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Council Information Memorandum 02-25-2005
rp)CITY OF PLYMOUTH COUNCIL INFO MEMO February 25, 2005 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Youth Advisory Council February 28 meeting agenda......................................................... Page 3 Planning Commission March 2 meeting agenda.................................................................. Page 4 Human Rights Commission March 3 meeting agenda......................................................... Page 5 Charter Commission March 3 meeting agenda..................................................................... Page 6 March, April, and May Official City Meeting Calendars..................................................... Page 7 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings ........................................ Page 13 FOR INFORMATION ... News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc. Financial Times news article profiling suburban community planning, including Edina (article submitted by Councilmember Bildsoe)........................................................ Page 15 Reuters news story regarding Supreme Court consideration of eminent domain ............... Page 16 Star Tribune Plymouth—related articles from the Wednesday "West Edition": Story on proposed no—wake ordinance................................................................... Page 18 Story on community foundations such as the Plymouth Foundation ..................... Page 20 Report on recovery of goods stolen from a car in Plymouth .................................. Page 22 Staff Reports Fire—rescue incident of interest........................................................................................... Page 23 Update on plans for the City's 50th Anniversary................................................................. Page 24 Update on studies for paperless agendas............................................................................ Page 27 Correspondence Letter from the League of Minnesota Cities regarding the indictment of former Berkley Risk Administrators CFO, Steven Davis ................................................... Page 32 Letter from Senator Norm Coleman regarding a proposal to cut Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).................................................................................. Page 34 YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 28, 2005 6:45 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS Time Allotment 1. Approvals: 6:45-6:50 a) Agenda b) February 14 meeting minutes 2. Special Items and Guest Speakers: 6:50-7:10 a) Discuss Leadership Conference Event Icebreakers b) Set Special Meeting Date 3. COMMITTEE UPDATES: 7:10-7:25 a) Youth Service Awards Committee b) Youth Leadership/Youth Town Forum Committee c) Intergenerational Committee d) Ad hoc Web planning Committee 4. Future agenda items 7:25-7:30 a) b) 5. Adjournment 7:30 6. Additional Materials: a) Event To Do list b) March, April, and May 2005 Official City Meeting Calendars NJ PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2005 WHERE: CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 CONSENT AGENDA All items listed on the consent agenda* are considered to be routine by the Planning Commission and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Commissioner, citizen or petitioner so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on the agenda. 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC FORUM 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 5. CONSENT AGENDA* A. Approve the February 16, 2005 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Master Civil and Construction Engineering. Comprehensive Plan Amendment to reguide property located at 10 Zachary Lane from LA -1 (Living Area 1) to LA -2 (Living Area 2) and sketch plan for 42 dwelling units. (2004146) B. Untiedt's Garden Market. Interim use permit to allow operation of a seasonal market for property located at 1605 County Road 101. (2005004) C. St. Barnabas Lutheran Church. Site plan amendment and conditional use permit amendment to allow a 17,000 square foot expansion for property located at 15600 Old Rockford Road. The request also includes two setback variances. (2005005) D. Henry Lazniarz. Rezoning from RMF -2 (Multiple Family 2) to RMF -4 (Multple Family 4), and preliminary plat and site plan to allow an 18 -unit condominium building on property located north of 11th Avenue and west of South Shore Drive. (2005007) 7. OLD BUSINESS A. Regulatory Policies and Housing Affordability. A study of the impact of regulatory policies and their effects on housing affordability. (Continued from the January 19, 2005 Meeting.) 8. ADJOURNMENT AGENDA Plymouth Human Rights Commission March 3, 2005 Student Sub Group Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Medicine Lake Room 1. Call to Order 2. Approve Minutes 3. Approve Agenda 4. Committee Reports A. Student Human Rights Activities Committee B. Community Awareness and Education Committee C. Human Rights Incident Response Team D. The League of Minnesota Human Rights 5. Old Business A. Essay Contest B. Develop 2005 Work Plan (table from February 3, 2005 meeting) 6. New Business A. Board and Commission Recognition Event, March 30 7. Announcements and Articles (for your information) A. Days of Remembrance B. Golden Valley HRC Minutes 8. Adjourn Next Meeting: April 7, 2005 Call Sue Gulbrand at 763-509-5053 if you are unable to attend the meeting. AGENDA Charter Commission Orientation March 3, 2005 City Hall Lower Level 7:00 p.m. Call to Order 2. Introductions Larry Marofsky History of the Plymouth Charter Commission Larry Marofsky By Laws of the Charter Commission 4. Role of the Charter Commission Joel Jamnik 5. Other -- Questions/Discussion 6. Adjourn M OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS February 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 A 3 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION- Medicine Lake Room 4 5 2:00 PM -7:00 PM FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL, Parkers Lake 6 7 8 5:30 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: DISCUSS DRAFT POND MAINTENANCE IMPLEMENTATION; Council Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 9 5:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING ON NO -WAKE ORDINANCE, Council Chambers 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL DUALITY COMMITTEE (EDC), Council Chambers 10 7:00 PM PARK & REG ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 11 12 ASH WEDNESDAY 13 14 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 15 16 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 17 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Council Chambers 18 19 20 21 PRESIDENTS DAY - City Offices Closed 22 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 23 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) - Medicine Lake Room 24 25 7:30M-9:00AM MLC REGION BREAKFAST, Plymouth Radisson Hotel & Conference Center 26 9:00 AM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING - SET 2005 GOALS & PRIORITIES; Plymouth Creek Center 27 28 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers Mar 2005 S M T W T F S 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 31 Jan 2005 S M T W T F S 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 31 modified on 2/24/2005 q OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS March 2005 Sunday I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 6:00 PM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOGNITION 2 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 3 7:00 PM CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING, Lunch Room 4 5 Feb 2005 S M T W T F S 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 EVENT, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 5:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: DOWNTOWN & OTHER DEVELOPMENT ISSUES: Lunchroom 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Council Chambers 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 6:00 PM YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 PALM SUNDAY 7:00 PM Good Friday 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, Sheraton Minneapolis West 12201 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) - Medicine Lake Room Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 27 EASTER SUNDAY 28 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council 29 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL 30 6:00 PM BOARD & COMMISSION RECOGNITION 31 Apr 2005 S M T W T F S 1 2 Chambers MEETING, Council EVENT - Plymouth 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Chambers Creek Center 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 modified on 2/24/2005 I OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS April 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday I Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday May 2005 1 2 Mar 2005 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS 7:00 PM BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, Council Chamber. 7:00 PM PLANNING 7:OOPMHUMAN RIGHTS COMMENCES- set clocks ahead 1 hour SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING (Immediately f.=W Bd. of Eq-ft.Wo ): CITY MANAGER QUARTERLY UPDATE, Co -.4 Chambers COMMISSION, Council Chambers COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Council chambers 7;00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (FRAC), Council Chambers Chambers 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 8:00 AM -1:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION STUDENT WORKSHOP, Plymouth Ice Center 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room 9:00 AM CIN AUCTION, Cily Maintenance Garage, 1490023rd AM=nue PASSOVER 7:00 PM BOARD OF EQUALIZATION (RECONVENED), Council Chambers BEGINS AT SUNSET 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council 6:00 PM YOUTH SERVICE AWARDS, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY Chambers COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) - Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers modified on 2/24/2005 it Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items March 8, Special, 5:00 p.m., Lunch Room • Discuss City Center concept, parking, Downtown Council, and signage issues • Discuss development/redevelopment process • Set Future Study Sessions March 8, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Sale of G.O. TIF Revenue Bonds, Series 2005A, for HRA TIF Redevelopment District 1 • Hearing on 2004 Weed eradication and destruction, Roll 2 • Hearing on 2004 removal and destruction of diseased trees, Roll 2 • Adopt Pond Maintenance Policy • Hearing on liquor law violation of Dutton's Bar and Grill • Receive Park and Recreation Advisory Commission's Annual Report and Work Plan • Consider proposal from Plymouth Community Foundation relating to Hilde Center Gateway • Approve 2005 Consumption and display liquor licenses • Approval of Fire Relief Association By Laws • Oath of Office to Police Officers Dave Durenberger and Scott Whiteford • Approve Pond Maintenance Policy • Approve site plan amendment and variance to allow expansion of the garden center at Home Depot, 1705 Annapolis Lane North. CASCO. (2004145) • Approve variance to increase the impervious surface coverage from 49% to 51% to allow construction of a 308 square foot addition for property located at 1044 Yuma Lane North. Skyline Design. (2005006) • Approve the 2005 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocation and application March 29, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Consider Zoning Ordinance text amendment to change allowable uses the C-1 (Convenience Commercial), C-2 (Neighborhood Commercial), and C-4 (Community Commercial) districts. City of Plymouth. (2004057) (Postponed from February 8) • Consider issuance and sale of G.O. Housing Revenue Bonds and affirm the City's G.O. Pledge for the Plymouth HRA Senior Housing Project • Approve 2005 Garbage Hauler licenses • Authorize payment of the 2005 dues for membership in the I-494 Corridor Commission (postponed from February 22) • Hearing on 2005 Street Reconstruction Project for Districts 73 and 68 13 Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. A chance to find middle ground David Wells meets an architect and town planner whose firm is working to combat the proliferation of poorly planned communities y brother-in-law once asked me how I ran errands. He lives in a charming small -town - turned -suburb outside Minneapolis called Edina, and drives to pick up nearly everything - from gro- ceries to dry cleaning to DVD rentals. I live in Manhattan. I walk to run most errands. And for anything too far away, I just hail a cab, hop on a bus or have it delivered. It's is a far cry from Edina - and from the leafy suburban area outside Austin, Texas, where I grew up. There, we walked or biked to friends' houses and some shops, but drove most places, and the only things we had delivered were mail and pizza. Still, these communities have some- thing in common. Each feels compact and comforting to its residents for two reasons: age (all three have developed over decades) and scale (the houses are well -spaced, and parks, small stores and such are in walking distance). But I don't see that in many of the new housing developments rising as American suburbs now. Along the farm -to -market roads and expressways near Austin, for example, new commu- nities revolve, in a hub -and -spoke fash- ion, around big -box retail outlets such as Home Depot or Wal-Mart. I'm not against growth. I might even have sup- ported the development of these sub- urbs if they were better designed. But it is hard to stomach a group of McMansions trying to emulate Mediter- ranean villas or cheaply built neigh- bourhoods whose homes look like movie sets. These are not an improve- ment on the wildflower fields and rolling ranch land they replaced. Also, as in Edina and my suburban home town, I think there should be more than homes in the mix - apartments and townhouses, plus well thought-out retail and outdoor space. The optimist in me would like to think that 20 years from now these communities will have developed more character. (Every neighbourhood has an awkward adolescent phase, right?) But the pessimist in me thinks they Won't age well. :,.,,.There is hope for the future, how- ever: a group of town planners and architects who want to build commu- nities that offer a middle ground between tiny apartments in crowded cities and gargantuan homes in empty fields. Andres Duany is one of the lead- ers of this group. He is perhaps best known for a book, which he helped write at the start of this decade, called Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. But his town - planning firm, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, has been working to combat the proliferation of poorly planned sub- urbs since 1980, designing or redesign- ing more than 250 communities. The principals at DPZ were also co- founders of the Congress for the New Urbanism, which Duany describes as a movement aimed not at forbidding people from choosing the suburbs but at "offering them a change". In fact, the architect and author has some nice things to say about the neighbour- hoods of family homes and lawns ring- ing most US cities. They are better managed than urban areas. They are filled with places that are extremely clean and safe. And they offer develop- ers more flexibility. But, as the title of his book indicates, he also sees severe flaws in the new suburban sprawl. The promise of living in nature is not fulfilled. Buyers often "chose the better marketed house even though it might be inferior". And .the - HOUSE AND HOME THE SUBURB freedom that these non -city areas promise - ie the car - eventually becomes a hindrance. "The automobile only works in early stages," he says. "Then you end up in traffic." Besides, those without access to a full-time car are trapped by networks of bus- and sidewalk -free roads. Fami- lies often can't afford two cars and some senior citizens lose their ability to drive even before they give up their homes and cars. But transportation is just one of many reasons that the suburbs are in trouble, says Duany. There is "a social impact of people living in an environ- ment that does not suit their needs well", he explains. The housing subdi- vision, where residents stay cooped up with their televisions and Ga ieboys HOUSE AND HOME THE SUBURBS aF{ s , CIIRIIRRAN GFNFRAI LIRRAN LIRRAN rFNTRF LIRRAN rORF ►5 Less density More density Primarily residential use Smaller buildings More green space Detached buildings Rotated frontages Yards and frontages Deep setbacks Articulated massing Wooden buildings Generally pitched roofs Small yard signs Roads and lanes Narrow paths Opportunistic parking Larger curb flags Starlight Mixed tree clusters Local gathering places Parks and greens Primarily mixed use Larger buildings More hardscape Attached buildings Aligned frontages Stoops and shopfronts Shallow setbacks Simple massing Masonry buildings Generally flat roofs Building -mounted signage Streets and alleys Wide sidewalks Dedicated parking Smaller curb flags Street lighting Single tree species Regional institutions Plazas and squares instead of interacting with their neigh- bourhood, could be the "asbestos of the future", contributing to rising obesity rates in the US. Developers use land inefficiently and ignore public spaces, which Duany considers to be one the most important building blocks of a community. Parks and playgrounds are "where you meet your neighbour, where bonds can be formed", he explains. With such vast acreage in the US, "we aren't running out of land, but it's still a shame". The solution, he says, is putting a little more urban into "suburban", pro- moting the same sort of "sustainable communities" that the UK government is intent on creating, particularly in south-east England. n... nv wanra i -i ITR wnvarn to to take similar action, changing cur- rent codes "that develop sprawl" and encouraging US developers to build houses where people live and work and to create communities with "the com- pensation ompensation of urban life" - small shops, museums and parks within walking distance. Residents must compromise, too. Those living in a DPZ-designed projects may sacrifice their yard in return for street life, for example. But Duany thinks suburbanites will welcome the convenience and the energy conserva- tion. "Using fuel for a plane trip, or for mass commerce is good, but to go to Starbucks or get a newspaper it is an incredible waste," he explains. "Future suburbs should take the ahn in ,..t rua and Ihu nMf —1— and the homes and mix them up to make small towns again," he tells me. "The materials are there, they are just disassembled." In fact, he believes there may even be hope for the new neighbourhoods I find so irksome as well as suburbs that have not aged well. Duany says they can be retrofitted to create villages where people can walk to where they need to go. One relatively easy way is to take dead and dying malls and make them mixed-use developments. Take Mashpee Commons in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for example. It's a former mall that still has retail stores, such as Ann Taylor and Banana Republic, but also offers places to live and eat. DPZ redesigned it and, while Duany acknowledges that "retrofitting is much harder than getting it right in the first place, he calls it "a perfect example of how a shopping centre can be restructured". Another DPZ makeover that hits closer to home for me is Legacy Park in Dallas, Texas, one of many master - planned corporate campuses built in the late 1980s that is full of ugly devel- opments. To retrofit the area, DPZ col - Parks and playgrounds are 'where you meet your neighbour, where bonds can be formed' .............................................................. laborated with Post Properties, a firm known for its high-density apartment developments, and designed a mixed- use town centre now under construc- tion on a 180 -acre parcel When completed, the development will include a 400 -room convention hotel, 500,000 sq ft of retail and entertainment space, 2,400 units of multifamily housing, and more office space. DPZ's website says a three -acre park will provide space for outdoor concerts and recreation, while cars are tucked away in parking lots and garages behind the larger blocks of the development. Duany was recently in the Bahamas designing a resort town that, perhaps surprisingly, will share many of the elements found in Mashpee Commons and Legacy Park. But. the overriding goal - to create a feeling of town living - applies in both environments. "It is Utopia," he says. Duany says that those who develop land - for whatever reason - should improve it. At one time the conversion of rural areas to something more popu- lous and lively was an "upward trade", but now it's a "downward" one, he says. "We lost wetlands but got Charleston," he says. "But today's strip centre is worse than a potato field." David Wells is an FT correspondent hn d in Al— V i, Supreme Court Ponders Taking Property for Development Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:29 PM ET By Deborah Charles WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices questioned on Tuesday whether a city can take a person's home for a private development project aimed at boosting tax revenues and revitalizing the local economy. Several justices, addressing an issue that could have ramifications nationwide, expressed reservations about their authority to stop the government of New London, Connecticut, from seizing homes and businesses owned by seven families for a private development project to boost the city's economy. Under the U.S. Constitution, governments can take private property through their so-called eminent domain powers in exchange for just compensation, but only when it is for public use. New London says since the development -- which will complement Pfizer Inc. drug company's new research building -- will create jobs, increase tax revenues and help the long -depressed local economy, it satisfies the Constitution's public - use requirements. But residents who want to stop the city from razing their homes and businesses say it is not fair. "Every city has problems, every city would like more tax revenue," said Scott Bullock, the attorney for the families who are suing to keep their land. "But that cannot be justification ... for the use of eminent domain." Attorneys for the families have predicted the Supreme Court decision will affect homeowners throughout the country. Several justices were concerned about overturning rulings by the high court that allowed using eminent domain for private development. In particular, they referred to a 1954 ruling that allowed the taking of property to eliminate slums or blight after deciding such condemnations constituted a public use. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said New London made the move to take the property because it was in a depressed economic condition. After Bullock drew a distinction between "blight" and "economic depression," Justice Anthony Kennedy asked how the court could differentiate between the two. "You could say if economic depression continues for several years ...(you) have blight," Kennedy said. "Blight is in the eye of the beholder." Justice Antonin Scalia appeared to support the homeowners, asking why the city did not fund a private purchase of the land instead of condemning it and forcing the people out. "There are some plaintiffs who are not going to sell at any price," responded Wesley Horton, attorney for New London. IL', Several justices showed an interest in finding a way to properly compensate people who are forced out of their homes in the name of helping the local economy. "Is there some way of ensuring a just compensation that actually puts the person in the same position he would be in if he didn't have to sell his house?" asked Justice Stephen Breyer. "Or is he inevitably worse off?" A ruling is due by the end of June. © Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. 1,7 startribune.com Close window Last update: February 19, 2005 at 11:30 AM Rule would calm water, not skiers Ben Steverman Star Tribune Published February 23, 2005 A proposal to regulate boating on Medicine Lake is running into resistance from residents who water ski on the lake, the second largest in Hennepin County after Lake Minnetonka. The City of Plymouth has proposed creating four no -wake zones -- places where boats could go only at speeds so slow that they don't make any waves -- on the 936 -acre lake. Water skiers view the proposed ordinance as an unnecessary annoyance, but proponents say the no -wake areas would protect plants -- such as bulrush and lily pads -- that live near the surface of the water. Those plants provide habitat for wildlife and help improve the lake's water quality, said John Barten, the Three Rivers Park District water resources manager, who has studied Medicine Lake for 15 years. Research on other lakes has shown that fast boat traffic over or near plant beds can stir up sediment and prevent germination of new plants, he said. "It's a better lake with these plants," said Plymouth City Engineer Ron Quanbeck. Plus, Quanbeck added, "They're very hard to reestablish once they're gone." He said the no -wake zones are based on extensive research that has been done on Medicine Lake, part of an effort to improve the lake's water quality. The lake is classified by the state as an "impaired resource," suffering from poor water quality and algae blooms. The city has funded efforts to prevent erosion and reduce the amount of water runoff into the lake, and it has used chemicals to fight invasive species of plants. Would they help? Bruce Larson, who lives on the lake and often waterskis, supports other efforts to improve water quality but says the no -wake zones don't make sense. First, Larson says, boats already avoid weedy areas. "The last thing you want to do is drive your boat into the weeds," he said. Under the ordinance, buoys would mark the edge of the no -wake zones. Boaters would be permitted to create as much of a wave as they want as long as they are outside the zone. Larson says that's silly, since it does little to protect the weeds from waves created just outside the zone. It also doesn't protect the weeds from boat propellers, because boats would still be allowed to enter the zones if they go slow enough. He said the buoys also would create a "confusing situation" on the north arm of the lake, a narrow stretch of water that boaters say is great for water skiing because it has fewer waves and is protected from wind. Two no -wake zones are proposed on either side of the north arm. Even with the no -wake zones, there would be enough room for boaters to operate up the north arm -- about 520 feet between the two zones. But Larson said he's worried that the buoys, marked "no wake zones," would be confusing, either to the Hennepin County Sheriffs water patrol and boaters or to onlookers who may think that the entire passage into the north arm is a no wake zone. A few buoys asking boaters to keep away from bulrush and lily pad areas would be all right, but it doesn't make sense as a rule for police to enforce, he said. Barten said that the buoys would be easy to understand, just like buoys on Lake Minnetonka. Cities must decide The ordinance would need approval from both the city of Plymouth and the city of Medicine Lake, the small municipality that occupies a peninsula in the southern portion of the lake. Medicine Lake Mayor Mary Anne Young said the proposal is likely to come up at her city's next council meeting, at 7 p.m. on March 7 at City Hall, 10609 South Shore Dr. Young said she would wait until the meeting to make up her mind on the ordinance. The Plymouth City Council is unlikely to consider the proposal until late March, Quanbeck said. The Association of Medicine Lake Area Citizens, a group of residents who live on the lake, met last week and seem divided on the proposal, according to Jonathan Eklin, president of the group. "I would like to see it studied some more," Eklin said. He said he hasn't seen enough scientific data to back up proponents' case for the no -wake zones. Starting to regulate boat traffic on the lake is a big step and should only be taken as a last resort, he said. Contact the writer at 612-673-7168 or bstevermanAwartribune.com. © Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. Iq startribune.com Close window Last update: February 21, 2005 at 1:57 PM Donors pool gifts to keep on giving Ben Steverman Star Tribune Published February 23, 2005 West -suburban philanthropists are thinking long-term, setting up foundations that could provide funds for special needs in their communities for decades. In an era when government funding is harder to come by, residents in cities such as St. Louis Park and Plymouth say pooling their donations can help the community. "To keep our community strong, vibrant and growing, we needed to have something, rather than just relying on city and county government," said Michael Morrow, a board member of the St. Louis Park Community Foundation, which was started in late 2002. "We needed some way to direct funds for the 'extras' in the community." In Minnesota, the idea of community foundations started in rural areas where residents were concerned about keeping their communities vital as the population decreased, said Doug Stasek, the director of gift planning for the Minnesota Community Foundation, which helps set up and run local foundations throughout the state. Even people who moved away from the communities often have mailed checks to these foundations, which help fund everything from schools to parks to public building renovations, Stasek said. In recent years, the idea of community foundations has gained popularity in suburbs. "Maybe our suburbs are having more of a sense of community, rather than being bedroom communities," Stasek said. Foundations typically work by gathering donations into an endowment. Proceeds from money invested in the endowment enable the foundation to issue grants to projects of local nonprofits or governments. One of the main challenges of starting foundations, organizers say, is selling the idea of endowments to donors who are used to seeing immediate, tangible results from their money. "This is a way to know that if you are giving $5,000, not only will it give now, it will give long-term," said Cindy Leines, a Plymouth resident who helps chair the Wayzata Public Schools Education Foundation, one of several foundations set up to benefit west -metro schools. The Wayzata foundation, started about a year ago, hopes to pump money into the district's academic needs, in response to scarce government funding for education. "We've got a great system. We don't want to let it go," Leines said. The foundation has received about $100,000 in commitments to its endowment, mostly from foundation board members. It hasn't started asking for donations in the broader community yet. The new foundations are trying to attract local attention to their fundraising efforts. One way to do that is to raise some money for the community's more immediate needs. The Plymouth Community Foundation wants to raise $1 million for its endowment in the next three years, said Steve Beachler, its chairman. But the foundation also will try to donate money this year for a work of art to mark the entrance to the Hilde Performance Center, and it is working on helping the city celebrate its 50th lo anniversary. The St. Louis Park Community Foundation is intent on building up its endowment, but it's also giving grants right away, using money donated from charitable gambling proceeds by the owners of the Park Tavern. Last fall, the foundation gave $36,000 in grants for youth organizations, Morrow said. The Eden Prairie Foundation, in contrast to new foundations elsewhere in the western suburbs, was started in 1981. Most of its income comes from an annual ball, to be held this year on Saturday, that is expected to raise about $100,000. Until recently, the foundation hasn't emphasized building an endowment. Rather, it has quickly funneled much of the money back into the city, said Jean Myers, the foundation president. More than $700,000 of that money has paid for an array of improvements: Chair lifts at the community center pool; lighting and a fountain in parks; equipment for the fire department, the food shelf, the historical society and other local groups. Myers said the foundation is trying to cut back on donations in order to build a long-term endowment. Stasek said a foundation can, if successful, make itself a permanent fixture in its community. As foundations grow, they not only respond to pleas for money, Stasek said, but they also start identifying new needs and put money behind them. "It's giving back to the city to make it a better place to live," Myers said. Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. 2/ startribune.com Close window Last update: February 21, 2005 at 3:55 PM Accused thief tries to sell stolen hockey gear -- to its owner Sam Barnes Star Tribune Published February 23, 2005 Aaron Kariniemi of Maple Grove was pretty upset when he realized that all of his hockey gear had been stolen from his car in Plymouth. But the 19 -year-old also had an idea of where it might turn up. "There's only a few stores in the Twin Cities area that buy used equipment," he said. And he worked at one of them -- the Score Sports store on Hwy. 55 in Plymouth. Maybe, he thought, the culprit would bring in the equipment to sell. So he alerted the others in the store to be on the lookout. But last Monday evening, two days after the theft, Kariniemi himself was the one on duty when a teenager walked in with his stuff. "This guy rolls in and he's got my helmet and my hockey gloves in his hand. He comes up to my cash register and he tries to sell me my hockey gear," Kariniemi said. He knew he had to play it cool, so he stalled, telling the would-be seller that he had to get another store employee to price the equipment. When the other worker came in, he continued stalling while Kariniemi ducked out to call the police. An officer arrived within minutes, and Kariniemi met him in the parking lot to explain what was going on inside. Meanwhile, the other store employee had confronted the teen, saying he thought the equipment was stolen. The teenager denied it, but had gotten upset and was abruptly leaving the store when he ran "right into the hands of the cops," Kariniemi said. Kariniemi was able to identify the equipment for police by some special labeling -- and by the fact that, for some reason, one of his gloves smells a lot worse than the other. The policeman checked it out, and it passed the smell test. The culprit had already sold Kariniemi's skates and shin pads at another store, he said, but Kariniemi was able to get them back so he can continue using them in the church leagues where he likes to play. Police said the teenager, a 19 -year-old Plymouth resident, would be charged with theft. Contact the writer at 612-673-7840 or sbarnes(i startribune.com Oc Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. C�r ,)' MOUTNESOTA H FIRE.RESCUE PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 763-509-5120 FIRE -RESCUE INCIDENT OF INTEREST DATE: February 23, 2005 TIME: 2:05 a.m. ADDRESS: 2615 Sycamore La. DETAILS: A working smoke detector contributed to the survival of an elderly couple during an early morning house fire. First arriving, Lt. Dan Calson reported a single story residential dwelling with heavy smoke showing from side "A". Upon initial dispatch, the occupants were reported as being trapped. First -due, Engine 31 (Perbix, Weldon, Evenson, Nordby) secured a water supply and advanced a 13/4" handline to the seat of the fire. The crew from second arriving Tower 11 (Dore, Elliott, Kuss, Specken) were split to perform ventilation and assist with search activities. Aerial 21 (Magy, Baker, Branyon) were assigned as RIT. The fire was confined to the area of origin and placed under control 5 minutes following fire department arrival. No firefighters were injured. Both occupants were transported to HCMC for medical treatment. RESPONSE TIME: 8 minutes FIRE ORIGIN/CAUSE: Den. Discarded smoking material. ESTIMATED FIRE LOSS: $20,000 P.F.D. RESPONDING UNITS: ASSISTING AGENCIES: Engine Companies: E-31, E-11 EMS: Yes x 2 Ladder Companies: L-31, TW -11, A-21 Red Cross: Support Units: Salvation Army: No Rescue Companies: R-11, R-31 Public Works: No Chief Officers: C-1, C-2, C-31 State FM: No Mutual Aid: SECTOR OFFICERS: Chief KlineBlake(Command), Captain Evenson (Interior). �3 DATE: February 24, 2005 TO: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager FROM: Helen LaFave, Communications Manager SUBJECT: 50th Anniversary Update We are making plans for the City's 50th Anniversary. While we are still hammering out details, you may want to share our plans with the City Council. The attached item summarizes our plans. Two items are of note. First, we plan to keep this effort low-cost. Costs that we incur will be paid for using community identity funds in the communications budget and communications reserve funds. Second, you will note that one of the items we have proposed to the Plymouth. Civic League (PCL) is that the PCL include the City's 50t" Anniversary logo in the laser show at Music in Plymouth. The PCL has yet to make a final decision on this request. Council Member Slavik reports that at its February board meeting, board members suggested that City underwrite the cost of the laser show, about $6,500. This would be in addition to the City's $25,000 contribution and in-kind contributions to Music in Plymouth. This suggestion does not fit with my direction from you to minimize costs so I think this request needs to be taken up by the City Council. Please let me know if you have any questions. Fifty Years of Adding Quality to Life In 2005, the City of Plymouth is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation as a village. The theme of the celebration is "Fifty Years of Adding Quality to Life." Goals The City of Plymouth will use existing events and communications vehicles to mark the 50' anniversary of Plymouth incorporating as a village. This initiative is aimed at providing a low-cost way to: • Raise awareness of Plymouth's past; • Strenghten community identity; Nurture pride in the community; and Acknowledge the role of City government in key quality of life issues. Tentative Overall Plans • Display selected photos from past years' Picture Plymouth Photo Contests in City Hall during March. • Work with the Plymouth Civic League to make Music in Plymouth on July 6 the centerpiece event of the City's 50' anniversary celebration. • Coordinate an open house of the Plymouth Historical Society to coincide with Music in Plymouth. • Create a display and banners that will travel to several City -sponsored events. Specific Plans for Music in Plymouth We have met with Plymouth Civic League (PCL) President Barbara Willis to discuss our ideas for Music in Plymouth. Ms. Willis carried these ideas forward to the PCL Board of Directors at its February meeting. While the board has yet to make a final decision, these are some of the items that we requested. Booth at Music in Plymouth • Display of historical photos and other items, as appropriate • Sell merchandise with 50`' Anniversary logo. City will retain all proceeds to recoup costs • Give away balloons with 50`' Anniversary logo & Music in Plymouth logo • Give away trinkets — may include handouts, pens, lapel pins, pencils, etc. Stage Time for Mayor - 5 Minutes • Prime time -- just prior to Orchestra performance or White Sidewalls • Share quality of life message Laser Show • Include the 50`h Anniversary logo as part of the laser show Musical Tribute • Orchestra play something as a tribute to 50`h Anniversary • White Sidewalls dedicate some 50s tunes to the 50`'' Anniversary Birthday Party • During musical tribute offer free ice cream if we can find a sponsor such as Schwann's or another Plymouth -based business to donate food Plymouth Historical Society Open House on July 6 • Doors open to the public during part of the late afternoon and evening Coordinated Publicity Efforts with PCL Z� DATE: February 25, 2005 TO: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager, through Pat Qvale, .Public Services Manager FROM: Sandy Paulson, City Clerk, and Jeff Hohenstein, Information Technology Manager SUBJECT: Paperless Agendas Recently, the Council requested that staff research the use of paperless agendas for City Council packets. In this report, staff has provided the history of placing the Council packets on line, a survey conducted with other cities, and the cost to provide hookups and/or computer equipment. For the most part, the City appears as .if it uses paperless agendas for their Council meetings due to the City Council packets being on the website. In 1999, staff began placing the Council packets on the website, and this has been very successful, as residents are able to access agendas and staff reports which has reduced the number of telephone calls. In fact, Plymouth was considered the leader in this area as very few cities in the metropolitan area had their Council packets on line, and many cities contacted the City shortly after it went online with inquiries on how that was set tip on the City's website. Many cities are currently operating as the City is with the packets being online but still making copies of the packet for the Council. Please refer to the attached survey of cities. In order to be a "true" paperless agenda city, the City would need to take the next step purchase laptops for Council members, City Attorney, City Staff as well as discontinue providing paper copies of the Council packets to the Council, City Attorney and staff. Attached to this report are costs and options to accomplish this. In conclusion, if the Council desires to proceed with a "true" paperless agenda forniat, staff could proceed to purchase the necessary equipment and software. o�� o E a o 0 +d o o , 'do p. a� V' '� w a� o .� w o U o �' U .`° p>' a>'i p .O b�A O 4., Cd U N .Ocnti Q' w C13 4- cd CA N 4r W 4. CdCd ff+ U 7a O ti O N �El o ami W o Cd 41 4-1a o 'b o � `� U � ° O y o b s. y N cd O � o a� �� cd CtS 64 crs oU : ° 4 C,3a� a� a� Q.U 'd o Q" y cd w N bo 1:1v� 4. >, cn p40. 4.1 �. 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N cd " r 6~7- 66s 69 N U cd � � 3 c .r. F '� 4n Ln cd 0 O U) U cd cd W Q R -t O O O\ 01 b , M bD N X69 T-oq V) x; o cd o bA N .� o r cd U ¢+ Q y > >� cd '" y y U PI O� U m O W N rn N U) Cl, v) u. U je O a �a t3, ami L ai p N cn a 6. v a a U) Z m d 36 Lo m u 00 00 O � � C) League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust LAC 145 U. sityAvenue West, St. Paul, MN 55103-2044 rcg I aague o%MinneeoEa Cities (651) 281-1200 • (800) 925-1122 Cilias e o m i ng aaenanro F (651) 281-1298 • TDD: (651) 281-1290 www.Imnc.org tt :)-AFebruary 17, 2005 E i ti Dear member city official: The United States Attorney's Office issued a press release yesterday announcing that Steven Davis, the former Chief Financial Officer for Berkley Risk Administrators Co., LLC (BRAC), was indicted for allegedly misappropriating more than $1.5 million of BRAC funds. Since BRAC works closely with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) in administration of our Property/Casualty and Workers' Compensation programs, we wanted to share full and accurate information with you as soon as possible. BRAC terminated Mr. Davis in the fall of 2004 and commenced an investigation to determine the extent of the misappropriation and whether client funds had been impacted. Initial findings of BRAC's investigation, conducted in conjunction with federal authorities, indicate that LMCIT funds have not been affected. The funds Mr. Davis had access to were corporate funds — separate and apart from LMCIT member funds. LMCIT's independent auditors are following up with a special investigation. They will also again review the financial controls that are in place to protect LMCIT funds. These controls are reviewed each year by our auditors as part of the annual audit process. Members should also be aware that BRAC has a fidelity bond to protect LMCIT funds in the event that any LMCIT dollars were involved. LMCIT has contracted with BRAC since the 1980s. BRAC is a large, national company with 27 offices in 16 states, including their Minneapolis headquarters. Other BRAC clients include the Minnesota School Boards Association Insurance Trust, the Minnesota Association of Townships Insurance Trust, and the state workers' compensation assigned risk plan. In July 2004, the LMCIT Board of Trustees approved renewal of our contract with BRAC for a three- year period commencing November 1, 2004. We believe it is important to keep in mind the high level of service and administration assistance provided to LMCIT to date, and to recognize that this one person's actions should not reflect directly on the BRAC employees who do good work for our cities every day. As always, LMCIT's primary objectives remain the sound management and security of members' premium dollars, and a superior level of member service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Pete Tritz at (651) 281-1265 or ptritz@lmnc.org. )� J AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER Page 2 February 17, 200 Sincerely, Zd-- Z�t� Lester Heitke Mayor, Willmar Chair, LMCIT Board of Trustees / fXA Pete Tritz LMCIT Administrator Judy Johnson Mayor, Plymouth President James F. Miller Executive Director 33 NORM COLEMAN MINNESOTA united States senate WASHINGTON, DC 20510-2307 February 18, 2005 Mayor Judy Johnson 3400 Plymouth Blvd Plymouth, MN 55447-1448 Dear Mayor COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAIRMAN SUBCOMMITTEE ON WESTERN HEMISPHERE, PEACE CORPS, AND NARCOTICS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP As a former mayor, I know firsthand the value and impact the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) has on improving housing and infrastructure in our nation's cities. As you may know, the President's budget for fiscal year 2006 proposes to move the CDBG from under the guise of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the Department of Commerce and cut the program by $1.9 billion. Given your strong interest in the CDBG program, I would like to take this opportunity to update you on my efforts to address this problem. I am currently circulating a letter amongst my colleagues in the Senate for signature that will urge Chairman Judd Gregg (R -NH) and Ranking Member Kent Conrad (D -ND) of the Committee on the Budget to maintain the Federal government's current commitment to community development programs at HUD and support a budget allocation of $4.732 billion for fiscal year 2006. I also disagree with the idea of recreating a block grant program similar to CDBG within the Department of Commerce. HUD is the Federal department principally responsible for community economic development. The CDBG program is the centerpiece of the Federal government's efforts to help states and localities meet the needs of low-income communities. The CDBG program was created to consolidate a number of complex and overlapping programs of financial assistance in order to encourage community development activities consistent with comprehensive local and area wide development planning. In addition, the CDBG program furthers the national housing goal of a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family, and fosters the undertaking of housing and community development activities in a coordinated and mutually supportive manner by Federal agencies and programs, as well as by communities. HUD's community development programs coupled with HUD's housing and homeless programs and supportive services provide communities with a comprehensive approach to serving the needs of residents. The CDBG program is the glue that holds other Federal programs serving low-income communities together. On the 30"' Anniversary of the CDBG program in 2004, HUD Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi said the following about the program: "HUD has a long history of `being there' and providing help for people, particularly those with the greatest needs— our lower income constituents. The CDBG program has certainly been there, during boom years and most importantly in times of tightening budgets, which place greater demands on existing services. We must continue to HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING 2550 UNIVERSITY AVENUE WEST SUITE 320 SUITE 1OON WASHINGTON, DC 20510-2307 ST. PAUL, MN 55114-1098 TEL:(202) 224-5641 TEL:(651) 645-0323 FAX: (202) 224-1152 http://coleman.senate.gov FAX: (651) 645-3110 support and build upon programs that work, those that have a proven record of flexibility and the ability to fit in with locally determined needs. CDBG is such a program and ranks among our nation's oldest and most successful programs. It continues to set the standard for all other block grant programs." Again, I understand the importance of the CDBG program and the negative impacts that cuts to the program would have on your city. I want you to know that I am committed to working with the Committee on the Budget to ensure that communities can provide good jobs, affordable housing, and public services to meet the needs of all Minnesotans. Sincerely, Norm Coleman United States Senate 3