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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 10-27-2000Dummy OCTOBER 27, 2000 1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE: NOTE: Ward 1 Councilmember Tim Bildsoe is available to meet with residents and receive their comments in the Council Conference Room, beginning at 6:00 PM prior to Regular Council meetings THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 6:30 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO REVIEW AND CERTIFY THE LOCAL RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER 7 ELECTION, Council Chambers TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 7: 00 PM 2. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 7: 00 PM 3. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER], 7: 00 PM 4. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER], 7: 00 PM REG ULAR CITY CO UNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers YO UTH AD VISOR Y COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE, Medicine Lake Room PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 5. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 7:00 PM LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center 6. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION EVENT, 7:00-8:30 PM Plymouth Creek Center 7. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, CITY OFFICES OPEN FOR ABSENTEE 10: 00 AM— 3: 00 PM VOTING CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO October 27, 2000 8. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 7: 00 PM 9. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6 10. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Page 2 YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room CITY OFFICES OPEN UNTIL 5: 00 PM FOR ABSENTEE VOTING GENERAL ELECTION, Polling places are open 7:00 AM -8:00 PM 11. A List of future Regular Council Meeting agenda items is attached. (M-11) 12. October and November Calendars are attached. (M-12) 1. NEWS ARTICLES, RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC. a) City news release regarding on-line registration of Park and Recreation Department programs. (1-1a) b) Notice of a tour of affordable housing in the Twin Cities area on November 14. (I--1 b) c) American City and County Magazine article on the use of golf courses as green space in cities, submitted at the request of Mayor Tierney. (1-1c) 2. MINUTES a) Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit September 27 meeting. (1-2a) b) Park and Recreation Advisory Commission October 19 meeting. (1--2b) 3. CORRESPONDENCE a) Acknowledgment and thank -you from PRISM for contributions and food donations received from the October 14 Fire Department Open House. (I --3a) b) Letter to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency from Mayor Tierney and Councilmember Brad Brown (representing the Plymouth HRA) requesting support in maintaining the Section 8 contract at Kimberly Meadows. (I --3b) c) Letter to AT&T Broadband from Mayor Tierney expressing concerns about advertising presented on Cable Channel 7, the TV Guide Channel. (I --3c) jv� - Tentative Schedule for City Council Non -Consent Agenda Items November 14 • The Reserve - Rezoning, PUD, Preliminary Plat • Plymouth Blvd. Street Lighting • Public hearing on Bridgit Glen Street Lighting • Vacation of drainage and utility easements along the common lot line of Lots 2 and 3, Block 1 of Keyway First Addition • Hilde Performance Center Agreement • Ferndale Open Space November 28 • Street Lighting Policy December 12 • Study Area E • Liquor Compliance Violation Hearings December 26 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS October 2000 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6:30 PM EQC, Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM 1:00 PM -5:00 PM PLYMOUTH ON PARADE 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake PLANNING 7:00 PM TASTE COMMISSION, Council Chambers OF CHOCOLATE, Plymouth Creek Center 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Yom Kippur ins at sunset begins COLUMBUS DAY (OBSERVED), Public Works Division closed 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: CITY MANAGER T ON, EVALUABass Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council 7:00 PM PRAC, JCouncil lChambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC 7:00 PM -9:00 PM LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Medicine Lake Room CANDIDATE FORUM, Council Chambers Chambers SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 7:30 AM LOCAL BUSINESS COUNCIL, Radisson Hotel 7:00 PM PACT - Bass Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 29 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS - set clocks back 1 30 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, 31 Nov 2000 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Sep 2000 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 hour Plymouth Creek 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Center 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 modified on 10/27/2000 i"/I - ! 1, OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS November 2000 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Oct 2000 Dec 2000 6:30 PM EQC, 7:00 PM - 8.30 S N1 T W T F S S M T W T F S Medicine Lake Room PM, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 PM VOLUNTEER 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LE0 GISLATIVE RECOGNITION 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 HEARING ON MET Plymouth EVENT,COUNCIL, 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Creek Center Plymouth Creek Center 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 7:00 PM PLANNING 31 COMMISSION, Council Chambers 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7:00 PM YOUTH GENERAL ELECTION - 6 30P COUNCILMEETING ITO REVIEW AND CERTIFY THE TS VETERANS DAY ADVISORY Polls open 7 AM p OFTHE OVEMB R7 LECTION Medicine 7 (OBSERVED), COUNCIL, - close 8 PM Lake Room City Offices Medicine Lake Closed Room 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM PRAC, Council Chambers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 7:00 PM REGULAR 7:00 PM PLANNING 5:30 PM HRA TOUR OF COUNCIL COMMISSION, MEETING, COuncll Council Chambers 7:00 PM HRA - Medicine Lake Room Chambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 7:00 PM 7:00 PM PACT - THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING YOUTH Bass Lake HOLIDAY - City HOLIDAY - City ADVISORY Room Center Offices Center Offices COUNCIL, Closed Closed Medicine Lake Room 26 27 28 29 30 7:30 AM LOCAL BUSINESS COUNCIL, Radisson Hotel 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers modified on 10/27/2000 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS December 2000 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Jan 2001 1 2 Nov 2000 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM CHARTER COMMISSION, Bass Lake Room 6:30 PM EQC, Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING (RECONVENED IF NEEDED), Council Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, 7:00 PM PRAC, COUnCII Chambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY LaRoom Oke l Medicine Council Chambers SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 7:00 PM 7:00 PM HRA - PLANNING Medicine Lake COMMISSION, Room Council Hanukkah Chambers begins at sunset 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY - City Offices dosed 7:30 AM LOCAL BUSINESS COUNCIL Radisson Hotel 7:00 PM PACT - Bass Lake Room .00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 31 modified on 10/27/2000 News Release For Immediate Release October 24, 2000 CITY OF PLYMOUTR Contact: Mary Bisek, 763-509-5220 Rec-Connect offers online registration for Plymouth Park and Recreation Programs Participants in Plymouth Park and Recreation classes now can browse through program offerings as well as register and pay for classes online. The City of Plymouth recently launched a new Internet registration system called Rec-Connect. Rec-Connect allows people to register and pay for classes with a credit card 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To access Rec-Connect, visit the City of Plymouth's Web site at www.ci.plymouth.mn.us and click on the link for Rec-Connect. Plymouth is the first city in Minnesota to offer online registration and payment for recreation programs, according to Park and Recreation Director Eric Blank. While customers have the option of using online registration, they still can register by touch tone telephone, mail, fax, in-person or by speaking with a staff member over the phone. "This is the next logical step for us in regard to customer service. With the dramatic growth of Internet use, we wanted to offer that additional convenience to our customers," said Recreation Superintendent Mary Bisek. Plymouth served as a test site for Escom Software Services, the company that developed the software for Rec-Connect. "Both Escom and the City welcome ideas and suggestions to enhance our online service in the future," said Information Technology Manager Jeff Hohenstein. While online registration may be new, it is not the City's first foray into 24-hour, seven day a week registration. The Park and Recreation Department has been offering 24-hour touch tone telephone registration for about three years, according to Bisek. In addition to giving users a chance to register and pay day or night, online and touch tone telephone registration also let users know immediately if a class is full because both systems are tied to the department's database. "Participants don't have to wait for a letter or phone call to PLYMOUTH A Beautifu(Pface 7o Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 ep—.­W. www.d.plymouth.mn.us find out if the class they want is available. That helps them plan better and determine if they need to register for an alternative program," Bisek said. People who want to use Rec-Connect must pay with a credit card. They also need a participant number and a family personal identification number (PIN). Plymouth residents who have previously registered for recreation programs will be mailed a number in November. People who have never registered for a recreation program, can get one by calling the Park and Recreation Department at 763-509-5200 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 8 a.m. — 4:30 p.m., or Tuesdays, 8 a.m. — 6 p.m. The first real test of Rec-Connect will come in December when the winter recreation activities are announced in the Park and Recreation Department's publication, Leisure Times. "When the Leisure Times is mailed to residents we will have our first large scale experience with the system. But, before then, we invite people to browse through Rec-Connect to learn more about it and familiarize themselves with how it works," Bisek said. Rec-Connect currently features information on fall activities. While online registration is an option for most classes, it is not an option for all. To find out if a class allows phone registration, look for a TTR number in the recreation program. When viewing class offerings online, a notation on the screen showing course details will let you know if the class is not available for online registration. The few classes that are not available for phone registration have specific reasons why the system would not work as well for them, according to Bisek. In addition to registration, Rec-Connect allows users to learn more about park and recreation facilities. It includes details on the amenities at each park as well as driving directions. -30- Metro -wide Engagement on Shelter October 12, 200a taesx Friend.- On riend: On behalf of the Metro -wide Engagement on Shelter and Housing, we would like to inv m you to attend a tour of Twin Mes' affordable housing developments on Noveraher 14 from 10:15 am -- 3:30 pm. The purpose of the tour is to: • showcase the range of Wordable housing options available and currently being atilired by community throughout the Metropolitan area; 4 highlight the positive impact that afffordAble housing dovelopments have on the communities in which they are located: aud, • build metro -wide support for comstructiou of addirtional affordable bousin* The tour will consist of stops at developments located throughout the cities of Minneapolis, St. Louis park, ATIrmotonka, St. Paul, and Woodbury. Reddents of a number of the developments included on the tour itinerary vnill be on hand to share their stories and to talk abouc how the availability of afFordable housing in their communities kava them the stability and resources they needed to succeed. The tour is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am at the State Capitol and conclude at 3;30 pm with a press conference at Mt. Airy, a public 'housing develapmem in St, Fain. Lunch will be provided from 12:00 - 1:00 pm during a stop at the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul. We sincerely hope that you will be able to join us for thio important tour. To RSVP ple contact Niiice Davey at the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless at (612) 870-7073. 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P" O `' P AR K .. S & R E C R E A T I O N Fromtee to Local governments are discovering that golf courses can help them achieve their environmental goals. By Janet Ward or the people of Anaconda, Mont., Old Works Golf Course is nothing less than a miracle. For the U.S. En- vironmental Protection Agency, it is a Superfund suc- cess story of the highest order. But for thousands of golfers from across the country, it is just 7,000 -plus yards of scenic territory. Unless they are par- ticularly curious, they will never know that they are playing on land that, 10 years ago, would not have supported a dan- delion, let alone the acres of grass, native vegetation and wildlife habitat to which it is home today. Anaconda was named for an Australian mining company whose nearby Butte copper mine had been on environmen- talists' hit list for years. The city served as the site for the company's copper smelter. Anaconda suffered the usual effects of copper production: Smoke from the smelter hung in the air, while arsenic and the other by-products of the smelting process contaminated the soil, making the area look like a moonscape. "Nothing would grow here," says Carl Stetzner, chief executive of the combined government of Anaconda and Deer Lodge County. Owned by the county and run by the Anaconda/Deer Lodge County Golf Course Authority, Old Works has trans- formed the site and the city. Though it is still rattled by the ups and downs of the mining industry, Anaconda's economy is stabilizing, a fact Stetzner attributes to the course. He says the upswing in the local tourist business has helped stem the worker exodus that began when the smelter closed down. (Many local residents also worked in the Butte mine, which recently closed.) Ironically, a golf course turned out to be the least expen- sive method of reusing the devastated land. And Atlantic Richfield (ARCO), the company that had purchased the land from Anaconda six years before its Superfund designa- tion, was looking for a cheap way out. In a series of mee ings with EPA and the community, the company dete mined that hauling away the mine tailings and slag and ru ble piles would present an enormous expense. Capping tl whole mess, on the other hand, would cost less and off more reuse opportunities. Anaconda lucked out on the financing. Because it was be located on a Superfund site, the golf course cost the c nothing; funds for the remediation came from ARCO a the federal government. However, again because it ww Superfund site, the course had to be carefully designed eliminate any possibility of additional environmental da age. (Jack Nicklaus was the designer; the golf course's arc, tect was Bruce Borland, who died in the 1999 plane crz that killed pro golfer Payne Stewart.) 26 October 2000 AMERICAN CITY & COUr es of meet - )any deter- _ag and rub- ,apping the is and offer ise it was to :ost the city ARCO and use it was a designed to rental dam- ,urse's archi- plane crash Port District; was built and one for'isonstru' ;C&D landfill (pictured landfill course. The design took advantage of the area's natural features, which include Warm Springs Creek, and it incorporated old smelter debris, including flues, smelting ovens and brick walls. Bunkers made use of piles of inert black slag. Four hundred trees were planted during course construction. Contaminated soil was capped with two inches of lime rock and 16 inches of clay soil, then covered with six to eight inches of topsoil and turf. A complex subsurface drainage system protects against damage from an irrigation pipeline break. "They turned a Superfund site into a magnificent golf course," Stetzner says. "It's quite a story." It is a story that is being repeated in cities and counties across the country — without the Superfund angle. Golf courses are becoming the makeup that covers a multitude of struetion of the sanitary ' environmental sins, popping up on top of old landfills, help- ing to protect shorelines and providing a solution to stormwater problems. The fact that they also provide a reli- able revenue stream is icing on the cake. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Golf courses have long been criticized by the environ- mental community as artificial, heavy-handed uses of the land. Seen as expensive playgrounds for the wealthy, they were castigated for everything from using dangerous pest management programs to contributing to the degradation of local water sources. Interestingly, the environmental movement was peaking just as was the general interest in golf. The country needed more courses to satisfy the hundreds of thousands of new i &COUNTY AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY 1 October 2000 27 players. (Private golf facilities outnumbered public facilities prior to 1950, according to "An Environmental Approach to Golf Course Development," written by Bill Love, envi- ronmental chairman for the American Society of Golf Course Architects. By 1990, the number of daily fee and municipal courses for public use was almost double that of private facilities.) Cities and counties that wanted to build new golf facili- ties could not afford to anger community groups set on the protection of the local environment. Reusing damaged land and creating courses that would serve as environmental amenities were ways to resolve conflict. "Environmental stewardship is the responsibility of every governing body," Love says. "Golf courses represent great opportunities to practice it." "Environmental concern is not going to go away," says Mike Hurdzan of Columbus, Ohio-based Hurdzan-Fry Golf Course Design. "When you are thinking about building a golf course, it has to be part of the planning process." Coming from Hurdzan, that is not just lip service. He de- signed one of the country's most environmentally friendly courses: Widow's Walk in Scituate, Mass. Like Old Works, Widow's Walk has a number of admirers in environmental circles. PARKS ` ' • Golf course helps town turn Aconsent decree was forcing Yarmouth, Mass., to close a 40 - year -old municipal landfill that was threatening the city's water supply. However, Yarmouth officials were determined not to let the 57 -acre site, which abutted an 18 -hole mu- nicipal golf course, go unused. A plan to develop a recreational com- of the goal£` : se, City off o also bridge, McKee to lie. op their --r U wanted would be TesMhet ing and genie tied on a;; volved c �a recreatidi cer ext gas collet "i�i controls wed reuse, such as -,go closure project reg I . ted Cam - garbage to gold consider unique engineering appli- cations, public safety, public opinion and regulators. The city encouraged early involvement from the public and the state Department of Envi- ronmental Protection on key issues such as risk assessment and water reuse. It also had to ensure that ex- isting facilities were kept opera- tional during construction. The project proceeded with a deet sign that integrated the landfill cap Al ping and its related infrastructure' J golf course are e. town's landfill ca i� .. r- with the ultimate re%ise ams fl"` course. In -ground trrigatt, course landforms w'�QVad F r with incr p ase cap det ii _ �wa�. e� drains, stormwater ses an r trols, the methane g c� bll system and maintenance ace nally, a health risk assessme > conducted to en'su`re that the landfill would not imperil residents' health. The city also wanted to incorpo- rate environmentally friendly con- struction techniques. Consequently, stormwater ponds that recycle rain- water serve as irrigation sources for two of the. course holes. The ponds, which also serve as course hazards, recreate natural recharge conditions surrounding the landfill without changing groundwater flows. ,ditionally, a reclaimed water `°system provides irrigation by Busing effluent from the adja- cent .Yarmouth -Dennis sep a e ' teatment plant. (The ecreational complex also in- t community drop-off Ic g center and compost- `tta cility.) 5 part of .the project, a 'aspects of the course - re mproved. The city ex n end the clubhouse, im- t r" r, the cart storage and tnatntenance facilities, more doubled parking areas, in- aped new pathways and im- `bag drop area at the ' y e nu om the course are ex - set the project's $7.5 i :n�prtce_tag. The state's Re D v.n un --provided a no -inter- -loan loan to finance the an ure, and the city ober' acne e'mainder of the funds'.,4-j 30 October 2000 AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY of every at great iy," says -ry Golf ilding a . He de - friendly I Works, nmental dents' -orpo- q con- iently, rain - :es for ponds, azards, Once a Superfund site, the Old Works Golf Course required extensive renovation. Course designers relied on native vegetation and tree plantings to rehabilitate an area that had been barren for 100 years. In fact, Widow's Walk, which is owned by the town, was a national demonstration project. The course was built on land purchased in the early '70s from Boston Sand and Gravel, which mined gravel for Logan Airport runways. The city bought 500 acres and then proceeded to weigh its options. "The area had been used as a dumping ground for everybody," says Scituate Town Manager Rick Agnew. "It was an eyesore. And it was adjacent to the town's landfill." While Scituate officials were deciding what to do with the land, Hurdzan was meeting with a group of golf and en- vironmental advocates to discuss the two groups' "goals, similarities and dissimilarities" with regard to golf courses. The meeting was sponsored by the Center for Resource Management, a Salt Lake City -based non-profit organiza- tion dedicated to improving relationships between business and environmental groups; the Vienna, Va.-based National Wildlife Federation; Golf Digest; and Pebble Beach, Calif. The group had three goals: to write a set of environmen- tal principals for U.S. golf courses; to better educate golfers about the need for environmental concern; and to put to- gether an environmental demonstration project using a golf course. (It chose two demonstration projects: Scituate for construction of a new course and the golf course at San Francisco's Presidio for a renovation.) "I went to the town and said, 'we should do this,"' Hurdzan says. "'Here's a chance to work toward higher goals and principals. You will distinguish yourselves."' Scituate embraced the project. Working with Hurdzan and the Center for Resource Management, the town turned 140 acres of old gravel pit into a showplace. Widow's Walk was built to survive with less water and fewer herbicides and pesticides than most courses. It is the only course Agnew knows of with three different types of greens. "The average golfer wouldn't know the difference," Agnew says. "I can't tell one from the other." The course also makes use of recy- b Is your golf cou: �},e American Society''of Golf • Is there an ' rec- pollution from e ask erosion during' cled asphalt for its cart paths and recycled carpet for its bunkers. Widow's Walk was a challenge, Hurdzan says, not because of the complexity of the environment — "there was almost no environment there," he says — but because the town's golfers and environmentalists did not trust each other. "Government officials distrusted the environmentalists, and the environmentalists distrusted the town," he says. Hurdzan made it clear that the project was doomed with- out a full buy -in. Telling town officials "it can't be us against them," he convinced them to compromise. "The grass is not green all year long," he says. "We try to use less than half the amount of pesticides you would normally use on a golf course. That means the course will go through more natural cycles. It's not going to be a classic golf course mowed from fence row to fence row. There's going to be some slow play, some lost golf balls." he following *estio nvironinental imp 3 nurse • 'Does the course, lamination of open or inking use of a site tl ndeveloped? • Are;there signifia rcHaeological areas c nll lie affected by the j ME? ter of a site he topography requirements to the reduc " �.' :er supplies, es- ° fencing coed"' �,,I Y sources? application o , management .,.c ter pollution filtration mto & COUNTY1 AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY October 2000 31 The tradeoff is a golf course rich with wildlife habitat. Designers produced a corridor of mixed habitats including open ponds, wetlands, vegetated streams, woods, open grassy areas and vernal pools. The course is irrigated with water from abandoned drinking wells that no longer meet EPA standards, making it somewhat of a biofilter. FROM GARBAGE TO GREENS Because they involve vast expanses of land that is unsuit- able for most other uses, landfills are often reborn as golf courses. However, the transformation often is a tricky proposition since it involves EPA regulations, capping and C, provisions for protection of groundwater. Perhaps even more importantly, landfills are rarely located near significant pockets of golfers. That was the case in Chicago when the Illinois Interna- tional Port District decided to turn two of its landfills into golf courses. Unfortunately for the Port District, the two landfills — one sanitary and one for construction and demo- lition debris — were in an industrial area on the city's south side, which is not exactly its demographic golf hub. "You'd look in the distance and see the industrial underbelly of the Continued on p. 36 PARKS & RECREATION County turns flood control corridor into trail To the untrained eye, the 26 -mile maintenance road bordering a Maricopa County, Ariz., flood con- trol channel does not look like any- thing special. But to Maricopa County officials, it looks like a place to hike, ride bikes and horses, play soccer and watch fireworks. Last year, the county's Flood Con- trol District decided to transform the maintenance road into an alter- native transportation route for com- munity residents. When it is fin- ished, the Superstition San Tan good, chief engineer and general manager of the district. "Electric companies use the roads along their installations for recreation. There is no reason why people shouldn't be able to enjoy ours. County residents paid for these roads with their taxes." The county's decision to turn the maintenance road into a trail came on the heels of a study that deter- mined the floodway was incapable of holding enough stormwater. It was clear that basins would be need- ed to control some of the excess. The basins eventu- ally ventually would become major features of the corridor. For exam- ple, the town of Gilbert plans to con- vert its 300 -acre basin into a park that can be used for communi- ty celebrations. Additionally, two golf courseshave been built along the floodway. They help absorb and channel some of the water. two golf courses along its flood . iaiia LLiL Llie construction of more control corridor, and more are in the courses are in the works, os are plans planning stages. for the constriction of soccer fields, r ' Frisbee golf courses, rollerblading fa - Corridor (named for the mountains cilities and wildlife habitats. oneither `side -of the corridor) and Four cities - Mesa, Gilbert, Marathon Trail will be a testament Chandler and Queen Creek are to their foresight.` located along the corridor. Queen "The opportunities for this corri- Creek plans to eventually link two dor are boundless," says Mike Elle- major equestrian trails to the corri 32 October 2000 dor, and the Queen Creek and Sanokai washes will take riders from the proposed 300 -acre Gilbert park to the San Tan Regional Park, a dis- tance of roughly eight miles. "Public polls continue to show that valley residents are extremely concerned about preserving open space and providing recreation op- portunities," says Mark Schnepf, a trail advocate and former Queen Creek mayor. "As the valley continues to devel- op, it is important that we make the most of our open space," says Mari- copa County Supervisor Fulton Brock; who serves as chairman of the Maricopa County Trail Commis- sion. "We hope to make the corridor so beautiful that people will want to have their homes face it, like they do with golf courses." Brock's colleague, County Super- visor Don Stapley, says the corridor could become an economic engine for the four communities adjacent to the floodway. "The corridor could become a landmark for the East Val- ley," he says. "It could attract new, small businesses and provide incen- tives to larger companies [looking to relocate]." The :Superstition San Tan Corri- dor is the planned first phase in j 225 -mile Maricopa County, Trail Program. For more information, contact Maricopa County Public In- ' "formation Officer Kris Baxter or Se- nior Project Manager Tim Phillips at (602) 506-1501r AMERICAN CITY Si COUNT PARKS & MCREATION Golf courses drive area's economic development Prattville, Ala., a town of 24,000 located just northwest of Mont- gomery, has a cypress swamp, beauti- ful trees and bluffs that overlook the Alabama River. But all that was not enough to draw tourists, who, if they knew of Prattville at all, knew of it only as a right-hand turn off I-85 heading west to Mississippi. That changed when the town be- came home to the latest 54 holes of construction project ever undertak- en. Each site is within a two-hour drive of another, and all are located no more than 30 minutes away from an interstate highway. Prattville's new site, called Capi- tol Hill, will feature three 18 -hole championship courses: The Senator, The Legislator and The judge. The courses are designed to be drastically different from each other and from all other trail courses. Cannon says 250 to 300 golfers play the two open courses every Sat- urday. He expects that number to jump to 500 to 600 players, 60 per- cent of them out -of -staters, when all three courses are up and running. The project was endorsed by Prattville Mayor David Whetstone and members of the city council, who approved an expenditure of $6.5 million to buy the property on which the courses are located. (The Ig for the three courses ion.) The nearby city of id Elmore County also )rtion of future lodging pay for Capitol Hill. etstone's sudden death in Byard, who, as city sident, inherited the e, continued to support ct. "It took a great deal -ation'from both public ite entities to make this a reality," Byard says. cally had an opportuni lot of other municipali- t have. We funded the this project because we uld be an excellent eco- velopment and tourism whole concept of the ` get people to come to and stay for a few days .ving through to Florida ins," Cannon says. fill also features The ;apitol Hill, an execu- ice center overlooking The $8 million center rooms, two eight -room las and state-of-the-art ns. The center is.a pro- conomic Development )f Alabama, an alliance committed to support- ing economic growth in the state; it was funded through the Mont- gomery -based Business Center of Alabama, a trade organization repre- senting more than 5,500 businesses and industries. consists of eight courses across Al- abama. It was financed by the Re- tirement System of Alabama specifi- cally to expand tourism and attract new industry and retirees. With its 378 holes, it is the largest golf course the top of'the bluff200 feet high overlooking Cooters Pond and the Alabama _River," says John Cannon, director of golf operations at the fa- cility. A cypress swamp and wildlife habitats complete the course. 34 October 2000 AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY zd- MINUTES PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT September 27, 2000 MEMBERS PRESENT: Mike Cagley, Barb Roberts, Mary Paprocki, Paul Tegan, Hein Van Laarhoven OTHERS PRESENT: Councilmember Scott Harstad Jim Baldwin, Laidlaw Transit Services, Inc. George Bentley, Acting Transit Administrator I. INTRODUCTIONS II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 19, 2000 Motion by Cagley, second by Paprocki to approve the minutes as submitted. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 23, 2000 Due the lack of a quorum at the August 23 meeting, a motion was made by Cagley, seconded by Paprocki to accept the minutes as submitted. III. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION By consensus the Committee agreed to elect officers. Election of Committee Chair Roberts nominated Cagley as Committee Chair. There being no further nominations a motion was made by Paprocki, seconded by Roberts to close nominations and elect Cagley as Chair. The motion passed unanimously. Election of Committee Vice Chair Roberts nominated Tegan as Committee Vice Chair. There being no further nominations a motion was made by Cagley, seconded by Roberts to close nominations and elect Tegan as Vice Chair. The motion passed unanimously. MINUTES — PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT September 27, 2000 Page 2 IV. RIDERSHIP INFORMATION AND REVIEW OF RIDERSHIP STATISTICS FOR AUGUST, 2000 Bentley reviewed ridership statistics and operational performance information for August. Ridership rebounded in August from the typical mid -summer dip. Ridership was up for all Metrolink services. Discussion was held on the operations statistics to assist members in better understanding their derivation and purpose. There was discussion about route efficiencies and effectiveness. Van Laarhoven asked if data could be obtained about the ratios of bus capacities vs. actual ridership. Bentley said he would attempt to gather that information. Bentley also stated that alternatives to operation of the Plymouth Flyer would be brought to the next PACT meeting. V. IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS OF CONCERN AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS Barb Roberts' Comments • Roberts reported that a minor accident took place on 9/26/00 with the 772 bus she was riding and another vehicle. There was minor damage and no injuries. • Roberts reported that there was a problem on the 772 buses with different drivers every day, resulting in buses running late and drivers being unsure of routes. Bentley stated that he was aware of the problem on several Metrolink routes operated by Metro Transit, and would be speaking to Jeff Wostrel of Metro Transit about this when Wostrel returned from a conference he was attending. Bentley said that he had been told all of the Metrolink runs had been picked in the latest pick period, but that subsequently some part time drivers were promoted to full time drivers, thus leaving several Metrolink runs open, to be filled by the "extra board" drivers. Roberts stated that the a.m. bus arrival times into downtown Minneapolis did not match customers' work starting times well and asked if any revisions could be made. Bentley responded that the current bus headways were established in 1994 and that he was aware that some customers were dissatisfied with the timings into downtown. He will be working with Metro Transit over the next several MINUTES — PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT September 27, 2000 Page 3 months to identify ways of adjusting these times. Bentley also stated that it was possible that a total route restructuring may be necessary. Paul Tegan's Comments • Tegan stated that he found the 2000 On -Board Customer Survey to be very interesting and informative. Hein Van Laarhoven's Comments Van Laarhoven stated that both the 790 and the 793 seemed to be running early in the a.m. and that as a result he has missed the bus several times recently and had to wait for the next bus. He stated that it appeared that when the bus was not heavily loaded the drivers tended to get ahead of schedule, and that they needed to heed their time points better. • Van Laarhoven stated that at least once a month the farebox card readers are not working and wondered how fares and ridership were handled for Metrolink. Bentley stated that Metro Transit makes adjustments in the statistics when these statistics appear to be substantially off. Also, he stated that reimbursement from Metro Transit to Plymouth Metrolink is based on ridership, not actual fare collections. Any losses in fare collections are borne by Metro Transit. • Van Laarhoven stated that it appeared that if the driver was not paying attention and a passenger presented a fare card to the card reader that had inadequate value for the fare, the next passenger's card was charged for the difference and not recorded as another full fare or another passenger. • Van Laarhoven raised a concern about the availability of bus schedules and the visibility of route information in more locations. He asked if route information could be posted on the Metrolink signs on the streets. Bentley responded that the cost and logistics of this would be prohibitive, but that he would look into ways of increasing bus information availability. MINUTES — PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT September 27, 2000 Page 4 Mary Paprocki's Comments • Paprocki stated that bus #2102 smells a little better, but that now and then the smell reported previously returns. Paprocki expressed concern about some of the reported problems on the Dial - A -Ride monitoring report concerning a speeding driver and a missed trip. She stated that speeding and missing a passenger were unacceptable. Mike Cagley's Comments • Cagley stated that relative to the issue of replacing the uncomfortable seats on the 40 foot Gillig buses, he had not advocated seat replacement, but rather brought it up to point out that these seats should not be included in future bus specifications. VI. TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT Bentley provided updates on the construction of the new Park & Ride lots and the Neighborhood Stops, the new bus acquisitions, and the Plymouth Business Forum. He distributed the 2001 Plymouth Metrolink Management Plan & Budget for review and stated that it should be adopted and passed on to the City Council next meeting. He further commented on the shutoff of freeway ramp meters, service monitoring and the new PACT comment tracking sheet. VII. DISCUSSION OF 2000 WORK PLAN By consensus this item was continued to the next meeting, and it was agreed that the work plan should now be for 2001. The work plan outlined in the 2001 Management Plan and Budget should be used as a basis for the 2001 PACT work plan. VIII. BUS ADVERTISING POLICY The Committee asked for clarification on the specifications identified in the proposed policy, and asked for this item to be brought back to the next meeting. MINUTES — PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT September 27, 2000 Page 5 IX. Adjournment It was moved by Roberts, seconded by Paprocki to adjourn the meeting. The next PACT meeting will be held on October 25, 2000. The motion passed unanimously. Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting October 19, 2000 Page 39 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Musliner, Singer, Thompson; Planning Commissioner Neset, staff Blank and Pederson Absent: Commissioners Wahl and Meyer 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the October meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Singer and seconded by Commissioner Fiemann to approve the minutes of the meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. Commissioner Musliner asked if the Chocolate Sampler becomes an annual event, would it continue to be for the purpose of raising funds for the Millennium Garden? Director Blank said it could be for that project, but other projects could benefit as well. Staff evaluations of the Chocolate Sampler haven't been completed yet. Commissioner Musliner said she thought it was a very fun event. Commissioner Singer said if surveys are sent out asking for the participants' opinions, we should also call the restaurants to see what they thought of the event, and if they would want to be involved again. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present at the meeting. b. Staff. There were no staff presentations. c. Others. See item 6a. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION There was no report on this item. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Plymouth Creek Center update. The Plymouth Creek Center project continues to move along. The golf net is being sewed in place. Sections of the dome are being prepared for putting it back up on Saturday. If it's windy that day, they will inflate it early Sunday morning. Lights will be installed next week. Commissioner Singer asked if any signage has been installed about dogs staying off the artificial turf and warning people that no smoking is allowed. Director Blank said this hasn't been done. He said once the dome is up, this will not be a problem, but before next summer when the dome is down, we will get these signs installed. PRAC Minutes/October 2000 Page 40 �r b. Millennium Garden update. The Chocolate Sampler was one of the better programs we have ever run said Director Blank. We raised about $3,500 after expenses. We are now over the $50,000 level in our fundraising efforts. We have received good feedback from Toro about MTI providing the irrigation system for the Millennium Garden and from a concrete company about doing some in-kind services as well. We are now trying to find someone to do the earth grading. Director Blank then discussed the Christmas Box Angel program. The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center came to us asking about the Angel's placement in the garden. He said the Angel might be an issue for some. No one has said anything negative about it yet. The Fine Arts Council is reviewing the proposal as well. We have also asked the Human Rights Commission for their opinion. Commissioner Musliner does not feel that the garden is the right place for this. She thinks it would bring sadness to the garden. She feels the garden should convey a feeling of happiness and joy for people visiting it. She believes the City cemetery would be a more appropriate place. Commissioner Fiemann asked about the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center and what they do. Director Blank said they are an agency that counsels people through their grief over the loss of a child. Chair Anderson asked for the original intent of the Millennium Garden. What is it supposed to represent? Director Blank said there is no exact definition for it. Director Blank says it's a way to link the past with the future and to have a beautiful garden, and it's a way to blend art with the natural beauty of the area. The garden will become an extension of the building. Director Blank sees it serving a broad purpose. Commissioner Fiemann asked about the wording of the plaque. Director Blank said "Christmas Box Angel" is what they would put on the plaque. Commissioner Singer has very mixed feelings about the statue, too. She wants to table the discussion for now, if possible, and wait to see what the Human Rights Commission has to say. Commissioner Fiemann also has mixed feelings about its placement in the garden. Director Blank suggested having someone from the Infant Loss Center come to a future meeting. c. Comprehensive Plan update. Director Blank stated that in preparation for purchasing more park land, he is going to walk the Begin farm with Judy Begin on Monday morning. d. Hilde Performance Center update. This project is moving forward. Agreements have been accepted by both sides. The Civic League attorney has a couple of questions, however. The formal agreement will be signed and delivered on the Council's agenda. Two firms have been selected as finalists for the architects of the structure. We're waiting for a report on weather statistics from the day the sound study was done. A company from Plymouth will be the construction manager. All of the EAW data needs to be collected. The project is still on time for a July 10 groundbreaking. The Hilde's said they would agree to give, at a minimum, $500,000. They were going to cap the limit at $1,000,000, but have now decided there will be no cap on the maximum they would contribute. We have to provide sewer and water and pay for the building permit costs. The main accent color will probably be forest green, which is the color on the roof at Plymouth Creek Center. e. 2001-05 CIP. Director Blank said he may not have revenues to match everything proposed in the CIP. The moratorium on development slowed the growth of the budget. PRAC Minutes/October 2000 - Page 41 Director Blank reviewed the CIP year by year. He explained that he had to split the costs on the Old Rockford Road trail between 2001 and 2002. The 36th Avenue trail will be started by the Lunds development and we will continue it. The fourth payment of five on the stage will be made in 2001. He is anticipating $300,000 in cash and in-kind services on the Millennium Garden. He explained the funding for the Greenwood sports upgrade. Some things will have to be cut from the project if it actually comes in as high as the estimate. Open space money has been set aside by the Council. We will be acquiring land for a neighborhood park, but the location has not been identified yet. We continue to carry through funds for Art in the Park. The park replacement money is matched by the general fund, so there's always a cash infusion going into that fund. The West Medicine Park building is up in the air. Bathroom costs will be a determining factor. Engineers will be looking at repairing the parking lot at Parkers Lake. The asphalt surface is deteriorating in many places. This money will come out of park replacement. The Parkers Lake playground will be replaced in 2001. The structure will be featured in a playground magazine, and we could get a $200,000 playground out of the deal. We have staff members that attend playground safety workshops every year. Playgrounds are inspected regularly. Every playground has a cycle for inspection, said Director Blank. The Environmental park is on the west side of 494, south of Schmidt Lake Road, north of County Road 9. We've saved most of the trees along here through park acquisition. The neighborhood here is very long and linear. The sand volleyball court is a carry over item from a previous year. Three scoreboards at Elm Creek Playfield will be installed in 2001. Trail overlay is coming out of park replacement. Director Blank said he wants to keep our trails in tiptop shape. He stated that $165,000 was moved into the Community Improvement Fund from interest earned from the Activity Center. This money may be used for the Hilde Performance Center. $50,000 is the estimate for the skate park, which will be behind the ice center. It will have a temporary fence around it. Kimberly Lane Elementary School wants money for playground improvements. In 2002, the second half of the Rockford Road trail will go in. The Lancaster Lane trail is necessary, because this is a dangerous stretch of road, with very heavy traffic. This will be an off road trail. The last payment on the portable stage will be made. The tennis courts at Oakwood need updating. The posts that support the wind screens aren't strong enough to withstand any more stress. Mud Lake has been in the works for 10 years now. We closed on the house that stands there, and the homeowner is moving into a nursing home this weekend. Director Blank has offered the house to HRA, if they feel its moveable. This property is on the northwest shore of Mud Lake. Director Blank believes this park will be of the same caliber as Three Ponds Park. The views are quite beautiful. Youth baseball requested an upgrade of the Zachary Playfield building. The baseball association will have to help with this. We have locations to build picnic shelters at Zachary and Plymouth Creek Playfields. In 2003, money begins to show up for the 10th playfield. The bridge on 36th Avenue is a joint project with New Hope. There will be more parking lot repairs, especially at Plymouth Creek and Zachary Playfields. Chair Anderson asked about the floating bridge at Medicine Lake. Director Blank said pylons have to be driven into the ground in order to build the bridge. The ground needs to freeze in order for equipment to come in to drive the pylons. Golden Valley is going to pick up the trail and continue it into that city. Eventually, this trail will link up with the Theodore PRAC Minutes/October 2000 Page 42 Wirth trail. In 2004, we start paying back the CIF fund for loans made in 2003. We continue with general projects such as trails, Art in the Park, transfer to park replacement, land acquisition for the 10th playfield and playground replacement. In 2005, money is being proposed for new tennis courts at Plymouth Creek Center and a spray playground at Plymouth Creek Park, in addition to the general projects. Commissioner Thompson is concerned about the number of park playgrounds that need to be replaced. Should we be planning to do more than one per year? Director Blank says he needs to examine the budget more closely. We can take more funds from the park replacement fund if needed. The City Manager would like this year's Council to approve the CIP, rather than handing it off to the new Council. He may want a December decision on the CIP. The Armstrong Baseball coach met with Director Blank about the possibility of the City helping with the cost of lighting the Armstrong baseball field. Director Blank explained that we spent $1.3 million upgrading their gym, and also gave them $35,000 for the upgrade of this baseball field. He stated that we use the field very minimally, and there is little benefit to the public for lighting it. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Consider request to reduce the park dedication fee for development at 36th & Vicksburg. Director Blank explained that North American Properties is developing Plymouth Marketplace, which is located at the corner of Vicksburg Lane and Highway 55, on 25 acres of property. The developer has requested that the City reduce the park dedication fee in recognition of the fact they set aside a conservation easement consisting of 2.73 acres of woods. They paid a park dedication fee of $96,252. Their reduction would be $14,196 based on the square footage of the easement. Jay Scott, representing North American Properties displayed a graphic showing the area set aside as easement. The easement consists of 3.41 acres, of which .68 acres are wetland, which is excluded from park dedication fees. They would like the remaining 2.73 acres exempted from park dedication fees, also. The easement states that no development shall ever take place on this property. The developer feels that they have provided the City with a park or natural open space area by establishing this conservation easement. Director Blank pointed out that no where in the Comprehensive Plan has any portion of this development been identified as open space. Director Blank also explained that the park dedication policy states that a 17% reduction in park dedication fees may be granted if the developer agrees to provide certain on-site amenities to the residents, such as swimming pools, playgrounds, volleyball courts, etc. Commissioner Fiemann asked why the treed area was set aside on the north side of the property. Mr. Scott said the reasons were multipurpose. It will provide a buffer against lighting, noise pollution, traffic, etc. They tried to be accommodating to the Sugar Hills neighborhood. This did not benefit their project, however. Commissioner Fiemann asked how this area will be maintained? Mr. Scott said it will be kept natural. Trash would be collected, downed trees would be removed. Commissioner Singer asked if this easement is for public use? Mr. Scott said they would own the property, but it would be available for the public to enter. However, it would not have any specific marked entrances. Commissioner Fiemann asked if there had been other easements like this? Director Blank said not that he's aware of. Commissioner Singer asked why the city had partnered up with this easement? Director Blank stated that the developer proposed the tree easement in order to provide a buffer between the PRAC Minutes/October 2000 Page 43 �" J development and the homes north of 36th Avenue. The City agreed to this. Commissioner Musliner asked if this is in any way similar to the Ferndale North issue. Director Blank said the decision to declare Ferndale North as open space was a Council resolution. This easement is protected by a legally binding contract. Commissioner Fiemann said that he understood the City had an ordinance stating that trees in excess of 8 inches in diameter were to be saved with any development. Mr. Scott said they preserved in excess of what they were required to. He stated that portions of the development may open in April, 2001. Lunds would open June 1 st. CHAIR ANDERSON MOVED TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMEMNDATION TO NOT REDUCE THE PARK DEDICATION FEES FOR NORTH AMERICAN PROPERTIES. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. b. Review proposal from Rick Busch for free walking in the dome for everyone. Without any discussion, Commissioner Singer moved and Commissioner Thompson seconded a motion recommending that walking in the dome be free for everyone. It has been the general consensus of the Commission since the dome was first erected that free walking is a good will gesture and will help to bring the community together. The motion carried with all ayes. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Commissioner Singer will not be at the November meeting. Planning Commissioner Neset will be unable to attend that meeting as well. He stated that the Planning Commission approved the PUD for the northeast end of Plymouth. It includes a mini park. The development consists of 991 units on 125 acres. Director Blank said this will result in about $1.7 million in park dedication. This is the biggest project ever to come through the City. The next PRAC meeting is November 9. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION None. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. PRISM 2323 Zenith Avenue North Golden Valley, MN 55422 GIVEN BY: p�yma«�h C',.Ty Ho -11 B) Jd pj�►r��4t��Ynvt 5S Nq7 'U , . - i f'd DONATION RECEIPT DATE 10/18/2006 PAYMENT METHOD CHECK NO. Cash DESCRIPTION AMOUNT Pumpkin Give -Away 64.00 Dear PRISM Friend: Fall is now here, and we look ahead to the busiest months of the year for our staff and volunteers. We are thankful for the continued support received from each of you. During the next few months PRISM's case mangement staff will see the client family caseload go from about 50 appointments each week to over 100! Managing this steep increase takes perseverance, patience, more food, clothing, and of course more funding. Also, we are just starting to offer our client families fresh milk and a greater selection of produce. EFN is providing the milk, and Elim Lutheran of Robbinsdale donated an extra refrigerator they had to provide the additional space for this to happen! Vain! CEO Thank you!! Total $64.00 CITY OF PLYMOU?h+ September 26, 2000 Ms Kit Hadley, Commissioner Minnesota Housing Finance Agency 400 Sibley Street, Suite 300 St. Paul. MN 55101-1998 Re: Kimberly Meadows Section 8 Contract Dear Commissioner Hadley: This is in follow-up to recent conversations between Bob Odman of your staff and the City's HRA Supervisor, Ed Goldsmith. Recently, residents of Kimberley Meadows Townhomes came to the Plymouth City Council to ask our support in preserving the project -based Section 8 rental assistance available at Kimberly Meadows. Specifically they asked us to convey to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency the necessity of enforcing the Agency's contract with the owners of Kimberly Meadows to require that the project -based Section 8 contract remain in force until the 2011 expiration date of the MHFA contract. The official housing policy of the City of Plymouth, as outlined in its Comprehensive Plan for several Years, has been to strongly support the preservation and development of affordable housing within the City. This was recently reaffirmed by the Council when it adopted the City's updated Comprehensive Plan on August 8, 2000. Also the City's support for a number of specific proposals for additional affordable housing in the City clearly demonstrates our concern for an adequate supply of affordable housing to meet the needs of City residents and persons employed in the City. Both tl:e City Council and the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority have reviewed this situation and wish to convey to the MHFA the importance of retaining the project based Section 8 housing assistance at Kimberly Meadows for not only the current residents but for future residents in need of such housing. The Section 8 assistance at Kimberly Meadows and other affordable housing developments is an important resource in the Citi. the loss of which is of great concern to us. As the City has shown in the past, we recognize the need for and support the preservation and development of quality affordable housing in our community. If we can be of assistance in suppori;ng the preservation of the project based assistance at Kimberly Meadows or any other developments in Plymouth, please contact Mr. Goldsmith at 763-509-5412 or at egoldsn: i' �ci.P11 mouth. inn. its. PLYMOUTH :� Bcnutilrt'1'i4ce'To Lite -�0 P!_YMOUTN `-OULEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 www.ci.plymou+h.mn.us 1-3 We look forward to your affirmative action in response to this situation. Thank you. Sincerely, Joy Tierney, Mayor Brad Brown, Chair City of Plymouth Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority Cc: Plytmouth City Council Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority Dwight Johnson, City Manager Ed Goldsmith, HRA Supervisor Bob Odman, MHFA Governor Jesse Ventura State Senator Warren Limmer State Senator Gen Olson State Senator Martha Robertson State Representative Ron Abrams State Representative Peggy Leppik State Representative Richard Stanek State Representative Henry Todd Van Dellen U.S. Senator Rod Grams U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone U.S. Representative Jim Ramstad ,. Howard Goldman, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Kemleth R. Talle, Thies & Talle Management 3C October 24, 2000 CITU OF PLYMOUTH+ James Commers Vice President - Minnesota AT&T Broadband 10 River Park Plaza St. Paul, MN 55107-1219 Subject: Channel 7 — TV Guide Channel Dear Mr. Commers: I am writing to you on behalf of the Plymouth City Council to express our concern about some of the advertising that has been included on channel 7, TV Guide Channel. The City recently received a complaint from a cable television subscriber in Plymouth who felt that some of the advertising that she and her family saw on the TV Guide Channel was inappropriate for family viewing. This subscriber was referred to the channel by AT&T customer service when she called to inquire about the new channel location for the Disney Channel. The customer service representative recommended that the viewer tune into channel 7 to learn the new channel location. When the viewer and her family tuned to channel 7, they were disturbed to see advertising that was inappropriate for her six-year-old child to view. While the Plymouth City Council recognizes that it does not have authority to determine what AT&T chooses to offer its customers, we do feel it is appropriate for us to share this specific concern. If AT&T routinely recommends that its subscribers tune to channel 7 to learn about channel location and upcoming programs, then channel 7 should feature only advertisements appropriate for viewing by all ages. We understand that AT&T does not sell any of the ad time on the TV Guide channel. Still, we recognize that you choose to purchase this particular service. We encourage AT&T to do what it can as a responsible company to urge the TV Guide Channel to screen its commercials with an eye toward family viewing or to purchase an alternative service that does so. If such a service is not available, perhaps AT&T could develop its own channel listing/program guide that is free of paid advertisements altogether. Thank you for sharing this concern with the appropriate staff people at AT&T, and for considering feedback from our community. — Sincerely, '/'J t"7/ Joy Tierney Mayor cc: TV Guide Channel, 7140 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, OK 74136 Northwest Suburban Cable Commission PLYMOUTH 9t Beauti (Pface To Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 ®PW- 0»• www.d.plymouth.mn.us