February 8, 1995 4:30 - 6:00 pm TwinWest Chamber Office 10550 Wayzata Boulevard (North frontage road of I-394, next door to the Cattle Company.) so that we M i .da i.' I' l l #A UVIYUMORMWAYPI The Newly Elected Officials Reception is T winWest's annual reception designed to recognize newly elected and appointed officials who represent the 1winWest area. This is an informal event with a brief program during which officials who were appointed or elected within the last year will be introduced. This is an excellent opportunity for all area officials to start off the new year with TwinWest, for new officials to find out what services the Chamber provides, and for Chamber members to meet their representatives. M- S The Municipal Legislative Commission (MLC) cordially invites you to attend the Eleventh Annual MLC Legislative Dinner Wednesday, February 8, 1995 6:30 p.m. Social Hour 7:30 p.m. Dinner / Program Decathlon Athletic Club 1700 East 79th Street Bloomington, Minnesota Please RSVP to Jennifer Peterson, 228-9757 Based upon Ethical Practices Opinion #153 it has been determined that Legislators and local elected officials may attend without cost to them; Legislative dinners will be paid for by individual member cities. M-� METRO MEETINGS A weekly calendar of meetings and agenda items for the Metropolitan Council, its advisory and standing committees, and three regional commissions: Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, and Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission. Meeting times and agendas are occasionally changed. Questions about meetings should be directed to the appropriate organization. Meeting information is also available on the Metro Information Line at 229-3780. DATE: January 20, 1995 WEEK OF: January 23 -January 27, 1995 METROPOLITAN COUNCIL Community Development Committee - Monday, Jan. 23, Noon, Room 1A. The committee will consider. a request to transfer funds from Grant AG -94-1 to SG -94-66 for continued development of North Mississippi Regional Park by the Minneapolis Park. & Recreation Board; public hearing findings and recommendation to adopt policies regarding contaminated soils and capping abandoned wells in regional parkland and FY 1990-92 regional parks CIP amendment; Maple Grove comprehensive plan amendment metropolitan urban service area expansion; and other business. Transportation Committee - Monday, Jan. 23, 4 p.m., Chambers. The committee will consider. adoption and certification of the 1995 Paratransit Plan for the Twin Cities metropolitan area with the Transportation Development Guide/Policy Plan; Kauffman -Stewart advertising contract; agreement with Mn/DOT to build a ramp bypass at Highway 36 and I -35E; Transit Capital Improvement Program; new airport comprehensive plan draft alternative environment document; policy statement on new major airport; report to the legislature -1994 contingency assessment; major airport planning - 1994 report to the legislature; public hearing results and service reduction recommendations; Metropolitan Airports Commission capital 1995 capital improvements projects and 1996 capital improvement program; and other business. An informal discussion on ADA requirements and related metro mobility issues will take place 15 minutes after the adjournment of committee meeting. Special Meeting/Environment Committee - Wednesday, Jan. 25., 4 p.m., Chambers. The committee will consider: authorization to procure Ellerbe land for closure of Seneca Ash Landfill; authorization to award and execute a contract for Cottage Grove wastewater treatment plant phase 9 final clarifiers; Southeast Regional Plant consultant selection process; process report on Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant solids processing study; policy plan status report; and other business. Chair's Informal Meeting with Council Members - Thursday, Jan. 26, 3 p.m., Chair's Office. Metropolitan Council - Thursday, Jan. 26, 4 p.m., Chambers. The Council will consider. Minnetonka comprehensive plan amendment for Creekside in Minnetonka, second addition; rejection of bids for replacement of the heating and ventilation system at the MJ. Ruter garage; Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park $65,764 development grant request; Nine Mile Creek WMO management plan review; Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Program 1994 status report; authorization to award and execute a contract for Burnsville and Golden Valley south interceptor rehabilitation; authorization to execute amendment No. 6 to Professional Services MCWS Contract No. C-2925, MWWTP environmental inventory and review; agreement to convey the beltline interceptor to the Ramsey -Washington Metro Watershed District; comments on proposed air quality conformity rules; Metro Mobility agency contracts for National School Bus, Inc. and Yellow Taxi Service Corporation; amendment to Southwest Metro Transit Commission's 1994 management plan and budget; Transportation Policy Plan amendment process initiation; changing the regular meeting days for the Transportation Committee; amendments to Council bylaws - second reading and approval; adoption of 1995 Affirmative Actions Plans; rescission of health insurance benefits for Domestic Partners Policy; approval of Pay Equity Report; authorization of the regional administrator and general manager, Wastewater Services, to take emergency action to ensure continued operation of Wastewater Services in the event of a strike; confirmation of Dakota County's appointment to the Transportation Advisory Board; and other business. Legislative Coordinating Group - Friday, Jan. 27, Noon, Room IA. TENTATIVE MEETINGS THE WEEK OF JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 3, 1995 Metro Mobility Public Foram - Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m., Minneapolis Convention Center, Room 102AB, 1301 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis Transportation Technical Advisory Committee to the Transportation Advisory Board - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m., Chambers. Environment Committee - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 4 p.m., Chambers. Metro Mobility Public Forum - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Chambers. Metro Mobility Public Forum - Thursday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m., Chambers. Finance Committee - Thursday, Feb. 2, 4 p.m., Room 2A. Metropolitan Radio Systems Planning Committee - Friday, Feb. 3, 9 am., Chambers. Metro Mobility Public Forum - Friday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m., Minneapolis Convention Center, Room 101E, 1301 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis. February Brown Bag Lunch Meeting - Friday, Feb. 3, Noon, Room 2A. Legislative Coordinating Group - Friday, Feb. 3, Noon, Room 1A/Staeheli, 6409 The Metropolitan Council is located at Mears Park Centre, 230 E. Fifth St., St. Paul. Meeting times and agenda are subject to change. For more information or confirmation of meetings, call 291-6447, (TDD 291-0904). Call the Metro Information Line at 229-3780 for news of Council actions and coming meetings. METROPOLITAN SPORTS FACILITIES COMMISSION Commission Meeting - Wednesday, Jan. 25, 9:30 a.m., Commission office conference room. The commission will elect officers for 1995 and amend the Commission by-laws to change the regular meeting date to the third Wednesday of the month. The Finance Committee will report on the Commission's property insurance selection; the nine month financial statement for the period ended Sept. 30, 1994; the financial impact of the major league baseball strike; update on the sale of the Met Center property; and investment report from the Commission's advisor, SIT Investments. The Intergovernmental Relations Committee will make a recommendation regarding contract terms for the Commission's legislative representatives and the Marketing Committee will report on the turf novelty sale. There will be an update on the Target Center and an executive session to discuss pending litigation matters. Committee of the Whole - Friday, Jan. 27, 1 p.m., the Radisson Metrodome, Minneapolis. The committee will be discussion the Commission's capital improvement plans. The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission office is located at 900 South 5th St., Minneapolis, MN 55415. All meetings are held in the Commission office conference room, unless noted otherwise. Meeting times and agendas occasionally must be changed. To verify meeting schedules and agenda items, please call Tamra Sharp, 335-3310. OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS January 1995 .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 3 4 5 6 7 City Offices Closed 7:00 PM SNOWMOBILE TASK FORCE -Pub. Safety Library 5:00 PM OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE -Council Conf. Room _ 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUN-, CI MTG cil: NCZL � +� 7:30 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Pub. Safety Training Room 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5:00 PM FINANCIAL ADVI- SORY COMMITTEE - Coun- cil Cont. Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 7:00 PM PRAC - Council Chambers 15 17 18 19 20 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. - City Offices Closed 6:00 PM COUNCH, SUBCOM- MITTEE FOR BOARDS/ COMMISSIONS -Council Conf Rat 7:00 PM PACT - Pub. Safety Library SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION - SENATE DIST. 33 City Center Counter Open to 7 p.m. -Absentee Voting 0o Pnr COf7rtctL'tlt>�FTBNC- : i! COe11 t�t�`wlibia 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 6100 PM SPECIAL COUNZ CIL MEETING Pub 4f SaCetlCragRoom��.;; 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 7:00 PM HRA - Coun- cil Chambers 29 30 31 December 94 February 95 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUN'- CILMEETING Pt► Saf -Trfi Roblin " -. g �.�+ 5:30 PM BOARD & COM- MISSION INTER- Pub. VIEWS S f Safety - u. ae Trng Room S M T W T F S S M T WT F S 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 4 s 6 7 8 9 10 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 IS 16 17 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 27 28 1/26/95 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS February 1995 Sunday...y Tuesday Wednesday.. 1 City Center Counter Open to 7p.m. -Absentee footing 2 SPECIAL ELECTION _ SENATE DIST. 33 ..Saturday 3 4 PLYMOUTH FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL - Parkers Lake Park 8:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Pub. Safety Trng Rm 5 6 7:00 PM CHARTER CO- MMISSION -Pub. Safety Trng Room 7 00 PM COUNCIL MEET ` INC Cotuicli Chambers :' 8 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 9 7:00 PM BOARD of ZONING - Pub. Safe Trng Room 10 11 7:00 PM PRAC - Council Chambers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5:00 PM FINANCIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE - Council Conf. Room 7:00 PM WATER QUAY ITY COMMITTEE - Pub. Safety Trng Room 7:00 PM PACT - Pub. Safety Library 7:00 PM HRA - Council Chambers 6:00 PM PLYMOI ImAPLE GROVE CITY COUNCIIS - Joint Meeting - Pub. Safety Trug Room 19 21 22 0 PM PLANNING - Council rcchambers 23 24 25 President's Day -City 7 OU I'M COUNCIL,MI;ET`' Offices Closed G Comtctl ha1%iers',OMMISSION - 27 28 26 January March S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 I1 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 16 17 I8 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 l8 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 1/26/95 DATE: JANUARY 26, 1995 TO: DWIGHT JOHNSON, CITY MANAGER FROM: CARLYS SCHANSBERG,l-bATA CONTROL/INSPECTION CLERK SUBJECT: BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL/PUBLIC & CHURCH USE TYPES WEEK OF JANUARY 19, 1995 THROUGH JANUARY 25, 1995 PERMIT #64744 WAS ISSUED TO R J RYAN CONSTRUCTION FOR AN INTERIOR REMODEL AT SCI MED LOCATED AT 2010 EAST CENTER CIRCLE NORTH, VALUATION $60,000.00. PERMIT #64762 WAS ISSUED TO R J MARCO CONSTRUCTION FOR FACADE REVISIONS OF PERKINS RESTAURANT LOCATED AT 2945 EMPIRE LANE NORTH, VALUATION $50,000.00. PERMITLIST LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED 01/26/95 AGING DAYS FROM 01/19/95 TO 01/25/95 �f- I PAGE 2 PIN NUMBER CLASS OF WORK DATE PERMIT # APPLICANT NAME LEGAL USE TYPE ISSUED ERMT.TYPE SITE ADDRESS DESCRIPTION OUTLOT/TRACT UNIT# STATE LICENSE # VALUATION TOTAL FEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 118 22 12 0027 PINEVIEW OVERLOOK 4470 DUNKIRK LA N 0001452 19 118 22 42 0057 ENERJAC 2790 SHADYVIEW LA N 0002473 J27 118 22 13 0010 R J RYAN CONST 2010 EAST CENTER CIR N 22 118 22 32 0005 R J MARCO 2945 EMPIRE LA N 0000 L D K BLDRS INC 4275 BALSAM LA N 0001327 17 118 22 24 0020 LE GRAN HOMES 4085 EVEREST LA N 0001357 17 118 22 44 0072 HARS TAD HOMES 3640 ARCHER LA N 0003343 ALTERATION 01/19/95 64674 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 14 3 GOLFVIEW EST $8,000.00 $167.35 ADDITION 01/19/95 64713 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 3 2 MEADOWOOD $17,800.00 $320.75 ALTERATION 01/19/95 64744 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS27QQ130010 $60,000.00 $788.17 ALTERATION 01/20/95 64762 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING 4 1 PLYMOUTH FREEWAY CTR $50,000.00 $708.92 NEW CONST 01/25/95 64773 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 3 4 FORSTER PRESERVE PLAT 2 $170,000.00 $3,394.42 NEW CONST 01/20/95 64783 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 6 2 HOLLY CREEK 2ND $280,000.00 $4,084.67 NEW CONST 01/19/95 64785 LOT BLK SFA BUILDING 10 4 SUGAR HILLS 3RD $180,000.00 $3,457.17 Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting January 12, 1995 Page 1 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Bildsoe, Fiemann, Johnson, Priebe, Wahl and Willegalle; staff Bisek, Blank, Busch and Pederson; and resident Mona Domaas 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the January meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Wahl and seconded by Commissioner Bildsoe to approve the minutes of the December meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary Bisek discussed the upcoming Fire and Ice Festival. She stated that this year's festival includes some new activities and some new sponsors. Approximately 150 volunteers, including PRAC, help with this event. Flyers advertising the festival will be distributed in the elementary schools the week of January 16. Mary announced that the next recreation activities brochure will be mailed to residents in early February. She stated that it will have a new look and invited commissioners to call the recreation office with their comments. c. Others. See item 5a. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION a. Council approved the 1995 work plan, but added item 8, regarding the study of youth athletic facilities. b. Council approved the name Heather Ponds for the neighborhood park in the Heather Run/Seven Ponds development. c. Council approved the concept plan for the proposed high school/playfield in northwest Plymouth. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Proposal for park in neighborhood 17. Director Blank showed a video tape to the Commission that he had videoed earlier that day highlighting the two areas proposed for park in neighborhood 17. He also discussed his staff report which recommended that site 3 be chosen, because of its location, its visibility from the road, and the PRAC Minutes/January 1995 Page 2 number of trees on it. Site 2 has no trees. Director Blank's staff report explained that this site would be connected with the Autumn Hills development by a trail running up through the Lundgren Bros. plat and then going along Glacier Lane to the park site. Director Blank then stated that he had received an easement agreement from Lundgren Bros. earlier on Thursday that stated Lundgren Bros. would grant trail easement only if site #2 was chosen for the park. Commissioner Willegalle asked if Mrs. Domaas had a preference for one site over the other. She indicated that it didn't really matter, as long as there were trails on Vicksburg and Schmidt Lake Road if site #3 was chosen. Director Blank responded that trails are proposed for Vicksburg and Schmidt Lake Road. The Vicksburg trail will likely be on the shoulder of the road for now, and will become an off-road trail once Vicksburg is upgraded. Commissioner Wahl asked if there were homes on the east side of Vicksburg across from site #3. Director Blank stated that there were. Commissioner Wahl then commented that these residents would have to cross Vicksburg to get to this new park. Director Blank responded that the residents on the east side of Vicksburg can walk to Turtle Lake Park, which doesn't require crossing any major streets, but he agreed with Commissioner Wahl that some may choose to cross Vicksburg to get to the new park. Commissioners asked what age group the new park would serve. Director Blank indicated that it would be primarily for pre-school through age 12. Commissioner Bildsoe asked about the possibility of developing something for the older kids at the water tower site. Director Blank stated that although there were no plans for any activities at the water tower site, that it was a large enough area that something could be considered such as an open field for informal pick-up ball games. There would be no lights, fences or backstops, etc. Commissioners then wondered about the easement agreement that Lundgren Bros. had . presented if they were to recommend site #3 over site #2. Director Blank responded that site #3 would still be available to the residents in the Lundgren Bros. plat, but that it would be a little more inconvenient for them to get to. Commissioner Fiemann asked if Lundgren Bros. might agree to a trail through their development even if site #3 was selected. Director Blank said that PRAC should make a recommendation requesting that staff work with Lundgren Bros. to get trail easement through Autumn Hills if PRAC decides they want site #3 for the park. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BILDSOE TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR SITE #3 FOR A PARK IN NEIGHBORHOOD 17. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER FIEMANN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILLEGALLE RECOMMENDING THAT STAFF NEGOTIATE I, - PRAC Minutes/January 1995 Page 3 WITH LUNDGREN BROS. TO SECURE TRAIL EASEMENT THROUGH AUTUMN HILLS. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. b. Private swimming_pool update. There was no new information to report on this item. c. West Medicine Lake Park update. Director Blank reported that the last home located within the boundaries of the park had been removed. The current priority at this time is the road alignment, so the project has been turned over to the Engineering Department for now. They are busy fine tuning the alignment in order to save as many trees as possible. Director Blank explained to PRAC what surcharging a road means in response to a question from Commissioner Fiemann. Director Blank stated that PRAC could begin studying a location for the tennis court at their February meeting. Commissioner Johnson wondered about some property that is currently for sale on the northern edge of the West Medicine Lake park. Director Blank indicated that it was very expensive land and that he would prefer to find a spot for the tennis courts within the boundaries that the City currently owns. d. Unique open spaces update. Director Blank explained that the City Council directed the Open Space Committee to select the sites that should be acquired and determine a method for funding any acquisition. The Open Space Committee is recommending four sites, #1, #5, #6 and #12. Each quadrant of the City is covered by one of these sites. The Open Space Committee's preferred method of funding is a bond referendum. Director Blank further explained that in order to come up with an estimated dollar amount for the bond referendum, purchase options need to be secured on the four proposed sites. PRAC asked Director Blank if the Open Space Committee had some idea about the dollar amount of the bond referendum. He responded that the Committee was considering $3,000,000. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER PRIEBE AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WAHL ENDORSING THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT STAFF BE AUTHORIZED TO NEGOTIATE PURCHASE OPTIONS ON SITES #1, #5, #6 AND #12. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. Commissioner Fiemann asked about the likelihood of the bond referendum including money for trail development. Chair Anderson responded that it was a possibility. e. Playfield/highschool update. Director Blank reviewed how much property the City would own and how much the school district would own. He stated that construction on the highschool building could start in October. The Planning Commission must still re -guide the property to public/semi-public. The EAW (environmental assessment) hasn't been completed yet, either. Commissioner Willegalle asked if there were plans to include an ice rink at the new highschool. Director Blank said there are no plans for an indoor ice rink at this time. He feels that if any new ice sheets are added, it would be at the old high school on Vicksburg. PRAC Minutes/January 1995 Page 4 Director Blank informed PRAC that the Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Task Force, set up by the Legislature in 1994, has been meeting regularly and plans to propose legislation in 1995 for a state-wide grant program that would give qualifying communities up to $250,000 to build ice rinks. It has been estimated that at this time the communities of Plymouth, Wayzata, Maple Grove, and New Hope are short ice rinks by at least two. f. Trail system segment review - consultant report. The City's traffic consultant, SRF, has concluded that the trail system plan needs to be modified by adding trails on Medina Road, Xenium Lane, 10th Avenue, Old 9 and County Road 6. The traffic consultant determined that the trail on County Road 6 does not need to be built at this time, if further development does not take place in the southeast quadrant of 6 & 494. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BILDSOE AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON RECOMMENDING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE TRAIL PLAN. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Study of youth sports facilities. Director Blank explained that this item is an addition to the PRAC work plan, added by the City Council. Council wants the Commission and/or a subcommittee to study current and future needs of both outdoor and indoor facilities for youth sports. The study should address the priority of construction and how to fund any such construction. Commissioner Bildsoe asked if Council is looking for specific facilities, such as ice -arenas, or a wide range of facilities in some sort of priority. He suggested that a starting point for this study might be the survey that was conducted in 1993 by the Minnesota Center for Survey Research. Director Blank agreed and added that a phone survey is being conducted sometime in 1995, and that PRAC will have an opportunity to suggest some questions relative to parks and recreation to be included in the survey. Director Blank will put together more detailed information on this item for continued discussion at next month's meeting. b. 1995 rental fees. Director Blank informed PRAC that it was time again to review park facility rental policies/fees and to make recommendations for 1995. Recreation Supervisor, Rick Busch, presented the policy on renting fields and rinks, explaining the changes that are being proposed. Some of the changes include providing lights for practice for youth athletic groups. In the past, lights for practice were provided only to youth hockey. A park attendant is no longer required to be on duty when a field is rented, however, a warming house attendant is required to be on duty @ $9 per hour when an ice rink is rented. Any group selling beer is required to provide two portable satellites at their event. Rick then briefly reviewed for PRAC what some of his duties involve as recreation supervisor of athletics. He explained that he schedules all fields and rinks for PRAC Minutes/January 1995 Page 5 Plymouth Park and Recreation activities, as well as for all youth athletic associations. He also now schedules all the facilities in School Dist. 284 that youth athletics use. In the past, Wayzata Community Education would schedule those facilities, but it became far too confusing for the youth athletic groups to deal with two different agencies when trying to schedule fields. Rick also distributed to PRAC a chart showing enrollment in adult team sports from 1985-1994. Adult team participation climbed fairly steadily until 1990, but has since leveled off. Rick attributes this to limiting our leagues now to basically resident teams only. This was done due to increasing demand on our facilities and our desire to offer our leagues to resident teams first and non-residents second. Non-resident teams are still permitted to play in our leagues but on a more limited basis. Director Blank then reviewed the other policies, Parkers Lake Pavilion, Parkers Lake picnic shelter, Bass Lake shelter and canoe racks. Changes proposed in the pavilion rental policy are an increase in fees. School district use would remain at $8 an hour, Plymouth non-profit groups would increase from $18 to $19 per hour, private Plymouth groups would go from $30 to $31 per hour, and non-resident groups would go from $36 to $38 per hour. The only change proposed for Bass Lake shelter was to accept rentals on holidays, which wasn't done in the past. There were no changes proposed on canoe rack rentals. Changes proposed in the Parkers Lake picnic shelter policy are to accept rentals on holidays, accept rentals from non-residents and an increase in fees. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FIEMANN RECOMMENDING KEEPING FEES THE SAME FOR RENTALS DURING THE WEEK, BUT INCREASING THEM ON SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS, TO $50 FOR RESIDENTS AND $60 FOR NON-RESIDENTS FOR HALF-DAY RENTALS, AND $100 FOR RESIDENTS AND $120 FOR NON-RESIDENTS FOR FULL DAY RENTALS AT THE PARKF_RS LAKE PICNIC SHELTER. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. Commissioner Priebe also suggested that a clause be added to all the policies holding the City harmless in case of illness, injury, loss, or damage incurred by any user of any facility. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WAHL AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO ALL OTHER RENTAL POLICIES AS OUTLINED BY STAFF. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. c. Review draft of 1994 Annual Report. Director Blank briefly reviewed the 1994 Annual Report, explaining that it will need PRAC's approval at the February meeting, so that it can be forwarded to the City Council. PRAC Minutes/January 1995 Page 6 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION None. 8. STAFF CONIlgMCATION None. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m. a Homebuyers (from pages) Membership in the Sierra Club has grown enormously in the past 20 years, drawing those who identify with its agenda, but those attending PTA and town meetings has dropped a third, from 22% to 13%. Behind the growing isolationism is the technological transformation of leisure, such as the VCR, and demographic changes that include more divorce and fewer children. On the plus side: residential stability and home ownership are higher today than in the 1950s. riuiI tcouyers Luux r or niKe rains, Greenways; Not Tennis or Golf In a change from the mid-1980s, a major study for the real estate industry shows that homebuyers want their new communities to promote means of interaction with of er ami ies, c iren an commu- nity organizations. Isolationism is a growing trend- while 80 million people went bowling at least once in Increasingly, too, consumers want to connect more wit a ou oors — t rough woc de tracts, nature paths and even "wilderness areas where possible = an would_pay a premium. A decade ago, consumer draws in newly developed communities were tennis courts, swimming Homebuyers Look for Community (from p. 1) pools, and golf courses and club- houses. The study, by American Lives Inc. of San Francisco, points out that another significant trend is a desire for a "community con- cierge" who would provide all sorts of free time -saving services such as theater tickets, making reserva- tions, help with catering. Extra security services, including private guards that provide nighttime vehicle patrol, are considered a necessity. The change in recreational outlook has been dramatic, according to Brooke Warrick, study designer and company president. After living on the edge of a golf course for a while, homeowners discovered that "golf- ers can be a pain," especially when they hit balls into windows and intrude on privacy. Tennis courts are nice, but they ranked #28 out of 39 features that buyers said were crucial in persuading them to buy in a particular in a particular new community. Golf was #29 and a golf clubhouse and pro ranked #34. What are top features for which they'll pay premium prices? • #1 is a design that is quiet and has low traffic; 93% rated this either "essential" or `very impor- tant." • #2 for 77% was lots of natural ace particuTa—rly in the shape Xcu - e -sacs circles and courts • #3 was plenty of walking and bi ing pat s a mean er throu h woo a areas and parklands, and enFiance interactivity amon houses and eisure- ime, n activities. Other high-value features for which buyers would pay a premium include: • by 51% margin, an exercise or fitness center in the subdivision so residents don't have to go outside their community; and • a set-aside of substantial wooded acre -age as a wilderness area o tie original fauna an ora that would ro d out oor iving room" concept. Along with that ere s ould also be open, natural spaces, small parks and gardens. Homebuyers don't care if the lot, or even the house, is small if they have an interactive, outdoor living room that goes on for acres. Growing Isolation. An article in the January issue of the Journal of Democracy uses bowling as an example of the decline in activi- ties and organizations that require ongoing partici tion--Thf, mi ion people who went —bow ing at east once in 1993 are more ant ie num r oo voter_s_in_ o ev m ee r. --� This may seem whimsical, but there is nothing trivial in survey results that plot the decline of civic engagement: in the past 20 years, the number of Americans who attend a public meeting is down a third, from 22% to 13%. PTA membership has dropped from 12 million in 1964 to 7 million today, despite of popula- tion increase of over 50 million. Volunteers for the Boy Scouts are down 26% since 1970. By contrast, organizations that have an agenda but don't require group participation — such as the Sierra Club — have grown enor- mously. Trust in other people is one of the casualties: it's down a third, from 58% to 37%, from 1960. /---# -- 7► MllNICIPAL LEGISI.ATIr7E COMMISSION MEMO DATE: January 24, 1995 TO: MLC Operating Committee FROM: Bob Renner, Jr. RE: Governor's Budget - LGA/HACA Cuts 'l'3e. 1800 Fifth Street Towers 150 South Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55402-4218 Telephone: (612) 672-3600 Facsimile: (612) 672-3777 The Governor's 1996-97 budget was released today. Please find enclosed a copy of the press release that outlined the budget highlights. Also note LGA and HACA is proposed to be cut by $47.9 million this year (fiscal 1996 is calendar 1995). Calendar Calendar Change 1994 1995 (millions) (millions) (millions) Non -School $445.7 $420 -$25.7 HACA LGA $333.1 $311.9 -$21.2 Total Cut -$47.9 This amounts to a 7.5% cut. However, counties will likely absorb approximately 1/2 the non -school HACA cut, therefore the cuts to cities should be approximately $34 million. This would be a total cut of 6.1%. If previous reduction mechanisms are used, the state will add a city's aid plus levy together before applying a percentage reduction to the total. These numbers may change as more information becomes available. RGR:jj p:5416_ 1. W.51x Member Cities: Apple Valley, Bloomington, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Roseville, Shoreview, Woodbury 0126/95 13:28 MESSERLI KRAMER -> 6125505060 MUNICIPAL LEGISI.ATIC7E COMMISSION I � i DATE: January 26, 1995 TO: MLC Operating Committee FROM: Bob Renner, Jr RF: Newspaper Articles Regarding Housing and Rep, Orfield's Property Tax Redistribution Plan N0.613 P02 2 1800 Fifth Street Towers 150 South Fifth Street Miutneapolis, MN 55402-4218 Telephone: (612) 672-3600 Facsimile: (612) 672-3777 For your information, I have attached three articles from today's newspapers. Also, later today I will be faxing you copies of the information Myron Orfield distributed at his press conference yesterday. ddP;�(p:6487_1.Whlc • Member Cities: Apple Valley, Bloomington, Eagw-t, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Roseville, Shoreview, Woodbury s+.Rua A•o-YL� mss t'Z(nI`1S' 0 Shared tax base for metro area urged ` Republicans criticize plan as back -door tax increase GARY DAWSON srar-r'wRrrER About 30 percent of the wealthier suburbs in the Twin Cities area would face property tax increases under a proposal unveiled at the Capitol on Wednesday aimed at forcing them to share their tax base with less prosperous suburbs and core cities. Two DFLers, Rep. Myron drfieW, Minneapolis, and Sen. Steven Novak, New Brighton, proposed the most radical reworking of the property tax system for the seven -county Twin Cities metro area ever introduced in the Legislature. St Paul would gain an estimated $25 million annually W property taxes; Minneapolis, ;42 mil- lion under the plan Last year's property tax bills in St Paul would have been 11.8 percent lower if the proposal had been in effect, City Council members said Wednesday. The tax -sharing formula would do a great deal to stabilise central cities, said Council Member Jerry Blakey. "We can't continue to have strong urban neighborhoods if there isn't the tax base to provide essential services," he said. "This legisla- tion goes a long way to developing a true metro partnership." But the proposal brought instant protest from Republicans who called it a back -door tax in- crease. A spokeswoman far Gov. Arne Carlson said he would likely veto it. Orfield has been the most persistent lawmaker in recent years in demanding that wealthier and developing suburbs with higher tax bases share TAXES CONTINUED o-4 4C ), SESSION 3 M Ln M r D m 1 M N N Ln Ln m Ln M m 01/26/95 13:29 MESSERLI KRAMER � 6125505060 TAXES T CatmNU[OFaoM Ir: wealth and burdens ouch as tow 111POmn housing with inner -ring And less prosparono xuburbs, and the core cities. The new legislation wouM Gro- ate a healthier metro region. Rive citizens equal access to public ser• vices and curb urban sprawl, Or, :• rield and Novak insisted. Many •northern suburb, would gain prop. arty tax revemt0s while a lot of :;.southern and western communities would lose. The proposed Metropolitan Area . Fair Tax Base Act createa one combined meltopolilan lax base. About 80percent of the region's comnlunitiw with high vhlued homes and businemes would loge --tax revenues, causing their prop - arty taxes to rise. Adother 70 per- eant with lower valued homes and •businem- es would gain tax base, allowing them to cut taxes or in.. Crease Spending on acrVIM, I Novak and Orlield told they will :.Include a provision forcing com•, munliles to pons part of their rev; '0110 gain an to taxpayers In they form of tax reductions. The upper -Income losers are ca- pable of producing on average of 423,600 of property tax revenues bAVt IIAaaMAa/MnNr,F 11 Ii,t;g> per household a year, while the communities that would Ione prnp- remalning area communities aver• erty tax revenues and the average age about =1,800, amounts per household; Rep. Charles Weaver, IR -Anoka, North Oaks, 43,063; Ueephaven, an assistant lime minority lead- AM; D,,dea Prairie, ;1,406; Min- er, said he supports the concept netonka Beach, $4,254; Mendota but stopped short of endorsing the heights, $962; Rosemount, 8447; leghdallon. Arden Hills, $1,359; iinypnrl. Rep, Tim Pawlent , IR -Eagan, termed the =1,5871 lake Elmo, 1258; Mahto- Oak Park heights, proposal to make rich- medl, $38; or communtitleg lura over a por- $2,123; Roseville, $417. tion or their taxes to their poor Sonic galnrrs: St. Poul. $436; r:mrsims a "back -door attempt to Minneapolis, $263; Apple Valley, raise taxes." $84; Circle Pines, ;423; t.'otta e Suburbs are already kicking in a Grove, $223; IIastings, $305; Still - substantial portion of their proper. water, $279; New firighton, $268; ty taxes to assist more moderate South St. Paul, $008; West St. areas of the otate through the Paul, $317; and While hear Lake, state's education funding formula, said Cyndy Brucato, the gover. $413. nor's spokeswoman. Stan Wdter VIrrjnia Itybin cwunbuted to "Il sounds like another way to this report. spend more money and soak the— laxpeyern," "It's likely "— at* said. a candidate for a veto." here are a low examples of N0.613 DO4 01/26/95 13:30 MESSERLI KRAMER -> 6125505060 Orfield proposal would redistribute metro -area property tax revenues By Patricia IApez Baden Staff Wnter Taking property tax money from the rich and giving it to the poor and not -so -rich might sound like social- ism to some. To Regi. Myron Orfield. DFL -Minneapolis, it's simply com- mon-sense equity. His proposal, released Wednesday, would shunt property tax money from the top 30 percent of Twin Cities -area communities to the mid - die -income suburbs, working-class suburbs and the central cities that make up the other 70 percent. The goal• Reduce the disparities that have produced wildly different levels of services between cities such as woodland, which commands $9,200 of tax revenue per household, and Blaine, which generates only 51,700. The Or&eld plan would pool proW- ty tax revenues in the seven -county metro area and redistribute the moit- ey so that every city and suburb got at least x2,102 per household. After every city reached that level, the wealthier on= would be free to raise their taxes to generate more money. That extra money would not to into the pool. Orfkld Conti-lued on page 211 N0.613 IP05 T-�3d 1/z, la -6 Orfield/ He claims a majority of support in House Continued fmm page 1B Woodbury, which has a lower tax rate and newer infrastructure. What may win Ofeld broad support is that the biggest winners arc not Minneapolis and St. Paul, but north- ern and inner -ring suburbs, Many would get enough money to give their residents a double-digit tax cut and still improve services. Already, Orficid is claiming a majority of sup- port in the House, including that of Speaker try Anderson, AFL -Interna- tional Falls, and Majority Loader Phil Carruthers, DFL Brooklyn Cen- ter. "'I -his isn't socialism," Orfield said. "It's not'I.et's tax the rich: Ifs %et's ntdke things fair for communities.' It's saying that every kid, whether they live in a Irailer park or a lake home in Minnetonka, should have dedent ichoob, good police protee- tivn, nice parks," Poorer communities must tax their residents more to generate even rnod- est• revenues. Orfield said, while tiveitlthy suburbs can raise huge mripunts of money through much smaller levies. I'hose disparities result not only in unequal public services, he said, but also in allowing wealthy communi- ties to use low taxes as a means of luring business-$ from other metro Communities- Ro¢cviltc, for example, recently lost a regional Statc Farm Insurance head- quitricrs — and 1,500 jobs — to "it makes no sense to have one sub- urb stealing jobs and stability from another," Orfteld said. —hitt is one big, regional autonomy. We build freeways regionally. We build xwers regionally. Wealthy suburbs have benefitted from that, Everything they can benefit from they believe is rt` gional. But when it comes to sharing tax base, then it's everyone for them- selves? That's not right." Predictably, the strongest criticisms have come from the suburbs that would lose tax revenue. Rep. Tim Pawicnty, IR -Eagan, called the plan a "back -door attempt to raise taxes" Wednesday and said suburbs such as his probably would sue if forced to give up their property taxes. "If these communities want more aid, they should either look toward their own resources or come before the I.egislaturt and state their case," Pawlenty said. Some areas, he said, have problems and a level of poverty that may be beyond the reach of government spending. "Forcing 30 percent of our taxpayers to subsidize. the other 70 percent will do nothing more than bring everyone down to a lower level of servioes." But this may not be an issue that will fall along party lines, and some,Inde- pcndcnt-Republicans say the�,plan has merit. "I'm a strong believer in regional tax 1970s the U.S. Supreme Court ruled base sharing," said Rep. Charlie that states could impose such region - Weaver, IR -Anoka. Northern sub- al tax sharing, urbs tend to be poor partly because of decisions beyond their control, he Otiield plans to introduce }tic (till in said, C N v k Wealth is determined partly by who got the airport, the new freeways, the good soil conducive to high -buck housing. "We didn't get any of that," Weaver said. "And that triggers its own spiral. Once the airport is in Bloomington, they're not going to put the megamall in Coon Rapids," Regional tax base sharing would eliminate some of those inequities, Weaver said, although he said he is unsure whether Orficld's bill is the solution. "Myron's proposal may be a bit too Draconian," he said, "It really penal- izes too severely those communities with a strong tax base. My fear is, this proposal will reignite a civil war in the metro arca that no one wins. But l give him credit for putting this issue on the table. it's something we need to tackle." Weaver said the region already en- gages in a form of tax base sharing that has withstood legal challenge. For more than two decades, metro, area communities have pooled 40 perocnt of the revenue from growth in their indilstrial-commercial tax bases and redistributed it to help rerlucc fiscal disparities. Burnsville challenged that plan, and in the mid - the House today, Sen. teve o a . DFL•Now Brighton, will introduce a companion bill in the Senate. Suburbs doing their part, housing study says Panel lauds affordable housing efforts, challenges critics data By Mike Kanubt housing for those with low and mod - Staff Writer erate incomes. Myron Orfield's assault on affluent suburbia has been met with a sting- ing and detailed rebuttal by 12 sub- urbs, whose new study says many of the legislator's charges are based on faulty data and exclude key informa- tion. The study by the Municipal Legisla- tive Commission, the lobbying arm for a string of .suburbs extending from Maplewood to Minnetonka. paints a far more sympathetic picture of the problems faced by suburbs as they try to build more affordable In one of its oentral findings, the study says high land casts in the suburbs, not restrictive zoning alleg- edly llegedly designed to keep out the poor, are thebiggest reason affordable housing is difficult to build. The study said that during the 1980s, sub- urbs in the Twin Cities area "created subsidized 'housing in record num- bers" by building about 4,300 low - and moderate-incorne rental units. Sabnrbs continued on page 2B w '(z(, t9s z O Q1 r W 01/26/95 13:31 MESSERLI KRAMER 4 6125505060 VUbug bs Continued from page iB "They're not the bad guys they're portrayed to be." said Robert Renner Jr., the commission's lobbyist. "We decided we were tired of hearing all kinds of criticism, While Orticid is not mentioned by name, the study clearly takes aim at the Minneapolis DFLer, who has championed the rause for casing the concentration of the poor in Minne- apolis and St. Paul and prodding suburbs to build more low- and mod- erate•income housing. And Otiieid, who outlined yet anoth- er legislative initiative Wednesday for balancing the disparity between city and suburb, was quick to criti- cize the study. "i think this is a bunch of baloney," he said. Ortield said that while many suburbs are willing to bus workers from Min• neapolis and St. ?asul to new assem- bly -typo jobs in their cities, the work- ers are not being given the opportuni- ty to live in the suburbs. "They're good enough (oniyl to shine their shoes," he said of the disparity. But the study took particular excep- tion to "several examples of ques- tionable data" being used in the de- bate, a not -so -veiled reference to Or. field and the many charts he has used to support his arguments. In une case. the study said, charts showing the number of school-age children in Eden Prairie getting free and reduced -price lunches — a meas- ure of the level or poverty in the city — ignored the fact that a much high- er percentage were eligible for the lunches. By doing so, the study said, the charts underrepresented the number of low- and moderate -income people in Eden Prairie. Orfield said the flawed -data charges are inaccurate. "They're just pot serious about (af4 fordable housings " he =aid. Orfield said the study, which he said he has not seen. seems to take the myopic view that "everything's Fine out there." The study, meanwhile, insists that many Municipal Legislative Com• mhsion's member cities do have af- fordable housing — that is, single- family housing in the 560.000 to $110,000 price range, In a survey of nine of the commis- sion's 11 member cities, the study found, 48 percent of all homesteaded property was assessed at $110,000 or less and could qualify for the FHA lirst.tlmc home buyer program. Even Plymouth, one of the priciest suburbs, has nearly a third of its single.fancily homesleads valued at S I I p,Wo or less, the study said. Nine of the suburbs, it added, have 40,000 single-family homes valued from 560,000 to S 110,000. Tho study alae said the debate has been clouded by "a simplistic view" of how to define low- and moderato- Income people. It sold them am huge diflf•rences in education level, job training and even automobile owner- ship between someone earning 80 percent of the Twin Cities median income and another caming just 30 percent of the median. Yet both people, the study said, are too often lumped together in the sante low - and modemwincome category. Similarly, the study said. many of the jobs created in the suburbs are in the electronic, electric equipment. print - ill and publishing industries and o en require higher educational skills than were needed fbr the manu- facturing jobs that were Ion in Min- neapolis and -St, Paul. "It's a far more complex issue," said Plymouth Mayor Joy Tierney, the commission's chairwoman. She said, "you just ain't take a low-income [personj and out there in some apart- ment" to the suburbs. The study, she said, was meant to be "an intelligent response" to those who criOcizcd the suburbs. The commission's members were: stung last year by charges that some suburbs, through zoning that requires large lot sizes. made affordable hous- ing unbuildable. That allegation received plenty of attention in the study. It said critics have largely ignored the price of land in the suburbs, which it said accounts for as much as 50 percent of the total cost of a new home in the Twin Cities area. In fact, citing a 1989 national analy sis of land costs. it said the Twin Cities arca had the lowest concentra- tion of Zoning power among the 45 largest metro areas in the nation, "It appeared this issue started out with a conclusion and there was a A ni3w ir661�'�t:hov+u' d In a clow study, eight twin CRM n omg sue tondabts t"aing than laricl.Bra e�kkosill q rtaiausk 26,000 r 46 3.20,000 16,000 b NO. 613 IWO? z,3J Ch there ro suburbs say iheY haw' ' 011110 clekn and that high The might cillos aro: t i47 ;; $ pposed to resalarve zon Ig from WN butt. sloomtttgton ,r Eden Prairie rr . Edina Lak"ne MlnrMonka r .; g •� Plymouth Roseville _ Woodbury .,. 44 tiI coat at homeatesd Sauna: MWOCO a t.e0"ove Cesermteti, an bunch of data collected to suppon the conclusion." Renner said. Orfield's data wasn't necessorily :n - correct, he said, but "it's just how you present it. , to got the result you want." Carlson puts' property-tax.- relief choices, 1 in local hands By Dennis J. McGrath Staff Writer Gov. Arne Carlson proposed a fun damental change Tuesday in the way the state helps homeowners pay t4eir property taxes. _ - Instead of leaving it to the Legisla- ture to decide- how to provide the property tax relief, the decisions would be pushed down to local offi- cials, who would be left to sort -'out among themselves how to divvy $2.4 billion in state tax relief. r;N Exactly what that would mean ,&l typical property tax bill is impossible to say yet, but it could result fit substantial shifts up or down in I4 bills. -- i The proposal is the most intriguing element of a budget that otherwisC focuses on holding the line on taxed and spending. Carlson's budget con- tains no tax increases, calling instead for small tax cuts and a reduction in some fees. By one key measure, the budget would leave more cash in Minnesq j tans' pockets without a general -tax cut, and despite a $1.1 billion in- crease in spending. That's because his plan would limit the growth in state spending to 6.8 percent over the next two years, while personal in- come is projected to increase 9.7 per- 1 cent. Put another way, Minnesotans would be spending slightly less of their in- come on government, leaving them with more discretionary income. "This represents the healthiest step this state could take," Carlson said: . But he achieves it by strictly control- ling spending in some areas, the most prominent being for elementary and secondary education. Though 'the governor said his $400 million in- crease in K-12 funding represents an 8.1 percent increase for schools, school officials said his claims are fraudulent. 5+a r Ty-) b , COntinuFU INm page lA c. Tie true increase for schools is be- tiveen .1 and 3 percent, they said. '' ,K# level of funding would be inade- quate to pay for current programs a4dt'ould result in higher local prop- erb'-taxes, teacher layoffs, larger class sizej and other cuts. .the other hand, Carlson's budget reflects the fact that some costs are racing ahead. Criminal justice, though still a relatively small piece of the $17.9 billion budget, would see a 25 percent jump in spending. That's because the bill for getting tougher on criminals is coming due. Putting more people behind bars requires spending more money on courts, public defenders and prison guards — an extra $169 million. in the next biennium. For all the billions of dollars pro- posed in this budget, an item that Gould have a significant effect on Minnesotans' tax bills carries no price tag. That is the change in the way the state distributes property tax relief, a process that would be re- vamped under Carlson's proposal. Currently, the state distributes about $2.4 billion in aid each biennium to counties, cities and townships with the aim of funding services that the state has an interest in, such as corrections, and holding down prop- erty taxes. That money is distributed through a 25 -year-old formula that critics contend is outdated and bears no relation to the actual needs of the 3,700 government units that get the money. Although the money flows to local governments, some of it shows up directly on property tax bills as a credit — the homestead and agricul- tural credit aid — which reduces the bill, sometimes by hundreds of dol- lars. Carlson proposes to scrap the formu- la and instead give the money in a lump sum to each of the 87 counties in the form of a block grant. The money then would be divided by a new creation, a board composed of elected representatives from the county and the cities, townships and school districts within it. This board, which the governor's of- fice dubbed a "virtual board," would meet once a year to slice up the pie. Precisely how that would happen is unclear, partly because the details of the ;proposal were scarce Tuesday, and partly because the board appar- ently would be given broad dis- cretion. The rationale behind this proposal is that local officials know better than legislators what local needs and pri- orities are. The needs in Hennepin County might be different than, say, those in Lyon County. In that regard, Carlson's proposal mirrors what is /�, 3C happening at the federal level, where congressional Republicans want to slim' down the federal government and;let states decide what level of services to provide. Carlson said he hopes his plan fosters more cooperation among local gov- ernments, such as sharing or consoli- dating police departments. He also hopes to engage taxpayers in the budget decisions through a new "truth in budgeting" statement that local governments would be required to send to taxpayers. It would be patterned after the truth in taxation statements that property owners now get, alerting them to proposed prop- MY roperty tax changes. The budget state- ments would have to detail how the local governments spend their mon- ey. Local government officials were puz zled by the proposal for the new method of distributing aid, but they were more alarmed by the cuts in current aid, a total reduction of $77 million. Most of that, $57 million, will come out of their budgets this year. Because it is too late to recoup that money through property -tax in- creases, government officials said there probably will be cuts in ser- vices. Regarding the new distribution method, local government officials said they liked the concept of greater flexibility, but questioned whether this is the right approach. Jim Miller, , executive director of the League of Minnesota Cities, said counties, cit- ies and school districts often have disparate needs and interests, and he wondered how that would be re- solved by the new board. "If it comes down to who is the most politically powerful in a county, you could have different tax levies throughout the county," Miller said. "We are extremely guarded, cautious and concerned about this." Some local officials worried that they would be pitted against one another. To understand the task facing each board, consider this: officials repre- senting several dozen cities and school boards in Hennepin County would have to agree on a plan to allocate $180 million a year. In Ram- sey County, they would have to agree on who gets $89 million in aid. "It could turn into a free-for-all in too many places," said Jim Mulder, executive director of the Association of Minnesota Counties. "Rather than building cooperation and collabora- tion, it may turn into conflict and competition." i 401~ sil tf? sp�'sl+lib?ihl�eS4kAi _Leis, fire . 9. ✓ww v�u�Y. Ir -e sponse, i �t°�ariso� L �.� �..i• b . a .a d Continued from page lA Whether this radical DFL approach is serious (it was hastily conceived in the 24 hours since the governor re- leased his -budget) or:jusua short- term political gambit is hard to di- ving But it certainly has caused consterna- tion and it put the governor's office in the curious position of criticizing a arrival. Two weeko, Carlson•re- leased a report warning that ualess� action is taken now, ,the. state w*. face chronic budgei,,,bdses;'thibiigh ' the year 2005. In the,shorttetin, the. report pointed to a budget deficit of 5600 million by June 1999 But in Carlsoes'new budget propos al, Moe tiot4t the projected deficicis wotaC�S846 million a 'ro eCtv taX p Plan to restrain taxes, saying it is . "This'isnR "road maR for'theti. °! �7 unworkable ttue,"44Ioe said. `.'This'isn't bven.on # p NeeZG ron ose� p * ` the bn=ramp This is -the wrong drier indeed, it is getting `difficult, evert tion. �=e'What the governor bas pro- ��'i f, r.. r . wilh a scorecard, to tell Democrats posed isa timid budget" ' SX Dennis J, McGrath $taliWntet from Republicans, as they leapfrog . i over one another to cut taxes.and Moe. said the Senate should freeze y' government spending property � taxes' at curbi;nt levels at Dismissing Gov (.Arne. Carlson's hold -the -line budget.proposal as too "I don't think the boats going to be �afoou ``Under that plan; the g g . Y pay on your house now tiiilid,' DFL legislative leaders said big enough for all of us to get on this would be ,the same amount you Wednesday 'Wednesday theyll show him how to conservative movement," said Sen-: would pay next year, regardless of ate .Minority Leader Dean Johnson, how much,`.the house increases -in cut state taxes and spending. IR -Willmar vglue., 'Diet' presented-amixture of prom- ijAand proposals that include freez- The DFLers criticized Carlson's $18 However; denying school districts, ing property taxes, billion biennial budget at a news con- cities, counties and townships the au- ference Wednesday, saying it not thority to raise taxes and robbing giving Minneso- tans new powers to only fails to head off a looming bud- them of the natural tax base growth roll back unpopu- get crisis, but actually accelerates its would cost those governments about "lar .tax increases r r ' and slicing closer the bone of the state bureaucracy. ALto "The governor i _`l1" seems hopes property $220 million next year., Moe said, DFLers in the.Senate soon concepts.. would propose major changes in how to be the win- taxes won't go up. That amount could cause Serious state government does business. DFL Rep. Ted Winter, chairman of budget problems, apgaally in coni- 'subcommittee, nee among We want to guar- state colleges antce it," said Sen- House tax said the umnes that .depend. on property "One thing in'particUtar, in keeping .,reverse referendum would, make it . on Spending. ate Majority Lead- taxes fur a large part of their budgets, with the taxpayer guarantee, is to 'difficult ,for local officials to conduct Page 18, ;,.. , , er Moe, c r RogerRo bloc acknowl give people a. moneyback guaran- any type. of long-range planning. If edged that the f eeze tee," he said voters are. unhappy: -about tax in - - . skine. N6e talked about a warranty for tax- could have severe implications, but creases, :they should vote out the ras- said he wants to use it to force the ' "Think of the thousands of Minneso- rals responsible, Winter said ' payers, a [honey -back guarantee on i I egislature, the governor and local tans that would be happier today if government services, and he prom- I cuts in the state bureaucracy that i governments to debate a package of they had a money -back guarantee on The governor's spokeswoman, Proposals about the level of taxes and their driver's license applications Cyndy Brucato, criticized the proper - "you Cdr take. ..to the bank." services in Minnesota next year. which have been delayed weeks. ty tax freeze proposal, saying it is a Thou proposalswould be presented Call it a Contract with Minnesota.' cynical political strategy, and danger - to voters during the 1996 campaign. House DFL leaders, who joined Moe ous. - ATL continued on page 8A at the news conference, sazd they had Moe also proposed doubling the cut not considered the idea of a property She said the freeze would hurt schoo! the governor suggested in the state tax freeze and did not know whether districts at a time when enrollment c „ _ bureaucracy. they would pass it. However, they et' projected to grow. DFLers; will not be . If Carlson can find $160 million in said they would give serious consid- eration to a bill that would give vot- able to find extra money in the bud - get to help schools recoup money savings to pay a court-ordered judg- ment to banks, Moe said, then state ers the right to erase a local property tax increase. they would lose from.a property tax freeze, she added agencies can survive an additional S l60 million cut — or another 1 percent of their budget. That money The legislation, introduced by Rep. Bob Milbert, DFL -South St. Paul,- "You have new students coming into the school system, and 'there would could then be redirected to schools and to public colleges, which are fac- would allow voters to go to the polls in a "reverse referendum" to over- be no money to pay for them," Bru. cato said ing significant tuition increases. tum a local property tax 'increase.. In addition to the budget proposals "It's just illogical. You're cutting oil But not allDFLersarebehind these some little kid's arm here." s no %,nwago Itsuns ana vrianav Magic tangle in the NBA.(7 p.lrn.,� tifa�ls AoAelver. -:prizes. TBS).. Winning anglers waiting to fcollect::,,:f By Ron Scharsi addition to receiving .a commissiol, Staff Writer on ticket sales,were paid to operate,;:T concessions. He..s6d the Jayceers;, ,,The winners of an ice -fishing contest ".didn't make much" and "were :last weekend on Medicine Lake may. sponsors." `: turn out, instead, to be unlucky : anglers. Steele said the Jaycees got involved,;': his 1 1 fI I I� ■ as the result of.promises byGraves,;.,,, -chair IAs of Wednesday, those who won although Steele said he "was skeptt-,_' major prizes. still . were waiting to cal from the verybeginning. s.l, collect, and contest organizers have . t be asked this asked will concern a famous quar -directed phone calls from disgruntled When he required proof that the ex- r uper Bowl in terback he succeeded.. anglers to an attorney. In'one case, pensive prizes were in hand, Steele,:u "the wrong angler was given a $5,000 said.he was given a copy of a $19,000;, What pressure? check for 25th place. But it didn't check' that Unlimited Product Bio j", a little pad, San Francisco coach George Sei - matter. The check bounced. kers had allegedly written to Brainerd;;; me asks me fert, once a zoology major at the Motors for two vehicles and a boat. •s, I've got to University of Utah, brought out Richard Vinitsky, attorney for Un- . 4 lon't forget it — the animal analogies at Super limited Product Brokers, of Brooklyn David Derby, business manager ,of; stupid," Young Bowl Media Day on Tuesday Park, said Wednesday his client will Brainerd Motors, said Wednesda;; e San Francis- when asked the monkey -off -your- "do what it takes to make the win- the.prizes will not be released until,,, r; back question regarding defeating ners happy." they are paid for. Vinitsky said "it's' the Dallas Cowboys: unlikely" the contest sponsor will be ;sure to be The contest organizer, Ron Graves, able to purchase .the promised;;6 "As long as you're in the busi- could not be reached for comment $170,000 in prizes. "We're gonna be,� ness, the monkey is not off your Wednesday. Vinitsky said his client about $70,000 short," he estimated: ,. back," Seifert said. "did a lousy job of administering this ,; thing. They feel horrible and they lost Vinitsky said he didn't think "there . —' "The monkey's never off and the money.,, was any foul play by the company.-#-- =swAces, r,c. tiger is always after your tail and. We will be attempting to contact 4M., the bear and the grizzly and what- First- and 10th -place winners were the major •prize winners in the ne.; t,,,, ever else. They're always after promised new pickup trucks. Second few days," he said. "We'll try to f?ecl, you. That's kind of fun. place was worth a new 16 -foot boat, fair and honest the winners." rrzir^ motor and trailer. Those items were —IT A girl joins the family still in the hands of the supplier, Bert Momsen, a veteran fishing con -i, Magic Johnson and his wife, ` Brainerd Motors, on Wednesday. test organizer, said he's concerned,.,,' Cookie, have adopted a baby girl. that anglers will be suspicious of otbj�d Approximately 300 anglers paid $30 er events, 'including his Total Ice The adoption took place in Michi- or $35 each to enter Sunday's con- Fishing. Contest set for Feb. 5 orl1,,, gan last week, Johnson's agent, test. Vinitsky said the organizers had Forest Lake. "I've never missed givl,,„ Lon Rosen, said Wednesday. The promised the prizes based on the sale ing a prize. Mine are on the lake," he,tr, baby, Elisa, is 21/2 to 3 weeks old. of 3,000 tickets. said. Z6'v Married three years ago, the Tickets were sold by Minneapolis Momsen said he would support legisl.,;i Johnsons also have a 21/2 -year- Jaycees as a fund-raising project that lation that places tighter restrictionscE old son, Earvin III. From a previ- backfired. William Steele, Jaycees ex- on would-be fishing contest prg;, r.,, ous relationship, the retired Los ecutive director, said the Jaycees, in moters. Angeles_Lakers star also has a son, Andre, 13, who lives with his mother in Michigan.. He couldn't watch Clyde Drexler, after he and five other Portland Trail Blazer players were fined and suspended for leaving the bench when a fight broke out between teammate Rod Strickland and Sacramento King center_Olden Polynice: "In that particular case, Polynice, who's 7 -feet tall, is getting ready to kill your little point guard. I don't think you want to sit down and watch this." Twins planning to enlist } replacements. this'spring,l By Jim Souhan Staff Writer Twins general manager Terry Ryan said he plans to sign "about 35" strike replacement players to use for spring training and, if necessary, reg- ular -season games. The striking Players Association has —Compiled by Jay Ewoldt made it clear that any minor leaguer who reports to spring training will Around • T Win When officers stopped to investigate,, .- they found a crack pipe with cocaine::- residue in the vehicle, police oflici . s ` said. Deal reached to buy A's i -• Developers Steve Schott and Kepi „ Hofmann reached an agreement„, Wednesday to buy the Oakland January 23, 1995 Dr. Robert H. May 18220 - 19th Avenue N. Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Dr. May: I am responding to your letter to Mayor Joy Tierney concerning the speed of cars on 19th Avenue in the vicinity of your home. As you stated in your letter, the stop signs recently installed on Urbandale Lane and 19th Avenue have helped but for some reason motorists will not obey the posted speed limit. You were further suggesting the need for additional signs on the posted speed limit for the curves. The City has had the curves analyzed for the safe speed at which a motorist can travel on the street. This analysis was done in accordance with accepted traffic engineering standards. The analysis indicated that the maximum safe speed is 25 m.p.h. The City has posted signs warning motorists of this situation in advance of the curves for both northbound and southbound traffic. In addition to the posted speed there is a warning sign indicating to the motorists that the roadway makes two 90 degree bends. It appears that the vehicles that have left the roadway are not a result of adequate warning to the motorists but from the motorists, ignoring the maximum safe speed or other reasons. I, myself, have driven the curves on several occasions and can comfortably drive in excess of the posted limit. For this reason I believe the analysis previously done by the traffic consultant is correct. The City Council has authorized additional personnel by the Public Safety Department for a traffic enforcement division in 1995. The Public Safety Department is planning on having this unit available by spring. This area of 19th Avenue will be one of the areas where they will consider for additional traffic enforcement. If you have any additional questions or would like to discuss the existing signing, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Fred G. Moore, P.E. Director of Public Works cc: . Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager Craig Gerdes, Public Safety Director We Listen . We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 18220 19th Ave N. Plymout. Minn. 55447 o r j.. is Mrs. Joy Tierney Mayor Plymouth, Minn. Dear Mayor Tierney: I write this letter with a deep concern as to the speed cars are still travelling on 19th Ave. North. The stop sign you had erected has helped, but for some reason motorists will not obey the posted speed limit. This summer n7 car was totaled in front of our home at 10:30 P.M. and during the past month three cars�have gone right up on our neighbor's lawn because they cannot make the slight turn. This turn is less than a block from the stop sign and the cars were driving south. (The one that hit my car was heading north.) This obviously is a curve that cannot take the posted speed limit and warrents a special speed zone. If there is anything we can do with a petition or whatever we would be glad to help. Sincerely, Dr. Robert H. y — ti: •_k_� t "�!�-�-c -�-_ _ 2_. X_ 95REQ.XLS Page 1 CITIZEN REQUEST TRACKING .......... .......... .............. ...... ............................................ ....................... ................. , , .. ..... ........ .............. .... ............. ....... ...... .......... ................ -effia .. . . ....... .......... .................... ......... . . ........... ........... .......... .......... ......... ........... .. ...... .... ............. ..... .................... ................................ ...... j*::�:::j:::::j:j acelve 0.8"Wiftfe'., Om!: ....... I Blank Darren A. DeMatthew Civic Centerlice Arena 12130194 113195 1113195 114195 2 Gerdes Darren A. DeMatthew Pub. Safety Concerns 12130194 113195 1/13195 1112195 3 1 Moore Darren A. DeMatthew Transportation 12130194 113195 1113195 1/4195 4 Blank Gordon Hanson Community garden plots 113195 113/95 1/17195 114195 5 Moore Dr. Robert May 19th Avenue - Traffic speed 119195 119195 1123195 1123195 6 Blank Vivian Starr Bike path - Lk Camelot) NW Blvd 119195 1/9195 1123195 1117195 7 Hurlburt Mark Denis/DennisHolmquist Wetlands Ord/1 1115 0. Rockfd Road 1117/95 1119/95 2/1/95 8 Moore Randy Meyer Fleet vehicles - petro product./service 1119/95 1119195 2/1195 Page 1 National Audubon . Society Janualy 18, 1995 The Honorable Joy Tierney City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mayor Tierney: Minnesota Audubon Council 26 East Exchange Street, Suite 207 St. Paul, MN 55101 (612) 225-1830 FAX: (612) 225-4686 ' � JA N 2 4 %g5 t, FA The Minnesota State Office of the National Audubon Society would like to congratulate you, the City Council and staff on developing and adopting one of the toughest wetland ordinances hi the state. We are aware of the many hours it takes to develop an effective wetland ordinance and appreciateyour dedication. As you know, a wetlands ordinance containing buffer areas is necessary to protect water quality and wildlife. Because of the lack of buffer areas in the past, these resources have been significantly degraded. Your ordinance will help stop the degradation of these resources and, over the long term, assist in improving water quality and revitalizing wildlife. Again, congratulations! Sincerely, �d Cheryl Miller Wetlands Program Director cc: .,"4_r. Dwight Johnson, City Manager Mr. Jay Maxwell, Community editor 1Vlr. V111CC1L DCUeVec� 1V.drtUr, YYTCCltlyINC YVa 0 Minnesota Chapters of National Audubon Society: Agassiz • Albert Lea • .Austin • Central Minnesota • Duluth • Fargo -Moorhead Minneapolis Minnesota River Valley • Mississippi Headwaters • St. Paul • White Pine • Wild River • Zumbro Valley Printed with soy -ha ed ink on unbleached. 100q: recycled paper. 1k1inimum of 10% post -consumer content. DATE: January 23, 1995 TO: Dwight Johnson, City Manager FROM: Fred G. Moore Director of Public Works SUBJECT: COUNTY ROAD 9 BRIDGE AT I-494 Approximately three weeks ago I met with Jim Grube, the new Transportation Division Engineer for the Hennepin County Department of Public Works. We discussed existing and future projects within the City. One project I discussed with Jim was the need to upgrade the existing bridge on County Road 9 at I-494. He stated that since this bridge is within the right-of-way for I-494, it is the responsibility of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Attached is a copy of a letter which Jim Grube has sent to MnDOT requesting that they give consideration to programming an improvement for the County Road 9 bridge. Please let me know if you have any questions. enclosure Henn1d2ip January 18, 1995 Mr. Gary Thompson Assistant Division Engineer Metro Division Minnesota Department of Transportation 1500 County Road B2 West Roseville, MN 55113 nty RE: Consideration of Improvement to I-494 at Hennepin County CSAH 9 Dear Mr. Tho pson: i y As you ma know CSAH 9 has recently been improved east of I-494, and will soon be improved to the west of I-494. With the recent and pending improvements to CSAH 9 the constriction of the bridge over I-494 will cause greater traffic conflict than it presently does. When the improvements west of I-494 are completed the sections on both sides of I-494 will be divided four lane sections plus right and left turn lanes all connected by an undivided four lane bridge over I-494 without turn lanes. The present bridge construction at I-494 will become an even more significant constraint on the capacity of the system. Thus we ask that you give consideration to programming an improvement to this growing area. Sincerely, James N. Grube, P.E. Transportation Division Engineer JNG/WKP:gk cc: Fred Moore Vern Genzlinger Tom Johnson Department of Public �%'orks 20 `K`as111P,,,�tcR A\'enUc' 'ouCh Hopkin. Minnesota »3-=3-.46., (612) 93C -267C F_A\:t'612) 931----513 TDD012) 930-2696 January 18, 1995 Dear Pastor: bwlyt,�t -FYI National statistics show that the afternoon and evening of Super Bowl Sunday is a dangerous time for women and children in abusive relationships. The Plymouth Police Department would like to encourage you to initiate Project Football Free. This project encourages Churches and Apartment Complexes to sponsor Women's and children's activities on Super Bowl Sunday, January 29, 1995. We suggest that your parish sponsors games or a retreat, shows movies or hosts a pot -luck supper or another activity that you and your staff feel are of value. The Plymouth Park and Recreation Department will also be sponsoring an evening of family fun at Parker's Lake on January 29 from 6-9:00 p.m. This "alternative to football" event will feature skating, box hockey games, free popcorn and hot chocolate. The warming house will be open and Park and Recreation Staff will be on duty to work with children and their families. Your parishioners are welcome to join us for some twilight fun! If you choose to participate, we would appreciate feedback from you on what idea's you came up with, how it was received, and if you felt that it was of value. Officer Luke Way welcomes your input. He can be reached at 550-5198. Sincerely, �- Craig C erdes Public afety Director CITY OF PLYMOUTH i'cc: Eric Blank, Director of the Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYP,;OUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE !612 550-5000 x'50/ TEENS ALONE 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins, MN 55305 (612) 988-4086 January 19, 1995 Joy Tierney, Mayor City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd. 1°'� y4 N 554,47 Dear Mayor Tierney: On behalf of all involved with TEENS ALONE, I want to thank you and the members of the Plymouth City Council for approving our request for $2,000. Your city's continued support is appreciated and valued. This contribution will be used to provide outreach services to local runaway, throwaway and homeless youth (and those at risk). I regret I did not have a chance to introduce myself when you spoke to last week's TwinWest Leadership group. Unfortunately, I had to leave early to attend a TEENS ALONE Board meeting. Please convey our appreciation to members of the Council. We appreciate their continued involvement in this west suburban partnership. Sincerely, Berteil Mahoney, Director cc: Kathy Lueckert, Asst. City Manager January 18, 1995 Joy Tierney, Mayor City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Joy: E�. ,�,'G e, Enclosed is a copy of a proposal being sent to potential funders for the Regency Pointe Collaborative Project. Just wanted to keep you up to speed on how things are moving along. We're encouraged by the quality of our growing relationship with Mitch Rotenberg and the Regency Pointe Collaborative management team and are excited by the new addition to our team --Family Hope Services. Our next meeting is Wednesday, February 1, 1995 at 2:00 PM in the Regency Pointe Community Room. We'd love to have you join us. Thanks for all you do to make our community work. Sincerely, 2 LaDonna Hoy, Executive Director INTERFAITH OUTREACH & COMMUNITY PARTNERS LH/h Enc (1) 110 Grand Avenue South, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391-1872 612/473-2436 Fax 612/473-4337 Regency Pointe Collaborative Project History Regency Pointe Apartments, 3305 Harbor Lane, (formerly Harbor Lane Apartments), is a 313 unit apartment complex located near Highway 55 and Fernbrook Road in Plymouth. In the spring of 1994, a group of Regency Pointe residents and staff from Wayzata District #284 Adult Basic Education and Early Childhood Family Education, Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Park and Recreation, the Ridgedale YMCA, and the Plymouth Police came together to explore the possibility of working collaboratively on behalf of the Regency Pointe community. (See Collaborative Team Roster - Attachment 1). All had been independently relating to the Regency Pointe community in one way or another with programs or services. All were aware of the significant number of Regency Pointe families and individuals struggling with challenging life issues --financial issues, tenant issues, employment, education deficits, language barriers, family and parenting issues, transportation, child care, safety issues, home alone kids, chemical use, health and mental health issues, social isolation and a general feeling of lack of connection with their Regency- Pointe neighbors and the larger community. Regency Pointe residents identified key issues and shared the history of their attempts to improve things. Consensus was that if management, residents, and community worked together, at least some of these issues could be addressed more effectively and that "the neighborhood" residents envisioned for themselves and their children as well as respect for the place they called "home" might have a better chance. Linda Trummer, Coordinator of the very successful Meadowbrook Collaborative, and Colleen Simpson, Director of Community Services and Development of the Methodist Hospital Foundation were consulted. Both offered seasoned insights and helpful direction and encouragement. Mitchell Rotenberg, Regency Pointe owner, was approached with with this idea. Mr. Rotenberg gave it his blessing and directed his Property management staff to become part of the collaborative team. A mission statement was drafted: "The mission of the Regency Pointe Collaborative is to facilitate the building of community at Regency Pointe through enhanced communication and coordination of services and activities." Professional facilitators were recruited from the school district to conduct resident focus groups. Feedback from these groups became the grist for short-term planning. Programs and activities already in place were continued, ie: Early Childhood Family Education Program offered twice monthly onsite in the Regency- Pointe Community Room, the ongoing Interfaith Outreach i Commt4nit.v Partners support services, Plymouth Park and Recreation programs, :and YMCA Programs were offered. A few were added over summer to address the need for children to have something to do, ie: the YMCA and Plymouth Park and Recreation offered children's onsite and offsite programs, and Regency Pointe management in the midst of a very demanding rehabilitation progyram orchestrated a very successful National vite Out. A fall field trip to the Minnetonka Orchards for parents and children raged 0-6 was arranged. A resident -initiated Halloween Party, complete with a pumpkin carving contest, was held in the Community Room. There was never a shortage of ideas or enthusiasm. The Regency Pointe facility lends itself to a variety- of recreational, educational, service and community -building possibilities. The facility includes a spacious community room, a large commons complete with tennis and basketball courts, as well as an indoor and an outdoor pool. However, the very critical tasks of building relationships, coordinating activities and space use, communication, marketing and interpretation of programs and services with residents, and practical things that make a program work or not --like program registration, transportation, etc., pointed up the need for a coordinator and space. At its September ,meeting, the Collaborative made a decision to pursue funding for staff, space, and program at Regency Pointe. The Meadowbrook model offered a very helpful guide. Purpose Programs and services directed toward the Regency Pointe community would make accessible and include a broad spectrum of preventive, interventive, and crisis services, ie: . Services offered through Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (See IOCP Brochure - attachment 2). Currently, 00 Ridge Pointe households are on IOCP's caseload. . Programs offered by Wayzata Schools Early Childhood Family Education. (Attachments 3/4/5). . Programs and possibilities for programs offered by Wayzata Schools Adult Basic Education (:attachment 6). . Programs offered by the Ridgedale YMCA, ie., onsite and offsite programs for Relgency Pointe children ar-aned this summer --35 chiidretl participated in a three-week program offered by the , at a local school and 3 onsite programs for 30 children ages 4-12. Activities included hobbies and crgifts. ie., making_ rockets and helicopters, sports and games, and t.alm_nat.ed :aittit valises d iscuss ions. F utt.tre :)roaramm1 r1,_)? cps -1 i. i piit :-t ; `li: a colles'e PT intern at. Pe,4'ency ?ointe 4i1-.11 similar appr,)ach 2 times plcalc. The 'i also sponsucs :a Co -,)i'.)*. ; siinil:_ir `0 3i;' 3r `aer r :grim for 5-1'� Je_ir :)Ids. s �,ionderful nr.o r.im _-ould )c :nirl:et� :n►ic1 more ?ffective' :ith _?e encs. P)irtte �FaillJ..L e.S =1nct _rliil r'°'n. Al -;o, ar1u-it roti"J.�n`.s at Regency oe r)ot:ent_ _ )—')] i)Y recruits. 3 Plymouth Park and Recreation brought the Plymouth Puppet Playhouse to Regency Pointe once a week for eight weeks over summer. A designated Playground in the Streets (school -ate' a rro- time slot was also offered for Regency Pointe residentsoofdfsite'tofn' coincide with the preschool program offered by Early Childhood. Plymouth Park and Rec made recreational equipment available for special events. A Seniors Coordinator is available to work with older residents. Onsite swimming lessons could be offered. In 1995 additional CDBG funding will be available to cover all or part of program registration fees for low income residents. The connections and marketing that could be coordinated onsite would be an obvious benefit to recreation programming and development. How would the project improve the quality of life of the community? All existing and proposed programs are desid nto stregten and support families, to help build a sense of neiahborhoodnathRegenccy- Pointe, to create a climate of trust and cooperation between management and residents, to help with Parenting and relationship issues, to provide healthy exercise, to provide support while people are making changes, to link people with needed services, to provide respite for beleaguered parents, and significant opportunities for residents to reinvent their "neighborhood". An apartment, phone and equipment regularly available would also allow satellite county service staff to do assessments, take applications, do health screenings, for tutors to tutor, etc. Interpretation, linking, advocacy and follow-up for needed services could be greatly enhanced by having knowledgeable services providers on hand on a regular basis. Currently, Hennepin County is exploring ways to decentralize its family and children's services at no cost. Need What problem(s) will this project try to solve? It will directly and in a variety of ways address the barriers to independent living and stressful life circumstances faced by many residents. Many of these families face multiple barriers to independent living. It will make community- services, resources and networks more accessible for residents. It will provide opportunities f Lor respite and recreation for parents and children. Many of these families are single parent families headed by moms with round the clock responsibility and precious little time for themselves or their children. Help with parenting, an occasional night out, a trip to McDonald's,going to the zoo --or to an apple orchard, hiring a babysitter, pursuit of a hobby or a friendship, music lessons or sports programs for their kids --all those wonderful humanizing, self-esteem building activities that enrich life and that are routinely out of reach for these families, could be made available. What evidence do you have of this need? Feedback from residents .snd, management. Our work with these E families puts us intimately in touch with life at Regency Pointe. We have seen --too often --the heartbreaking consequence of long- term stress and economic discouragements. We have watched families break down and break up and listened to the feelings of powerlessness expressed by many of these families and children. Paradoxically, we have also found amazing resiliency, delightful creativity, and recovery in these families. These families want and need what all families and children need. A safe place to call home, enough money to live on, meaningful work, a chance to succeed and people who believe they can. What are the consequences of not addressing this need? Home alone kids will continue to be set up for problems. We continue to see families and children lose their housing not only because of affordability issues but also because of their lonely, bored, scared kids' behavior. Residents will continue to live in isolation from each other and from the larger community. Depression, health and mental health problems in parents, children, seniors, and young adults will continue to go unaddressed. Important links for seniors eligible for and in need of services will be missed. Lack of transportation and limited income will continue to be a serious barrier for families and children precluding them from enrichment, recreation, and opportunities for meaningful.participation in the life of the community. Approach How do you plan to implement this project? In the first quarter of 1995 we intend to: . recruit start-up funding . hire a coordinator . rent and equip an apartment (be -inning 4/1) . develop a strategic action plan for 1995 establish board guidelines and accountabilities establish Interfaith Outreach as fiscal agent Coordination Who else in your community is working on this problem? How does your project differ? County, city, and social services regularly interact with Regency Pointe residents also. However, for the most part, they are specialists dealing with specific issues --ie., health, mental health, probation, child protection, adult protection, aging and their services are generally problem -directed rather than Community - directed. Their approach is often primarily and necessarily interventive. We hope to add preventive approaches to the service and program mix with an emphasis on family strengths and family preservation. Will you coordinate or partner with them? absolutely. Yes. We already are and expect to continue to. - 5e." 5 Is there local support for this program? It's being cultivated. A presentation of the program was given to the Wayzata Rotarians. We are meeting with business and school leaders. The Communities in Collaboration Council is supportive to the concept. The Mayor of Plymouth and city staffers have been involved in this process. Evaluation: How and who will determine whether or not the project is working and if it accomplished its purpose? Overall evaluation will be measured against its mission, goals and objectives. Evaluation strategies will include significant involvement of Regency Pointe residents and the management team and providers. Each of the providers will establish formal and informal evaluation mechanisms for their specific programs. Our Funds: Specifically, how will a Foundation grant be used? A General Mills Foundation grant of 515,000 will be directed toward start -tip costs and will be leveraged for matching funds from other foundations and from the community at large. Our proposed budget breaks out start-up costs. Minimally, we hope by April 1 to hire a PT Coordinator (24 hr/p/wk @ $15 p/hr), rent an apartment @ 5500 p/mo, and put a phone and equipment in place. In-kind services and programs already in place will continue and be greatly enhanced by these few steps. Budget (See attachment i) Future Support How will this project be financed in the future? From foundations, the City of Plymouth, participating collaborators who will also continue to provide in-kind staff and services, from the community at large --businesses, corporations, community- service groups, and individual donors. Competence What evidence can you give of the ability of your organization(s) and personnel to implement this project successfully? All of the collaborators are seasoned professionals who have successfuliv mounted and managed a broad variety of programs and projects over time. This project expands demonstrated capacity for delivering services to ':he community in a way: that makes thein accessible for lew- and low -to -moderate income families and other vulnerable adults. j,(or—su Regency Pointe Collaborative Projected Budget March 31, 1995 - April 1, 1996 ProJected Budget $ 44,677 Proposed Funding Sources McKnight Foundation Methodist Hospital Foundation General Mills Foundation Investors Bank City of Plymouth Norwest Foundation Cargill Foundation. Projected Expenditures Coordinator Salary (PT @ 24 .hr/p/wk) S 18,000 FICA 1,377 Mileage 350 Apartment Rental/2 BR @ 5500* 6,000* Heat 700 Electricity J50 Phone 500 Professional Services 1,500 YMCA PT Worker/Materials 2,600 Supplies 650** Equipment 3,000** Refreshments 800 PR 500 Postage 350 Transportation Bus/Special Events, 1,000 Van* Maintenance/Repair/Insurance 2,500 Special Projects/Events 3,500 Book & Toy Lending Library 1,000** Total: $ 44,677 * In-kind Goods/Services *Reflects Re-,ency Pointe Subsidy *Early Childhood Family Edtication/Staff/Materials/Volunteers *Adult Basic Education Staff/Materials/Volunteers *Pl,vmouth Park & Recreation Program/Staff/Services *Plymouth Police/Staff/Services *IOCP Staff/Funds/Servi-ces/(Too(is/Volunteers *Youth Service Vol�.inteers/Wayzata Senior High School *V.an Donated by Cargill 'K* Reflects partial in-kind donations 1- 5f Friday, January 20, 1995 Mr. Dave Bit lle 10222 South South Dr Plymouth, MN 55441 11 PCITYF PLYMOUTI-F Subject: GO Forward Plan for South Shore Drive Improvements Dear Dave: As we last discussed. I am enclosing a memo I received from our City Manager, Dwight Johnson, which addresses my request that he provide an outline for obtaining South Shore Drive street improvements. Based on our last neighborhood meeting, which was held Iast fall at City Hall and was attended by yourself, numerous residents, as well as key City staff such as Mr. Johnson, Mr. Moore and Chief Gerdes, a general consensus was reached on a partial solution. That solution is to be motaLyeblcle =Me at the . I remain convinced that there is a great deal of merit to this solution. Two points that merit this approach are: 1) the fact that em�ncy d bike traffic would not be blocked, only through traffic, which appears to be at the heart of the South Shore neighborhood's current problem; 2) the initial reaction of City staff was positive and the project appears both feasible and affordable. The rough plan and schedule contained in City Manager Dwight Johnson's memo will require the active participation of as many residents as possible. I will work together with you to accomplish this. I am very encouraged at the outset, however, by the high degree of responsiveness to the needs of citizens that the Council has demonstrated this last year as well as the cooperative spirit of the residents. As we discussed, I will rely on you to see to it that the residents of the South Shore neighborhood receive copies of this letter and City Manager Dwight Johnson's memo. As always, it is my privilege to serve the residents of Ward 3, the Medicine Lake Ward, and all the folks in the South Shore neighborhood. Sincerely, Nick Granath Council Member, Ward 3 Plymouth City Council, 550-5092 cc: Mayor, City Manager, Council Members We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550.5000 z sF 1 CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 DATE: January 18, 1995 TO: Councilmember Nick Granath FROM: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT: Procedure for considering South Shore Drive traffic improvements You have recently inquired about the procedure for considering projects for traffic improvements along South Shore Drive. 'At a recent meeting with some neighbors in the area, the possibility of blocking the road to through motor vehicle traffic at the bridge was discussed. Other options may also be possible. I would suggest that the following general procedures and timetables should be pursued. 1. City engineering staff should conduct an in-house review of several aspects of the project including: a. informally reviewing the feasibility of establishing needed turnarounds on both sides of the bridge if traffic is cut-off at the bridge. b. reviewing any available traffic data or studies which would show if any unusual burden would be placed on the intersection with Highway 55 if South Shore Drive is cut-off at the bridge. Updated traffic counts may be needed. c. reviewing any information in the response from the City of Medicine Lake to the proposal that can be evaluated with relatively minor commitments of staff/consultant time. d. consider the possibility that South Shore Drive should be included as a part of the City's general street reconstruction program if turnarounds are constructed. Frame: Completion by February 10, 1995 2. The results of the additional research should be presented to the entire neighborhood. A written report should be mailed to all residents abutting South Shore Drive. A neighborhood meeting with city staff to discuss the information and the options with the residents could be organized by the City Time Frame: Completion by March 3, 1995 3. The neighborhood should indicate its interest in continuing with a project and various options. This could be done either at a neighborhood meeting, through a City survey of residents, or through a citizen petition process. Time Frame: Completion by March 14, 1995. 4. The information, including neighborhood input, should be formally presented to the City Council. If the Council wishes to proceed with a project, a feasibility report would be authorized. Time Frame: City Council meeting of March 21, 1995. 5. The Council would receive the feasibility report, including costs, and decide whether or not to proceed with design and bidding for the project. Time Frame: City Council meeting of April 18, 1995 Note: The City of Medicine Lake should be kept informed throughout the process. cc: Mayor and City Council T- S c) CITY OF PLYMOUTFF January 26, 1995 Representative Warren Limmer Room 351 State Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155 Dear Representative Limmer: We are sorry you were unable to attend the City of Plymouth's legislative dinner on January 23. However, we certainly understand how busy your schedule must be this time of year. The evening's discussion was helpful to us, and we hope that our legislators have a better understanding of the issues facing Plymouth. I have enclosed the information we discussed, as well as names and phone numbers of the City Council and staff. Please do not hesitate to call us if we can provide information or offer other assistance during the 1995 Legislature. Thank you for your service to Plymouth. We look forward to meeting with all of you again in 1996. Sincerely, Joy Tierney Mayor of Plymouth We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 CITY OF PLYMOUTFF Senator Gen Olson 119 State Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155 Dear Senator Olson: January 26, 1995 The City Council joins me in thanking you for meeting with us on January 23. The discussion was helpful to us, and we hope that you have a better understanding of the issues facing Plymouth. For your information, I've enclosed the names and phone numbers of the Plymouth City Council and staff. Please feel free to call on us if we can provide information or provide other assistance. Also included is budgetary information on the City's memberships in organizations such as LMC, AMM, and MLC. Thank you again, and we look forward to meeting with you in 1996. Sincerely, Joy Tierney Mayor of Plymouth We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 I,/ID10�17 CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 DATE: January 26, 1995 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT: Summary of Events Ameridata. Several weeks ago, the residents just west of the Ameridata loading docks presented a homemade video of the truck traffic and loading dock noise in their backyards coming from Ameridata. The video included real time readings from a noise meter. After that meeting, we agreed that we would officially ask the City Attorney for his opinion about whether the observations demonstrate a nuisance on which the City could take action. The answer has now been received and the Elliot Knetsch, our prosecutor, feels attempting to prosecute a nuisance in this case is a last resort, at best, and would be difficult to win. I also agreed that I would meet with Ameridata officials and this meeting is now set for next Wednesday afternoon. I then think our conclusions could be presented to the Council, probably on February 21 st. New Wayzata High School/City Playfield project. Another meeting between school and city officials occurred this week to coordinate all of the many items involved, including the environmental assessment, Peony lane alignment study, the new Peony Lane bridge, access roads, utility extensions, grading contracts, outside agency approvals, etc. Final negotiations are underway to acquire the southerly 31 acres from Lundgren Brothers. We should know in a few days if we have an agreement. Otherwise, a condemnation resolution may be placed on the February 7 agenda. Northwest Plymouth planning. The Community Development Department organized the kickoff of this effort this week by holding a meeting for all affected staff members in all departments. About 20 staff members brainstormed both who would be involved from the public, outside agencies, etc. as well as what are our desired outcomes and expectations for the process. We plan to share these results and engage the Council in this effort in the coming weeks. Plymouth On-Line. A Twin Cities Free Net will be established somewhere around May 1st. We are seeking to be one of the experimental pioneers in this project and expect to learn within two weeks whether or not we will be. I have seen what the City of Mankato has put on line so we have some ideas of what we could do if we are selected. Employee Safety Award luncheon. Our annual employee safety award lunch was held this week where we honored employees with good safety records. Plymouth continues to have a low worker's compensation experience ratio (.85) and has low losses in general. We have a safety committee with 11 members from all departments that meets regularly, review accidents, and promotes safety training opportunities. Transit System comprehensive program that integrates all modes of transporta- tion should be developed. The system should efficiently connect residents to employment, commercial and social oppor- tunities using HOV lanes, express buses, light rail transit (LRT) and other modes. Local Control he AMM feels strongly that govern- ment services which are provided closest to the individuals in need are more cost effective and efficient. Efforts that erode local control should be avoided. Mandates he AMM opposes state mandates for local action unless fully funded by the state. Without accompany- ing revenues, mandates cause property tax increases, decreases in vital city services and a reduction in the number of local program options available to citizens. Dividing Cities t is bad public policy to categorize and divide cities into micro -groups. The Twin Cities is a cohesive economic and social unit for which proposals should be evaluated on a macro basis. Cities need fewer constraints and more tools to solve problems and maintain a high quality of life. 777An/In�9" he AMM is a service and lobby organization which represents the collective interests of all metropolitan cities on various issues with unique metropolitan significance. Current membership includes 72 cities containing about 90 percent of the Twin Cities' population. AMM is the only organization that works closely with and monitors the Metropolitan Council and other agencies for metro cities. AMM Members Anoka Hastings Richfield Apple Valley Hopkins Robbinsdale Arden Hills Independence Rosemount Bayport Inver Grove Hghts Roseville Blaine Jordan St. Anthony Bloomington Lauderdale St. Francis Brooklyn Center Mahtomedl St. Louis Park Brooklyn Park Maple Grove St. Paul Burnsville Maplewood St. Paul Park Champlin Mendota Hghts Savage Chanhassen Minneapolis Shakopee Chaska Minnetonka Shoreview Circle Pines Mound Shorewood Columbia Hghts Mounds View South St. Paul Coon Rapids New Brighton Spring Lake Pk Cottage Grove New Hope Spring Park Crystal Newport Stillwater Deephaven North St. Paul Sunfish Lake Eagan Oak Park Hghts Watertown Eden Prairie Oakdale Wayzata Edina Orono West St. Paul Falcon Hghts Osseo White Bear Lake Fridley Plymouth Woodbury Golden Valley Prlor Lake Woodland up A Copyright 1994 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities 3490 Lexington Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55126 (612) 490-3301 lr�iwwiQ=W;MW PM 'Z— zb ssociation of Metropolitan Municipalities (AMM) Board of Directors selects major issue areas each year to concentrate AMM sources and efforts. The 1995 priority ;ues are city finance and revenue, urban vitalization and transportation. In addi- n, AMM member city officials, through a mmittee process, have developed 77 9cific city issue policies which have en approved by the board and full )mbership. Call 490-3301 for the com- �te AMM policy document. The following a summary of the 1995 priority issues. City finance and revenue Urban revitalization Transportation 3A/HACA MM strongly supports the continu- ation and growth of LGA/HACA. one of the few states that doesn't )vide alternate revenue sources to cities augment property taxes, the Legislature st maintain its partnership with local ✓ernments in providing essential public vices. This is particularly important ce crime is a leading public issue and es are the major providers of police and ne prevention services. Fiscal Disparities fiscal disparities is a tax base shar- ing program designed to help equal- ize Commercial/Industrial (C/1) tax capac- ity among metro jurisdictions. AMM op- poses the diversion of any portion of this fund for other purposes because such a diversion would create hick' - tax increases for all metro property tax payers. Property Tax Reform he AMM opposes redistribution of programs or changes in the prop- erty tax law that could result in major tax shifts between local jurisdictions or re- gions or could cause significant or sudden tax increases. he AMM, through its Housing and Urban Strategies committees, has developed a strong set of policies to ad- dress urban deterioration and increase life- cycle housing opportunities throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The State should: a. Provide more direct funding and financial incentives to assist cities in meeting long-term housing needs. b: Set priorities for use of state funds, but allow flexibility for pooling of state, regional and local resources. C. Provide technical assistance through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA). d. Establish a Metropolitan Enterprise Fund. The Metropolitan Council should: a. Develop a regional housing policy. plan that considers the linkage between housing, jobs, training, transit and human service needs. b. Provide research and data regarding ongoing housing needs. C. Develop criteria for the use of a Metropolitan Enterprise Fund which aims to clean up polluted soils, rehabilitate housing, construct affordable housing and establish a shallow rent subsidy program. he AMM supports increased and stable funding for highways and transit. It is imperative that the Legislature recognize the need to maintain and im- prove the highway infrastructure. In addi- tion, new resources are needed to provide a high quality, high capacity transit system in the metro area. To maintain economic m viability, it is just as important to efficiently transport individuals around the metropoli- tan area as it is to move commercial goods within the state. ``