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Council Information Memorandum 06-08-1995
JUNE 8, 1995 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS .... 1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR TUNE JUNE 12 7:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Public Safety Training Room TOPICS: City Computer System Private Streets JUNE 19 7:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Public Safety Training Room TOPICS: Meet with Planning Commission to discuss Downtown Plymouth planning efforts JUNE 20 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers 2. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE -- TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 7:00 P.M. Public Safety Training Room. 3. PLANNING COMMISSION -- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 7:00 P.M., Council Chambers. 4. HRA -- THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 7:00 P.M., Council Chambers. 5. METRO MEETINGS ---- The weekly calendar of meetings for the Metropolitan Council and its advisory commissions is attached. (M-5) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO June 8, 1995 Page 2 6. MEETING CALENDAR -- June and July meeting calendars are attached. (M-6) .................. ..... .... .... ..... .: . .. _. 1. DEPARTMENT REPORTS a. Weekly Building Permit Report for Commercial/Industrial/Public and Use Types. (I-1) 2. MINUTES: a. Human Rights Commission, June 1, 1995. (I -2a) b. Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, June 1, 1995. (I -2b) 3. DEVELOPMENT SIGNAGE: On June 2, three development signs. were placed at the following locations: 1) South of County Road 6 at 17805 County Road 6 (95052). Deephaven Montessori School is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit to be operated at the Messiah United Methodist Church. The school would include approximately 40 children. 2) Southeast of corner of 19th Avenue North and County Road 101 (95049). Inspec., Inc. is requesting approval for School District 284 for a parking lot expansion at the central services facility at Oakwood Elementary School. 3) Southwest corner of Old Rockford Road and Zachary Lane (95043) DanBar Construction is requesting approval of a Site Plan, Conditional Use Permit, and Rezoning from FRD (Future Restricted Development District) to R-lA (Low Density Single Family Residential District) for a 6,000 square. foot Little Flowers Montessori School. The school would include approximately 100 children ranging in age from 16 months to 6 years of age. All requests will be heard by the Planning Commission at their June 14 meeting. 4. NEWS ARTICLES, RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC. a. Reprints of Star Tribune news articles (June 5 and June 7) on the Minneapolis Housing Settlement Dispersal Plan. (I -4a) 5. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS POLICY - CORRESPONDENCE a. Letter from Harry Stark, 3010 Garland Lane, concerning the City's 1994 Street Reconstruction Program in the Shiloh Addition area. Fred Moore's response to Mr. Stark is also attached. (I -5a) b. Letter from Carl Hedberg, 13420 36th Avenue North, regarding concerns with the opening of Xenium Lane to County Road 9. (I -5b) c. Letter from Robert Peterson, Kingswood Homeowners Association, regarding illegal dumping of sump water into the City's sanitary sewer system. (I -5c) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO June 8, 1995 Page 3 A status report on all correspondence is also attached. 6. CORRESPONDENCE a. Letter from Susan Dreiband, Assistant Regional Director of Public Affairs, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, regarding Mayor's Tierney presentation at the Federal Duck Stamp First Day of Sale event, July 1 at the Mall of America. (I -6a) b. Letter form John Theis, Northern States Power, on the proposed merger of NSP and the Wisconsin Energy Corporation of Milwaukee. (I -6b) c. Bulletin from Joan Campbell, President, Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, on local official representative on AMM Policy Committees. (I -6c) d. Letter from Keith Moberg, Chair, and Jim Dahle, Director of Business, School District 281, thanking Councilmember Lymangood for assistance in resolving the Armstrong High School tree issue. (I -6d) e. Letter from Robert Wicklund, Director, Hennepin Parks, to Eric Blank, regarding the Park District's request for trail use easement on CNW right-of-way. (I -6e) f. Letter from Theresa Erhardt, Classic Lake Aquatics, Inc., to Don Anderson, PRAC Chair, concerning the private swimming pool presentation made to PRAC. (I -6f) g. Letter to Larry Mandile, 13955 36th Avenue North, from Eric Blank, in response to concerns at Plymouth playfields for safety fences. (I -6g) h. Memo from Fred Moore regarding Traffic Study for 25th Avenue from County Road 101 to Dunkirk Lane. (I -6h) Dwight Johnson City Manager rR OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS June 1995 Rev. 6/8/95 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS July 1995 Sunday...y Tuesday Wednesday.. ..Saturday 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 Independence Day - City MUSICIN Offices Closed PE. j'M©i1TFI......... 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ��� y 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE- Pub. Safety Trull Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION Council Chambers 7:00 PM PRAC - Council Chambers 7:30 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -Pub. Safety Training Room 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 1.66 P cOv Tc iL M �� 'i�}� 7:00 PM PACT - Pub. Safety Library 7:00 PM HRA - Council Chambers 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 7:00 PM BOARD OF ZO Council Chambers 30 31 June SMTWTFS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 August SMTWTFS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Rev. 6/8/95 =-t DATE: JUNE 8, 1995 TO: DWIGHT JOHNSON, CITE� Y// MANAGER FROM: CARLYS SCHANSBERG, DATA CONTROL/INSPECTION CLERK SUBJECT: BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL/PUBLIC & CHURCH USE TYPES JUNE 1, 1995 THROUGH JUNE 8, 1995 Permit #66365 was issued to Caliber Development for construction of a building at Annapolis Business Center (shell only) at 13705 26th Avenue North, valuation $950,000.00. PERMITLIST LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED PAGE 1 06/08/95 AGING DAYS FROM 06/01/95 TO 06/07/95 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 11 0043 ALTERATION 06/06/95 66989 JOPP CONST LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 16020 44TH AVE N 12 3 FAWN CREEK 0002697 $1,300.00 $51.80 30 118 22 24 0027 REPAIR 06/05/95 66993 NEW VIEW REMODELING LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 2020 VAGABOND LA N 12 4 IMPERIAL HILLS 0002838 $5,675.00 $83.84 19 118 22 24 0052 REPAIR 06/05/95 66996 COTY CONST LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 3320 URBANDALE LA N 23 2 AMBER WOODS 003968 $3,717.00 $64.86 36 118 22 12 0010 ALTERATION 06/05/95 66040 HEDBERG AGGREGATES INC LOT BLK INDUSTRIAL BUILDING 1205 NATHAN LA N REGISTERED LAND SURVEY NO 1663 A 003968 $1,100.00 $45.10 33 118 22 31 0087 ADDITION 06/01/95 66051 JAMES E KELLNER LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 545 NIAGARA LA N LLS33QQ310087 003968 $9,500.00 $197.80 27 118 22 21 0010 NEW CONST 06/05/95 66365 CALIBER DEVELOPMENT LOT BLK INDUSTRIAL BUILDING 13705 26TH AVE N LLS27QQ210010 $950,000.00 $35,692.95 33 118 22 32 0008 ADDITION 06/02/95 66387 TERRY L SMITH LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 315 RANCHVIEW LA N LLS33QQ320008 $9,880.00 $197.99 P., M: a.111 Plymouth Human Rights Commission June 1, 1995 Notes of the Meeting Present: Rebecca Ribich, Laurie Levi, Claudelle Carruthers, Harvey Guttmann Assistant City Manager Kathy Lueckert Excused: Earl Peterson, Ginny Clark, Jackie Fraedrich Absent: Lisa Memberr, Bill Dix, Saundra Spigner, John Kane There was no quorum for an official meeting. The Human Rights Commission members present briefly discussed some of the items on the scheduled agenda, beginning at 7:35 PM. Plymouth "Block Gun Play," June 3, 1995 at Armstrong High School. The Plymouth Human Rights Commission is listed as a sponsor of the event. Harvey Guttmann said he would hand out brochures on the Plymouth Human Rights Commission from 11 AM to Noon. Music in Plymouth. Music in Plymouth is scheduled for July 6, 1995 beginning at 5:30. The Human Rights Commission agreed to order "pogs" with the HRC logo to hand out to children at Music in Plymouth. The attraction of "pogs" should draw parents to the HRC table, so that HRC brochures can be handed out. Kathy Lueckert will place the order for the pogs, arrange for a table for the HRC, and make certain those HRC members attending have name badges. Meeting with Chief Gerdes. Rebecca Ribich reported that she had met with Chief Gerdes, to get acquainted. She will meet with him every other month. Media Plan. Rebecca Ribich indicated that she wants to begin work on writing articles for various publications on the Human Rights Commission. Kathy Lueckert suggested that the Commission think through what it wants to communicate to the public. July Meeting. Because Music in Plymouth falls on the HRC's regular meeting night, the July meeting will be held on Thursday, July 13, at 7:30 PM in the Public Safety Training Room. Rebecca Ribich will contact Fred Tenfingers from SHARC to see if he can attend. Commission Vacancies. Kathy Lueckert reported that several applications have been received for the vacancies on the HRC. The Council will form a subcommittee to interview applicants. The vacancies should be filled in July, in time for the August meeting. The group adjourned at 8:10 PM. M ra/ Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting June 1, 1995 Page 19 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Bildsoe, Fiemann, Johnson, Priebe, Wahl and Willegalle; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson; Classic Lake Aquatics representatives 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the June meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Bildsoe and seconded by Commissioner Wahl to approve the minutes of the meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary announced that beaches opened for the Memorial Day weekend, however, due to the rain and cool temperatures, guards were not on duty until Monday when the weather improved. Although the water temperature is still quite chilly, several people did go swimming. Mary stated that summer programs are about to begin, with many programs seeing an increase in enrollment, while others are down. T -ball, and instructional ball enrollment is up 200 participants over last summer. Staff is working on the `96 recreation budget, as well as planning for fall programming. c. Others. See item 5 a. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION Hennepin Parks received authorization from the Plymouth City Council to condemn railroad right of way from CNW Railroad for the extension of the Luce Line trail from 494 to Highway 169. Also approved was a joint effort between the City and Hennepin Parks to conduct a feasibility report on the establishment of a trail from West Medicine Lake Drive around the south end of the lake and up the east shore to French Regional Park. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Private swimming Ml update by Classic Lake Aquatics (C". Classic Lake Aquatics appeared before the Commission for the second time with the findings of their feasibility study conducted by students from the College of St. Thomas. Tom Franke, of CLA, reviewed for the Commission some of the information they presented at the meeting they attended last November. They repeated their request that the City donate the land for the aquatics facility and stated that they had honored the City's request to conduct a feasibility study. Mr. Franke explained that the mission of CLA was to: 1) promote the benefits of swimming for all people, 2) meet the needs of the surrounding community and 3) locate an aquatics facility in Plymouth or a northwest suburb. PRAC Minutes/June 1995 Page 20 Z•Q.b The project itself consists of: 1) a 15 x 25 yard zero depth recreational pool which could also contain a water slide, 2) a 15 x 25 yard lesson and exercise pool, 3) a 50 meter, 8 -lane competitive pool, 4) locker rooms, 5) an exercise area, and 6) a senior citizens center. Mr. Franke explained that he had visited with seniors living at Towne Square and had received enthusiastic comments from them regarding the possibility of such a facility being so close to them. They were particularly excited about the prospect of having a large meeting room with kitchen facilities and the recreational pool. Teri Erhardt of CLA then explained the research objectives of the demand study which had been conducted by the St. Thomas students. The objectives were: 1) determine the demand for an aquatics center, and 2) determine if revenues would be sufficient to support the expenses. She explained that the questionnaire was designed to determine the demographic profile of the residents, the interest level of the residents in an aquatics center, the interest for additional services and the amount residents would be willing to pay for such a facility. The questionnaire was sent to 1,500 households, and about 375 responded (or 25 %). Of those responding, 55 % indicated some interest in such a facility. Eighty one percent of those had children. The questionnaire asked what activities residents would participate in if such a facility were built. Eighty-one percent said they would use it for recreational swimming, 44% said they would use it for water exercise, 15% would use it for lap swimming, 8% would rent the facility, and 6% said they would use it for competitive swimming. Another question asked what additional amenities people desired. Eighty-five percent said exercise equipment, 85 % said therapeutic pool, 82 % said workout room, 78 % said lap swimming, 76 % said concessions, 74% said waterslide, and 54% said retail. The questionnaire asked how much people would be willing to pay to use an aquatics center. 18% would be willing to pay $30 per month, 5 % would pay $25, 25 % would pay $20, 34 % would pay $15 and 18 % would pay a fee less than $15. Teri concluded her remarks by saying that the target market of the feasibility study was households with children, that the respondents' highest interest was in family type recreational activities with swimming coming out on top, and that the location of such a facility was very important to them. Doug Gerrick of CLA then made the presentation on the finances. They have estimated the following annual expenses: Equivalent of 11 full-time employees $748,200 Utilities 175,000 Chemicals 30,000 Supplies 65,000 Maintenance 30,000 Marketing 25,000 Liability 30,000 Refuse 10,000 Reserves 20.000 TOTAL $1,133,200 PRAC Minutes/June 1995 Page 21 They estimate the following annual revenues: Annual memberships (3,000 @ $180 ea.) $540,000 Daily use passes $200,000 Seasonal/Corporate passes $150,000 Lesson fees $200,000 Rental fees 200,000 Concessions/Advertising 150,000 TOTAL $1,305,000 When asked how they arrived at a figure of $200,000 for swimming lessons, Mr. Gerrick was not able to provide a precise answer. He explained that the figure was based on a number of different scenarios, such as different types of lessons costing different amounts, etc. He did state that usually a session consists of 10 lessons and should cost approximately $30. He also indicated that the pool would have to be programmed all day long every day in order to bring in that amount. Commissioners asked Mr. Gerrick if it was possible to keep the pool going at that pace year after year. Mr. Gerrick was sure that it would be. Mr. Franke then explained just what the facility would incorporate as they have it designed. He stated that it would contain three separate bodies of water, and could also house a senior center, community room, and kitchen. They have received a bid from a well-known company, PCL Construction, for $5,500,000. Mr. Franke said this was on the high end and would likely cost less if other bids were considered. Commissioner Bildsoe asked CLA where they intended to get the $5,500,000 to build the facility. Mr. Franke explained that they were not able to solicit funds until they completed the feasibility study showing the anticipated revenues. Now that they have that information, they intend to seek funding from a variety of sources, such as private corporations, health agencies, individual contributions, etc. CLA concluded their presentation by repeating their request that the City donate the land for the aquatics facility somewhere near Plymouth Boulevard and 37th Avenue, and support them in their efforts to gain approval from the City Council. Commission members had a few comments and questions following CLA's presentation. Commissioner Johnson wondered if any interest payments were reflected in the expenses projections? CLA said no. He also wondered about the facility being open 365 days a year. CLA said that it would probably be closed around five days out of the year for various reasons. Commissioner Priebe was concerned about the popularity of an indoor pool in the summer months. CLA responded that people seem to prefer to be outside in the summer, but that the facility could be designed to `let the outdoors in" with lots of windows, etc. Commissioner Anderson mentioned the committee that has been studying youth facility needs in Plymouth and commented that PRAC was not in a position at this time to make any commitments regarding a pool until after the results of that study are concluded. Director Blank stated also that the PRAC Minutes/June 1995 Page 22 3.- ab "Downtown Plymouth" planning group has met twice, and they are interested in some sort of recreation facility being located in this area. Chair Anderson thanked CLA for their presentation and indicated that staff would stay in touch with them about the findings of the youth facility needs study. b. West Medicine Lake Park update. Director Blank stated that permits should all be granted by the end of July. The next step after that will be to get approval of the final plans and specifications, followed by going out for bid. He explained that an environmental assessment worksheet had been requested by Dick Milner. Director Blank said that an archaeological review had been done which discovered one Indian burial mound located under the old road. He explained that this probably would not affect the project. c. Open spaces update. Director Blank thanked all who had worked so diligently on the open space committee and on getting the word out to vote on May 23. He stated that the attorneys will begin working on purchase agreements for the four sites. He also indicated that he will be asking the City Council to authorize feasibility reports on the 19 segments of trail to help determine which ones to complete first. He expects that all the segments will be finished within 18 months. d. Playfield/highschool update. Director Blank distributed copies of the program planned for the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Monday, June 5. He encouraged all the commissioners to attend and explained that parking will be at Kimberly Lane Elementary with buses transporting people to the highschool site. There is a meeting with the grading contractor on Monday. The estimate for the grading is $300,000. e. Study of youth sports facilities update. Director Blank stated that the committee has met twice and will likely take most of the summer to complete their findings. Commissioner Bildsoe asked if the committee will be prioritizing facilities. Director Blank responded that once the needs have been determined, they would probably be placed in some sort of priority order. Director Blank commented that the City of Shoreview, after opening its community center, began subsidizing it at $150,000 per year. That figure is now up to about $250,000. Their success rate is not as strong as the Classic Lake Aquatics group implied. He also confirmed the Commission's understanding that the CLA facility would be privately owned without City involvement and that it would be in competition with our swimming program, Wayzata Community Education's swimming program and other similar programs in the area. Director Blank said that he wants to keep the lines of communication open with this group, however, because they are very enthusiastic and will get things done. He believes it would be beneficial for PRAC to visit some of the community centers that have aquatics facilities, such as Shoreview, Chaska, and Maplewood. He would also like a joint meeting with the City Council and PRAC sometime after the results of the youth sports facilities study are known for the purpose of discussing mutual interests. PRAC members concurred that this was a good idea. PRAC Minutes/June 1995 Page 23 1XI.- Qb f. Update on new neighborhood park playgrounds, sand volleyball, roller hockey. Director Blank stated that Timber Shores playground is 75 % completed, Mission Hills playground is being assembled, and Schmidt Lake's playground equipment has just arrived. The sand volleyball court at Parkers Lake is basically done, and nets should go up June 3. The roller hockey rink at Plymouth Creek is being graded and the paving should take place by June 16. The trail in Seven Ponds Park has been graded and should be paved soon. Director Blank said a ribbon cutting ceremony will be planned this summer that will include both the accessible playground and new roller hockey rink at Plymouth Creek Park. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. 1996-2000 CIP discussion. Director Blank reviewed the 1996 CIP and explained the addition of the Greenwood Elementary playground improvement. He reminded the Commission that the City has in the past normally contributed up to $10,000 toward playground improvements. He stated that this amount has been the standard figure for many years now, and it might be time to review whether or not it is sufficient, considering that playground improvements now can cost over $60,000. He also commented that the Greenwood playground might be worthy of a larger contribution than the standard $10,000 because the residents in this area have contributed over $400,000 in park dedication fees. Director Blank pointed out that the 1996-2000 CIP does not include any funds for golf courses, pools, etc. b. Federal Duck Stamp Contest - local winner recognition. Director Blank announced that a resident of Plymouth, Jim Hautman, won the 1995 Federal Duck Stamp contest. He is being honored in July at a special ceremony to be held at the Mega Mall. Mayor Tierney will be making a presentation. Director Blank suggested that PRAC may want to consider naming one of the open space areas after Mr. Hautman, since he happens to live adjacent to the one at County Road 73 and his art work has contributed $20,000,000 to the preservation of wildlife. Director Blank then reminded PRAC that it has been the City's policy not to name a park after an individual. There was some debate then on whether or not it was a good idea to name a park after Mr. Hautman. Some commissioners thought it was all right to do so, while others were concerned it might set a precedent. Commissioner Johnson suggested naming the park `Mallards Park," which is the name of the winning painting. This would still honor the artist without actually naming the park after a person. There was more discussion then, and it was finally decided to carry this item over to the July meeting, because no consensus could be reached. c. Feasibility report on use of Ess property for park purposes. Director Blank stated that the City Council has been offered this property for use as a 494 -Schmidt Lake Road interchange, but the Council has held off making any decision on purchasing it. They directed that PRAC review it for possible use as a park. Director Blank indicated that a feasibility study needs to be done to determine if the land would be suitable for ballfields, etc., and where the access would be. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BILDSOE AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FIEMAN TO PRAC Minutes/June 1995 Page 24 RECOMMEND THAT A FEASIBILITY STUDY BE DONE ON THE ESS PROPERTY TO DETERMINE ITS SUITABILITY AS ATHLETIC FIELDS. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. d. Safety fencing - baseball fields. Director Blank stated that the youth baseball associations from Plymouth -Wayzata and New Hope -Plymouth have both requested that the City install safety fencing down the first and third baselines of fields at Pilgrim Lane, Zachary, Birchview and Greenwood elementary schools. Park maintenance has some money which has been allocated for upgrading fencing at some of our existing park sites, and they estimate that to do the same at these four sites, which includes eight fields, will cost about $9,000. Director Blank believes that it would be in everyone's best interest to go ahead with these improvements. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER FE24AN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER PRIEBE TO RECOMMEND THE INSTALLATION OF SAFETY FENCING AT A COST OF $9,000. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION None. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION None. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m. House the poor, sure; the fight is over where Dispersal plan draws opposition By Stere Brandt and Norman Draper Staff Writers Even with a court-ordered settlement hanging over the Twin Cities area, moving thousands of poor, mostly minority Minneapolis residents to better neighborhoods in that city and in the suburbs will be a daunting task. Opposition is widespread, based in part on fear that poor minorities will bring with them more crime and de- pressed property values. Some say it's bad policy. Others say they've got plenty of poverty and deteriorating housing of their own without tackling someone else's problem. Those concerns boiled over in a con- tentious Minneapolis City Council meeting a week ago Friday, and will rise again Tuesday when the council takes up compromise language in a set of housing principles proposed by Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton. The settlement came out of a lawsuit filed by the Minneapolis NAACP that charged Minneapolis and federal and regional agencies with concentrating too much public housing An poor, minority -dominated parts of the city. The settlement includes a pledge from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for $100 million. That money will finance the dispersing of 770 units of inner-city public housing throughout the city and suburbs. It also will finance rent subsidies for another 900 low-income households. But how the settlement will translate into a workable relocation plan is unclear — at least for now. It's ex- pected to take years to work out the details. Minneapolis City Council members themselves dispute where such housing should go. Some council members oppose put- ting it in their own wards. Housing continued on page gA tFR i R 190E 6161qs CA(-, i R How will the housing settlement work? The $100 million settlement of a public housing discrimination lawsuit in Minneapolis will move residents of hundreds of subsidized housing units to new areas. They're now concentrated in neighborhoods that have significantly higher minority populations or poverty rates. Settlement terms require that many move to areas that have less poverty and fewer minority residents, including the suburbs. Minneapolis agreed to move at least 80 households to its less concentrated areas. All suburbs are eligible to take these families except a few isolated areas. Areas in Minneapolis eligible to receive replacement housing Areas excluded from receiving replacement housing because of already -high concentrations of poor or minority residents Two scenarios While many questions remain, here are two extremes of how the suburbs could be affected. The. totals don't include 900 subsidized rent vouchers that could go to either Minneapolis or the suburbs. How the suburbs end How the suburbs end up with a minimum up with a maximum number of units number of units Total affected Total affected by settlement 770 by settlement 770 If Minneapolis If Minneapolis disperses the disperses the minimum number minimum number across the city -80 across the city -80 And if Minneapolis And if Minneapolis keeps the maximum keeps the minimum number at the North number at the Side projects North Side projects location -368 location 0 Total dispersed Total dispersed to suburbs 322 to suburbs 690 Timetable July, 1992: Residents of public housing and the Minneapolis NAACP sue the federal government, city of Minneapolis and later the Metropolitan Council. They allege that public housing in the city has perpetuated racial segregation. April, 1995: Federal court approval of a settlement that provides replacement housing for residents of 770 public housing units and 900 rental subsidies. The federal commitment is $100 million. Fall, 1995: Relocation counseling begins for residents, covering not only housing but also dealing with their barriers to self-sufficiency. Residents will have up to two years to complete self-sufficiency programs. 1997-1998: Residents of Sumner Field finish moving out of the 350 -unit project and it is razed. Sale of 48 substandard scattered -site units. 2000: Deadline for disposing of an additional 372 housing project units at the Glenwood, Olson and Lyndale housing projects. 2001: Deadline for replacement housing to be completed Sources: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Metropolitan Council; Lawsuit settlement; Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Star Tribune Graphic/Jane Friedmann - " 8A. Monday/June 5/1995/Star Tribune Housing/ 80 poor families to be moved Continued from page 1A The city also must persuade dozens of suburbs to lend a hand — some- thing many suburbs have historically been reluctant to do. And because they weren't part of the lawsuit, they're not bound by its settlement. Suburban cooperation may also be undermined by the Minneapolis council's failure to reach consensus on how serious it is about dispersing residents within its own borders. The council's approval of the settlement binds it to move 80 poor families to middle- and upper-income neighbor- hoods. But the council split over dis- persing people as part of a broader debate on housing philosophy. That isn't lost on suburban officials "If they don't want them, how can they go out to the suburbs and ask us to take them?" asked Mark Ulfers, head of the Dakota County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Some Minneapolis council members, especially those whose wards are on the city's fringes, worry that moving in poor people will degrade their neighborhoods. Still others question the city's redistribution of the poor because they argue that it would take Pressure off suburbs to accept their share. And some question -whether adopting a policy to disperse people within Minneapolis will change much ofanything. That's because dispersing housing for poor people has been official city Policy since 1982. But it hasn't changed much where -poor people live. Subsidized housing In fact, vast sections of Minneapolis remain virtually free of subsidized housing. That fact is revealed in city Planning Department figures. Subsi- dized housing makes up less than 1 Percent of all units in every neighbor- hood but one south of Lake St. and all but one neighborhood north of Lowry Av. It's less than 1 percent in 51 of the city's 81 neighborhoods and less, than 10 percent in another 20. But subsidized housing comprises 40 percent or more of all housing in the Near North and Sumner -Glen- wood neighborhoods and more than 30 percent in Cedar -Riverside. Academics have documented the damaging effects of living amid over- whelming poverty. But the will to more evenly distribute that poverty has been sapped by fear in some quarters over the impact on stable neighborhoods. "I felt the discussion we had last Friday [May 261 was one of the ugli- est council meetings I've been to," said Minneapolis Council Member Joan Campbell, who supports dis- persing people. Her University of Minnesota -area ward includes con- centrations of subsidized housing. "This is an issue that cuts people to their core." At that meeting, the council voted 7- 6 to send the mayor's housing princi- ples back to a committee for further policy discussion. But some of those who opposed her list say that their resistance isn't about racism or clas- sism, but that it's because they are thinking issues through more care- fully. Council Member Lisa McDonald's ward — generally east of Lakes Cal- houn and Harriet — has one neigh- borhood of concentrated subsidized housing and five with little. She's willing to accept more, but she said that such housing needs to be well- designed and that no part of the city should accept a greater share than the metropolitan average. In the seven -county metro area, sub- sidized housing makes up 5.8 percent of all housing. That figure averages 3.2 percent for Hennepin County outside Minneapolis. But a substan- tial portion of the subsidized housing in the suburbs is for the elderly, which doesn't elicit as much opposi- tion as housing for poor and minor- ity families. Sayles Belton's proposed housing principles are intended to protect and improve the city's housing stock, while giving a better choice of loca- tions and a variety of housing styles to residents of all income levels. She's trying to assure the Minneapo- lis school board that the city is com- mitted to less segregated housing at the same time that the board is de- bating whether there should be less mandatory busing for desegregation and a return to community schools, as Sayles Belton wants. How we got here Multiple factors have led to the segre- gated location of subsidized housing. Some were conscious decisions, such as the building of four large housing projects along Olson Memorial Hwy. People using rental subsidies have some choice in where they live, but it is narrowed by the availability of rental property and federal rules lim- iting the amount they can spend. And when the city buys individual homes in neighborhoods under a scattered -site plan, its budget stretch- es further if it avoids exclusive areas with expensive homes. An attorney representing public housing residents, Timothy Thomp- son, said he's concerned by the coun- cil's delay on adopting dispersal as a principle. "I don't think it's consis- tent with what the city has agreed to in the decree," he said. "I'm hopeful when cooler heads prevail, the coun- cil will acknowledge that not only is this good policy, but they've agreed to this. We can't escape the issue, said Thomas Hoch, deputy executive di- rector of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. "If we don't ad- dress this, our kids will address this," he said. `But it will probably be a much worse situation." Hoch is optimistic about a resolution to the issue but concedes that getting the suburbs to participate in any plan to resettle poor Minneapolis resi- dents will be hard. So far, those talks have been short on specifics about what exactly the suburbs will be ex- pected to do. According to Hoch, none of the sub- urban housing officials has indicated how many scattered -site homes, sub• sidized apartments or small public housing developments each might be willing to accept, or whether the sub- urb would be willing to participate, Some suburban officials say they don't mind helping. And the intent to Provide suburban housing opportu- nities in scattered sites or small clus- ters may make it more palatable to People who would resist large proj- ects of poor Minneapolis residents. But those officials have found public housing for their own residents to be controversial enough, not to mention the displaced poor of the central city. Hoch says he knows that fear of poor minority residents moving in is an underlying issue that will drive some of the suburban opposition. "Clearly, I there are issues of race and class involved," he said. "I don't have a Prescription for how we address that. That's a national problem." Getting communities to participate might involve a carrot -and -stick ap- proach. An incentive offered in the settlement involves additional low- cost housing funds for a community's own residents. The Metropolitan Council is also considering incentives for communities that participate. HUD might have a stick ready, too. Shawn Huckleby, HUD's director of community planning and develop- ment for Minnesota, said communi- ;,, ties that don't participate might be shut out of other HUD programs. Z.'1A4k. A carrot and stick Donald Schneider is community de- velopment director of Columbia Heights, an inner -ring Minneapolis suburb that has acquired some of the deteriorating housing and crime problems of the central city. "We'd rather take care of our own than take on low-income residents from Min- neapolis," he said. Others are wondering aloud why they have to help solve Minneapolis' Problems. "We aren't defendants in this lawsuit, yet it appears that the lawsuit settlement is asking the sub- urbs to bear a significant part of the responsibility for this past discrimi- nation," said Dakota County's Ulfers. "That's problematic in my mind." For suburban politicians, the key fac- tor is what their constituents want, and plenty don't want public hous- ing. "Our people in our community would frown on this sort of distribu- tion of public housing in the metro area," said Lakeville Mayor Duane Zaun. "It would take away from any policies and initiatives we make to govern our own community. They would say, `Do not allow that to happen.'" Regina Harris, administrator of Bloomington's housing agency, and others say they might be willing to help as long as they're not used as a dumping ground for the lion's share of the housing. "We'll take our fair share, but we don't want to take more than our fair share just because others might not be willing to do it, or might not have the means to do it," she said. Hoch agreed that some communities - will have to be prodded. "I think there will be an end of the line where if people don't participate, [the stick approach] will have to happen," he said. "The bottom line is there is a court order here. It's unrealistic to think that if some people just say . `no,' it's going to go away." Star Tribune Wednesday June 7 /1995 ♦ W - Please read and recycle 1 ..S .v g, r ached ,C3V�ti 'phDi': on housing principles ro oral Bbp pt.,.Q."Ornprornise, , R ; rbs su port uires subu p req By Kevin Diaz StaffWniter After weeks of sizzling rhetoric over race. end class divisions, Minneapolis the Mayor Sharon Sayles Belt onand City ,Council reached agrrinnI TuesdayR4n a, set :of housing mep pies sfor moving poor, mostly minor- ity 'residents into middle-class neigh- ; n it The �iitc�. much ah still requhres the wan�.s,to accomp .who cooperation. of,the suburbs' selwhoe willingnessto accept app _ mins a huge unansweredme hquestiousinon e But Tuesday's breakthrough agree- ment, gree ment in Minneapolis ends a politica' standoff between Sayles Belton, whc had sought council buy -in to a gener- I is set of housing principles, which majority bloc on the council, found her original pr°gran' overly broad, vague and fraught with pitfalls. Come Friday, ' when the council is expected to ratify the new deal, Sayles Belton will have`a set of hous- ing integration principles 'to take with her to th�q Minneapolis school .board, as well as to next week's DFL Te Party the endorsing`' convention,,.. mayor is backing' a slate of schoo board incumbents who ,are receptive to her vision of community schools. From the promutset of the pted by a $100 million court _ — promp Housing continued on page 5B Housing/ Neighborhood diversity linked to end of busing Continued from page 1B ordered settlement involving the city, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the NAACP — Sayles Belton has linked integrated neighborhoods with her call to curtail mandatory desegrega- tion busing and move to neighbor- hood -based schools. "We are developing a consensus here and I am pleased about that," the mayor said about the new agreement. Sayles Belton's housing principles, which suffered a 7-6 defeat by the council May 26, are now headed for passage without opposition. The sud- den unanimity was purchased by adding a resolution — basically a bill of particulars drafted by the council majority — meant to address con- cems, about stemming urban flight and protecting neighborhoods that are considered stable. Of the measures contained in the new resolution, the most hotly con- tested was one . requiring that any private housing taken over for subsi- dized scattered -site housing be re- placed with homesteaded .housing of equal or greater tax -generating value. That requirement, authored by Council Members Steve Minn and Lisa McDonald, was intended to pre- serve the city's tax base and, more importantly, to discourage the acqui- sition of existing owner -occupied housing for public housing. Housing principles - revised The following housing principl s, developed by Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and the city Planning Department, have been approved by the City Council; with some additional specific language in light -face type. The language is still subject to negotiation. �r ■ 1. The variety of housing as throughout the city and Its communities, and throughout the metropolitan area, shall be increased, giving prospective.�uyers and renters greater choice in where they live. ;: a'rIdentify and support private sector development for ch ne serS ands "•: ing demographics in markets such as seniors, empty- 7 . the physically challenged. * Develop/provide incentives for placing new housing on transporta- tion corridors. . Develop/ provide tax and zoning incentives to developers for infill housing that is well designed; serves several Income levels, adds to the tax base and fits the urban environment. Up to 20 percent of the units in new multifamily housing develop- ments should be affordable. i ■ 2. The management, quality and balance of subsidized housing through the city and metropolitan area shall be improved. Disperse subsidized housing metrowide. No community should receive greater concentration than the metro average. Replace each private property converted to subsidized scattered - site [housing] with homesteaded housing of equal or greater tax generating value. . Match new scattered -site or multihousing to the characteristics and housing types of the community In which It is located. ■ 3. Housing markets that are already strong shall be preserved and strengthened. aa _ ° Decrease the current rate of ]tothesteadetl property loss (2000/y88r�; by 20 percent per year for the;next five years Recognize Neighborhood Reyitalization.Program action plans as a basis for implementing housing policy: Work with the school board so that NRP plans that fund subsidized. housing will enabie.the designation of community schools. Streamline city zoning and permitting to encourage homeowner renovation and investment. ■ 4. The quality of Minneapolis' housing stock shall be improved. Emphasize recycling of existing housing stock through renovation and rehabilitation. Neighborhood livability, including safety, traffic calming, streetscape, green space, retail development and community schools are recog- nized as vital to housing success. Retain and preserve affordable, private rental housing. Minn's and McDonald's original Pro- posal would have entailed a strict one-for-one replacement, a rule the 'mayor and her council supporters were reluctant to accept. After some negotiation, the measure was soft- ened with compromise language drafted by Council Member Pat Scott mandating only that "attention on a city-wide basis begiven" to somehow creating addition al "homesteaded housing whenever say is taken for subsidized housing. Other measuresinclude support for private sector development and mar- keting Minneapolis as a good place to live, and matching newly built public housing to the character fit houss ing in the community located. They also mandate that no community should receive a greater concentration of low-income housing than the metro area average of 5.8 percent. Subsidized housing in some wards, particularly Minn's, in the ex- treme southwest comer of the city, is less than 1 percent of the total. In others, such as Jackie Cherryhomes' ward on the North Side, it is 23.4 percent. Minn and McDonald said that lan- guage contained in the council reso- lution adds a measure of specificity and direction. "We wanted to make sure these four principles didn't fal into a void," McDonald said. th!' the suburbs to take some," said Council. Member Wait Dziedzic, one However, a last-minute squabble of the sponsors of the added council "We're going to have to over the exact status of the new hous= ing points nearly blocked the 'deal.' resolution. plead with them." Mead, Cherryhomes and other coun, cil members supporting the mayor IYuedzic and others who "had op - the mayor's original set' of wanted the new language to stand as, posed an advisory adderidtun apart ifroin ptutctPles eked at vague. language the mayor's original four principles y 8mou ti bf low-income".)iousin81 in Minn, `McDonald aid' 60.they thyl wards;; depressing,propertY vat- commitment from ttesl wlthout.any sponsors of the council resolution , h �' new language to be into% the butlyw8 suburbs to do the same. wanted,the posted into the 'main principles. The retied is p on C. arguments Sayles Belton and Council Membe> Y on Arfield,'DFLr Jim Niland dropped their msisteuce that the language be separat gad- Numeapolis,' who 'attended Tues - M his discussions and'reite vaging a hard-won agreement - ? .• �uncil day's nal long -held position that regional solu- tions must be found to house the Another key measure in eco resolution calls fordispersing subsi- dized housing metrowide, in accord- ance with the HUD settlement; which is supposed to finance the dis-� persing of 770 units of inner-city public housing throughout the city and suburbs. City officials acknowledge, however; that the suburban commitment to low-income housing is the one part of the equation over which they have the least control. I "The hard part is going to be getting poor. While suburban cooperation remains in doubt, Council Member Dore Mead, one of the council supporters of the mayors' original housing plan, said that council adoption of the housing principles will go a long way toward demoostrating the city's com- mitment to integration. "This is really going to send a terrific message to the suburbs," she said. "I'm glad we're going to -show some leadership on this." May 29, 1995 Ms. Joy Tierney Mayor of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth, MN 55447 -r'S^,., Re: City Project No. 401 - Resurface Streets & Install Some New Curbs in Shiloh Dear Ms. Tierney: I understand discussion of this project is scheduled to be brought before the city council on June 6th. I would like to add my comments about the project. I am not an engineer, nor have I seen all the numbers related to this city street resurfacing project. However, I do have to express my total dissatisfaction with it. I feel it was totally unnecessary and extremely expensive. In my opinion, the streets of Shiloh were in good shape and did not need this expensive repair. Had you asked the people of Shiloh before you did the work whether or not they would have been willing to spend $900 per home to resurface their streets, I'm sure you would have gotten a negative response. I'm sure everyone would have said the streets were just fine. To me, this is just an example of bureaucrats spending someone else's money on a project that for the most part was not needed. Now I realize that in some areas new curbs were installed. If those people wanted the curbs that's fine. Perhaps that cost could have been carried by those directly affected or even all of the Shiloh residents. However, resurfacing streets that did not need it, is wrong. I know there are families in this area on which this will be a very tough financial burden. I myself am on a cul-de-sac of five homes and our street prior to this resurfacing was just fine. There was only one small line crack on this entire section of street which could have easily been repaired with filler. The rest of the surface of the street had absolutely nothing wrong with it. I can assure you that if the owners of the five homes on this street were given the option of fixing that crack (themselves even) or collectively spending $4,500 to have the city resurface the street that they would have been out there fixing the crack the very next day! I ask where is responsibility in government? As Mayor of Plymouth, I would hope you could exert more pressure on the engineering department to be fiscally responsible. If all the engineers had lived in Shiloh, I doubt that this project would have gone forward. Sincerely, / Harry 3010 June 2, 1995 Harry J. Stark 3010 Garland Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mr. Stark, Thank you for your recent letter to Mayor Tierney regarding your comments on the street resurfacing improvements completed in the Shiloh area. Mayor Tierney has asked Fred Moore, Public Works Director, to respond to your letter. You can expect a response from Mr. Moore by June 12. Thanks again for your letter. Please give me a call on 550-5013 if you have not received a response by June 12. Sincerely, Kathy Lueckert Assistant City Manager cc: Fred Moore, Public Works Director C/R. file (95-5) We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 Harry J. Stark 3010 Garland Lane Plymouth, Mn 55447 SUBJECT: 1994 STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM CITY PROJECT NO. 401 Dear Mr. Stark: I am responding to your May 29, 1995 letter to Mayor Joy Tierney concerning the City's Street Reconstruction Program during 1994 in the Shiloh Addition area. As part of the Street Reconstruction Project, portions of the streets were either totally reconstructed or additional strength added to the streets with an asphalt overlay. Also, broken, settled or deteriorated concrete curbing was removed and replaced. To protect the City's investment in our street infrastructure, the City has undertaken a comprehensive Street Reconstruction Program. All of the streets in the city are evaluated on a two year cycle to determine their condition and their expected performance with only routine maintenance. After a street requires more than maintenance, it is much more cost effective to do necessary reconstruction on the street before it reaches total- failure. At the completion of the 1993 evaluation the streets within the Shiloh area were recommended for the 1994 Street Reconstruction Program to extend their life. The major loop, streets_ within the area, 30th Avenue, Jewel Lane, and Holly Lane indicated signs of major distress. These streets are used by all residents of the area to access the many cul-de-sacs. The shorter streets leading to the cul-de-sacs were also indicating signs of deterioration. When streets are constructed, they have an expected life of 20 years. During this time, routine maintenance must be performed. During the latter part of this cycle, more extensive street reconstruction must be undertaken to extend the useful life of the street. This is what the City is doing as part of our overall program. Some short segments of street such as the turn -around in front of your property may have only indicated one crack, but it is not cost effective to not perform overall reconstruction work at the same time. 30th Avenue which you use to access your property was reconstructed: We Listen • We Solve • We Care sT^RK•DOC 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 Harry J. Stark Page Two The City undertook our Pavement Management Program in 1987 to protect the city's and property owner's investment in the street system throughout the city. Currently the City has over 240 miles of streets and approximately three to four miles are reconstructed each year. Those streets whose life can be greatly extended at the least cost are chosen as part of the annual program. If you would like to discuss this matter in further detail, please give me a call at 550-5080. Sincerely, Fred G. Moore, P.E. Director of Public Works cc: Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager srnxx.noc 'c `. sb May 5, 1995 Mayor Joy Tierney 17915 20th Avenue N Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mayor Tierney: I hope you can take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to read this follow-up letter to the remarks I made at the April 4 Council Meeting during the debate on the Janco Townhouse Development. By the way, I fully agree with your approval of the development. My name is Carl Hedberg. I represent the Xenium Lane Homeowners Association (approximately 50 single family residencelon the east side of Xenium Lane; from 32nd Avenue N to 37th Avenue N). Our concerns are associated with the opening of Xenium Lane to County Road 9 and the impact of significantly more traffic on Xenium Lane. The points and. -recommendations I made during the Council meeting are summarized below: Points: * The whole neighborhood, with the exception of those living on 34th Avenue N must use Xenium Lane to reach their homes. * We have many children and adults who must walk in the street on Xenium Lane to move about the neighborhood. * We are currently seeing an increase in traffic on Xenium Lane traveling at high speeds with only one stop sign at 34th Avenue N to slow traffic. Recommendations: * At the time Xenium Lane is opened to County Road 9, install additional stop signs, at a minimum, at both ends of the residential neighborhood at 32nd Avenue N and 37th Avenue N and any additional that the traffic Department deems necessary. * Add a people path along Xenium Lane to get people out of the street at the time Xenium Lane is opened. We are soliciting our association members to vote for the bond issue at the May 23 election that would provide the financing for early construction. -% M Sb Page 2 * Keep Xenium Lane a two lane roadway with more posted 30 mile per hour signs; especially at both ends of the residential area. (There is one now near 32nd Avenue N). We believe our recommendations are appropriate and reasonable for a residential neighborhood with no other road access options. Thank you for your time and consideration of our recommendations. Sincerel Carl J. H db rg 13420 36th venue Plymouth, MN 55441 (612) 550-9471 cc: Council Member David A. Anderson Council Member Tim Wold Council Member Nicholas P. Granath Council Member John W. Edson Council Member Chuck Lymangood Council Member Carole J. Helliwell � 77� rc,TV)CO� PLYMOUTV June 6, 1995 Carl J. Hedberg 13420 36th Avenue No. Plymouth, MN 55441 Dear Mr. Hedberg, Mayor Tierney has recently forwarded your May 5 letter to us regarding your homeowners association's concerns with the opening of Xenium Lane to County Road 9. Fred Moore, Public Works Director, has been asked to respond to your letter. You can expect a response from Mr. Moore by June 16. Thank you for your letter. Please give me a call on 550-5013 if you have not received a response by June 16. Sincerely, Kathy Lueckert Assistant City Manager cc: Fred Moore, Public Works Director C/R. file We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 kincswood May 2 9 ,19 9 5 ,o Cqomeownezi ogasoclatlon �y 226 c4offy Lane J fymoutfi, An. 55447 Mayor Joy Tiernay City of Plymouth Dear Joy, 05 8 Two years ago I wrote your predecessor, copy enclosed,bringing to his attention what other cities were doing to address the illegal discharge of sump water into the sanitary sewer syatem. I never received a reply. Another city, Deephaven has joined in an inspection of sump pumps to control this illegal discharge of water into the sanitary sewer system. As you will notein my original letter, and by the way I am still President of the Kingswood Farm Association we are only one of a number of associations of homeowners living in homes built on slabs that do not have sump pumps, therefore do not contribute to the illegal dumping of water into the sanitary sewer system. I once again ask that the City Council address this situation and follow the lead of our neighbors. I would appreciate a response to the Citys position on this matter. Robert S. Peterson, President cc: Kingswood Board {_ owl ' September 15, 1993 kingswood 1:7110meownEz1 c�7qsloctatton 226 C�101[y -fanE J iymotuli, An. 55447 Mayor Kim Bergman City of Plymouth Dear Kim, I would like to call your attention to the enclosed piece from a local newspaper relating to "illegal sewer discharges". Our recent sewer and water bills carried a notice that dis- charges from sump pumps into sanitary sewers was illegal and was resulting in increased charges to Plymouth homeowners. Plymouth is not the only community experiencing this problem, but one, Shorewood is going to try and halt the practice. Can we have our attorney and staff look into the possibility of adopting a similar ordinance for the City of Plymot.ith? I am President of Kingswood Farm Homeowners Association, a Centurion developed community. We have 112 homes all built on slabs, no basements, NO SUMP PUMPS. I am .also aware of Cimmaron Ponds (242)1 homes and Cimmaron`EasV (100+)I, all built on slabs, no basements! this is nearly `5001`fiom` built on slabs, NO SUMP PUMPS. In addition there must be many other Centurion properties that have no basements in the City of Plymouth, none of which contribute to the discharge of surface water into the sanitary sewers. Why must we, representing a good portion of the Plymouth residents be penalized for a situation to which we do not contribute? I would appreciate a response as to the Citys position on this matter. MW ,'%iii Robert S. Peterson cc: President, Cimmaron Ponds President, Cimmaron East ;: fled aven sump' t. pum p insp p ections begin May 15 j By Julie Hoff dous_ amount of clear water that does not Starting Sunday, May .15, Deephaven require .treatment to the system. It is not designed to carry clear water, will begin to make good on the recently Passed ordinance prohibiting the dis- so when the watertable is high, the .system becomes charging of sump pumps, drainpipes and other stormwater into the overloaded and can cause basement back - ups, which are both inconvenient and a sanitary sewer system. health hazard. The excess water also Ray Williams, public works supervisor, explained to the Deephaven City overloads lift station pumps and the treat - Ment plant, making the cost of sewage Council at its May 2 meeting that he has divided treatment greater for the community. In other business, Mayor Howard the city into three zones to facilitate Bennis issued a proclamation declaring inspection of the sump pumps. Bob Blair, past public works s upervisor, May 15-21 as National Public Works Week. "We Will make -the inspections. Residents not have to recognize the _boys. ,, They, do. a_good job us," said Bennis: in compliance_ with--the.oidinance by oct .' 1 will be charged a monthly surc barge of ,for Council plans to Publish the proclamation m some local $75 at that time The residents of each zone will receive by spnew apers Patrick,anil Edward Sullivan's request to vacate arr unnamed and -opened mail ed str detailinuctions; including a varce: Gnarl :pfione. number:. available 24 road . between Jenclio Rd 'and Sullivan Rd. was .;, tabled'arntil=the hours a day, in order to `schedule'inspec- tions :,at convenient times.. Sullivans :detenriine `Ehe property rights -of the road in the,event it Residents' of Zone'1,will receive the infonnation':next Zone, rs vacated If :the road is vacated, a 30 -ft. strip 'of 1t road to Al week,: 2 the week of June 6 and. Zone..3 the. week of July -11; Inspections Stucke;"whose.propertyboiders the -road. will be made. -Mondays through Saturdays, during both ay and evening hours: Council` unanimouslroved a a motion officially thanki g' ppro Chief The problemwith;sump pumps dis- charging into the Jim Anderson for his 21 years of dedica- tion and service to the City of Deephaven. sanitary sewer system, Williams explained, is it adds a tremen- Anderson has announced his plans to retire. Shorewood properties to be inspected annually for sewer discharge violations By Drew Wilkinson In a continuing effort to control sani- tary sewer costs, the Shorewood City Council at its Aug. 23 meeting unani- mously approved an ordinance requiring annual inspection of private properties. City inspectors will be looking for sump pump violations and other unauthorized discharges of clear water into the sanitary sewer. City Attorney Tim Keane said the prohi- bition has been in effect for years but there has been no way to ensure compli- ance. The ordinance states that any prop- erty or structure not inspected or not in compliance by March 1, 1994 shall, fol- lowing notification from the city, comply within 14 days or be subject to a monthly surcharge of $100. Before making this decision, council discussed an Aug. 17 meeting of the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission (MWCC), attended by Keane and a few other city representatives. Shorewood has been disputing MWCC charges since December and has been withholding $15,000 a month in payments since January. According to Keane, "staff presented arguments questioning the accuracy of MWCC metering and estimates, specifical- ly concerning excess inflow and infiltra- tion, and the fundamental problem of wet communities subsidizing dry communi- ties. He said the MWCC chose to ask the Metropolitan Council to certify a tax levy against Shorewood properties to make up the difference. Keane also said the MWCC recom- mended that staff step back and allow pol- icy makers the opportunity to find a mid- .dle.ground. ;They suggested two commis- sioners and two Councilmembers sit down .and talk. , Councilmember Rob Daugherty and Mayor Barbara Brancel volunteered to meet with the commissioners. Council was able.to, find some humor in the,situation when Keane relayed a report thgy.lpyerheardAtiring the, MWCC meet- ing.,.According to. Keane; an. MWCC engi- neer said $28,000 worth of additional 'metering and testing had detected a seri- ous problem at th6 Covington interceptor that demanded immediate attention. They spent about a half million dollars to put a new liner in the pipe, but found during the process there was no evidence of seri- ous infiltration. Staff intends to state their case before the Metropolitan Council in September when they discuss the MWCC proposed tax levy. In other sewer business, council dis- cussed a rate hike, proposing to raise the basic household rate from $54.75 to $75 cil postponed the matter until the next meeting. 'Staff was asked to come back with a smaller increase based only on city cost increases and estimated expenses involving the MWCC case. An ordinance to finance future street reconstruction with a combination of spe- cial assessments and general tax funds is losing speed and soon may be out of gas. At the Aug. 9 meeting, City Engineer Joel Dresel explained the plan to assess 33 percent of street reconstruction costs through assessment of abutting proper- ties. Council tabled the issue because Brancel was absent. This week the ordi- nance came back proposing a 25 percent assessment. In a 3-2 vote, council again tabled the matter and ordered continued study, suggesting different roads, such as state aid or collector routes, should be assessed differently. Councilmember Bruce Benson and Mayor Brancel, both prepared to vote again the ordinance, voted against further study. Councilmembers Daugherty and Kristi Stover favor an assessment policy. Councilmember Daniel Lewis said he is willing to discuss the subject forever, but will abstain from voting on the ordinance. In response to a petition from neighbor- hood residents requesting a bike and pedestrian path along Vine Hill Rd., coun- cil directed staff to add it to the city's trail plan and. capital improvement plan, find out what Minnetonka is going to do on the east side of the road, and look to see if something can be done that doesn't cost much money. A six-foot wide bituminous path was estimated to cost between $10,000 and $20,000. Despite Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD) assertions that milfoil harvesting contributions are voluntary, council formally concurred with 1994 LMCD costs in excess of .00242 percent of total taxable market value within the dis- trict. State law requires three quarters of all municipalities in'the district to approve byresolution any -levies that exceed the .00242 percent. Final payment of $17,241.23 for Church Rd. was approved. This brings the total paid to $105,514.81; which is $387.19 less than the contracted amount. .The planned unit development (PUD) agreement for Covington Vine Ridge was amended, reducing the rear yard setback to 30 ft. The fall yardwaste collection date was set for Saturday, Oct. 23, and a public hearing to assess delinquent sewer and water utility charges was scheduled for Monday, Sept. 27. In other action, council approved a fire protection service contract with the Excelsior Fire Department, but only if all =-SC.. June 6, 1995 Robert S. Peterson, President Kingswood Homeowners Association 226 Holly Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mr. Peterson, Thank you for your recent letter to Mayor Tierney regarding the city's efforts to prohibit the illegal discharge of sump water and other stormwater into the sanitary sewer system. Mayor Tierney has asked Dale Hahn, Finance Director, to response to your letter. You can expect a response from Mr. Hahn by June 16. In the meantime, your letter will be shared with all members of the Plymouth City Council. Thanks again for your letter. Please give me a call on 550-5013 if you have not received a response by June 16. Sincerely, 6*TAW4W Kathy Lueckert Assistant City Manager cc: Dale Hahn, Finance Director C/R. file We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 95REQ.XLS Page 1 CITIZEN REQUEST TRACKING ............. ...... ..... ...... ........................... ....... .............. ............................... ....... ............... ................... X .. ................ . . ... ........... :. -: ..............;. . ... —, ................... .. .. ....... ........ ........ ...... ........ .................. .......... ........... ... ........... . ........ ........... .............. ... ...... ........... .............. ............................... ........................... ....... ....... ................ ......... ... ..... ..................... ............................ . .. .... ... . ...... .8 We OUR ......... ..... 1W .................. .... ........................ I ............. ......... . . ... . ..... . ". OMP'... C 04;::x. 1 Blank Darren A. DeMatthew Civic Cenierlice Arena 12130194 113195 1113195 1/4195 2 Gerdes Darren A. DeMatthew Pub. Safety Concerns 12130194 113195 1113/95 1112/95 3 Moore Darren A. DeMatthew Transportation 12/30/94 113195 1113195 114/95 4 Blank Gordon Hanson Community garden plots 113195 113195 1/17195 114/95 5 Moore Dr. Robert May 19th Avenue - Traffic speed 119195 1/9195 1123195 1/23195 6 Blank Vivian Starr Bike path - Lk Camelot/ NW Blvd 119195 119195 1123195 1117/95 7 Hurlburt Mark Denis/DennisHolmquist Wetlands Ord/1 1115 0. Rockfd Road 1117195 1119195 2/1195 2/1195 8 Moore Randy Meyer Fleet vehicles - petro product./service 1119195 1119195 211195 211195 B -B Moore Randy Meyer Additional issues - fleet vehicles 2/27195 2127195 3120/95 (r) 3123195 10 Hurlburt Nancy Cree Wetlands Ord/NW Plymouth 2/6195 218195 2/15195 219195 11 Johnson Larry Dowell, TwinWest Chamber LMC referendum levies 219195 219195 2116195 2113195 12 City Attorney Brian Knox Access to Gleason Lake 2121195 (PF) 2121195 317195 317195 13 Moore Steven Chase Alley Abandonment 311195 311195 3115195 3117/95 14 Moore Peter Flint/Janice Symchych Peony Lane Alignment 3122195 3123195 3129195 3129195 15 Moore William Rademacher Peony Lane Alignment 3123/95 3123/95 3/30195 3129195 16 Moore R. D. Taylor Water & Sewer Assessments 4118195 4118195 4125195 5112195 17 Hahn R. D. Taylor Asmt Deferral/Green Acres 4/18195 4118195 4125195 4125/95 18 Blank Steve Meyer Tree Removal Assessment 4118195 4/18195 4125195 4118195 19 Lueckert Stan Stevens Train Noise/Whistle 4119195 4119195 4126195 4/21195 20 Blank Kerry Anderson Recreation Center/Community Pool 4/26195 4126/95 512195 514195 21 Moore Bradley Kalin Schmidt Lake Road 515195 518/95 5115195 5123195 22 Moore Julie Hoyme Watering restrictions 518195 5115195 5125195 5123195 23 Blank George Wilson Fertilizer - Parkers Lake 5/15195 5/15195 5122195 5/17/95 24 Hurlburt H.B. Hayden Letter of Credit requirements 5115195 5/15195 5125195 5123195 25 Hahn Mary Jo Asmus Property Market Value Review 5118195 5119195 5130195 5123195 26 Blank Steven Bernhardt Ice Arena 5124195 5125195 612195 5126195 27 Moore Harry Stark 1994 Street Reconstruction Program 5129195 612/95 6112195 616195 28 Moore Carl Hedberg Opening of Xenium Lane 515195 6/6/95 6/16195 29 Hahn Robert Peterson Sump pump ordinance 5129195 616195 6116195 Page 1 t3iiliii#!ifi?3�i,t,ttStji;ftsuiKi3t?8ft4j3f?;� From the office of the us. FISH WILDLIFE S ERVICE Assistant Regional Director Q ---UWt Public airs U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • Twin Cities, MN 55111 June 1, 1995 Mayor Joy Tierney, We are looking forward to your presentation to Plymouth, Minn. artist Jim Hautman at the Federal Duck Stamp First Day of Sale event July 1, 10 a.m., at the Mall of America Event Center. Your presentation will most certainly contribute toward the importance and success of this event. For your use, I have attached the program for the ceremony. We are all looking forward to seeing you at the event. Please meet me at the platform in the Event Center at 9:30 a.m. If you have any questions, or need more information, please call me at 725-3519. Sincerely, Susa reibandrl Assistant Regional DirecAffai�gFirst Day of Sale Event itol =.' �i�,pis;��?isl�3nKtlit?i:ttH,tru#�€t�i?ti FIRST DAYOF SALE Honoring Artiet JIM HAUTMAN ince beginning his career in 1982, Jim Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, has established himself as one of the most dynamic and exciting talents to emerge from today's new generation of wildlife artists. Accuracy, attention to detail and dramatic impact are what have clearly set Hautman's work apart from others. These characteristics, combined with a style that is at once classic yet distinctive, have propelled him along an award—winning career path that is unprecedented for an artist his age. In 1989 at age 25 he became the youngest artist in history to in the Federal Duck Stamp contest, long regarded as the st prestigious wildlife art competition in America. His striking black—bellied whistling ducks graced the 1990-91 Federal Duck Stamp, bringing him national acclaim. In winning the 1995-96 Federal competition Hautman set a new record becoming the first artist to receive a perfect judges' score of 25, while also receiving the Peoples' Choice Award. In 1990 Hautman achieved international recognition when he was commissioned to paint the Australian duck stamp. He was also named the 1990 Ducks Unlimited International Artist of the Year. His print "Quiet Pool—Wood Ducks" generated considerable funds for waterfowl habitat projects through Ducks Unlimited fund raisers that year. Voicing a deep conservation ethic Hautman says, "I'm very proud to be associated with the conservation programs. They have had a tremendous impact on my career and through them my prints have raised almost two million dollars for wildlife habitat." Although Hautman enjoys competing in and has won eleven conservation stamp contests, most of his time is devoted to his other paintings and prints. To date, he has released a total of 25 limited editions. Hautman's focus on the world of nature can be traced to his parents' influence. "My dad," says Hautman, "was a great sportsman and I learned much from him. He taught me many hunting and fishing lessons and instilled in me an appreciation and awareness of the outdoors." "My mother," adds Hautman, "is an artist and she encouraged me to pursue an art career after high school. Painting wildlife seemed the natural choice for me." When Hautman isn't at the easel, he can be found pursuing his favorite hobbies, hockey and skiing, or in the field conducting research for his next painting. An avid sportsman, Hautman enjoys hunting and fishing. Both give him inspiration for his art. "Ideas," says Hautman, "are not a problem for me. Time is what I wish I had more of." Solid field research is the basis for each Hautman painting. Often spending weeks at a time in the wild, he relishes going to extremes for his art. Once, for instance, he created a special floating duck blind for closeup waterfowl photography. It resembled a muskrat house, but Hautman was inside in waders. The contraption enabled him to float within close range of the ducks without disturbing them. "The only thing they really noticed," says Hautman, "was the camera sound." Jim Hautman's work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum, and many other prestigious art shows throughout America. He was recently selected "Artist of the Year" for the 1995 Minnesota Wildlife Heritage Foundation Show. His work is held in private collections throughout the world and is available in selected galleries in the U.S. and Canada. Honoring Artist JIM HAUTMAN Mall of America Event Center Bloomington, Minnesota 10:00 am, Saturday, July 1, 1995 Welcome E. William Anderson; Co—Chair, First Day of Sale Ceremony; Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs National Anthem Lori Dokken Introduction of Master of Susan Dreiband; Co—Chair First Day of Sale Ceremonies Ceremony, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Master of Ceremonies Ron Schara Presentation of Governor's State Representative Peggy Leppik Proclamation Special Remarks Representative Gil Gutknecht Representative Collin Peterson Representative Bill Luther Representative James Oberstar Host Remarks U.S. Postal Service District Manager Robert Fisher U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director John Rogers Presentation of National Wetlands Bill Hartwig; Regional Director, Conservation Awards U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Introduction of Artist William Webster; CEO, Wild Wings Jim Hautman Special Presentations to Artist Joy Tierney, Plymouth Mayor Robert Fisher, U.S. Postal Service District Manager John Rogers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service E. William Anderson, Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs Jim Hautman Partners for Wildlife Dan Stinnett; Division of Private Lands, U.S. Fish and Habitat Restoration Project Wildlife Service Official Presentation and Jim Hautman p Cancellation of Federal Duck Stamp 1 Closing Remarks Ron Schara flocks. Relief came in the form of the Federal Migratory ryWaterfowl Actin >� 1934. J.N. "Ding" Darling, a Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist with the Des, Moines Register, is'credited with spearheading the movement that pressed Congress for funding. The Act required all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age, and older to purchase a duck stamp. Revenue from the sale of the stamps was exclusively earmarked for waterfowl conservation. 1 On average, more than 1.3 million duck.stamps are sold annually. Since its inception, sales from duck stamps have raised in excess of $452 million. The funds have been used to acquire 4.2 million acres of prime waterfowl habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. In 1934, when Darling created the first stamp, he had no idea he was setting in motion the longest running and most popular revenue stamp series in American history, as well as the only art contest sponsored by the U.S. Government. From 1934 until 1949, only handful of the nation's top wildlife artists were asked to submit a design. However, interest in the -:-program warranted opening the contest to any artist -who wished to compete. The popularity of the competition can be measured in the number of designs entered each year. The: 1995-96 Federal Duck Stamp was selected from a field of 585 entries. The contest is run by.the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is open to all citizens of the U.S. TheFederal-government offers no monetary reward to the winner of the Federal duck stamp contest. A sheet of stamps bearing the artist's design and autographed by the Secretary of the Interior is presented to the artist. Programs printed courtesy of .Wild Wings Lake City, MN 55041 (612) 345-5355 1-800-445-4833 For more information about the 1995-96 Federal Duck Stamp Print Program and Jim Hautman limited edition prints, please contact Wild Wings. M 6 Northam States Power Company Maple Grove Materials Complex 8701 Monticello Lane j Maple Grove, Minnesota 55369-4550 ' ...... Telephone (612) 493-1500 June 1, 1995 fi �... Mr. Dwight Johnson City Manager City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447-1448 Dear Mr. Dwight Johnson: You've heard the news. Northern States Power Company and Wisconsin Energy Corporation of Milwaukee are proposing a merger. Tile new company, Primergy Corporation, would be the 10th largest investor-owned utility in the United States. We're excited about how the merger will help us serve you, our customer, even better. Most important, the merger will help us control energy costs. The combination will allow us to take advantage of economies of scale, give us greater purchasing power for fuel supplies or purchased power, and provide an opportunity to streamline corporate services. Over 10 years, we predict savings of $2 billion. Atter the merger is approved, we expect a modest rate reduction for You and a moratorium on general rate increases until the year 2000. The merger will help us improve reliability. By combining generation and transmission resources, we'll have more resources to meet your needs and be better able to purchase bulk low-cost energy. The merger will help us improve customer service. We're going to take a hard look at how both companies serve their customers and incorporate each company's "best practices" in working with �x,,- l� ll . i , , , you. rr �, pledge to COiitiii:C piUVldlllg eiAl.Callall iaiSlUlle"1' sCCVlce Wltli tat: pr;.;gitlillS that makeit easy to do business with Lis. Full merging of NSP and Wisconsin Energy will take a year to 18 months and is expected to be complete by year-end 1990. In the meantime, we're committed to meeting your energy needs. If you have any questions, please contact, John Theis, Community Service and Principal Manager at 493-1631. Sinc ely, lin R. Theis Community Service and Principal Manager NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY Maple Grove Area Office to# as ociation of metropolitan municipalities =- Lo DATE: May 31, 1995 TO: Member City Officials FROM: Joan Campbell, President RE: AMM Policy Committees WE NEED YOUR HELP -- SERVE ON POLICY COMMITTEE! Please consider serving on one or more AMM legislative policy committees and make a big impact on the AMM legislative effort. Enclosed are committee descriptions and a sign-up form. To ensure your city's representation, complete and return the sign-up form TODAY! The tentative committee schedules are included in the committee descriptions. Each committee will meet four times during August and September to develop AMM policies. If necessary, committee meetings may be called during the legislative session to respond to changing conditions. As city officials, we cannot afford to speculate and anticipate what the governor and the Legislature may do. In the past, the AMM has been included in the development process of important legislation such as the Omnibus Tax bill, the Metro Livabilities Act, the Metro Land Planning Act and others because AMM had specific, well-defined policy and persistent presentation. This must continue, and only through active participation by all city ornciais can aecisive, insightful and well -reasoned positions on critical metro issues be developed and achieved. Thank you in advance for your participation. Please mail the enclosed form by Monday, June 19. Also, if you wish to continue serving on a particular committee, please call the AMM (490-3301) or mail the enclosed form. If you have any questions, contact Roger Peterson. 3490 Lexington avenue north, st. paul, minnesota 55126 (612) 490-3301 The following committees annually develop policy based on input from member city representatives. The committees submit their policy recom- mendations to the Board of Directors for review, modification and distribu- tion to the general membership. The membership meets in November before each legislative session to debate and adopt the AMM policies. Metropolitan Agencies onsiders legislative issues and other policies related to the Met Council and metro agencies. It monitors the structure and relationship between the regional and local units of government and reviews amendments to the Metro Development Guide Policy Chapters. It has previously developed policy on land use planning, solid waste management and the Met Council selection process. It reviews the council's yearly budget and this year will monitor the policies and plans being developed to implement the Regional Blueprint. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: 11:30-1:30 p.m., Thurs- days Aug. 3 and 24, Sept. i and 28. Municipal Revenues Considers any matter concerning city revenues, property taxes and city expenditures, including state aid formulas and dollars, levy limits, property tax assessments and fiscal disparities. TENTATIVE SCHED- ULE: 2-4 p.m., Tuesdays Aug. 1 and 22, Sept. 5 and 26. MAO L. Housing & A Economic Development.; __ C of T Considers all issues related to • ;;�' economic develovmnt and housing, including subsidized housing, affordable housing and activitis`ofthe Metro HRA (Housing and Redevelop= ment Authority). It also reviews all amendments to the Met Council's Housing Guide Policy Chapter and develops policy dealing with economic development issues, HRAs, TIF (Tax Increment Financing) and development authorities. TENTATIVE SCHED- ULE: 8-10 a.m., Tuesdays Aug.1 and 22, Sept. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 28. Transportation & General Government onsiders all major issues related to air and surface transporta- tion, including funding sources at all government levels, and issues which have impact on metropolitan area cities outside the scope of other AMM committees. Members of the AMM Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) are encouraged to join, along with other city officials. This committee has developed policy on issues such as municipal consolidation, pensions, PERLA, comparable worth, data privacy, contractor licensing and local control/authority. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: 11:30-1:30 p.m., Tues- days Aug. 1 and 22, Sept. 5 and 26. Name: Title: City: (Street or P.O. Box) (City) (ZIP code) (Telephone) (Fax) Committee Choices: (Please indicate first and second choice) Municipal Revenues Metropolitan Agencies Housing and Economic Development Transportation & General Government Issues which should be studied: Please return to: Association of Metropolitan Municipalities 3490 Lexington Ave. North St. Paul, Minnesota 55126 Attn: Laurie Audette Councilman Charles 11780 - 40th Place Plymouth, MN 55441 Dear Chuck: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 281 Robbinsdale Area Schools Learning for a lifetime of growing June 1, 1995 Lymangood North T.- Ud On behalf of School District #281, we want to thank you for the role you played in helping us resolve an unfortunate situation caused by the inadvertently cutting of trees on the Armstrong High School site as well as a misunderstanding about how the districts plan would impact other natural features of the area. The meeting you facilitated with neighbors was exemplary. By setting the stage that what was past - was past; and, now how do we make the best out of an unfortunate incident. This then set the tone for a meeting that ended up being constructive rather than one that could have easily become hostile. We believe all parties left the meetings feeling their concerns had been heard and that a compromise suitable to all was achieved. Your leadership in reaching this goal is to be commended. The bottom line is that the youth of Armstrong High School will not be penalized because of a contractors error by delaying the completion of their athletic field. Again, we thank you for your statesmanship. Sincerely, Kei -4h. oberg im Dahle Chair, School Board Director of Business C: Mayor of Plymouth 4148 Winnetka Avenue North New Hope. Minnesota 55427 (612) 533-278/ 0 FAX l (612) 537-0947 AFFIRMATAT ACT/o,V EMPLOYER HENNEPIN SUBURBAN HENNEPIN REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT 12615 County Road 9 Plymouth, Minnesota 55441-1248 Telephone (612)559-9000 TDD (612) 559-6719 FAX 559-3287 PARKS June 1, 1995 Eric Blank, Director Parks and Recreation City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Eric: As you know, we have been hung up in our acquisition of the CNW Railroad Right -of -Way by its impending takeover by the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Enclosed is a copy of a letter we recently received from the UP indicating that they are now actively managing the CNW Railroad and, further, denying our acquisition request. The language in the letter seems to indicate that they may intend to fight condemnation by asserting that the trail will interfere with railroad operations. If that assertion is accepted by the ICC, our ability to condemn would be nullified. While the Park District will continue to pursue condemnation as rapidly as possible, it now appears that it may take longer than we had originally hoped. If you have any questions, give me a call. I will continue to keep you informed of further events. Sincerely, R ert M. Wicklund, Direc or partment of Administration RMW:nm enclosure BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS David J. Dombrowski, Linda Marquardt, Jim Carey Marilynn Corcoran Rosemary Franzese Brigitte Kay Reuther Paul Taubr Chair Vice -Chair Eden Prairie Dayton St. Anthony Plymouth Hopkins St. Louis Park Maple Grove Douglas F. Bryant, Superintendent and Secretary to the Board n Equal Opportunity Employer RECYCLED PAPER -Conserving our Resource Cnnaim sn% IMai recvelen fkh 1o% Post-oonsurner R Law Department UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY May 25, 1995 Jeffrey R. Brauchle, Esq. Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly Plaza II 45 South Seventh Street Suite 3400 Minneapolis, MN 55402-1609 RE: Hennepin Regional Park District's Request for Trail Use Easement on CNW Right of Way Dear Mr. Brauchle: _• 6 . 1416 OOOGE STREET ROOM 830 t7MAt'4A_ NEBRASKA 68179-0001 FAX (40Z 271-5610 30 As I am sure you are aware, Union Pacific Railroad Company has exercised control of Chicago & North Western Railway Company as authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission. We have given Hennepin Regional Park District's request careful consideration, and have decided that we do not wish to convey a right for trail purposes on the CNW right of way between Plymouth and Golden Valley, Minnesota A principal concern is the substantially increased possibility of injury or death which would result from location of a trail along and over an active railroad line. Use of a portion of the right of way for a trail also would significantly affect CNW s operation in the area in the event of a future need to use the right of way to clear a derailment or for other railroad operational purposes. S: V e I trust your client will understand the reasons for the UP/CNW position. Sincerely, Joseph D. Anthofer General Attorney 402-271-4315 cc: Mr. Larry Whitney Chicago & North Western Railway Company One North Western Center 165 Canal Street Chicago, IL 60606 Mr. Don Anderson, Chairperson Plymouth Park & Recreation Commission 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 Dear Don: On behalf of Classic Lake Aquatics, Inc., I want to thank you and your commission for allowing Tom Franke, Doug Gerick, Teri Kent, the University of St. Thomas students and myself the opportunity to present our demand study findings relative to our proposed aquatic facility. We are excited about the results of this long-awaited study and find the interest in this facility compelling. We also understand this is a significant project from a financial perspective, and have tempered our excitement with realistic and conservative projections based upon the usage, revenues and expenditures of other pool facilities and community centers in the metropolitan area. We are committed to "promoting the values of swimming for all people" and believe a center such as this would be enthusiastically received by Plymouth residents, attract the attention of surrounding communities and benefit all people who enjoy water activities. As we discussed last night, we consider some of the information which we gathered to be confidential in nature. If, however, you require any specific information, please call me at 553-9703 and I will arrange for you to receive it. Thank you again, Don, for your consideration. We look forward to the opportunity of perhaps working with the City of Plymouth in the near future in establishing a facility and programs to meet the needs in our community. Sincerely, Classic Lake Aquatics, Inc. Theresa M. Erhardt CC., Eric Blank ► 3241 Winpark Drive New Hope, Minnesota 55427 612.542.3054 June 7, 1995 Larry Mandile 13955 36th Avenue Plymouth, MN 55441 Dear Larry: Cl1v OF PLYMOUTF+ S.• e5 Thank you for your letter of May 30th concerning New Hope/Plymouth Baseball. I'm happy to report that the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, at their meeting of June 1, approved a resolution recommending that $9,000 be allocated for safety fencing at various elementary schools throughout the City. Specifically, the two fields at Zachary Elementary and Pilgrim Lane Elementary have been recommended for inclusion in this improvement. The Commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration on Tuesday, June 20. - I have submitted requests to the Robbinsdale School District to make these improvements and assuming that it is approved, I anticipate that we would move forward as quickly as possible to have this work completed. Thank you for your interest in this matter. If you have any further questions please feel -free to contact me at 550-5131. Sincerely, Eric Blank, Director Parks and Recreation EB/np cc: City Council 1,-twight Johnson Mark Peterson Dan Heitke Rick Busch PRAC We Listen - We Solve - We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 - TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 May 30, 1995 Mayor Joyce Tierney City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 Dear Mayor Tierney, Thank you for hearing our concerns regarding New Hope -Plymouth Athletic Association (NHPAA) baseball on April 27th. Enclosed are copies of our field inspections with comments and or corrective proposals. Also included our NHPAA Philosophy. Please note our primary concern (highlited). For Plymouth playfields it would be greatly appreciated if, fences could be installed in front of the players' benches at Zachary Elementary fields 1 & 2. Also Pilgrim Lane Elementary. With an average of 70 - 100 at bats per game the possibility of someone sustaining injury from a foul ball hit toward these benches increases with every game. Last week I had the opportunity to observe a game in Chisago Lakes (vs. NHPAA 13 year olds). This field had six foot high fences in front of both benches and served its purpose well. This initial help would be warmly applauded by parents, coaches and of course players. Thanks again for your time and. consideration. Our NHPAA committee was encouraged to see that our concerns were also yours. Sincerely Larry Mandile (Commissioner) =-- %0 5 NEW HOPE/ PLYMOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION NUFAA PHILOSOPHY - The NHPAA philosophy is that, the association, coaches and parents are striving to teach the players the fundamentals and rules of the game of baseball, while providing an appropriate environment t( learn and have fun. All players have an equal opportunity to participate. To encourage this phRosophy: CHILDREN'S SAFETY will always be our first concern, not the impact on the score or game. The preferred number ofplayers per team for any league is 13 players. The lowest number of players initially assigned to a team should not be less than 12. The maximum number of players assigned to a tean should not be more than 15. NBPAA Baseball philosophy is that ALL children have a chance to play baseball as far as is humanly possible, thus the maximum number of players per team could be adjusted or a new team (s) setup. It is the job of the coach to instill in his players the concepts of good sportsmanship, positive attitude, and team work Ibis must be demonstrated in practices and games, while dealing with other coaches, umpires parents and players. Coaches are responsible for the behavior of their players and their families and friends while attending a game. All efforts should be made to inform spectators of the need for good sportsmanship and proper behavior at the game. Spectators are to encourage and cheer on the players on their respective teams, while demonstrating good sportsmanship. Spectators will not engage in coaching, umpiring or discussions with the coaches or umpires during the game. The only people allowed to discuss calls and decisions with the umpires are the coaches. District 281 is smoke and drug free and any games or practices on their fields must be smoke and drug free, including spectators. We appreciate everybody cooperation. 14 c� v NHPAA FIELD INSPECTION MAY 20, 1995 FIELD SIZE MOUND HOME BACKSTOP COMMENT ARMSTRONG 90 IIEleld out of service In1996. CIVIC CENTER 1. 60 FILL FILL Small Field needs to be built up from a line from home to second toward, third base line, in particular home plate area CIVIC CENTER 2. 60 FILL FILL Small Needs a third base bench, backstop back fill and holes under side COOPER B. 90 FILL FILL Home circle needs at least four inches of fill and plate set. COOPER SOFTBALL 60 FILL FILL Small Fill; 3rd base, deep 1 st to 2nd, short, short deep, Backstop footings exposed. HIDDEN VALLEY 60 Small Outfield holes and ditches, second and third fill. EH Practice only. HOSTERMAN 90 FILL 1 st to 3rd fill runners trench, mound trench, field holes. HOSTERMAN SW 60 FILL Repairs needed EH only, FIII backstop, first, home. HOSTERMAN SE 60 Rubber set Small Short base lines, no benches, needs holes filled. Backstop falling apart and Is way to small. LIBERTY 60 FILL Small Short base lines, no benches. EH only. Extra long and left over grass. LIGHTED (49TH) 90 FILL FILL May lose In July. LIONS PARK 1 75' Rubber set Plate set FIII by benches. Not inspected 5/21 W. MISSION HILLS Small Practice only EH, only if absolutely necessary. Small part In close proximity to walkers and other play areas. NEW HOPE ELEM. 1 60 FILL FILL I Small Was dragged still need fill and grooming. NEW HOPE ELEM. 2 60 FILL FILL Small Bench to bench fill in through home plate at 3rd base 15 ft. circle, deep third fill. Soccer Goal right field. NEW HOPE ELEM. 3 60 Rubber set FILL Small Build up by backstop, whole field low especially home area. Needs benches. NORTHWOOD 3 60 Rubber set Rubber set Small Backstop back fill, Infield base lines short. EH practise only. PILGRIM LANE 1 60 FILL FILL Small First base bench fill In front, backstop fill on edges, no benches. Fill home plate area. Soccer Goal right field. PLYMOUTH CREEK 90, Satisfactory PMS 1 75" FILL FILL Wholes in center field by soccer field goaly area. PMS 2 75 FILL FILL Fill home area, base lines for whole diamond. Hole right center field. PMS 3 75 FILL FILL Build up at second base. Raise from home to second to third base line, field falls away. SONNOSYN 1 60 FILL FILL Small FIII backstop, home, first. SONNOSYN 2 W Rubber set. Plate set Small Fill In front of benches, backstop, infield ridge doesn't allow drainage. ZACHARY 1 90 Baseline fill only. ZACHARY 2 90 1 Deep infield fill 1st to 2nd, on deck area fill 1st base side. ZACHARY 3 90 Repairs needed Disconnected backstop pipes., Mudjack both bench slabs 3-4nches or create run off culvert. ZACHARY 4 90 Fill 3rd, back and left, between mound and 3rd, and close in short. ZACHARY BB 90 Rebuild Plate set Build up mound, fill in base fines, fill In on deck area 1 st base side. ZACHARY ELEM. 1 60 FILL FILL Small Back stop and benches build up and repair wholes at bottom of backstop. EH only ZACHARY ELEM 2 60 No Rubber FILL Small FIII trenching from mound to home plate. 14 c� v FIELD RULE EXCEPTIONS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - MAY 21,1995- BASEBALL COMMITTEE- RULES COMMITTEE ARMSTRONG CIVIC CENTER 1. No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. CIVIC CENTER 2. No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. COOPER B. COOPER SOFTBALL HIDDEN VALLEY NO GAMES ALLOWED-FIELD UNSAFE HOSTERMAN HOSTERMAN SW NO GAMES ALLOWED-NO PLATE OR RUBBER HOSTERMAN SE NO GAMES ALLOWED-INADEQUATE PLAYING SURFACE LIBERTY No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. Extra long grass LIGHTED (49TH LIONS PARK 1 MISSION HILLS NO GAMES ALLOWED-INADEQUATE PLAYING SURFACE NEW HOPE ELEM. 1 No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. NEW HOPE ELEM. 2 No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. NEW HOPE ELEM. 3 NO GAMES ALLOWED-INADEQUATE PLAYING SURFACE-SOCCER GOAL POSTS NORTHWOOD 3 NO GAMES ALLOWED-INADEQUATE PLAYING SURFACE PILGRIM LANE 1 NO GAMES ALLOWED-SOCCER GOAL POSTS IN RIGHT FIELD PLYMOUTH CREEK PMS 1 PMS 2 PMS 3 SONNOSYN 1 No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. SONNOSYN 2 NO GAMES ALLOWED-INADEQUATE PLAYING SURFACE-HOME PLATE NOT SET ZACHARY 1 ZACHARY 2 ZACHARY ZACHARY4 ZACHARY BB ZACHARY ELEM. 1 No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. ZACHARY ELEM 2 No extra bases on overthrow at home because of inadequate backstop. DATE: June 5, 1995 TO: Dwight Johnson, City Manager �T_3-- FROM: Fred G. Moore, Director of Public Works SUBJECT: TRAFFIC STUDY 25TH AVENUE FROM COUNTY ROAD 101 TO DUNKIRK LANE CITY PROJECT NO. 401 The 1994 Street Reconstruction Program included 25th Avenue from County Road 101 to Dunkirk Lane along with residential streets to the north. During the information meetings and public hearing concerns were expressed by residents on the speed of traffic on 25th Avenue. 25th Avenue is a "Minor Collector" street serving this residential area. On June 6, 1994 when the City Council approved reconstruction of 25th Avenue, they also directed two additional "All -Way" stops be installed. There currently was one "All -Way" stop approximately midway between Dunkirk Lane and County Road 101. Also the Council directed that within two months of completion of the reconstruction an additional traffic study be completed. The 1994 Street Reconstruction Program was not completed until late 1994 and any traffic study completed within two months would be affected by winter conditions; therefore, we completed the traffic study during the latter part of April and the first week of May, 1995. Attached is a memorandum dated June 2, 1995 from Ron Quanbeck giving the results of the "after" traffic study and also comparing it to the studies completed before the project. Attached with that memorandum is a map indicating the location of the "All -Way" stops and the locations where the traffic counts/speed studies were made. TRAFSTDY.DOC SUBJECT: TRAFFIC STUDY 25TH AVENUE FROM COUNTY ROAD 101 TO DUNKIRK LANE Page Two The following conclusions can be made from the traffic studies: • At the westerly end of 25th Avenue the average and 85th percentile speeds are down approximately 4 m.p.h. • At the easterly end of 25th Avenue the average and 85th percentile speeds are down approximately 3 m.p.h. • The traffic volume has decreased approximately 15 %. This would indicate that the additional stop signs have discouraged through traffic. • The average speed is now below the posted speed limit of 30 m.p.h. In reviewing the hourly traffic data, it appears that there is only one concentrated period of time when several of the vehicles are speeding over 40 m.p.h. This is 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. approximately midway between Merrimac Lane and Jewel Lane. This would be. a good time and location for an effort by the Public Safety Department Traffic Enforcement Unit. In conclusion, the result of the traffic study after the reconstruction of 25th Avenue and the installation of two additional "All -Way" stops appeared to achieve the goal of the City Council in reducing the speed of vehicles. By the counts it appears that additional results can be obtained with a concentrated speed enforcement effort during mid morning between Merrimac Lane and Jewel Lane. Please let me know if there are any questions on the traffic study. attachments cc: Kathy Lueckert (1994 City Council Follow-up) Craig Gerdes, Public Safety Director Daniel L. Faulkner, City Engineer Ron Quanbeck, Civil Engineer TRAFSfDY.DOC Le V", =- 4 DATE: June 2, 1995 TO: Daniel Faulkner, City Engineer FROM: Ronald S. Quanbeck, P.E., Civil Engineer SUBJECT: 25TH AVENUE TRAFFIC COUNTS 1994 STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT CITY PROJECT NO. 401 I reviewed the traffic counts and speeds recorded on 25th Avenue between Highway 101 and Dunkirk Lane to compare the results of the counts before and after reconstruction of the street and installation of stop signs at Olive Lane and Garland Lane. BACKGROUND Several counts have been taken at two locations on 25th Avenue. The westerly location is between Highway 101 and Olive Lane, a distance of approximately 600 feet. The other location is east of Garland Lane. In addition, one count was taken on April 26 and 27, 1995 east of Merrimac Lane. The locations of these counts are shown on the attached map. Four counts were taken at each of the two original locations. The original study was done by Strgar-Roscoe-Fausch (SRF) before the public hearing for Project 401 in response to comments received from residents at public information meetings. Because of the short time frame between meetings, a count was taken on November 22 and 23, 1993. In response to concerns expressed by residents that this count was taken during Thanksgiving week and may not be representative of conditions on the street, a second count was done by SRF from June 8 to June 10, 1994. After Project 401 completion in the fall of 1994, stop signs were installed on 25th Avenue at Olive Lane and Garland Lane. On April 10 through 12, 1995, the City's traffic counter was placed at the two locations. Because there was a light rain during that period, the City's counter was also placed at the easterly location April 25 to April 26, 1995 and the westerly location May 1 to 2, 1995. In addition, a count approximately 275 feet east of Merrimac Lane was performed on April 26 and 27, 1995. 25TRFCNT.DOC =44 RESULTS The following tables contain the average speed, 85th percentile speed, and traffic volume for each count. The traffic volume has been adjusted to account for seasonal and day of the week variations by using a Mn/DOT daily factor. WEST OF OLIVE LANE EAST OF MERRIMAC LANE Nov. 22-23 1993 June 8-10 1994 April 10-12 1995 May 1-2 1995 Average Speed: 31-34 31-34 29 27 85th Percentile Speed: 37 36 33 32 Adjusted Traffic Volume: 1130 1130 943 931 EAST OF MERRIMAC LANE Nov. 22-23 1993 June 8-10 1994 April 10-12 1995 April 25-26 1995 Average Speed: 31-34 27-30 28 25 85th Percentile Speed: 36 34 33 30 Adjusted Traffic Volume: 770 830 663 713 EAST OF MERRIMAC LANE West of Olive Lane the first two traffic counts have very similar results. After project completion and stop sign installation, the two counts show a modest decrease in average speed and 85th percentile speed. The adjusted traffic volume was approximately 17 % lower. East of Garland Lane, the average speed, 85th percentile speed and adjusted traffic volume after project completion and stop sign installation, were again modestly lower than before construction. 25TRFCNT.DOC April 26-27 1995 Average Speed: 29 85th Percentile Speed: 37 Adjusted Traffic Volume: 1 1117 West of Olive Lane the first two traffic counts have very similar results. After project completion and stop sign installation, the two counts show a modest decrease in average speed and 85th percentile speed. The adjusted traffic volume was approximately 17 % lower. East of Garland Lane, the average speed, 85th percentile speed and adjusted traffic volume after project completion and stop sign installation, were again modestly lower than before construction. 25TRFCNT.DOC A traffic count was also taken April 26 to 27, 1995 east of Merrimac Lane. Since there was not a count done at this location before project construction and stop sign installation, it is difficult to draw conclusions from these results. The average speed for the count was 29 miles per hour. The 85th percentile speed was 37 miles per hour, and the adjusted traffic volume was 1,117. The 85th percentile speed appears to indicate that, after clearing the stop sign at Olive Lane, the fastest 15 % of drivers are accelerating to speeds similar to those at the other locations before the stop signs were installed. The lowering of the 85th percentile speed west of Olive Lane may be due to the relatively short street length for comfortable acceleration and deceleration. Some traffic studies indicate that unless stop signs are placed very close together, the drivers tend to accelerate between stop signs to make up time lost in stopping. In some cases this has resulted in increased speeds between stop signs. Several vehicles were recorded traveling at high speed at all of the locations. Generally these vehicles were distributed over time. But, interestingly, the April 27 count east. of Merrimac Lane recorded 5 westbound vehicles over 50 miles per hour between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. and roughly 50% of the westbound vehicles traveling over 40 miles per hour in that time period. CONCLUSIONS The traffic counts taken on 25th Avenue indicate that stop signs placed closely enough that comfortable acceleration and deceleration limit the speed attained between them may slow drivers somewhat. This results in continual acceleration and deceleration. When the stop sign spacing is greater than this, the average speed continues to increase to the same level as prior to stop sign installation. In addition, some individual drivers will exceed the speed limit even though drastic acceleration and deceleration are required. attachment cc: Fred G. Moore 25TRFCNT.DOC =` LAN... i.r ii u 25TH AVE. N. TRAFFIC COUNT LOCATIONS