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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 11-24-2004rg)CITY OF PLYMOUTH Dummy COUNCIL INFO MEMO November 24, 2004 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Planning Commission December 1 meeting agenda............................................................. Page 3 Human Rights Commission December 2 meeting agenda ................................................... Page 4 November, December, and January Official City Meeting Calendars .................................. Page 5 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings ........................................ Page 11 FOR INFORMATION ... News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc. City news releases: Summary of the Mayor's sleep -out fundraising event ........................................... Page 12 Winners of the Picture Plymouth Photo Contest .................................................... Page 13 Fire Department holiday candle safety advisory .................................................... Page 14 Fire Department holiday home safety advisory ...................................................... Page 16 Star Tribune Plymouth—related articles from the Wednesday "West Edition": Suburban efforts to curb underage drinking........................................................... Page 18 Focus on Plymouth rain gardens............................................................................. Page 20 Ben Steverman column reference to vacancies on the Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT)............................................................................... Page 21 Survey of property tax meetings in the west metro area ......................................... Page 22 News story on efforts to curb urban night light pollution ....................................... Page 27 Notice of the December 1 Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission meeting at which the Commission will consider an application for erosion controlat the CSM site....................................................................................................... Page 29 Notice to residents of a December 8 meeting on the goose management program ........... Page 30 Notice of the League of Minnesota Cities annual leadership conferences for experienced officials........................................................................................................... Page 31 Staff Reports Fire—rescue incident of interest........................................................................................... Page 32 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO November 24, 2004 Page 2 Transit service changes December 6...................................................................... Minutes Park & Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC) November 10 meeting .......... Youth Advisory Council November 8 meeting ...................................................... Correspondence Update on easement acquisition plans for the Great River Energy 115 kV transmissionline.................................................................................................... Summary of work done by the Mosquito control District ..................................... Letter to residents with an update on the Bass Lake Playfield drainage wayproject............................................................................................................. ........ Page 33 ........ Page 34 ........ Page 38 ........ Page 40 ........ Page 43 ....... Page 46 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004 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 November 17, 2004 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. B. Peter Mork. Approve site plan amendment and variances for Tile X Design located at 1725 Xenium Lane North. (2004135) 6. NEW BUSINESS 7. ADJOURNMENT AGENDA Plymouth Human Rights Commission December 2, 2004 Regular Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Medicine Lake Room 1. Call to Order 2. Approve Minutes 3. Approve Agenda 4. Presentation A. Commissioner Westbrook S. Committee Reports A. Student Human Rights Activities Committee B. Community Awareness Committee C. Community Education Committee D. Human Rights Incident Response Team E. The League of Minnesota Human Rights, Gloria Alexander 6. Old Business A. Plymouth Creek Homeowners board action follow-up 7. New Business A. Meetings Scheduled with Minority Communities, Captain Franz B. Looking ahead for 2005 commission leadership decision C. 2005 Work Plan preliminary ideas 8. Announcements and Articles (for your information) A. Outgoing Chair comments B. Golden Valley HRC Minutes 9. Adjourn Next Meeting: January 6, 2005 Call Sue Gulbrand at 763-509-5053 if you are unable to attend the meeting. 4 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS November 2004 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 CITY OFFICES OPEN UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR ABSENTEE VOTING 2 GENERAL ELECTION - Polls open 7 AM - close 8 PM 3 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 4 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room S 6 7 8 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 9 6:00 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: CANVAS ELECTION RESULTS; REVIEW BOARD 8 COMMISSION VACANCIES, Medicine Lake Room 7:OOPMREGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 10 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL OUALITYCOMMITTEE (EOC), Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PARK 8 RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Plymouth Ice Center 11 VETERANS DAY (OBSERVED), Cit Offices Y Closed 12 13 14 15 16 7:00 PM SPECV+L COUNCIL MEETING. INTERVIEW BOARD AND COMMISSION CANDIDATES, Creek Center, lower IeVel 17 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 18 7:00 PM HOUSING 8 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room - 19 I 6:00 PM MAYOR'S SLEEP -OUT I'�()R HOUSING Al VARE N ESS 20 21 22 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 23 IT45 AM PLYMOUTH 9USIN ESS COUNCIL. SHerrton Miww.pd WV 12201 Rtlp•tlN•Dr M�m1•nY• 6WPMSPECIALCOUNCIL MEETING. REVIEW FINANCIAL TREND REPORT, WrcHroom, bwr NM 24 25 {�� City OIIICE.'.S.r closed THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 26 / �{ CI?y Of CPS ciosed THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 27 7'_00 PM INREGULAR COUNCIL MEETG. C—I LMmMn 28 29 30 Dec 2004 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 Oct 2004 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 11/24/2004 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS December 2004 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Nov 2004 S NI T W T F S Jan 2005 S M T W T F S 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION.Councll Chambers 7.00 PM PL UTH COMMITTEEON TRANS (PACT)- Mea cine Lake Room 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM SPECIAL HOUSING 8 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, Council Chambers 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 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 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Channukah begins at sunset 7 00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC),Plymouthcreek Center 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING, Council Chambers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING CONTINUED (IF NEEDED), Council Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNC L MEETING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM CHARTER COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING, City Hall, Lower Level 7:00 PM HOUSING 8 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Meoidne Lake Room 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers CITY OFFICES CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF THE CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY HOLIDAY 26 27 28 29 30 31 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council CITY OFFICES CLOSED FOR THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY Chambers modified on 11/24/2004 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS January 2005 Dec 2004 SMTWTF 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 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 I NEW YEAR'S DAY 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 530 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: CITYMANAGER ANNUAL REVIEW, Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EOC), Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 700 PM RELAR COUNCIL TING, Council Cbers 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY (Observed) - 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room M -9:00 AM MLC REGIONAL KFAST, Plymouth disson Hotel & FC�o:-nference Center City Offices Closed 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 11: 45 AM TVNNWEST STATE OF THE CITY LUNCHEON, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Counc, Chambers TRANSIT (PACT) - Medicine Lake Room 30 31 6:45 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers modified on 11/24/2004 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items December 6, Truth in Taxation Hearing, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers December 14, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Adopt 2005 budgets and tax levies • Consider EAW on Taryn Hills development • Conduct a public hearing on application for an off -sale intoxicating liquor license for DNT Liquors 4, Inc., d/b/a/ Paradise Liquors, 12 Nathan Lane • Approve 2005 Tobacco Licenses • Approve 2005 Gasoline Service Station Licenses • Approve 2005 Amusement Licenses • Approve site plan amendment and variances for Tile X Design located at 1725 Xenium Lane North. Peter Mork. (2004135) • Approve final plat for The Shops at Plymouth Creek located at 15905 State Highway 55. CSM Equities, LLC. (2004112F) • Approve zoning ordinance text amendments to allow additional uses in the industrial districts. City of Plymouth. (2004018) • Consider possible rezoning from C-2 (Neighborhood Commercial) to C-1 (Convenience Commercial) for property located at 1113-1123 Vicksburg Lane. City of Plymouth. (2004057) • Consideration of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for Taryn Hills, a proposed development to be located east of Vicksburg Lane and north and south of County Road 47. The project would include 122 detached housing units, 644 attached housing units, and roughly 48,000 square feet of commercial uses. Lundgren Bros. Construction, Inc. (2004070) December 28, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Consider vacation of Medina Road 1t Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release November 23, 2004 Note: Submitted with photos Contact: Judy Johnson, 763-509-5007 Rain Doesn't Dampen Spirits at Mayor's Housing Challenge Pouring rain and soggy tents didn't dampen the spirits of Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson and friends the night of Nov. 19. Braving steady precipitation, the group slept out at the corner of Plymouth Boulevard and 30 Ave. N. to raise money for Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP) and People Responding in Social Ministry (PRISM). IOCP and PRISM will use the money raised by the event to help families in need find or keep housing in the Plymouth area. Mayor Johnson's sleep -out, called the Mayor's Housing Challenge, dovetails with similar events sponsored by IOCP and PRISM in November. Because pledges are still being accepted, the final tally of the Mayor's sleep -out is not yet available. People interested in making a tax-deductible pledge to the Mayor's Housing Challenge Sleep -Out, you can download a pledge form from the City web site, www.ci.plymoutll.mn.us or call Allison at 763-509-5066. People making pledges will designate which organization should receive their pledge. IOCP serves Plymouth west of I-494. PRISM serves Plymouth east of I-494. I �, News Release City of Plymouth For Immediate Release November 23, 2004 Contact: Jean Lyons, 763-509-5081 Winners of Picture Plymouth Photo Contest Announced Plymouth resident Richard Davideit was named the grand prizewinner in the Picture Plymouth Photo Contest. His photo, "Turtle Lake at Dawn," took top honors among the 138 photos entered in the contest. The City of Plymouth sponsored the contest. Due to a tie in the cityscape category of the competition, six photos were selected for first place prizes in the five categories of competition. They were: Category Winner Photo Caption Nature Bryan Klotz "Turtle" — Pond off of Parkers Lake Events Bob Hosker A New Perspective on Plymouth Pride and Patriotism (At Dunkirk Fire Station Open House) People Murlidharan Choyikandi Just Outside East Middle School Cityscape — Two Winners Aleksandr Chemin Keith Waaraniemi eBenx Building At Daybreak on Parkers Lake Enhanced Aleksandr Chemin Power Tower by 494 The grand prizewinner will be awarded $100. The top entries in each category will be awarded $25. Judges were Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson, City of Plymouth Staff Member and Arts Liaison Karol Klint Greupner, and City Staff Member and Local Photographer Sheila Langer. "Once again, the caliber of the entries was very high. The judges really had to struggle to name a single winner in each category. Many of the photos that were not named winners will likely show up in city of Plymouth publications. They not only speak volumes about the pride people have in Plymouth, they also showcase the talent of people who live and work in our community," said Communications Manager Helen LaFave. The grand prizewinner will be printed in the city newsletter, Plymouth News. They also will be posted on the city of Plymouth Web site, www.ci.plymouth.mn.us. 1'� City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release Contact: Sara Lynn Cwayna November 24, 2004 763-509-5198 Plymouth Fire Department Reminds Residents to Practice Candle Safety During the Holiday Season. A $10 candle can result in a $350,000 loss within minutes. Candles that were left unattended are one of the leading causes of home fires. Lit candles placed too close to combustibles and children playing with candles are the second and third leading cause of candle fires. "Every year, especially during the holiday season, unattended candles cause thousands of dollars of damage to Plymouth homes," said Fire Chief Richard Kline. "Families are devastated by how severely their homes were damaged by just one candle," said Kline. Forty-eight percent of Minnesota's fire deaths occur during the winter months. Seventy-six percent of these fire deaths occur in the home, and 83% of these deaths occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Seniors and children are most likely to die in a residential fire. "Because residents who are fortunate enough to catch a fire in time to extinguish it do not report it, the actual number of home candle fires is much greater than reported," said Fire Chief Richard Kline. With the increase in candle use, this basic safety message needs to be communicated - light, enjoy, and extinguish them, according to Kline. "Candles in and of themselves aren't the problem; it's the unsafe use of them that causes fires. By following these simple rules, you and your family can enjoy a safe and happy holiday season," he said. ❑ Test your smoke detectors monthly. Replace their batteries once a year. ❑ Never leave a burning candle unattended. ❑ Do not place burning candles on end tables or other areas where they might accidentally be knocked over. ❑ Always keep burning candles out of the reach of children or pets. ❑ Never place a burning candle near something that can catch fire. ❑ Keep candles away from drafts and vents. ❑ Trim wicks to '/4" prior to each use. ❑ Extinguish taper or pillar candles when they get within 2" of their holders. ❑ Always use a flame-retardant base that has been made for candles. ❑ Keep matches, wick trimmings and foreign objects out of the candle wax. ❑ Keep matches and lighters away from kids. Teach children to tell adults if they find matches or a lighter. For more information on fire safety, please call the Plymouth Fire Department at 763-509-5198 or visit the City of Plymouth web site at www.ci.plymouth.mn.us News Release Plymouth Fire For Immediate Release November 24, 2004 Department Sara Lynn Cwayna 763-509-5198 Know Fire Risks This Holiday Season: Heating, Cooking, and Unattended Candles Start Residential Fires in Plymouth Each Year Winter is the deadliest time of year for fire loss in Minnesota. Furnaces and fireplaces, holiday cooking and celebrations, and decorative use of candles and lighted displays cause devastating losses for Plymouth families each year. The Plymouth Fire Department encourages families to follow the safety tips below. For more information on fire safety and prevention programming, visit the City of Plymouth's web site, www.ci.plymouth.mn.us. FURNACE, FIREPLACE, AND CANDLE SAFETY • Have furnaces and fireplaces inspected annually. Seventy percent of all heating fires in residential properties occurred in chimneys and fireplaces. • Never leave a burning candle unattended. Trim wicks to 'A" prior to each use. Keep candles away from drafts and vents. Use a flame retardant base. • Extinguish taper or pillar candles when they get within 2" of their holders. • Always use a flame-retardant base that has been made for candles. • Keep matches and lighters away from kids. Teach kids to tell an adult if they find matches or a lighter. DECORATING SAFELY FOR THE HOLIDAYS • If using a real tree, pick out one that is green and does not drop its needles. Dried out trees can ignite easily and burn quickly. • Plan to display your tree for only two weeks. • Water your tree daily. • Place your tree in a safe place, away from heat sources like a fireplace or a vent. Keep the tree out of the way of heavy foot traffic. • Keep pets away from tree so they do not climb on the tree, knock it down, play with decorations, or chew on electrical cords. IL Inspect your lights before you use them to ensure they don't have frayed wires, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets or excessive wear. Only use lighting that is UL -approved. • Do not overload electrical outlets. Link no more than three light strands together, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Use only nonflammable decorations. Keep them away from heat sources and vents. COOKING UP HOLIDAY SAFETY • Never leave cooking food unattended — it is the number -one cause of house fires. • Post the number 9-1-1 by the phone. Teach children how to use it. • Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Know how to use it. • Never hold a child while cooking or leave a child unattended in the kitchen. Close supervision is essential. • Put pans on back burners and turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove. • To prevent scalds, use caution when heating food and liquids in the microwave. Stir food and drinks that have been microwaved and let them stand before tasting them. Never let a child under the age of 10 remove heated items from the microwave. • Wear close -fitting clothing when cooking. Loose sleeves can easily catch on fire. • Place hot foods and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables. • Pay particular attention to items sitting on tablecloths or placemats, so that young children cannot pull hot food or liquid down and scald themselves. • Unplug appliance cords when not in use. Keep them tied up and out of children's reach. 11 sta...rtrlbune.com Close_.w....ndo_.w Last update: November 22, 2004 at 5:41 PM Targeting underage drinking Ben Steverman Star Tribune Published November 24, 2004 Age 21 or 99, everyone soon may need to bring their IDs to buy alcohol at Hopkins restaurants and liquor stores. One-third of Hopkins' liquor stores and restaurants sold alcohol to minors during the most recent round of police checks, leading police to propose a change to liquor laws. But instead of tightening laws by increasing fines and penalties, the police department wants to give businesses incentives to provide better training for employees so they can help prevent underage drinking. And one of the outcomes could be carding for everyone. The program is modeled on one Plymouth started in 2001 after 40 percent of its businesses failed compliance checks during 1999. Since it started its new program, Plymouth's failure rate has steadily fallen; it was 6.2 percent last year. Hopkins Police Chief Craig Reid was convinced that Hopkins needed to try Plymouth's approach after a recent visit to a restaurant in Plymouth. Reid and his wife ordered wine with their meals, but his wife hadn't brought identification, so the waitress politely told them that they couldn't be served alcohol. Reid said he was impressed that the young waitress, thanks to her training, felt confident enough to enforce strict rules even when the buyers were clearly over 21. "It sounds silly, but it gave them the tools they needed," he said of the program. Training employees is the key to preventing liquor sales to underage buyers, Reid said. "You can't expect a police officer to be there every time a minor tries to make a purchase." In Plymouth, businesses that want to participate in the program must have 75 percent of their employees trained by police officers on liquor laws and how to detect fake IDs. Businesses also must take other steps, such as rewarding employees who catch underage buyers. If they participate in the voluntary program, restaurants, bars and liquor stores face less severe penalties when liquor violations do occur. If a participating business fails a compliance check in Plymouth, it gets a $500 fine for a first offense. But unlike businesses that don't participate in the program, it doesn't have its license suspended for five days. Participating businesses with clean records also can get a discount on their liquor license, which can cost thousands of dollars. However, participating businesses are only allowed two violations within three years before they start receiving the same fines and suspensions as other liquor license holders. Mark Bevins, the Plymouth officer who administers the program, said one of its main benefits is giving employees contact with the police department. It's a constant reminder of the fact that police are keeping an eye on whether the business is selling to minors, he said. The Hopkins plan A few of the details are different in Hopkins — for example, the city won't give a discount on liquor licenses -- but officials have proposed a similar approach to Plymouth's program. The City Council will consider the plan at its Dec. 7 meeting. One big difference between the Hopkins and Plymouth programs is that Hopkins would require participating businesses to check the IDs of all people buying alcohol, no matter how old they look. At participating businesses in Plymouth, carding is required for customers who appear to be younger than 45. That requirement was sought by business owners who feared their employees would have to make subjective judgments about when to ask for someone's ID, said Kathy Magdal, a police employee who helped put together Hopkins' proposal. A uniform policy of checking all IDs would take the burden off young employees, she said. Because liquor stores can simply post a sign explaining the city rule, customers who forget their IDs can blame the city, not employees. "They won't have to have someone screaming at them," Magdal said. Andrea Stacken, 18, a senior at Hopkins High School, serves on the city's Chemical Health Commission and helped the city decide on the details of its proposal. She said the program would help if employees receive better training. " I think that if they were trained on how to identify fake IDs, it would probably cut down on a lot of minors buying liquor," Stacken said. But it would do little, she said, to combat the other way that many young people get alcohol -- by convincing older adults to buy it for them. Ben Steverman is at bstrre..rmanDa; tartrhune._com. !p. Copyr. ight 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. Iq startribune.com Last update: November 20, 2004 at 3:37 PM ISSUE UPDATE Published November 24, 2004 Close window THE PROBLEM: In developed areas, storm water doesn't immediately sink into the ground. It runs off roofs and pavement and eventually into waterways, carrying pollutants into wetlands and lakes. Those pollutants help breed algae and hurt water quality. THE SOLUTION: One solution is finding ways to help water get absorbed into the ground, where the soil filters out pollutants before they reach waterways. RAIN GARDENS: These are specially designed areas where water runoff can sink into the ground. Chosen for the gardens are plants that please the eye, thrive on wet soil and have roots that help loosen the soil and allow more water to be absorbed. THE SCHMIDT LAKE AREA: The city of Plymouth recently built three rain gardens near Schmidt Lake at a cost of about $68,000 for design, installation and ongoing maintenance. Curbs and concrete aprons push water into these gardens. Each garden is designed to treat the runoff from about two acres. THE DETAILS: The city hired a designer who worked with residents to plan the gardens, which are on residents' land but within a public right-of- way. A landscaping company installed the gardens and will maintain them for two years. After that, the homeowners will take over the gardens' maintenance. THE BENEFITS: In addition to cleaning up the water that flows into Schmidt Lake, the city hopes the rain gardens inspire other residents to consider similar gardens. In the spring, the city will offer landscaping workshops to help residents plant gardens that are both aesthetically pleasing and helpful to water quality. Ben Steverman V CopyriLlit200} Star Tribune. All rights reserved. �b Startribune.CO.nI Close. window Last update: November 20, 2004 at 3:30 PM Flip of a coin decides Spring Park election Published November 24, 2004 Gary Hughes owes his seat on the Spring Park City Council to 225 voters and one lucky silver dollar. On election night, it looked like Hughes had lost his bid for one of two spots on the council. The initial vote count gave him 221 votes to 223 for Tom Scanlon and 394 for Sarah Reinhardt. Reinhardt clearly had won one of the council seats in the Lake Minnetonka town of fewer than 2,000, but Hughes asked for a recount to see if he could overtake Scanlon for the second seat. At a recount session at City Hall, officials found several ballots that hadn't been counted for either candidate, probably because voters had marked the ballots too faintly to register on optical scanner machines. But after more than three hours, and after all the votes had been counted, there still was no winner: Scanlon and Hughes each had 225 votes. Minnesota law requires that tied elections be settled with a game of chance. Last week, Mayor Jerry Rockvam, also reelected this month, flipped a coin at a City Council meeting. It landed heads -up, giving Hughes the victory. Scanlon said the long process was a bit of an ordeal, but he had no complaints. "I'm sad that I lost, but it was quite an education on the system," said Scanlon, a former council member who serves on the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District Board. Of course, the election leaves Scanlon thinking of what else he could have done -- how many extra doors he could have knocked on, or how many friends he could have reminded to vote for him on Nov. 2. "Getting people to the polls is important," he said. Hired gun will hunt deer Starting Monday, a sharpshooter will be out in Eden Prairie looking for deer. The hunter, hired by the city, will be there to reduce Eden Prairie's deer population by 100 this year. It's part of the city's Deer Management Program, initiated 10 years ago to keep the city's deer population down and thus prevent car accidents. Deer -car accidents have decreased by two-thirds since the program was started, the city says. Each fall, a helicopter survey is conducted to determine how many deer should be killed to keep the deer population balanced with local habitat. The city hastens to add that the sharpshooter is a trained professional, specially trained to "take down a deer with just one shot." A police officer will escort the sharpshooter on the hunts, which will take place mostly at dusk, when deer are most likely to be out and about. Bus board seeks members The Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit, a group of Plymouth residents that advises the City Council on transit issues, is looking for a few more members. Their main duty is keeping an eye on Plymouth Metrolink, the city bus service that is adding new riders every year and is planning a large park-and- ride facility to fulfill some of the growing demand. Appointments to the committee are made by the City Council. For more information, call 763-509-5500 or go to w„ w ci..plymouth.mn u..s. Ben Steverinan is at 612-673-7168 and bsteverntan(r tartribune.cont. K'. Copyright 200..4 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. J, I startribuneXam. Last update: November 22, 2004 at 5:26 PM Meetings foreshadow 2005 property taxes Published November 24, 2004 SCHOOL DISTRICTS Buffalo Taxes in 2004: $9,065,390 Proposed 2005: $9,369,815 Change: Up 3.4 percent Close window Why: The Buffalo district has a new health and safety project to deal with air quality problems, mostly at the middle school. Health and safety projects, which can be levied without voter approval, are what raised the total levy dollars for 2005. But homeowners in the district probably will see their individual taxes go down thanks to growth in the district, said John Siffert, director of business affairs for the district. Hearing: 7 p.m. Monday, Board of Education Room, Discovery Learning Center, 214 1st Av. NE., Buffalo. Chaska Taxes in 2004: $20,177,884 Proposed 2005: $22,142,206 Change: Up 9.74 percent Why: After its successful bond referendum last year, District 112 structured its debt so that debt payments match the growth of the tax base. For homeowners, that means their taxes will probably drop slightly, thanks to growth in the district. Hearing: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Board Room, District Education Center, 11 Peavey Rd., Chaska. Delano Taxes in 2004: $4,141,672 Proposed 2005: $4,226,529 Change: Up 2.04 percent Why: Enrollment has grown in the Delano district. An existing levy referendum gives the district approximately $426 per student, so an increase of families in the district means more money. Hearing: 7 p.m. Dec. 7, Media Center, Delano High School, 700 Elm Av. E., Delano. Eden Prairie Taxes in 2004: $22,673,056 Proposed 2005: $27,626,478 Change: Up 22 percent Why: Voters just approved a $4.6 million capital projects levy, an operating levy and a deferred maintenance bond issue, which will raise the tax levy amount. L Hearing: Because the preliminary levy is going down and all other increases were approved by voters, the district is not required to hold a taxation hearing this year. Hopkins Taxes in 2004: $29,044,989 Proposed 2005: $28,385,988 Change: Down 2 percent Why: The district recently completed a number of health and safety projects, which can be levied for without voter approval. Since the projects are completed, the district no longer collects the levy, said Jim Rhodes, Director of Business Services. Hearing: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, District Conference Center, Eisenhower Community Center, 1001 Hwy. 7, Hopkins. Minnetonka Taxes in 2004: $25,095,118 Proposed 2005: $26,038,149 Change: Up 3.76 percent Why: Because of the age of some its buildings, the Minnetonka district started qualifying for deferred maintenance funding, which can be levied without voter approval. The maintenance money will go toward improvements affecting air quality in the schools, updating old ventilation systems and bringing them up to current code. None of that change is related to Tonka Dome or Athletic Stadium improvements, which were privately funded. Hearing: 7 p.m. Tuesday, School Board Community Room, District Service Center, 5621 Hwy. 101 S., Minnetonka. Orono Taxes in 2004: $5,803,468 Proposed 2005: $5,624,904 Change: Down 3 percent Why: There is no one reason why the taxes collected will be going down for the Orono district, said Neal Lawson, Assistant Superintendent for Business. A number of individual items changed. Hearing: Because the tax levy is going down, no meeting is required. Osseo Taxes in 2004: $45,605,082 Proposed 2005: $50,581,526 Change: Up 10.91 percent Why: The increase is due to a health and safety levy, which can be levied without voter approval, and a deferred maintenance levy for new air quality systems at three school buildings, according to Kelly Benusa, director of business services. Hearing: 6 p.m. Dec. 7, Osseo Senior High, 317 2nd Av. NW., Osseo. Robbinsdale Taxes in 2004: $39,689,000 Proposed 2005: $39,805,000 Change: Up 0.3 percent Why: The number will be virtually unchanged, said Tom Walerius, executive director of administration. There is no single category that stood out for the district; some items went up while others went down. Hearing: 7 p.m. Monday, Education Service Center, 4148 Winnetka Av. N., New Hope. Rockford Taxes in 2004: $3,092,281 Proposed 2005: $2,940,130 Change: Down 4.92 percent Why: Because an operating referendum failed this fall, the Rockford district's amount levied is going down. Hearing: 5 p.m. Dec. 7, Middle School Board Room, 6051 Ash St., Rockford. St. Louis Park Taxes in 2004: $16,737,319 Proposed 2005: $17,391,903 Change: Up 3.91 percent Why: Because of successful operating levy and bond referendums. Hearing: 7 p.m. Dec. 7, Room 350, St. Louis Park Senior High, 6425 W. 33rd St., St. Louis Park. Wayzata Taxes in 2004: $27,696,000 Proposed 2005: $28,593,000 Percent Change: Up 3.24 percent Why: Voters approved an inflationary levy for the Wayzata district last year. That accompanies levies for the building of an athletic complex and a turf dome at Central Middle School. The district also has a few health and safety projects, which can be levied for without voter approval. Hearing: 7 p.m. Dec. 7, District Administration Building, 210 County Rd. 101 N., Plymouth. Westonka Why: School officials said this week that totals for next year's proposed tax collections were not yet available. Hearing: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7, Community Room, Educational Service Center, 5901 E. Sunnyfield Rd., Minnetrista. Watertown -Mayer Taxes in 2004: $1,857,262 Proposed 2005: $1,592,402 Percent Change: Down 14.26 percent 9— `f Why: The district had a large abatement project a few years ago that qualified for health and safety funding, said Superintendent Karsten Anderson. The project was completed last year, when two-thirds of the levy was applied. 2005 will be the first year the project is not on the levy, accounting for the reduced amount. Hearing: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Board Room, Watertown -Mayer Middle School, 1001 Hwy. 25 NW, Watertown. COUNTIES Carver County Taxes in 2004: $32.7 million Proposed 2005: $35.3 million Increase: 7.7 percent Details: To end a recurring budget deficit caused in part by cuts in state aid, the county would eliminate the equivalent of 10'/2 positions, making cuts in social services, health services, libraries, lifeguard service and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. The county would increase spending on the Sheriffs Department and road projects. Hearing: 7 p.m. Dec. 2, Administration Building, 600 E. 4th St., Chaska. For more information: Call 952-361-1510 or go to w1vw.co.carver.mn.us. Hennepin County Taxes in 2004: $495.7 million Proposed 2005: $515.3 million Increase: 3.97 percent Details: After two years of state funding cuts, Hennepin County officials say they are trying to "stabilize" the budget by restoring some of the previous cuts to social services and libraries. Hearing: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2, room A2400, Government Center, 300 S. 6th St., Minneapolis. For more information: Call 612-348-3011 or go to www hc:nnep n us CITIES All but the smallest cities must hold truth -in -taxation hearings every year. The following is a list of the time and place of west suburban cities' hearings, along with phone numbers to call for more information: Carver: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; Church by the River, 109 E. Main St.; 952-448-5353. Chanhassen: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 7700 Market Blvd.; 952-227-1100. Chaska: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza; 952-448-2851. Corcoran: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 8200 County Rd. 116; 763-420-2288. Deephaven: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 20225 Cottagewood Rd.; 952-474-4755. Eden Prairie: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 8080 Mitchell Rd.; 952-949-8300. Excelsior: 7 p.m. Nov. 29; City Hall, 339 3rd St.; 952-474-5233. Greenfield: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 6390 Town Hall Dr.; 763-477-6464. 115 Greenwood: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7; Deephaven City Hall, 20225 Cottagewood Rd.; 952-474-6633. Hopkins: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13; City Hall, 1010 S. First St.; 952-935-8474. Independence: 6 p.m. Dec. 13; City Hall, 1920 County Rd. 90; 763-479-0527. Long Lake: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 450 Virginia Av.; 952-473-6961. Loretto: No meeting required. Maple Plain: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 1620 Maple Av.; 763-479-0515. Medicine Lake: No meeting required. Medina: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 2052 County Rd. 24; 763-473-4643. Minnetonka: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd.; 952-939-8200. Minnetonka Beach: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 2945 Westwood Rd.; 952-471-8878. Minnetrista: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 7701 County Rd. 110 W.; 952-446-1660. Mound: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 5341 Maywood Rd.; 952-472-0601. Orono: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 2780 Kelley Pkwy.; 952-249-4600. Plymouth: 7 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Blvd.; 763-509-5000. St. Louis Park: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.; 952-924-2511 or the city assessor at 952-924-2536. Shorewood: 7:15 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 5755 Country Club Rd.; 952-474-3236. Spring Park: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 4349 Warren Av.; 952-471-9051. Tonka Bay: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14; City Hall, 4901 Manitou Rd.; 952-474-7994. Victoria: 6 p.m. Nov. 29, City Hall, 7951 Rose St.; 952-443-2363. Wayzata: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6; City Hall, 600 Rice St. E.; 952-404-5300. Woodland: No meeting required Copyrigbt 20.043 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. 2-6 startrlbun_exom Last update: November 15, 2004 at 2:10 PM Keeping the stars in sight Bill Mcauliffe Star Tribune Published November 14, 2004 Close window Light has always been the mark of human achievement and comfort — the symbol of knowledge, the enabler of industry, a flag planted in a tamed land. For rural dwellers, artificial light let them join the mainstream of society. But in the North Star State, with more people unable to see the North Star through the glow of city and suburb, some people are trying to adjust the shades. "I think it's a quality -of -life issue," said Maline Fish of Ham Lake, who with her husband, Dan, owns a telescope shop in Mounds View. Both are avid amateur astronomers. "If you can maintain the visual connection to the sky, I think people are more connected to their world. I think it's soothing to people." When Dan Fish was recently talking about the Milky Way to a group of gifted and talented elementary schoolchildren, he got blank stares in return. "And I realized, these kids have never seen the Milky Way," Fish said. Artificial night light, particularly when it beams into the sky, is called "light pollution" by dark -sky advocates. Its impact was notable during last year's blackout in the northeastern United States, when New York City residents could suddenly see the Milky Way and meteors. Others in the discussion talk about "light trespass" -- unwanted light from residential, public, commercial and industrial neighbors. There's also plain old "glare" -- bright light in the eyes that can blot out backgrounds. None of it is poisonous. It doesn't smell bad. It doesn't dirty the water. But that doesn't mean it should be ignored, some say. And many are taking action. • The Fishes last year prevailed on Ham Lake and a subdivision developer to install streetlights that reduce sideways glare, focusing it more directly on the street. Now, said city administrator Doris Nivala, the city is requiring "cutoff' lighting in all new developments. • In Chatfield, in southeastern Minnesota, the city of only 2,400 people was putting out enough night glow that residents of outlying townships asked officials to try to tone it down. They've been installing cutoff lights in new developments and replacing existing streetlights as needed. • Minneapolis, meanwhile, has been seeking public opinions to help develop a comprehensive street lighting plan. John Wertjes, director of traffic and parking services, said the issue of skyward light has hardly been raised. At least one man, however, amateur astronomer and day-care operator Michael Kauper, has written the entire City Council advocating cutoff streetlights. "It's an uphill battle," Kauper said. Star gauging Anyone who's been in a deserted place on a moonless night knows the sensation of standing among the stars. Beneath the arc of the Milky Way, pinpoints of light glitter all the way down to the horizon. By some estimates, more than 2,000 of them are visible to the naked eye. On the same night, people strolling in downtown Minneapolis might see just 50 or 100. Bob Bonadurer, director of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, said that over the past 20 years the Milky Way has become increasingly hard to see from Afton State Park, one of his favorite viewing spots. He points to the growth of Woodbury as the reason. At the Eisenhower Observatory in Hopkins, director Ron Schmit said the increasing urban glow -- from Minneapolis to the northeast and from his parking lot to the southeast -- has reduced the 49 -year-old observatory's reach. Local skywatchers generally agree that the skies above Onan Observatory, at Baylor Regional Park just north of Norwood Young America, have lost their deep darkness. Another indicator of people's growing detachment from the night sky: The planet Venus is the planetarium's most frequently reported UFO, Bonadurer said. The debate over night glow naturally attracts the poets among us. "When we talk about how beautiful 'she' is, we talk about the stars in her eyes," said Kauper, who holds star -gazing parties in the yard of his Minneapolis day-care center. "When we talk about how lovely a place is, we say it's like heaven. "The night is a beautiful thing. I can't tell you why, but we love it," he said. "And to be completely cut off from it is sad." Astronomers, on the other hand, often describe the starry night as a dwindling natural resource. In Flagstaff, Ariz., where scientists at the Lowell Observatory discovered the planet Pluto in 1930, regulations on how streets and public and commercial buildings are lit have been on the books since 1959. But when San Diego and its surrounding county adopted light -limiting ordinances nearly 20 years ago, resolutions went beyond astronomy to address unwanted neighborly lights and "glare hazards." Meanwhile, wildlife and health advocates are being drawn to the issue, citing disruptions to animal migration patterns and the role of natural darkness in stimulating humans' production of melatonin, which regulates sleep cycles. Now astronomers, lighting engineers and highway and traffic safety consultants are coming together to try to develop national lighting standards. Carl Anderson, manager of visibility research for the Federal Highway Administration, said there's been widespread agreement that roadway lighting can be improved so roads are lit more effectively and the sky stays dark. Most street and highway lights today, with "drop" lenses, cast light sideways and even slightly upward, so they can actually be seen from planes. They also tend to cast a glare into drivers' eyes that can reduce visibility, he said. Full cutoff fixtures will eliminate horizontal and upward lighting as well as some glare. But directing light more narrowly to the pavement below could require more fixtures closer together, and thus more public expense, Anderson said. Dark -sky advocates counter that money would be saved in the long run by eliminating wasted energy. Anderson also said the new lights may bounce more light directly upward, defeating the shielding purpose, he said. Working it out Most cities have zoning rules that try to address glow from gas stations, billboards, parking lots and other night light sources. Meanwhile, in developing townships, there's a conflict between residents who want rural darkness and developers who want attractively lit communities. Some local governments require basic road lighting, some don't, and most don't have any design standards for such lights. Byron Westlund, executive vice president of Woodland Development, which worked with the Fishes and Ham Lake to establish the cutoff lighting strategy, said developers are finding themselves leading governments toward the newer technologies. Dan Fish also noted that individuals can cut down on wasted or ill -aimed light by choosing more effectively shielded fixtures for their homes and landscapes. The point, he added, is that Minnesotans need not be afraid of the dark: It brings on the stars. "These are the kinds of things," he said, "that enrich you, technically, spiritually, artistically." Bill McAuliffe is at mcaul@a startribune coni. w. C?pyri_ht 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. Z MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT 18202 MINNETONKA BOULEVARD-DEEPHAVEN, MN 55391 www.minnehahacreek.org 04-616 CSM Corporation: CSM Corporation has applied for a Minnehaha Creek Watershed District permit for Rule B: Erosion Control, Rule D: Wetland Protection, and Rule N: Stormwater Management for commercial construction at the location of the Southwest corner of T. H. 55 and Vicksburg Lane in the City of Plymouth Individuals with questions or concerns regarding this permit may contact Renae Clark at 952-471-0590 or at rclark@minnehahacrecLorg. Interested parties may request that a public hearing on this permit be scheduled before the MCWD-Board of Managers. Requests for a public hearing must be in writing and received at the MCWD offices prior to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 1, 2004. Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) 18202 Minnetonka Blvd. Deephaven, MN 55391 Ph. 952471-0590 Fx. 952-471-0682 zi November 19, 2004 SUBJECT: CITY OF PLYMOUTH GOOSE MANAGEMENT PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Dear Plymouth Resident: The City of Plymouth is currently in the process of reviewing its goose management policies. The City is holding a public information meeting to seek input from the program's past participants and other interested parties. You are invited to attend this public information meeting: Plymouth Goose Management Program Public Information Meeting Wednesday, December 8, 2004: at 5:30 PM Plymouth City Council Chamber 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 The City currently contracts with the University of Minnesota to trap and remove geese from those sites with persistent geese problems. In 2004, 516 geese (141 adults and 375 young birds) were trapped and removed from 20 areas in the City for a cost of about $16,000. The number of requests for geese removal has increased from eight areas in 1998 to over 20 areas in 2004. The current demand to trap and relocate nuisance geese is greater than the available budget. The City is exploring options and alternatives to meet the needs of the City with the available budget. Some of the possible options may include establishing stricter criteria for choosing sites, providing cost share programs, conducting more accurate bird counts, or requiring site modifications that will discourage geese population. These site modifications, otherwise known as best management practices, may include elimination of feeding the. geese, establishing a vegetative barrier around the ponds, or installing low fences to restrict goose movement. These and other potential ideas will be presented at the public information meeting. We especially look forward to hearing your views on the ideas. After the public information meeting, the program will be reviewed and discussed by the Plymouth Environmental Quality Committee. A final recommendation is expected to go to the Plymouth City Council early in 2005. Please feel free to contact me at 763-509-5527, or e-mail at smissagh@ci.plymouth.mn.us, if you have any questions. Sincerely, �C Shane Missaghi Water Resources Engineer 5 b O:\Fsgineering\WTRRFSRC\Geese manage\LETTER nov 64.doc Lea_9u_e of Minnesota cltlas 1 t94fiiv2Rs14y":lve.West .mss• ,. ,_. St. P, ul, MN 551032041 (651)281.1200 Register today for the Leadership - Conference for Experienced Officials Leadership in a Challenging Political Environment to learn how to: • Identify and positively respond to conflict • Address discontent and dysfunction • Strike a balance at work {1{1{1111111111{1111{11111111111{11{{11{1t1{,1{{111{{111{{111{ and home Registration fee is $175. LAURIE AHRENS Manager Register online CITY OF PLYMOUTH atwww.Imnc.org. 3400 PLYMOUTH BLVD PLYMOUTH MN 55447-1482 -t�. -: .�4 SHARE THIS TRAINING OPPORTUNITY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS JAN. 28-29, 2005 Experienced city officials know that after heated ST. LOUIS PARK elections, the challenges continue. Difficult and demanding positions—inside and outside city hall— FEB. 25-26,2005 can make leadership a tough balancing act. GRAND RAPIDS Come to the Leadership Conference for Experienced Officials Leadership in a Challenging Political Environment to learn ways to address discontent and dysfunction, and positively respond to conflict. Craig Rapp has 25 years experience in the public and private sectors, including as former Brooklyn Pork city monager under former mayor Jesse Ventura. REGISTER ONLINE /iNYTIMEi W/WW.Imnc.org 11 FIRE- SC PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT - 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 763-509-5120 FIRE -RESCUE INCIDENT OF INTEREST DATE: 11/22/04 TIME: 1:00 a.m. ADDRESS: 18545.20' Avenue DETAILS: A house fire was reported to the Department in the early morning hours of November 22 d. Upon arrival, Chief 2 (Hurn) reported a two story dwelling with fire showing from side "C". First arriving Tower 11 (Kuss, Evenson, Perbix, D. Carlson, Weldon, Nordby) laid a supply line and advanced two attack lines. A two-inch handline was advanced to the rear, as an 1 %" line was taken into the first floor. A second line was advanced to the second floor by Ladder 31 (W. Hebert, Hendrickson, Rausch, Korsmo, Rasmus). Aerial 21 (Magy, Baker, Branyon) vented the second floor windows via ground ladder. Engine 11 (Altorfer, Elliott, Draper, D. Fasching) were given the RIT assignment. The fire was placed under control 26 minutes following fire department arrival. Twenty-seven Plymouth fire personnel responded to this incident (on -scene and stand-by). One civilian was injured during his escape from the fire. The family pet. was found by firefighters and was deceased. There were no working smoke detectors in the dwelling. The two occupants were fortunate to have escaped. RESPONSE TIME: 11 minutes. FIRE ORIGIN/CAUSE: Under Investigation. ESTIMATED FIRE LOSS: $350,000 P.F.D. RESPONDING UNITS: ASSISTING AGENCIES: Engine Companies: E-11 EMS: Yes Ladder Companies: TW -11, A-21, L-31 Red Cross: No Support Units: Salvation Army: No Rescue Companies: R-31, R-21 Public Works: No Chief Officers: C-1, C-2, C-21, C-31 State FM: No Mutual Aid: Wayzata (scene), West Metro (Station Il) SECTOR OFFICERS: Chief Kline (Command), Ff. Hebert (Accountability), Captain Evenson (Interior), Lieutenant Anderson (Investigation). 3L DATE: November 24, 2004 TO: Mayor and City Council Laurie Ahrens, City Manager FROM: George C. Bentley, Transit Consultant r) THROUGH: Pat Qvale, Public Services Manager SUBJECT: TRANSIT SERVICE CHANGES DECEMBER 6, 2004 On Monday, December 6, Plymouth Metrolink will implement minor service changes to expand transit service into new areas of northwest Plymouth. Route 777 will be modified to extend service along the new stretch of Schmidt Lake Road between Vicksburg Lane and Peony Lane, and along Peony Lane between Schmidt Lake Road and Old Rockford Road. This will provide service availability to Harvest Hills, Timber Creek Crossing -Phase 1, and the Fields at Nanterre. With this change, Route 777 will no longer provide service to the Plymouth Covenant Church Park & Ride lot, but service to and from downtown Minneapolis will continue to be provided at that P&R lot by Route 776. Route 776 will also be modified to cover a short portion of the current 777 route along Vicksburg Lane between Schmidt lake Road and the Plymouth Covenant Church P&R. All service changes will utilize only collector roads, and no residential streets will receive bus traffic. Costs for this service extension will be minimal, involving only a few additional minutes per day. Schedule changes are currently being printed and should be available prior to the service change. If you have any questions please contact Pat Qvale at 763-509-5052. 3 ; 0:\Engineering\TRANSIT\RESOL\2004\CC Memo rc 776.777 11_24_04.doc MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING November 10, 2004 Page 34 PRESENT: Commissioners Davis, Griwac, Pederson, Rezabek, Rodriguez, Singer, and Councilmember Slavik, staff Abel, Blank, Evans and Pederson ABSENT: Aamoth, Fiemann, and Krahulec 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Singer called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Ice Center's Center Ice Meeting Room. Introductions were made since no meeting was held in October, and we had a couple of new members who hadn't had the opportunity to meet other commissioners. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Rezabek made a motion to approve the September minutes; Davis seconded. Motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. Greg Gibson, Wayzata Hockey, was present. b. Staff. Evans updated the commission on a number of things. She stated staff was working on the winter/spring brochure. In 2005 we'll be celebrating our 25tH anniversary as a department, so the brochures will feature some highlights from the past. We are also gearing up for the winter warming house season. Dan Lauer, recreation supervisor in charge of athletics, will make a presentation at a future meeting on his programs. A few teen events have been held at the lower level of the Plymouth Creek Center. We've been averaging 125 people at the "Plugged In" events. "Open Mic Night" didn't go as well as hoped for its first time, but it was in direct competition with another teen event. A week ago, we held our Little Costume Ball at the Plymouth Creek Center. It was very well attended. Over 200 registered in advance this time, plus 50 showed up at the door. Over 300 attended this year's Volunteer Recognition Event. Halloween at the Creek was very successful with approximately 800 in attendance. We collaborated with five or six community churches to offer a safe alternative to Halloween. We are already discussing an event for next year. A Veterans Day continental breakfast was held at the Plymouth Creek Center honoring veterans. A speaker talked about Pearl Harbor. Singer thought 110 attended. We're getting ready for Old Fashioned Christmas Sunday, December 5. Evans explained where this park is for the benefit of the newest commissioners. We partner with the Historical Society for this event. The event features musical entertainment, a storyteller, a visit with Santa, horse drawn hayrides, craft activities, and refreshments. We're also working on the New Year's Eve event, Fire & Ice, the History Fest, the Yard and Garden Expo, and Primavera. Blank stated that we did not win the Gold Medal award this year. Schaumburg, Illinois, won. It seems like it takes at least 3+ PRAC Minutes/November 2004 Page 35 three years of entering to win. Davis asked about New Year's Around the World. Evans and Blank explained that we celebrate New Year's at 7, 8 & 9 from different countries. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION Council approved the capital improvement budget for 2005 to '09. There is some interest in putting in a parking lot at Greenwood, which would be shared between the city and the school district. This is a $50,000 item, Blank said. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business to report. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Review facility policies and fees for 2005. Evans discussed the fees for the various facilities that parks and recreation operates. Most fees were adjusted in either 2003 or 2004, so we don't feel there is a need to make any fee changes at this time. The Millennium Garden and the Plymouth Creek Center fees are included in the packet for information purposes only. Those fees were adjusted in April. Lifetime members get free use of the open skating sessions. Evans reviewed the number of rentals that took place in 2004 at our various facilities. We are putting our tobacco free policy and logo on all of our rental policies and forms. Rezabek asked about the rentals at the Millennium Garden. Evans said we had 26 or 27 weddings at the garden. Davis asked about the general purpose of rental fees. Blank said it is to offset costs and is a small revenue source. Each facility is a little different. At Parkers Lake we recoup the cost of the building attendant. We rent one picnic shelter; others are on a first come, first serve basis. At the Parkers Lake North picnic shelter, we have maintenance crews come in and clean up between rentals. All of the rental fees collected go into the city's general fund. RODRIGUEZ MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE RENTAL POLICIES AND FEES AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, REZABEK SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED, ALL AYES. b. Review of ice center operations and tour of facility — Bill Abel. Blank explained that he likes to get the commission to each of our major facilities on an annual basis. With the new ice rink, this facility will exceed a million dollar business. This is an enterprise fund. This facility is not to receive any tax dollar support, Blank said. We are setting aside a trust fund, an interest bearing account for this facility, to cover replacement costs, repair costs, etc. The new rink will carry debt of about $1.5 million, which we hope to pay off in 15 years. We opened this facility in June of 1997. We have made net profits every year. Expenses revolved mostly around energy costs. Gibson asked about the money we are generating in revenue. The revenue generated stays in the ice center fund. It does not go to the general fund. We spent $250,000 of our reserves to get a new dehumidification system. We set our rates based on what the city's financial analyst recommends. Our goal is to have rates that sustain the building. Abel stated that we vary in revenue from year to year $30,000 to $40,000. We 3� PRAC Minutes/November 2004 Page 36 currently have between 300,000 to 350,000 visitors yearly. Abel listed a number of interesting statistics on ice use, temporary concession wages, concession sales, and vending machine sales. He indicated that the ice center has 14 miles of refrigerant pipe, ten locker rooms, one figure skating room with mirrored walls and ballet bars, offices, meeting rooms, upper and lower level lobbies, upstairs concessions, restrooms on both levels, and vending machines on both levels. The Ice Center is home to the Wayzata and Armstrong high school hockey teams as well as the youth hockey teams. Both schools have their own locker rooms, coaches' rooms, and equipment rooms. The Olympic sheet has seating for 1,000 people and standing room for an additional 370. The Zamboni's drive 2.5 hours every day resurfacing the ice. On average, 18.5 hours of ice was used every day in 2003. Nine thousand people attended public skating sessions in 2003. About 5,000 of those were paid admissions, with the remaining 4,000 being non -paid LifeTime members. Our figure skating program has 500 kids skating and brings in revenue of approximately $80,000. The third ice sheet is scheduled to open between Thanksgiving and December 4. This is a professional size rink. Total square footage is 35,000. The new facility will be host to Providence Academy boys' high school team and the Wayzata Youth Hockey Association. Our concession stand will now be open daily with the addition of this third sheet of ice. It will have a lobby area with caf6 style seating and wireless service for laptop computer users. Abel explained how the meeting rooms are used and by what groups. Rooms are also booked for birthday parties. We have two to three of those per week. Rent of $50 is charged for the meeting room, and this includes 1.25 hours of skating for 12 kids. Providence will get to use the ice for practice purposes until 6 p.m. After that youth hockey gets to take over the ice. All three sheets will generate over a million dollars in revenue. With the addition of the third ice sheet, we will have over 118,000 square feet and over 20 miles of refrigerant piping. There will be three battery- operated Zamboni's. There will be enough parking for 900 cars, Blank said. We ranked about third in the state for revenue produced and hours of use. We are behind Braemar and Bloomington. With the third ice sheet, we will become the number one ice facility in the state. Our Zamboni's ad space has been sold to Denny Hecker, along with six board spaces for advertising purposes. We have also recouped money from Coca-Cola. Our contract with Coke paid for the floor in the third sheet. Blank then discussed the construction process. There were some delays in the beginning, but we are now back on track. If everything works out, we should be open by Thanksgiving. We hope to have all of the construction out of the main arena by next Friday. They will still be working on the lobby and concession stand. We may turn compressors on next Thursday to test them. We'll allow 40-50 hours of compressor time to draw heat out of the building. We still need to have an occupancy permit, however, in order to open officially. Blank said this is the best project he's worked on to date. Abel talked about a few other minor issues that still need to be resolved. Abel said the facility is booked seven days a week now, with the third sheet. The facility is closed only a few hours a day. The tentative date for a grand opening is December 4, Abel said. We may PRAC Minutes/November 2004 Page 37 have to push this off a week or two. An e-mail will be sent to commissioners when we have a date confirmed. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Rezabek asked about the snowmobile parking lot issue. Blank did not have anything new to report on that. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Blank distributed some information about Bob's Sleep Out, to raise awareness regarding the homeless problem in our community. The Mayor will begin her Sleep Out in conjunction with Bob's Sleep Out. Blank said the city donated the use of the Plymouth Creek Center last Saturday for a clothing sale to raise money for Interfaith Outreach, which raised $17,000. In a span of four days, several different large groups used the Plymouth Creek Center, demonstrating just how diverse that facility is. Abel said we generate $2 million to the local economy when we have tournaments, etc. It's good for the hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, and other merchants. Maps are given to all tournament participants, spectators, etc., showing all the restaurants available in the area plus other items that may be of interest to them. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm. S� YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 8, 2004 6:45 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS Council Members Present Absent Kristen Letich ✓ Mark McKee ✓ Patrick Heffner ✓ Mark Lenhardt ✓ Christopher Fei ✓ Heather Gaudette ✓ Michael Letich ✓ Janet Li ✓ Aneesh Sohoni ✓ Whitney Waters ✓ Customer Support Representative Allison Hoskins and Deputy City Clerk Kurt Hoffman were also present. Mike Letich called the meeting to order at 6:50 PM. Aneesh made a motion, seconded by Mike Letich, to adopt the agenda. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. Patrick made a motion seconded by Mike Letich, to approve the minutes of the October 25 meeting. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. COMMITTEE UPDATES: a) Youth Service Awards Committee Allison confirmed that the Youth Service Awards program is schedule for Tuesday, April 26 at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The committee members agreed to meet at 6:00 PM on November 22 before the next Youth Advisory Council meeting. b) Youth Town Forum Committee Allison reported that members of the committee met on November 4 and produced some ideas for a program. She said the group set a central theme of "Leadership", using the talents of various school groups at Wayzata High School. She outlined the agenda for the event and proposed guest speakers. She talked about arranging for area businesses to underwrite the event through food and beverage donations. Youth Advisory Council November 8, 2004 Meeting Page 2 Whitney noted that Armstrong's Service Leadership group as well as its chapters of the National Honor Society could be tapped for support as well. Allison suggested members divide workloads into areas such as publicity and underwriting. She said City Manager Laurie Ahrens suggested holding the forum earlier in the day to encourage greater attendance, perhaps 3:00 or 4:00 PM, right after school. Aneesh agreed to compose a letter to send to possible speakers. c) Intergenerational Committee Whitney reported that the next event wouldn't be until March so the group hasn't planned any meetings. d) Ad hoc Web planning Committee Members reviewed suggestions for contributions to the website and agreed to e-mail them to Allison. Future agenda items City Budget and Finances and how they affect the Youth Advisory Council are scheduled for a presentation at the November 22 meeting. Allison reported that the Mosaic group would be holding a resource fair on November 20. She suggested a member of Mosaic could speak at a future Youth Advisory Council meeting. Adjournment Mike Letich made a motion, seconded by Aneesh, to adjourn the meeting at 7:15 PM. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. 3q GREAT RIVER ENERGY® 17845 East Highway 10 • P.O. Box 800 • Elk River, Minnesota 55330-0800 • 763-441-3121 • Fax 763-241-2366 • www.GreatRiverEnergy.com November 19, 2004 CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 PLYMOUTH BLVD PLYMOUTH MN 55447 WO #18691 WH -PP Line SUBJECT: Great River Energy's (GRE) Parkers Lake Substation to Plymouth Substation Easement/Parcel No. 2711822320020 Several months ago GRE was issued a route peri -nit froni the i✓iinnesota Environrnentai Quality Board to construct a new 115 kV transmission line from the existing Wright Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association's Plymouth Substation to the existing Xcel Energy Parkers Lake Substation. For the most part, this new transmission line will follow along and just off of the Highway 494 right of way (see enclosed project fact sheet). In order to construct this transmission line, GRE will need to secure easements from the owners of each parcel of land traversed by the planned transmission line. The first step in securing easements is to establish a value for the easement area needed for the construction of the transmission line. Great River Energy has selected Integra Realty Resources as an independent real estate appraisal firm to evaluate the market value of the easement area being requested from each parcel owner along the transmission line route. Beginning November 22, representatives from Integra will contact parcel owners to schedule meetings and site inspections. The representatives from Integra will be Jeffrey Johnson, Lisa Olmen or Darrell Koehlinger. We ask that you cooperate with the appraisers so they can ntakt� the most accurate determination of the easement value on your parcel. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the easement acquisition, appraisal process or any other aspect of this critical local load serving project. Sincerely, GREAT RIVER ENERGY Gary Ostrom, SR/WA Land Rights Supervisor CC: Jeffrey Johnson, Integra Realty Resources Enclosure GO jh\r estmetro\18691 parkerslake-ply\landownerappraisal.Itr11.19.04.doc 4_o Direct Dial (763) 241-2377 E -Mail gostrorn a !�renergy.com FAX (763) 241-6177 A Touchstone Energy Cooperative Klb� Plymouth to Maple Grove Project Plymouth to Parkers Lake Section (Schmidt Lake Road to County Hwy 6) :\ !t t:KI:\rKI}.fK ENERGY' GREAT RIVER ENERGY 17845 East Hwy 10 P.O. Box 800 Elk River, MN 55330-0800 1-800-442-3013 www.greatriverenergy.com WS Wright -Hennepin Cooperative EiWnC Assoctalion WRIGHT-HENNEPIN COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION 6800 Electric Drive P.O. Box 330 Rockford, MN 55373-0330 1-800-943-2667 www.whe.org The Utilities Great River Energy (GRE), located in Elk River, is the wholesale electric power supplier to Wright -Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (W -H) and 27 other cooperatives in Minnesota and a small portion of Wisconsin. Wright -Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association owns the substation facilities from which retail electricity is delivered through distribution lines to homes and businesses in Maple Grove and Plymouth. W -H along with Xcel Energy are the primary suppliers of retail electricity in the West Metro region. The Project A Certificate of Need from the Public Utilities Commission and a Route Permit from the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board have been issued to construct a new segment of 115 kV transmission line from the existing Plymouth Substation to the existing Xcel Energy Parkers Lake Substation (see map on back). Tree Removal Tree removal will transmission line. Schedule Structures The poles for the new transmission line will be, on average, from 75 to 90 feet in height. Some larger structures with concrete bases will be needed where the line changes direction (corners) or crosses long distances. The poles will be either single shafted wood or tubular steel design (note diagram). Appraisal and Easement Process GRE has selected Integra Realty Resources to prepare appraisal reports for each parcel of land traversed by the transmission line. The appraisal reports will be the basis for a payment offered to each parcel owner in exchange for an easement to construct the transmission line. Easement Upon completion of the appraisal reports, an easement form and other relevant documents will be sent to each landowner along the transmission line corridor. After the initial correspondence has been sent, a GRE representative will contact you to discuss the easement and other project details. be necessary for the completion of the project and to safeguard the reliable operation of the Discussion with Landowners Right of Way Preparation Pole Placement January through May 2005 Summer 2005 Summer & Fall 2005 Contact Gary Ostrom at Great River Energy 763-241-2377 or 1-800-442-3013 ext. 2377 toll free Fax 763-241-6177 11/19/2004 a'• j 4 i 484 , ��. • � t `, ' . , �� X494, .� � j' 't .1• • �.ie ITY\ f'•r Plymouth Substation d i . • 4y • . �J• �' •�j. til Ct', Z.•� yam• • � _ ' r' i f, ' i' .,, "• fir zz _. Lt .-u•.-::� r '- fPermitted New GRE 115 kV Permitted New J, ►. GRE 115 kV Transmission Line Transmission Line 4.25 Miles Ott �, � _ .. ,: •lam_ r� :: • it rio . �; `:fir ' • �• � ' Lo a, 14-3, � y 55 55 �• s'�iy4 +�f•��yyy�� .7.�� it.-:.�.��•I .77 �. EnergyParkers Lake Substation'iParkers Lake Substation mom \ . , .1♦-+�_ :J �. r , �<iWl� 1 ilk r'�''..e ••� ANOKA Z L Z RAMSE HENItiEPIN Q �Q 3 DAKOTA SOOTT JOSEPH F. SANZONE, BCE Director November 18, 2004 METROPOLITAN MOSQUITO CONTROL DISTRICT METRO COUNTIES GOVERNMENT CENTER 2099 UNIVERSITY AVENUE WEST ■ ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 55104-3431 651-645-9149 ■ FAX 651-645-3246 Ms. Laurie Ahrens Plymouth City Manager 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Ms. Ahrens: TTY use Minnesota Relay Service W.J. CAESAR Business Admin. Enclosed is a summary of work done by the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) within your community during the 2003 mosquito control season. New in 2004, we asked cities throughout the metro area to link to MMCD through their websites so citizens could stay informed about day to day adult mosquito control operations. Please let me know who to contact to establish this link on the Plymouth website. MMCD is primarily a region -wide larval control program that targets immature mosquitoes and biting gnats while they develop in water. In early spring, and after each significant summer rain, MMCD treats the worst mosquito production areas within the District with a natural soil bacterium (Bti). The same soil bacterium is used to control immature biting gnats in the rivers and streams of the metro area. These treatments prevent billions of immature mosquitoes and biting gnats from hatching into adults. The result is significantly fewer mosquitoes and gnats within the District compared to areas that do not receive control. Control of adult mosquitoes is conducted when there is a risk of mosquito -borne disease, and when adult mosquito populations interfere with outdoor activities. MMCD treats parks and recreational areas along with neighborhoods where infestations of mosquitoes have been identified. MMCD uses synthetic and natural pyrethroids to control adult mosquitoes. During 2004, MMCD continued treating approximately 60,000 catch basins within the metropolitan area. Throughout the country catch basins have proven to be an ideal habitat for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus. LaCrosse encephalitis (LAC) is a viral disease transmitted by a species of mosquito that develops in cld tires, artificial containers and areas in trees that hold water. MMCD monitors both larval and adult populations of this mosquito, and provides control when risk is high, or cases are AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER ® Printed on recycled paper containing at least 15% post -consumer paper fibers 43 reported. The District also conducts an aggressive public information program designed to enlist citizens' help in reducing the risk of this disease. MMCD also works to prevent Lyme disease in the metro area. The District monitors the distribution of deer ticks, the carrier of this bacterial infection, throughout the metropolitan area. In addition, MMCD works closely with the Minnesota Department of Health in providing information designed to reduce risk. Please review the enclosed summary. If you have any questions, or would like to meet to discuss our agency's activities within your community, please contact me. Sincerely, Jim Stark (651)643-8363 jimstark(cmmcd.org A— PLYMOUTH Total Larval Mosquito Treatment Acres 11398.06 Total Adult Mosquito Treatment Acres 3101.17 Events Receiving MMCD Services Music in the Park National Night Out Parks Receiving Adult Mosquito Treatments Community Center Park West Medicine Lake Park Citizen Request for Service: Number of Calls: 244 Type of Citizen Request: Breeding site - 31 Annoyance - 94 Mosquito -104 General response - 9 Immediate response - 3 Tire pick-up -1 Public treatment request - 3 Other - 3 Catch Basins Treated : 2512 45 November 23, 2004 «Name» CITY OF «Address» PLYMOUTH - Plymouth, MN 55442 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON BASS LAKE PLAYFIELD DRAINAGE WAY PROJECT CITY PROJECT NO. 3131 Dear Resident: As the winter season approaches, and as substantial progress has been made on the Bass Lake Playfield Drainage Way Project, we would like to take a moment to update area residents on this construction. Over the late summer and fall, Sunram Construction has prepared the site, introduced new storm sewer pipe, graded the area and established soils for the rain gardens. The next step is to cover most of the area with bio -degradable erosion control blankets and spread seed mix on the slopes. The seeds will sprout in the spring and the erosion -control blankets are eventually absorbed by the earth. To insure maximum survivability of the rain garden plants, we are holding off their introduction until spring. Also, as the contractor was able to save more trees than originally anticipated, we are making some plant substitutions to thrive in a more shady environment. We have received favorable comments that the area resembles a forest floor, and should look even more natural as the plantings develop. The piping and graded areas did well during recent heavy rains. The new design takes the off-site storm water to the underground pipes and no longer scours the sides of the ditch. Rain water from the immediate yards is directed to a series of "beehive" inlets along the way. We will continue to monitor the work through the winter, and coordinate the rain garden plantings this spring. In the meantime, if further information is needed, please feel free to contact me immediately at (763)509-5524. Respectfully, Dave Taylor Senior Engineering Technician cc: Ron Quanbeck, P.E., City Engineer Shane Missaghi, Water Resources Engineer Derek Asche, Water Resources Technician 4G O:\EngineermQ\PROJECTS12000.2009\313ILLtrs\BassLkUpdate_ll 23 04_formdoc PLYMOUTH A Beautiful Plate to Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482.- TELEPHONE (763) 509-5000 �..� w www.d.plymouth.mn.us Donald and Kay Kutz Thomas and Judith Mottaz 13005 — 55th Avenue North 12945 — 55th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55442 Plymouth, MN 55442 Richard and Lorraine Levine Terry and Alexis Nagel 12925 — 55th Avenue North 12915 — 55th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55442 Plymouth, MN 55442 John and Linda Ekers Richard and Lynn Brokke 12825 — 55th Avenue North 5485 Rosewood Lane North Plymouth, MN 55442 Plymouth, MN 55442 Francis and Barbara Otto Richard and Sharon Carlson 5475 Rosewood Lane North 5480 Rosewood Lane North Plymouth, MN 55442 Plymouth, MN 55442 �I Charles Langer 12935 — 55th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55442 Daniel and Barbara Maase 12905 — 55th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55442 Tede and Mary Brandshaug 12805 — 55th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55442