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Council Information Memorandum 10-20-2006
V �mw4N/ CITY OF PLYMOUTH D rib COUNCIL INFO MEMO October 20, 2006 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT) October 25 meeting ............................. Page 2 October, November, and December 2006 Official City Meeting Calendars ......................... Page 3 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings ........................................... Page 9 INFORMATION News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc ... Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors Plymouth Housing Market Update ................. Page 10 City News Releases: Announcement of plans to step up seat belt enforcement ...................................... Page 12 Police Halloween safety tips................................................................................... Page 14 Gleason Lake Elementary students work to keep Gleason Lake clean .................. Page 16 Update on the Plymouth Police cable program "Along for the Ride" .................... Page 18 Eric Blank guest column submitted to the Sun Sailor regarding the open space referendum.......................................................................................................................... Page 19 Star Tribune series concerning property taxes: Part I: recent history of property tax increases ........................................... Graphic on property tax revenue sources ................................................... Graphic on property tax, aids and credits ................................................... Graphic on Ramsey County revenue sharing trends ................................... Graphic on Minnesota property tax trends by county ................................ Part II: trends in other fees than property taxes .......................................... Editorial commenting on who is responsible for property taxes ................ STAFF REPORTS Public Improvement Projects Update........................................................ ...................... Page 21 ...................... Page 25 ...................... Page 26 ...................... Page 27 ...................... Page 28 ...................... Page 29 ...................... Page 31 ................... Page 32 Minnehaha 2007 Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan elements .............. Page 34 Fire—Rescue incident of interest......................................................................................... Page 41 ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES Suburban Rate Authority October 11 meeting.................................................................... Page 42 CORRESPONDENCE Letter to Wood Creek Area residents regarding on—going erosion problems ..................... Page 46 Letter to residents regarding a request for zoning ordinance text amendment and conditional use permit for Reprise Design, Inc. (2006095) ................................................. Page 53 Letter to residents regarding a request for site plan amendment for HTG Architects (2006096).......................................................................................................... Page 54 Letter to resident regarding a request for variances for Holly Hamilton (2006097) .......... Page 55 t AGENDA PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT Wednesday, October 25, 2006 7:00 p.m. 1. Approval of agenda. 2. Approval of minutes for the September 27, 2006, PACT meeting (attached). 3. Transportation Amendment 4. Station 73 — Ridership Goals 5. Ridership information and review of ridership statistics through September, 2006. 6. Identification of areas of concern and/or recommendations. 7. Comments or concerns on complaint log 8. Adjournment Note: Please call Pat Qvale at 763-509-5052, if you are unable to attend. P:\Organizat ion\Cotnmiss ions\Plymouth_Advisory_Committee_ on_'Iransit\Agendas\2006\ l 02506.dm a OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS October 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 YOM KIPPUR BEGINS AT SUNSET 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -Parkers Lake Room 12:00 PM -4:00 PM FIRE STATION #3 OPEN HOUSE, 3300 Dunkirk Lane 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 COLUMBUS DAY (OBSERVED), Public Works Division closed 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. council Chambers 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Medicine Lake Rooms A 8 B 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Parkers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 6:30 PM VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION EVENT, Plymouth Creek Center Lake Room 7:00 PM HOUSING 8 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medkine Lake Room A 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Rklgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORYCOMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT), Parkas Lake Room (thin meenna onlyl 7:0OPMREGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Ch_m M 29 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS. set clocks back 1 30 6:30 PM YOUTH ADVIsoRv COUNCIL. Parkers Lake Room 31 Nov 2006 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 Sep 2006 S M T W T F S 1 2 hour 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 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 10/20/2006 3 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS November 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 7:00 PM PLANNING Council Chambers 2 [7:00PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONABSENTEE arkers Lake Room 3 4 10:00 AM -3:00 PM CITYCOMMISSION, HALL OPEN FOR VOTING Oct 2006 S M T W T F S Dec 2006 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 71 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 S 6 7 8 9 10 1.1 STATE GENERAL ELECTION; POLLS OPEN 7:00 - 8:00 P.M. !ik 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORYOffices COMMISSIONA.M. (PRAC), Plymouth Ice Center VETERANS DAY (OBSERVED), City Closed 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 8:30 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Parkers Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, ceu 41 ch.mb— 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA). Medicine Lake Room A 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY City Offices Closed THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY VICKSBURG CROSSING OPEN HOUSE, 3155 Vidcsburg Lane 26 27 28 29 30 8:30 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Parkers Lake Room 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Ridgedale Dive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Conal Ch.mb.re modified on 10/20/2006 5 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS December 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Jan 2007 1 2 Nov 2006 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 2:00 PM OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS - Plymouth Historical 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -Parkers Lake Room Society Building 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 8:30 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Parkers Lake Room 7:00 TRUTH IN 7:ao PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council chemben 7:00 PM ENVg20NMENTAL QUALfTY COMMITTEE (EQC), CouncN Chambers 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSiON(PRAC), Council Chambers CHANNUKAH BEGINS AT SUNSET TAXATION MEETING CONTINUED (IF NECESSARY), Council ChamMn 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room A 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 CHRISTMAS EVE CHRISTMAS DAY City Offices Closed 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A 31 modified on 10/20/2006 7 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items November 14, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Oath of Office to Firefighter Paul Larson • Presentation on the City's Bike Commuting Efforts and presentation of Trophy to Plymouth Resident Scott Walz (Melissa Madison and Kate Diercks of 494 Commuter Services) • Alcohol compliance check violation for Woody's Grille, 220 Carlson Parkway (postponed from October 10) • Approve change to Resolution No. 2002-306 for Paula's Place, revising location of wetland buffer. Paula's Place HOA. (2006017) • Approve preliminary plat and variances to allow "Duchaine Woods" for two single- family detached lots for property located at 17815 10`h Avenue North. Holly Trombley. (2006074) • Approve site plan and conditional use permit for a child care and early childhood education center for property located at the southeast corner of Old Rockford Road and Peony Lane North. Children's Design Group. (2006081) • Approve site plan, conditional use permit, and deny sign variances for a new Taco Bell for property located at 9900 Rockford Road. Border Foods, Inc. (2006088) • Approve conditional use permit to allow a sports and fitness club in the I-1 (Light Industrial) District for property located at 14100 Carlson Parkway. Carlson Real Estate Company. (2006089) • Approve zoning ordinance text amendment to allow tutoring/learning centers in the CC -R (City Center Retail) Zoning District and conditional use permit for Kumon Learning Center for property located at 3475 Plymouth Boulevard. Reprise Design, Inc. (2006095) • Approve site plan amendment to allow construction of a credit union with drive- through at Rockford Road Shopping Center, 4190 Vinewood Lane North. HTG Architects. (2006096) • Approve variances to lot area, lot width, front yard setback and impervious surface coverage for construction of a new single family home for property located at 10620 30th Avenue North. Holly Hamilton. (2006097) November 28, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers December 4, Special, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Truth in Taxation Hearing December 11, Special, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Truth in Taxation Hearing (continuation hearing if necessary) December 12, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers I Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. Plymouth Housing Market Update Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® October 2006 Greetings, This is the first installment of a new monthly newsletter from the Public Affairs Department of the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS& You've been chosen to receive this letter because of your important role in local government in Plymouth. Here, you'll find up-to-date housing information for Plymouth, provided at our pleasure, with the intent of giving you a clearer picture of the current conditions in the local housing market. This information should be helpful and relevant to your discussions about housing, growth and transportation. We will also address other local and regional real estate issues. Your comments and questions on this new initiative are welcomed and encouraged. Plymouth September 2006 Market Update Twin Cities Region September 2006 September 2005 Percent Change New Listings 206 184 12.0 Closed Sales 78 118 -33.9 Average Sales Price $307,159 $297,561 3.2 Active Listings at Month End 579 Not Available Not Available Twin Cities Region One of the most consistent storylines of the 2006 Twin Cities residential real estate market has been the gradual decline in home sales, and September proved no different for Plymouth. Plymouth closed sales were 33.9 percent behind September of last year with 78 sales. Closed sales declined by 23.7 percent in the same period for the entire Twin Cities market. New listings in Plymouth in September 2006 were ahead of September 2005 by 12.0 percent, posting 206 units as compared to 184 units the year previous. The Twin Cities market as a whole saw new listings decrease by 5.1 percent over this time last year. At the end of September there were 579 single-family units available on the market in Plymouth. Plymouth had an average sale price in September of $307,159, an increase of 3.2 percent from the year prior. The Twin Cities metropolitan area as a whole saw an average sales price of $283,583 for the month of September. MAAR expects price growth to settle into a more common /D September 2006 September 2005 Percent Change New Listings 8,862 9,336 -5.1 Closed Sales 4,025 5,277 -23.7 Average Sales Price $283,583 $274,670 3.2 Active Listings at Month End 30,977 24,324 27.4 One of the most consistent storylines of the 2006 Twin Cities residential real estate market has been the gradual decline in home sales, and September proved no different for Plymouth. Plymouth closed sales were 33.9 percent behind September of last year with 78 sales. Closed sales declined by 23.7 percent in the same period for the entire Twin Cities market. New listings in Plymouth in September 2006 were ahead of September 2005 by 12.0 percent, posting 206 units as compared to 184 units the year previous. The Twin Cities market as a whole saw new listings decrease by 5.1 percent over this time last year. At the end of September there were 579 single-family units available on the market in Plymouth. Plymouth had an average sale price in September of $307,159, an increase of 3.2 percent from the year prior. The Twin Cities metropolitan area as a whole saw an average sales price of $283,583 for the month of September. MAAR expects price growth to settle into a more common /D 1 to 2 percent range for the region in 2006. The past few years have seen price appreciation in the 6 to 12 percent range — well ahead of historical norms for our region. It is important to note that the data referenced in this press release is for only one month of activity. As such, the figures can sometimes look extreme due to the relatively small sample size. For broader historical market information on Plymouth, please feel free to contact us. With all the inventory that Plymouth has on the market, sellers are faced with unique challenges in marketing their home and negotiating a fair price. REALTORS@ are professionally trained and qualified to assist with these challenges, and active members of the Plymouth community. Regional Transportation Concerns The Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS@ is concerned that our region is falling behind in our regional transportation infrastructure. Numerous recent surveys indicate that transportation is a pressing and serious quality of life issue. More and more residents are making housing decisions based on where they work due to the costs and time associated with commuting. This should be a major concern for all local government policy makers. The four Twin Cities REALTOR@ associations favor the passage of the state constitutional amendment to dedicate 100% of the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) to transportation. More information on the amendment is available at www.VoteYesMN.ora. We believe that a regional, multimodal approach is necessary to slow the growth of congestion. A permanent source of transportation funding must be approved for our region. More information is published on our website at www.mplsrealtor.com/Public/Regional.htm. Again, we invite and encourage your input on this new communication and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Bill Gerst VP Public Affairs Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS@ 952.988.3141 billaftmalsrealtor.com Jeff Allen Research Specialist Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS@ 952.988.3126 ieffa0molsrealtor.com © 2006 Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS& All rights reserved. City of Plymouth News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 16, 2006 CONTACT: Officer Jon Christianson 763-509-5178 Plymouth Police Department Steps UP Seat Belt Enforcement Oct. 21 — 30 Teens Most Likely to Be Unbelted Plymouth, Minnesota — The Plymouth Police Department will step up patrols targeting seat belt use Oct. 21-30. The statewide "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement sweep includes over 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies. It mirrors a May effort that generated more than 12,000 seat belt citations. Last year in Minnesota, 440 vehicle occupants died in traffic crashes and 225 of those were not wearing seat belts. During the last five years, 279 teen vehicle occupants ages 15-18 were killed — nearly 60% were not wearing seats belts. Teen crashes are a special concern as school activities ramp up and teens make more road trips to football games and other events. Teenagers are disproportionately represented in unbelted traffic deaths, according to Plymouth Police Officer Jon Christianson. "Young drivers and passengers most often neglect to buckle up. As a result, they are more often ejected and killed in crashes. We encourage parents of teens to set simple rules to ensure seat belt use, and that teens and their peers enforce those rules. If you're the driver, take control — don't start the car until everyone is buckled up," Christianson said. Christianson added, "We take getting people to buckle up very seriously because we understand the dynamics of a crash and see the resulting death and destruction first hand. Our job 10� is first to do our part to save lives. Unfortunately, that may mean some people receive a citation for failing to buckle up." This Safe & Sober enforcement campaign is part of the Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) initiative, a partnership led by the Minnesota Departments of Public Safety, Transportation and Health, and county engineers. TZD encourages local stakeholders to address traffic issues through education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma care response. 13 City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release October 18, 2006 Contact: Sara Lynn Cwayna Phone: 763-509-5198 PLYMOUTH POLICE OFFER HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS Halloween is a fun time for kids, but it is also an important time to be extra vigilant for possible safety hazards so that children have a fun and safe Halloween. Plymouth police offer tips on costume, trick -or - treating and candy safety. Costume Safety ■ Use make-up or face paint instead of masks. If masks are used, make sure that they fit properly and have holes large enough for mouth and eyes. ■ Choose costumes that are marked flame retardant. ■ Wear light-colored clothing at night. Make sure it is short enough to prevent tripping. Add reflective tape or reflectors to dark colored costumes. ■ Make props such as magic wands and swords out of cardboard rather than metal or wood. Trick or Treat Safety ■ Give and accept wrapped or packaged candy only. ■ Have children bring treats home for inspection by an adult before they eat them. ■ Accompany small and elementary school age children when they are trick -or -treating and send older children in groups. ■ Go out in daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay. ■ Watch the lights and look both ways before crossing the street. ■ Trick -or -treat in your own neighborhood. Stop only at the homes of people who you know. /N Pedestrian Safety Reminders for Kids ■ Walk -- don't run -- while trick -or -treating. ■ Stop at all corners. ■ Cross streets only at intersections and crosswalks. ■ Look both ways before crossing a street. ■ Never run into the street from between parked cars. Safety Tips for Motorists ■ Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. ■ Obey the crosswalk law. Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. ■ Watch for kids walking in the street or on medians and curbs. ■ Be prepared for kids who may dart into the street. /S City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release October 18, 2006 Contact: Margie Vigoren, 763.509.5081. Students work overtime to protect Gleason Lake A group of Gleason Lake Elementary School students are working overtime to protect Gleason Lake. But they're not working alone. They have recruited several area restaurants to join in their effort. By next spring, diners at Buffalo Wild Wings, Old Chicago Pizza, Noodles, Potbelly Sandwiches, Salsarita's and Umbria wi11 get a helping of water quality tips along with their entrde. Table tents, activity packs and take-home tip sheets will be available at these and other restaurants in the Gleason Lake watershed in time for spring lawn care to begin thanks to the students' efforts. The students' campaign will focus on lawn care practices, reducing runoff, curbing litter and the making the connection between lawns, streets and Gleason Lake, according to City of Plymouth Environmental Education Coordinator Margie Vigoren. Vigoren is working with the students to coordinate the effort. "While the students are targeting their own area, they are sending a message that applies to any watershed. Thanks to the participation of the restaurants they will reach people in the Gleason Lake area, but also a much wider audience," said Vigoren. What began last spring as a study in the school's nature center has grown to a full- fledged education campaign, aimed at teaching area residents some important facts about keeping Gleason and other Plymouth lakes clean. Moved by the sediment, litter and other pollutants that fouled the pond in their nature center, the four students volunteered to work on a plan to encourage others in the Gleason Lake watershed to take action to protect the lake. They worked throughout the summer to develop messages to share with the community. The high school -aged sister of one of the students has coordinated their visits to area restaurants to seek their help in getting their messages out. At a recent meeting, the Gleason Lake Improvement Association board of directors initiated a new membership category for their organization called Environmental Ambassadors. All five students who are spearheading the education campaign attended the meeting and were welcomed as members in that new category by unanimous vote and a round of applause. 1 7 City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release October 20, 2006 Contact: Dan Plekkenpol, 763.509.5187 Plymouth Police Cable Program, "Along for the Ride," Airs on Cable Channel 16 Plymouth residents can learn more about the work of their Police Department and programs available to citizens and businesses by watching the Plymouth Police Department's monthly cable television program "Along for the Ride." The program airs on Channel 16 in Plymouth on Thursdays at 12 p.m., Fridays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Police Officer Angela Haseman and Community Service Officer James Long host the show. "Along for the Ride" is produced at the studios of Northwest Community Television in Brooklyn Park with the help of the Senior Corps, a volunteer group that works with the Police Department. Each episode offers viewers a behind the scenes look at the work of the Plymouth Police Department. The October episode covers the Police Chaplain Corps and department training at the police range. Upcoming topics include holiday safety at home and Plymouth motor vehicle crash facts. The show will be adding new features, such as a "Department Highlights" section and answering viewer questions. If you would like to submit a question to the Police Department or offer a topic suggestion, please call the "Along for the Ride" voicemail at 763-509-5139. Guest Column for the Plymouth Sun -Sailor City to have open space, greenway question on November ballot By Eric Blank Plymouth Parks and Recreation Director When Plymouth voters cast their ballots on Nov. 7, they should be sure to turn over their ballot so they can vote on the City of Plymouth's ballot question on open space, parks and greenways. (The question will be on the same side of the ballot as judicial offices.) The question will ask voters whether the City should issue $9 million in general obligation bonds to buy land for open space preservation and parks. If a majority of people vote yes, it will authorize the City to issue bonds to purchase land for future open space, a community playfield, the Northwest Greenway and parks. A no vote is a vote against the bond issue. Plymouth has a tradition of acquiring land and setting it aside before development occurs. This has allowed the City to build an extensive park and trail system to serve the developed areas of Plymouth. The City is asking for authorization to issue bonds now because Northwest Plymouth, the last largely rural area of the city, is at a pivotal point as land buyers and sellers anticipate future development. As land becomes increasingly scarce, prices will increase. If voters approve the bond issue, the City will be able to buy land as it becomes available from willing sellers, maximizing the amount of land the City can purchase at today's cost. 1 9 Greenway: The Northwest Greenway Plan adopted in 2000 calls for the City to acquire trees and open space in a 2 '/Z mile long corridor that runs from the wetland complex near Wayzata High School on the west to Lake Camelot on the east. The Greenway's width would vary from 50' to 300'. The greenway will preserve trees and open space, enhance wildlife corridors and provide long distance recreational opportunities for residents as trails are developed and linked to regional trails. Playfield: The City would also use a portion of the funds from the bond issue to buy land for the City's 10th community playfield. This playfield will be needed in the future to meet increased demand for youth athletics facilities as Northwest Plymouth develops. Open Space: The City would also use funds to purchase environmentally significant pieces of land as they become available from willing sellers. The Cost: The cost to a residential homeowner for a 15 -year bond issue is roughly $1 a month for 15 years for each $100,000 of taxable market value of his/her home. For example, the owner of a $250,000 home would pay $26 a year or $2.17 a month in increased property taxes. The owner of a $400,000 home would pay $42 a year or $3.50 a month. To learn more, I encourage Plymouth voters to read the publication which the City mailed in early October, read the City newsletter that was mailed the week of Oct. 23 or visit the City web site at www.ci.plymouth.mn.us. ,r 'one. m ( MU EA.POUS - ST. PAUL MINNE OTAi Last update: October 16, 2006 — 8:10 PM Part 1: Property taxes hitting home Once a relatively stable cost of owning a home, property taxes are bulking up at a steroid -like pace for many Minnesotans. With more increases to come, homeowners have no relief in sight. Mike Meyers and Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune Reeling from your latest property -tax estimate? You're not alone. Minnesota residential property taxes have entered an era of overdrive and are on pace to double every six years. From 2002 through 2006, residential property taxes in the state bounded up an average of 58 percent -- nearly three times the 21 percent gain in personal income in that same period, according to a Star Tribune analysis of state records. That's more than quadruple the pace of 1997 to 2001, when residential property taxes rose 12 percent while personal income climbed 27 percent. Both urban and rural counties are feeling the shocks, and new reverberations will be felt over the next month, as preliminary notices for 2007's taxes go out in the mail. Homeowners such as Dick Kleinbaum are feeling caught in a "squeeze play."I'm watching the inflation rate at 3 or 4 percent, and I'm watching my tax rate rise at 17, 23 and 27 percent," said Kleinbaum, 62, who bought a boarded -up house near downtown St. Paul in 1979 and since has turned it into a showpiece. "If things persist on the track we're on, the middle class is going to have to start screaming foul." Residential property taxes in the past four years have climbed at nearly triple the increase in personal incomes in Hennepin County, and at nearly five times the pace of income gains in Ramsey County. Outstate, property taxes rose at three to four times the pace of income in 19 additional counties. The situation was worse in Freeborn and Marshall counties, where property taxes outpaced income gains by five and six times, respectively. Minnesotans are on track to pay about $1.6 billion more in residential real estate taxes in 2007 than they did in 2002. For the average household, that means about $800 more next year than they paid five years ago -- or more than double the $348 income-tax break they received when the state cut its income taxes in 1999-2000. Some wonder how long the trend can continue. "Is it sustainable?" asked Tom May, the Hennepin County assessor. "When you look at the numbers, you'd have to say no." Tilting the burden The property tax surge wasn't supposed to happen. The changes in state law that have fueled the phenomenon were expected to lower the average residential property burden. For one year, 2002, they did. Then the climb began. Runaway local spending isn't to blame. Cities and counties this year will spend only about 14 percent more than they did four years ago. Residential property taxes have climbed at four times that pace. In part, that's because a housing boom pushed up the value of residential property at a far faster pace than commercial and industrial real estate during the past four years. But it's more directly a result of three changes in state tax law that have left community governments relying more heavily on homeowners for revenue as other sources have receded. What were the three changes? • The Legislature in 2001 lowered taxes on commercial property. The idea was to improve the business climate and reduce taxes that state researchers said ultimately are passed along to customers, employees and shareholders. The effect was a shift from a "hidden tax" on companies to residential tax increases that were glaringly obvious. • Lawmakers decided in 2001 that beginning the next year the state would pick up school costs once paid by local property taxes, then allowed aid for schools to ebb in the years that followed. School boards were left with little choice but to trim spending, bring in more tax money or both. • The state in 2003 cut homestead aid to many cities. The move helped to balance the state budget. But cities were left with the choice of cutting services or raising taxes to make up for lower levels of state reimbursement for homestead credits granted to homeowners. Assessing the impact How did those changes play out? Residential property in Hennepin County (excluding apartments) went from about 60 percent of the total property tax base in 2002 to 70 percent projected for 2007, according to the assessor's office. Commercial/industrial property has fallen from 28 percent to 21 percent during that same period. For Hennepin County businesses, the shift meant that property taxes on average fell 1.6 percent from 2002 through 2006, even as taxes rose 51 percent on homesteads and 129 percent on non -homestead residential property (excluding apartments). Viewed from another angle, the tax bill on a $152,000 median -value home in St. Paul this year would be $1,567 -- $641 more than in 2002. According to the Ramsey County auditor's office, $203 of that increase was the direct result of local taxpayers making up for lost revenue sharing, lost homestead credit and other shifts in the tax burden. More than half of the remainder was the result of higher school taxes. In many cases, voters approved the increases at the polls. From 2002 through 2006, revenue sharing to Ramsey County declined by more than $10 million, while state homestead tax credits fell by $7 million. The county approved a 5 percent property tax increase for this year and is proposing a 6 percent increase for 2007. Current law caps how fast individual property tax bills can rise, but that brake is scheduled to expire in four years. The result is that of the three major taxes collected in Minnesota -- income, sales and property'-- the tax on residential real estate is the only one on a steady upward trajectory while also being the least tied to a person's ability to pay. "Somehow, there will have to be a rebalancing of the three major taxes," said Lee Munnich, senior fellow at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute. Getting squeezed For Russell Rathbun and his wife, Jeanne DiMeglio, the property tax bite has significantly outpaced the growth in market value of their St. Paul home, as well as the growth of their earnings. This year, they'll pay about $1,100 in property taxes -- 130 percent more than they paid five years ago. The estimated market value of their home -- $172,000 — has increased 95 percent in that same period. Rathbun, 41, a minister at House of Mercy in St. Paul, just got his first cost -of -living wage increase in four years. "The federal government can make cuts that put a great burden on state government, which makes cuts, which then puts the burden on the city, and then on the property owners," he said. "The fault all around is made up by individual families." Larry LaBonte and his wife, Kathryn Shaw, are small-business owners who were "cash -poor but house - rich" in the past, having looked on their previous three homes as savings accounts. In 1994, they bought a house on White Bear Lake that was sold as a tear -down. Twelve years later, the home's estimated market value has more than tripled to $880,000. The couple's property tax has gone up $2,400 -- 58 percent -- in the past five years, while the taxable value of their home has risen nearly 80 percent in that period. On paper, LaBonte is still coming out ahead, but FOA, he's unhappy with the trend. "I never objected to paying taxes because they're for the benefit of the community, a way to gauge our sense of compassion," said LaBonte, 54. "Having said that, I don't think property taxes are a fair way to fund community institutions, education in particular. The fairer taxation really is on income. If we were being taxed on our income, we'd be paying a lot more." 'Out of touch' assessments Greg Murphy of Shoreview jokes that property taxes "have been my obsession for the last 15 years." He believes current assessments are based on market values set at the peak of the housing boom, leaving people paying taxes on values that no longer exist. He and his wife, Sharron, built their house in 1974 for about $45,000. Property taxes have increased 50 percent in the past five years, keeping pace with the home's taxable market value. But Murphy thinks the value is out of whack with reality. The home currently is assessed at $280,000. While it was on the market last fall, the highest bid was $260,000, he said. "Something's wrong here. They're completely out of touch," he said of assessed values. When he unsuccessfully challenged the assessment, he learned his home had been compared with ones in Roseville rather than any in his neighborhood. Murphy, 69, who works at a Twin Cities brokerage, said he sees a tax revolt coming. "There has to be. Otherwise, we'll go broke at this rate." Similar sentiments are being expressed across the country. Ten states have cut, or are proposing to pare, property taxes in the face of taxpayer ire, according to a national survey by USA Today. Nearly four of 10 Americans consider property taxes the "worst" state or local tax -- nearly twice the number who single out income or sales taxes, according to a survey this year by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group based in Alexandria, Va. Worse to come? Last year, separate efforts were made by Republicans and Democrats to provide Minnesotans with property tax relief. Both failed. Even if the Legislature takes action next year, coming demographic changes threaten to make it difficult for lawmakers to avoid presiding over a steady diet of property tax increases in the future. The population of Minnesotans over age 65 is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead -- from less than 600,000 in 2000 to nearly 800,000 in 2015. By 2030, the state is expected to be home to nearly 700,000 more seniors than it had in 2000. As people retire, their incomes fall, so they typically pay less in income and sales taxes. Minnesota state economist Tom Stinson provided examples of how the surge in the retiree population could affect government revenue. A couple who once had an annual income of $65,000 might live on $45,000 in retirement, and pay $2,695 less in annual income and sales taxes as a result, Stinson demonstrated. That's a decline of 58 percent. A couple with a pre -retirement income of $35,000 could see their income and sales tax bills fall 72 percent. What would be left to government as a rising source of revenue in such an environment? The third leg of the tax stool — property taxes. "Our current tax system produces a substantially larger percentage decline in tax liability" as the population ages, Stinson said. "That means, other things being equal, that there's going to be further financial stress in the future and that there's going to be increasing pressure on the property tax." Inherent instability Jay Kiedrowski, senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute and the commissioner of finance in the administration of former Gov. Rudy Perpich, said the state has "an inherently unstable tax system."It's easy to do the [government] finances in good times and nearly impossible in bad times," Kiedrowski said. George Karvel, real estate professor at the University of St. Thomas, said he foresees the possibility that soaring tax bills could prompt a Minnesota taxpayer revolt, much like California's "Proposition 13" in the late '70s, which imposed a cap on property taxes. "I think that's where we're going to be heading in Minnesota," Karvel said. "You're laying the foundation for significant taxpayer unrest." Kleinbaum, the owner of the St. Paul fixer -upper who has been watching his property taxes increase at a double-digit clip, would like to see a revolt if the cost of owning a home doesn't moderate but said he's not optimistic that there will be a change. "Taxes are complex issues," he said. "It's a whole lot easier to watch 'Dancing with the Stars.'" meyers@startribune.com • 612-673-1746 jcrosby@startrib.u. ne com • 612-673-7335 02006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. a�/ sCa!^mbUne.com MINNEAPOLIS -ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA + More news graphics SLICING THE TAX PIE Residential property taxes are soaring — not only for individual taxpayers but as a share of local government budgets. In Hennepin County, as elsewhere in Minnesota, the trend has been driven by changes in tax law and a hot residential real estate market that has pushed up the value of homes far faster than commercial/industrial property. HENNEPINCOUNTY 2002 Total taxes payable $920 million Residential: 59.6% Apai 10.3 Commercial/ Industrial: 27.6% Source: Hennepin County her/ personal: 2.5% 2007 Total taxes payable $1.48 billion Residential: 69.8 FJA Commercial/ Industrial: 21.4% 6.8 Other/ personal: 2% Star Tribune Controls: Use the right mouse button (pc) or control/click (mac) to magnify or print image © 2006 Star Tribune All rights reserved. of 1 10/16/2006 11:06 AM StarTrIbunexom 1 MWNEAPOLIS -ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA + More news graphic Mm yformsofMinnsdaaidtoloWiheshavebeenonthedeclineas the We struu& to balance fts budget without tear inawes, As a result, residenfiialta*iyers are paying an evej�hoer chunk ofthe bdi for IoW governmermt.InHennepin County, property taxes rose some $300midionwerthe pastfouryears —with resider ialproperty owners picking up the tab. HENNEPINC0UNTY(0R055TAX) AIASANACREDITE Source:iiennepinC=ty StarThbum Controls: Use the right mouse button (pc) or control/click (mac) to magnify or print image © 2006 Star Tribune All rights reserved. SAt9.2MbUne.00M 1 MINNEAPOLIS -ST, PAUL, MINNESOTA + More news graphic Ocie form of revenue sharing has been on a downward trend in Minnesotainrecent years. So-called"fiscaldisparities"payments — a 35 -year-old prograrn to "share the wealth" of the commercial/ industrial pro tytaxbase peaked for Ramsey County eight years ago. That leaves Ramsey relying more on residential prey taxpayers to finance county government $150 r F--1998: $138.5 Million 7'5 7== -U-. • •. • '• it i M 1 ! ! i. Souxce;Rammycounty StarTabune Controls: Use the right mouse button (pc) or control/click (mac) to magnify or print image © 2006 Star Tribune All rights reserved. 9? z .... i ,coI m- E O STT.? iu ., MI=NxEESOTA + More news graphic UP, UPM AWAY Residential property tax increase, by county, 2002-2006 0 81%-105% Source:Ati wataAeputimttofRev m Star'ffilrm Controls: Use the right mouse button (pc) or control/click (mac) to magnify or print image © 2006 Star Tribune All rights reserved. M Otaff ribunsocom ; MHgNEAP 01n - ST. PAUL MIIrdNE� ' Last update: October 16, 2006 — 8:13 PM Part 2: From free to fee Property taxes tell only part of the story as fees become a larger component of what homeowners must pay each year. Mike Meyers and Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune David and Stephanie Maggitt moved into their Golden Valley home nearly 20 years ago. Since then, its estimated market value has doubled, while their property taxes have increased 25 percent. But their real inflation story lies in a different set of numbers. This year, the Maggitts will pay $1,095 in city property taxes and more than one-third of that amount again in fees. They'll shell out $32 for recycling, $15 to maintain the streetlight outside their front door, $84 for storm - water drainage, $204 for sanitary sewer and $6.36 that the city will collect from them for a new state lead - testing program. If David Maggitt joins the over -40 basketball league at the nearby community center, it'll cost him $3 a night. And if the family microwave goes on the blink, he'll have to haul it himself to the county recycling center and pay $15 to keep it out of the landfill. "Schools are strapped for cash, and kids are forced to work to pay [for] football and other sports. A person could be out $500 just on fees alone," David Maggitt said. Property tax bills in Minnesota come due every May and October, but those statements are telling less and less of the story in explaining the cost of government. A growing number of public services now come with a separate fee, creating something of a cafeteria system in which property taxes pay for the basics but other services come a la carte. This year, state and local governments will charge Minnesotans more than $2.2 billion in this manner, and not a penny of it will be called a tax. In 2004, the most recent year for which comparative data are available, fees imposed by Minnesota cities amounted to 81 cents for every $1 in property taxes collected per person, according to the state Department of Revenue. Fees and charges represented nearly 24 percent of Minnesota city government revenue per resident that year. Meanwhile, the share of city budgets supported by state grants fell by 16 percent. Observers agree that the imposition of fees has been picking up speed in the two years since, as public officials struggle to balance budgets in the face of falling state aid. "More and more cities are looking at whether it makes sense to use fees to pay for things that have traditionally been financed by property taxes," said Gary Carlson of the League of Minnesota Cities, which has surveyed its more than 800 member cities for the past three years to see how they are reacting to financial strains. Running the gamut The fees are being imposed at the state, county and city level and come in all sizes, from a 35 -cent environmental fee on a pair of pants picked up at the dry cleaner to the "granny tax" — a $2,800 state fee on nursing home care for people paying their own way. In some cases, the fees are based on usage, in others not. A single person living in a bungalow pays less for water than a large family with a swimming pool. But a driver's license costs everyone the same, regardless of whether a Minnesotan drives 400 miles a week or 40. What doesn't vary is that most fees take no account of a person's ability to pay. Patrick Born, Minneapolis finance director, said cities have been forced to find new sources of revenue to reconcile state aid cuts with popular demand that city services remain unchanged. "if expenses continue to grow and taxes are limited, then governments look to fees to fill the gap, if they're not going to reduce expenses," Born said. WE i In Minneapolis, city fees came to an average $320 per resident as of 2004, according to a report released this year by the state Department of Revenue. In St. Paul, the total was $327 per person. Statewide, fees ranged from $100 to $364 per person. Those figures don't include fees for sewer, water, trash collection and other services, which government accounting lumps into a category all their own. In Minneapolis, residents pay a fee for electricity, gas and cable television. St. Paul charges similar fees but also collects a fee if paramedics take you to the hospital by ambulance. Fast-growing suburban communities now charge developers cul-de-sac fees or swimming -pool fees -- costs that get passed along to home buyers. Perhaps the best-known fee was imposed in 2005 -- a 75 -cent -per -pack levy on cigarettes intended to raise $400 million for the state. Lawmakers argued over whether to label the cigarette initiative a tax or a fee; regardless of the name, smokers had to pay. The semantics matter, however. Unlike state income and local property taxes, taxpayers can't deduct the cost of a fee from their federal income taxes. A dollar in state income or property tax might really cost a Minnesotan about 70 cents, thanks to the associated federal tax deduction. But a dollar in fees costs a dollar. Casting wider net Supporters of user fees counter that they spread the costs of government services across a wider base, because hospitals, churches, schools and other nonprofits are exempt from property taxes but not from fees. The city of Maplewood is a case in point. Facing a double-digit increase in the property tax for 2007, city leaders instead decided to raise nearly $1 million by adding an electric -utility charge. If Xcel Energy approves the plan, the city will raise its residential property tax by about 4.4 percent, instead of 11 percent, said interim city manager Greg Copeland. "Some entities that aren't now paying will have to make a small contribution to pay for public services. But we think that's a positive for homeowners," Copeland said. Others fear there is a long-term price to be paid for the shift toward having government rely more on fees. Peter Fischer, who heads the city -appointed Parks and Recreation Commission in Maplewood, opposes the utility fee and said he has "serious reservations" about imposing fees for recreation programs and other community activities. "I have a daughter in tennis, a son who plays baseball, another daughter who plays volleyball," Fischer said. "Sometimes I don't see as much diversity [on the teams] as there is in our community. It raises the question: Is it because of the pricing? As you start raising prices, you lock out certain people who can't afford it." mey_ers@startribune.com• 612-673-1746 j_c_.ros a�startribune.com. • 612-673-7335 02006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. 30 arTribufle.Dom 1 MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL MINI�ESC}TA Last update: October 14, 2006 — 11:43 PM Editorial: Don't blame locals for property tax hikes State caps on local property taxes aren't justified. Many Minnesotans have property taxes on their minds today — and not just because Oct. 15 is this state's traditional second -half due date for payments to local governments. (Don't panic: Given that today's a Sunday, the effective due date shifts to Monday.) Property taxes also have returned to the state's political front burner, after a several -year hiatus. DFLers are reminding voters that four years ago, candidate Tim Pawlenty said he opposed cutting state aid to cities because it would increase property taxes. Then, faced with the need to balance a budget that was $4.5 billion in the red in 2003, Pawlenty signed into law a one-third cut in state aid to cities. A portion of that cut was restored in 2005. Still, this year cities and counties in Minnesota are receiving about $100 million less in state assistance than they received in 2002. As candidate Pawlenty predicted they would, property taxes went up after the 2003 cuts. In many places, homeowners saw double-digit year-to-year increases, as a shift in tax burdens away from business property in 2001 and a surge in home prices combined with state aid cuts to raise homeowners' tax bills. In addition, a state change made homes carry a bigger share of the increases in school operating levies being authorized by voters in many districts. The additional burden on homeowners has made property taxes an obvious target of opportunity for DFLers. To the DFL's tax swipes, Pawlenty's TV ads have an answer: 'There's more to do, like putting a cap on property taxes. Mike Hatch opposes it. I'll fight for it." Those words have city and county officials wincing — for good reason. The governor seems to be serving notice that if he's reelected, a policy fight that local governments won on the merits in 2005 might be coming back. That year, cities and counties won the right to conduct their fiscal affairs without the shackles of state - imposed caps, levy limits or new voter permission requirements. Local officials were able to demonstrate to the Legislature's satisfaction that they are not given to wanton or irresponsible spending. In fact, local spending has grown at a slower rate than the state's for many years. That may be because the locals operate under a structure with more built-in accountability to the voters than state officials face. Schools, cities, counties and townships must set their levies anew each year — there's no automatic increase, such as the income tax provides. Local governments must serve advance notice of tax increases with mailed statements to taxpayers. A mechanism for taxpayer feedback and appeals is available in every jurisdiction. Nothing similar exists at the state level. Pawlenty can't fairly blame cities and counties for the property tax increases that have occurred on his watch. And he shouldn't aim to ease that burden by meddling in local fiscal affairs. ©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects UUpdated 10/16/2006 3:52 PM Pae 1 Engineenng'PmjectslProject Tracking12005t p 9 3 Act_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_10_16_(SHORTFORM) (2).xis Total Cost Proj. or CIP Type of Staff No. Proj. Proj. Descp. Assn Consult Est. Actual Current Notes Active Public Improvement Projects 1013 S Fernbrook Ln. - 27th to DC/DMC SRF $3,500,000 SRF Consulting Group, Inc. designated as engineer. 34th - Design & ROW Engineering Agreement approved. Begin Preliminary Design. Public Information meeting held 4/27/06. Representatives of four properties in attendance. Staff determined watermain replacement. Approval from Bassett Creek Watershed has been received. Right of way acquisition in progress. Final plan approval requested from MnDOT. 4141 S Petition Project - 47th Ave DC/BB SRF $215,000 City Council awarded contract to R.P. Utilities, Inc. Street & Utilities 8/9/05. Preconstruction meeting was held 8/10/05. Utilities are installed. Street to be built in Spring 2006. Concrete curb and aggregate base installed. Bituminous base installed, bituminous wear and punch list items remain to be completed. 5102 S CR 101, CR 6 to CR 24 DC Henn. $17,000,000 Preliminary layout of CR 101 approved by City Co. Council on 10/11/05. The plan is 30% complete. Met with Hennepin County 4/4/06. City staff will do engineering for watermain replacement. Meeting with Oakwood Elementary school 6/1/06. EAW comments received and approved by County. The plan is 60% complete. 5122 S CR 24, Olive Ln. to 32nd DC Henn. $2,500,000 Avenue Co. Preliminary layout approved by City Council 6/14/05. Construction scheduled for 2008. Design in progress. Received Draft Layout 2/21/06. Met with Hennepin County design staff on 5/2/06. City staff will do design engineering for watermain replacement. Met with utility companies on 5/24/06. Received draft plan on 5/23/06. City watermain replacement plan completed and submitted to the County. 6101 S 2006 Reconstruction JR N/A $4,370,000 Project complete with the exception of minor punchlist Project - Bass Lake, Lost items. Assessment hearing will be on October 24, Lake, and Hemlock Lane 2006. 6108 S Intersection Imp. - CR 47 & RB $1,000,000 Howard R. Green is working on a final design. CR 61 6110 P 10th Avenue Trail Project RB $37,000 Construction is 99.1 % complete, awaiting two signs. 5111 SS Sewer Capacity Imp. RB/SN HRG $450,000 Staff reviewed televised pipes and significant I & I Downstream from issues upstream which could be resolved with pipe Lancaster Lift Sta. lininq. 6121 SS Line Sanitary Sewer Main - RB/SN $300,000 City is reviewing video from Terra Engineering. Annual Program 3108 W Vicksburg Reservoir & DC BRA $5,600,000 Reservoir 100% complete. Pumping Station 100% Pumping Station complete. Pumping station and reservoir in operation. Site restoration in progress. Final payment approved for Reservoir contract 5110 W Water System Pressure RB HRG $100,000 per HRG working on Preliminary Engineering Report. Enhancements vear for 5 years 3105 WR Plymouth Creek Channel SM/DT $325,000 Survey and soil testing completed. Water quality model to evaluate options. Barr Engineering finished Feasibility Study, discussed at recent watershed commission meeting. Preliminary Design will be next phase, and exploring funding for the project. UUpdated 10/16/2006 3:52 PM Pae 1 Engineenng'PmjectslProject Tracking12005t p 9 3 Act_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_10_16_(SHORTFORM) (2).xis City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects 33 Updated 10/16/2006 3:52 PM Page 2 Engineering\Projects\Projecl Tracking120051 p g Acl_Pnong Proj_Rpt_10_t6_(SHORTFORM) (2).xls Total Cost Proj. or CIP Type of Staff No. Proj. Proj. Descp. Assn Consult Est. Actual Current Notes 4135 WR CR 61/CR 9 Erosion Site DC BRA $350,000 Options and estimated costs received 10/27/05. Met with Three Rivers Park District and Hennepin County to discuss options 11/21/05. Three options considered. Draft report reviewed and revised. Additional concerns raised by Three Rivers staff. Consultant directed to investigate drainage concerns south of County Road 9. Engineering proposal being reviewed by Three Rivers staff. Three Rivers requesting City to proceed with additional investigations south of County Road 9. Cost sharing and future maintenance agreement being discussed. Meeting held 7/26/06 to discuss downstream drainage issues with Three Rivers Parks staff. Three Rivers preparing draft agreement for review. The City has applied for additional funding through BWSER. 6103 WR Repair Erosion - Wood DT/JR $100,000 Newsletter sent to area residents. Survey has been Crk. completed and preliminary design in progress. Selection of Wenck Associates, Inc. approved by City Council 8/8/06. Trees have been marked and preliminary plans sent to Reservoir. 6113 WR Repair Erosion - Conor DT $45,000 Preliminary site inspections conducted. Work to start Meadows (Design Only) with improvement north of Schmidt Lake Road. Survey has been completed and preliminary design is in progress. Met with residents 8/1/06 at site for walking tour. 6115 WR Drainage Imp. - Between SN $100,000 Work is 66% complete. Limited restoration will take 38th & 39th - W of Harbor place this year and we will re -budget to finish in the 8019 WR Mooney Lake Pump DT/SM $15,742 Emergency pumping plan for 2006 is in place. Project Pending 'Public lmprovement Projects W-5 W Watermain - CR Dependent on development. 47/Cheshire to Vicksburg W-6 W Watermain - CR Dependent on development. 47/Cheshire Watermain, Vicksburg CR 47 to Schmidt Lk Rd t� .�eiyel - --- Re �� ��✓� rhe 33 Updated 10/16/2006 3:52 PM Page 2 Engineering\Projects\Projecl Tracking120051 p g Acl_Pnong Proj_Rpt_10_t6_(SHORTFORM) (2).xls DATE: October 17, 2006 TO: Cobert oran Cote, P.E., Director of Public Works FROM: Moberg, P.E., City Engineer SUBJECT: 2007 COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN ATTENDANCE FOR ONE OF FOUR BRIEFING MEETINGS Attached is a letter from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and a summary explaining the key elements of the 2007 Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan. I am requesting that any councilmember interested in attending one of the four briefings, listed on the attached letter, contact me and I will be happy to attend that meeting with them. They can reach me by phone at (763) 509-5525, or by email at bmobergga,ci.plymouth.mn.us. Attachments: Letter from Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Summary of 2007 Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan 3q 0:\Engineering\GENERAL\MEMOS\BOB\InfoMemo_2007 ComprehensiveWtrPlan.doc Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Improving Quality of Water, Quality of Life Established in 1967 The Minnehaha Creek 10/5/2006 Watershed District is . Dear Partner in Watershed Management: committed to a leadership role in The Board of Managers at Minnehaha Creek Watershed District recently approved its Draft 2007 Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan. protecting, improving, Prepared to meet the requirements established by Minnesota Statutes and managing the 10313.231 and Minnesota Rules 8410, the Plan will help communities guide water resource management for the coming decade. surface waters and affiliated groundwater I am enclosing a summary that explains key elements of the Plan. The Plan was developed in partnership with residents and officials from local resources within the communities, who attended more than 100 community meetings. This input District, including their helped the District shape its goals, both for the watershed as a whole, as well relationships to the as specific water quality goals for 62 lakes within the District. In keeping with the District's history of leadership and innovation, the Plan incorporates ecosystems of which they extensive scientific study. It creates a framework for results -based regulation, are an integral part, and takes a leadership role in addressing federal mandates for impaired waters. Local comprehensive plans must address the resources of the through regulation, watershed in a manner that is consistent with the District's plan. capital projects, MCWD welcomes public comments on its Water Resources Management education, cooperative Plan. I encourage you to review the summary and, if you would like to learn endeavors, and other more, to visit www.minnehahacreek.oriz, where you can read and download the entire plan or any of the thirteen sub -watershed chapters. From there, you programs based on can send comments via an electronic form. sound science, I would also like to explain the plan and answer your questions in person. innovative thinking, an Please plan to attend one of 4 briefings about the plan: informed and engaged 0 Thursday, October 26, 6:30 — 8:00 PM (appetizers will be served) constituency, and the MCWD offices, 18202 Minnetonka Blvd, Deephaven • Tuesday, October 31, 7:30 — 9:00 AM (breakfast will be served) cost effective use of public Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd funds. • Thursday, November 2, 7:30 — 9:00 AM (breakfast will be served) The Gillespie Center, 2590 Commerce Blvd, Mound • Thursday, November 9, 7:30 — 9:00 AM (breakfast will be served) Calhoun Beach Club, 2925 Dean Parkway, Minneapolis If possible, lease RSVP to Marci Wallingford at Minnehaha Creek P , P g ,� co Watershed District, 952.471.0590 or marciw minnehahacreek.org at=•leas�t� one week before the briefing(s) you wish to attend. 18202 Minnetonka Boulevard, Deephaven Minnesota 55391 • Phone: 952-471-0590 • Fax 952-471-0682 • www.minnehahacreek.org If you are unable to attend a briefing, District staff is always happy to answer your questions or to come to your community with a brief presentation about the plan. Contact Mike Wyatt, District Planner, at 952.471.0590 x204 or mwyattLbminnehahacreek.org. You may also submit comments to Mike by Email or voice mail, or in writing on or before November 21, 2006. Thank you for your efforts to conserve Minnehaha Creek, Lake Minnetonka, and the other valuable resources of the watershed. I look forward to working with you as we implement important new measures to manage and improve our waters in the coming decade. Sincerely, James B. Calkins President, MCWD Board of Managers 3 C PURPOSE Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan is a ten year update required by state law (MN Statutes 1038.231, MN Rules, Chapter 8410). The Plan continues the District's long term activities to conserve and manage water and related natural resources in the 181 square miles drained by Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Creek. DEFINED BY SCIENCE, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Based, in part, upon five years of extensive scientific studies and more than 100 meetings with residents and stakeholders to identify community values and establish goals for 62 water bodies in the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD), the Plan addresses emerging challenges posed by federal Clean Water Act requirements for "impaired waters" - those with quality too poor for their designated uses (aquatic life, consumption, and/or recreation). PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES With its 2006 Plan, MCWD steps away from a 'one size fits all' regulatory approach to a performance management structure. This new structure will allow more flexibility in managing water resources for the District's 29 partner cities and townships, Hennepin and Carver Counties, and local and regional parks. The Plan defines achievable outcomes, identifies preferred methods, provides technical expertise, lists capital improvements, and sets the stage for regulatory changes. Under the Plan, local governments (which must adopt their own water management plans) can determine how they will accomplish the water management goals for their community, and how much involvement they want from the MCWD in water management activities. 3-7 Fee" - REM tion to More than Double; (e Conservation Critical The Plan'adc development within the,D titan Council forecasts that the 7ithin District boundaries will )utile between 2000 and 2030, ont 300,000 to 678,000 people. .resses impacts from and redevelopment of lands istrict. It lays out a strategy to: Maintain, and improve the quality of ground 1. �i r +IlF'If JW- Uley se Low Impact Development Techniques to limit impervious surfaces and minimize effects of development'and redevelopment l � i- — Conserve and restore natural Usystems and habitat Identify and implement best management practices such as more frequent.sweeping of l� city streets and installation of community rain gardens. District -Established TMDLs The Plan reflects MCWD's science -based approach to water management and its work with state and federal governments to refine water quality goals. Federal requirements mandate that local governments address waters identified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as impaired through Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) studies and plans. The MCWD is taking a leadership role in addressing this issue through its Plan, which lays out a watershed -wide framework for addressing lake and stream impairments. The District will complement local efforts with its own capital improvements, as well as regulatory changes to prevent further degradation. By defining pollutant -reduction strategies and implementing monitoring programs for impaired lakes, the Plan assures consistent practices among communities that share receiving waters, and it reduces associated costs for individual communities. The plan seeks to reduce regulatory burdens by integrating local plans with communities' Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, helping local governments meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements. 36 New Focus on Outcomes In its 2006 Plan, MCWD moves from a traditional stormwater management approach, which stressed detention and conveyance facilities, to comprehensive watershed management. This method adds innovative techniques that treat stormwater as a resource instead of a waste product. Based on current research and practices, the Plan encourages infiltration, plant uptake of stormwater, and other techniques to reduce downstream pollutant loading, erosion and flooding. One proposal, subject to public review and Board approval, would treat the first inch of every rainfall on site, managing 70 percent of local precipitation runoff. The resulting increased infiltration would support existing aquifers, wetlands and streams. Most Valuable is Most Conserved The Plan ties wetland regulation to wetland function, and suggests additional safeguards for those that function best. The Plan also encourages incentives for conserving undisturbed native vegetation and habitats. District as a Partner.- Projects artner:Projects Address Multiple Priorities Subject to biannual review by Hennepin and Carver Counties, the Plan includes MCWD's 10 -year capital improvement program. High-priority projects serve multiple objectives and help local communities achieve pollution reduction goals. They include: Conservation and restoration of high quality wetlands and habitat areas Stabilization of eroded stream banks Infiltration, detention and pretreatment facilities District -funded surveys, studies and conservation strategies Public Process May Lead to Revised Rules The Plan sets the stage for MCWD's Board of Managers to consider and adopt future rule revisions. Rule revisions will go through an additional public review process after the Plan is approved and may incorporate the following concepts: Vegetation surveys and stormwater management plans (removing remove the first inch of rainfall at the site) prior to preliminary plat submission Natural Resource Inventories and Conservation Plans, conserving undisturbed, minimally disturbed, or high -restoration -potential areas wherever possible Wetland values and functions assessments related to proposed wetland impacts, with mitigation for fill-in areas and preservation of high -function wetlands ,k Analysis and review of groundwater impacts where potential degradation might occur from connecting surface waters Steps to minimize erosion and sediment t. impacts, such as maintaining stream corridors, preserving existing trees, and minimizing steep slopes, cuts and fills. 39 MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT 2006 COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GOALS This Plan is the MCWD's fourth, prepared in compliance with Minnesota Statutes 103B.231 and MN Rules Chapter 8410. It addresses key problems identified through scientific studies and public participation, and works to achieve 17 goals established by the MCWD Board of Managers: ZY 0 PLM MOUTH FIRE -RESCUE PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT 3400 PlymouthBoulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 763-509-5120 FIRE -RESCUE INCIDENT OF INTEREST DATE: 10/16/06 TIME: 3:23 p.m. ADDRESS: I-494 South of Hwy. 55 DETAILS: The Department was dispatched to a reported personal injury accident involving a semi truck/trailer and a passenger vehicle. First arriving, Captain Evenson reported entrapment of the truck driver and the incident was upgraded to a General Alarm. Duty Crew Engine 21 (Hendrickson, Nordby, Evans, Marti) began to disentangle the patient by removing the driver's side door. Rescue 11 (Sheldon, Carlson, D. Fasching) assisted the engine crew with removing the patient from the truck. Other responding units were staged off the interstate. The patient was removed from the vehicle six minutes following fire department arrival. Twenty Plymouth fire personnel responded to this incident (on -scene and stand-by). RESPONSE TIME: 6 minutes FIRE ORIGIN/CAUSE: ESTIMATED FIRE LOSS: P.F.D. RESPONDING UNITS: ASSISTING AGENCIES: Engine Companies: E-21 EMS: Yes Ladder Companies: A-21 Red Cross: No Support Units: Salvation Army: No Rescue Companies: R-11, R-21 Public Works: No Chief Officers: C-1, C-2 State Fire Marshal: No Mutual Aid: Henn. Fire Invest. Team: No SECTOR OFFICERS: Chief Kline (Command), Captain Evenson (Rescue Group). 41 MINUTES OF THE QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE SUBURBAN RATE AUTHORITY October 11, 2006 Pursuant to due call and notice, the quarterly meeting of the Suburban Rate Authority was held at the Public Safety Building, City of Mound, 2415 Wilshire Boulevard, commencing at 11:30 a.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER: Executive Committee Chair, Gene Dietz, opened the meeting and roll call was taken. 2. ROLL CALL: Bloomington Brooklyn Park Burnsville Chanhassen Circle Pines Columbia Heights Eden Prairie Edina Golden Valley Minnetonka Mound Plymouth Robbinsdale Spring Park Woodbury Bob Cockriel Gary Brown Charlie Crichton Laurie Hokkanen Jim Keinath Bruce Nawrocki Gene Dietz John Wallin Jeannine Clancy Desyl Peterson Pat Meisel Doran Cote Richard McCoy Sarah Friesen Nick Koktavy Also present was legal counsel for the SRA, Jim Strommen of Kennedy and Graven. It was determined that a quorum of SRA votes was present to transact business. 3. APPROVAL OF JULY MEETING MINUTES. The meeting minutes, having been previously circulated, were approved as amended by a motion of Mr. Crichton, seconded by Ms. Peterson, and passed unanimously. 4. REPORTS OF OFFICERS: Mr. Wallin reported on the financial status of the SRA. The financial statement ending September 30, 2006 was circulated and reflected that a small surplus had been reestablished for year-end 2006. Mr. Wallin noted that three cities were yet to pay the second half 2006 assessments. Follow-up notices had been sent to those cities. Mr. Brown moved to accept the report of Mr. Wallin. Ms. Meisel seconded the motion which passed unanimously. 299765v1 JMS SU160-3 `/ 5. COMMUNICATIONS. Mr. Strommen reported that he had met with Pat Cline, newly - appointed Xcel Director of Governmental Relations. Mr. Cline has been a representative of Xcel in government relations for a number of years. He expressed a desire to meet with the SRA board and listen to their concerns regarding performance of Xcel in public improvement projects involving utility relocation or installation. He has offered to meet with the SRA at its next meeting, with other Xcel representatives relevant to public improvement projects. It was determined by the board that utility facility relocation is a timely topic for cities. The board directed Mr. Strommen to invite Mr. Cline to the annual meeting for discussion on city -utility communication and cooperation in public improvement projects. It was also requested that Xcel bring a person in charge of its crew scheduling to the meeting. 6. XCEL RATE CASE AND SRA/XCEL AGREEMENTS. Mr. Strommen reported that the Public Utilities Commission issued an Order on the Xcel rate petition. The increased revenue allowed was slightly above, or in some cases below, the current interim rates now being paid by all ratepayers. Xcel sought a 10.9% increase in residential rates, which was reduced by the PUC to between 8.5% and 9%. Xcel will be submitting a compliance filing establishing specific rates arising out of the Order. Mr. Strommen also reported that the Commission approved approximately $100 million in tax "obligation" that Xcel does not have to pay to taxing authorities due to the consolidated tax return format generally allowed by regulatory bodies, including Minnesota's. The issue may be appealed by the Attorney General or an individual ratepayer who has pursued this. The SRA/Xcel agreements are in place and available to cities. Ms. Clancy noted that the City of Golden Valley is utilizing the reporting requirement of Xcel in street lighting matters. Regarding municipal pumping, a meeting in September was held between Xcel and SRA, Met Council, and Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representatives. At the meeting, the concept of aggregation was discussed. Xcel pointed out that aggregation of municipal pumping wells has not been shown to result in a system -wide savings to Xcel. Therefore, any savings to the municipal pumpers from aggregation would shift costs of the system to other ratepayers. Xcel believes that would result in opposition from the state agencies and other customer groups. Mr. Dietz noted that he is interested in pursing a means of combining aggregation of well stations with interruptible rate pricing. He has agreed to consider the concept further and raise the issue with Xcel at the next meeting. Otherwise, the matter of aggregation as previously discussed is tabled unless a sponsor is able to identify how a system -wide savings can be realized from municipal pumping aggregation. The next meeting will also include educational information that may be of benefit to persons in charge of municipal pumping operations for smaller cities. Xcel will explain its programs involving conservation improvement, time of day rates, and use of interruptible power. The SRA committee consisting of Mr. Dietz, Mr. Bachmeier, Mr. Cockriel, and Mr. Strommen will continue to meet with Xcel. 7. CENTERPOINT ENERGY RATE CASE. Mr. Strommen reported on the status of the CPE rate case. The PUC has deliberated about the requested increase and will be issuing an Order prior to the January annual meeting. Mr. Strommen described the issue that he had authority from 299765v1 JMS SU160-3 �1) the SRA board to address in the rate case: CPE's recovery of $40 million in faulty line repair from the Midwest Gas acquisition in 1993. The SRA objection is that the ratepayers had clearly overpaid for the defective lines back in 1993 and should not front all of the money that is used for the repair of these lines, the $40 million. Rather, the outcome of CPE's attempt to recover this money in a lawsuit against Mid -American Energy (MEC) should be known prior to inclusion of these costs in rate base. If CPE is unsuccessful in recovering money from MEC in the litigation, the ratepayers will have double -paid for the faulty lines—first in 1993 and then in the repair cost. The Attorney General has supported the SRA arguments and argued the $40 million should be denied for other reasons. Mr. Strommen reported that the PUC has not accepted either the Attorney General's or SRA's argument, but that litigation developments that may occur within the next month could be relevant to a motion for reconsideration before the PUC. The board expressed its ongoing authority to allow such action if warranted. 8. NOTICE RQUIREMENTS IN COLD WEATHER RULES. At the July meeting, the board directed counsel to inquire regarding the addition of cities to the notice of gas and electric shut-off to homes that are in arrears on their utility payments. A memo on that follow-up was circulated to the membership. Municipalities are currently not included in the notice, which is governed by PUC rules and privacy requirements. It was noted by board members that there are reasons for municipalities to be apprised that a home has had its gas or electricity cut off. Safety hazards can be created. The increase in foreclosures due to higher interest rates is likely to cause this situation to be more common. The board authorized counsel to pursue this issue further. The first inquiry would be to ask whether the companies are willing and able to add municipalities to the notice that a resident has had utility shut off. If that is not possible, there may be interest in pursuing a PUC rule change allowing municipalities to be given notice of the shut off. 9. OTHER STATE LAWS ON UTILITY RELOCATION. At the July meeting, the board directed counsel to review laws in other states regarding municipal authority to relocate utilities themselves when the utilities were not timely, or otherwise impose penalties when the utility fails to timely relocate. The statutory review revealed that no states have granted municipalities authority beyond the normal right to require that the utility itself relocate. The state of Tennessee, however, has a Department of Transportation (DOT) law that gives incentive to utilities to relocate fully prior to public improvement projects through a reimbursement incentive. If such relocation is not undertaken prior to the project, schedules are established and penalties for delays are imposed when schedules are not met. In Georgia, a more stringent bill passed the Senate but not the House in 2006. This bill expressly required utility relocation within a time schedule established by the DOT. If the schedule were not met, the utility would be responsible for damages to the DOT and to contractors. The board directed counsel to draft language that could be considered for addition to city right- of-way management ordinances reflecting such obligations by the utilities. 299765v1 JMS SU160-3 10. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE REVIEW OF XCEL CITY REQUESTED FACILITY SURCHARGE (CRFS). Mr. Strommen reported that he received a copy of an information request from the Department to Xcel regarding certain aspects of its CRFS. Mr. Strommen spoke with the Department analyst review this issue and discussed the issues of importance to cities in connection with the surcharge. They are set forth in the memo that was distributed to the membership but include when Xcel determines that a facility, is "special," what the cost of standard relocation would have been, and what the total cost of the special facility is among other things. The matter is under review by the Department, and Mr. Strommen offered his assistance in issues that may be unknown to the Department and of importance to cities. The board authorized continued monitoring of this proceeding. 11. INQUIRIES BY WIRELESS PROVIDER. Mr. Cote reported that the City of Plymouth had received inquiries from a technology that is similar to Metricom, a low -frequency ricochet technology using light poles or other relay points. It is unclear whether this technology will be sufficiently viable to cause cities other than the handful of test markets in the Twin Cities to be approached. This technology raises issues of rental requirements and rights both with respect to the City and the electric utility poles in the right-of-way. 12. TIME AND LOCATION OF ANNUAL MEETING: Ms. Clancy of Golden Valley offered to host the annual meeting. It will be held on January 17, 2007, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The Xcel representatives will be the SRA's guests. 13. CLAIMS: A claim for $10,032.52 from Kennedy & Graven was circulated. Mr. Cockriel moved to accept the claim, and Ms. Peterson seconded the motion which passed unanimously. 14. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m. Attest: Chairman Secretary 299765v1 JMS SU160-3 �`� MMY October 12, 2006 To: Residents of The Wood Creek Area Subject: Presentation of Engineering Design City Project No. 6103 Dear Plymouth Resident, 6) / 0 . After much research, site survey work, and field inspections by staff and our consultants, the City of Plymouth has developed a concept to resolve the on-going erosion problems along Wood Creek. Wenck Associates, Inc., in a joint venture with The Kestrel Design Group, has produced drawings showing the proposed stabilization of Wood Creek. The mutual goal of residents and staff is to stop the erosion of the creek, protect the foundations of adjacent homes, and help the natural habitat, thus improving the quality of Medicine Lake. Attached are two drawings for your review; one is an overall view of the entire neighborhood (Fig. 1), and a second figure shows the immediate area around your home. These plans can be interpreted as follows: • Easements: The yellow and "olive" colored areas show existing and new easements. • Tree Removal: The area between the two red lines, on the main plan, shows the limits of construction and also shows where trees need to be removed for construction. Tree removals are necessary to provide enough room for grading in the vicinity of the creek. More importantly, tree removals are needed to open up the tree canopy so that sunlight will be able to reach the forest floor when the project is completed. This allows plants to take hold and stabilize the new creek banks. Trees that are 6" in diameter or larger and that are scheduled for removal have been marked with orange "X's." Smaller nearby trees, less than 4" in diameter, which are within the yellow taped areas are also to be removed. • Access: Potential access areas are also indicated for construction equipment. These will need to be coordinated with individual owners to restore property once the job is done. Design Approach: Residents have expressed the desire that the area needs to look natural, while doing the job of protecting private property. Although some buried pipe is planned at the east end of the project near 33`d Ave., due to severe erosion close to homes, the majority of the project can be resolved with simple creek reshaping, bioengineering with specialized plantings on the banks, plus a series of strategically located rock "cross vanes" and "plunge pools." 11b 01Engineering\PR0JECTS\2000 - 2009\6103\Ltrs\planreview_1012.doe Residents of The Wood Creel,,- area Page 2 Glossary: Some of the terms you may see in these plans include: • "Vanes:" which are specialized rock formations across the creek, used to absorb and redirect stream energy. These are similar to "check dams." • "Plunge Pools:," which allow water to drop, splash, and absorb energy at specific high demand areas. • "Live Stakes:" Live staking is a technique which uses willow or dogwood stakes to stabilize steep channel banks. Installation of the stakes results in rooting and budding that secures the creek banks by holding the sediment in place. During construction, especially in winter when leaves are gone, there is often concern about how the area "opened up." Similar past projects have shown that such bioengineering techniques quickly restore the area to a natural, pleasing meadow and forest floor. As the elements of rocks, plantings and creek bank shaping are normal in nature, it does not take long for the ecology to adapt (see attached photo examples). Residents who have input on their particular lots can contact me at (763) 509-5524. The next step is to finalize the plans, present them to City Council at their regular meeting and advertise for bids. The goal is to begin construction in winter, when frozen ground and low water tables make conditions ideal. As spring soon follows, final crews go in to introduce living plant materials to stabilize the area. Nature does the rest. Timing: Once all City Council resolutions and construction contracts have been approved, there will also be a special "Meet the Contractor" evening meeting, where residents can discuss their particular concerns with the people about to do the work. Looking forward to a successful project. Respectfully, Dave Taylor Senior Engineering Technician enol: Overall Plan and Immediate Area Drawings Photo Examples of Similar Area Projects cc Shane Missaghi, Water Resources Engineer q7 0 \Engineering\PR0JECTS\2000 - 2009\6103U.trs\P1anreview_ 1012. doc ,� . �� � ftp ... i � ��„`.- �,�"�+ �G rKst a"�r�y ,��; �'� �` � .�` f,�i -� �� � §' .. �:.. .:; ;t �' �~. > �� __dam �:.. �" �" '� � � � � � f r` -,. w 3w1aE vac. .rt •v + �t� i� i "`. � ' �,,;Rpy„�,rt , � f ._ � ' . `i F o� v a , = x. v �. 'g t � � r � ��.. '"�Y `�� i � � , i P� .err Noy � _� R �*A f. 6 L.. } �.. y t..,k a t�`Rt . }.+t _ a s� +��(' y sig � � �ry ±.r"s"C � �?' ;�' � o ... �f� ,;� �,- . tt r � •, n � J r ;; M., a ` ;.,. �' �� -x. __ n.v e i, � w s.. � ,� .. ,�� .,.. f�� •. r �� � _ � - _ � _ � � .F„A � �. _ `�� , 7 N ;. 2*"�" SPK, ' � r` ��* s� � �, � � s/ 19� i c 1 .' r: N 19� i c c m N n E ERc o U o o W a N c LU a w 0 t9 T C) U U N `o 6v 'G; m m ccc a U U=)a m LL F a dco Lll- E ruCity of -p'lymouth MINIMUM- -'It"- I , -10 _._ Adding Quality to Life October 20, 2006 SUBJECT: ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR REPRISE DESIGN, INC. (2006095) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by Reprise Design, Inc., under File No. 2006095, for a zoning ordinance text amendment to allow tutoring/learning centers in the CC -R (City Center Retail) Zoning District. The applicant is also requesting a conditional use permit for Kumon Learning Center for property located at 3475 Plymouth Boulevard. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 750 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, November 1, 2006, in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. The public will be invited to offer questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at (763) 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, ��41MA? Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2006095propnotice V! 3400 Plymouth Blvd • Plymouth, Minnesota 55447.1482 • Tel: 763-509-5000 • www.ci.ptymouth.mn.us S.3 City of Plymouth Adding Quality to Life October 20, 2006 SUBJECT: SITE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR HTG ARCHITECTS (2006096) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request HTG Architects, under File 2006096, for a site plan amendment to allow construction of a credit union with drive-through at Rockford Road Shopping Center, 4190 Vinewood Lane North. The credit union would be located at the south end of the shopping center in a portion of the space previously used by Frank's Nursery. While a formal Public Hearing is not required, it is the City's policy to inform adjacent property owners/occupants of such applications. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 200 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of and cordially invited to attend a meeting to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 1, 2006 in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2006096propnotice 3400 Plymouth Blvd • Plymouth, Minnesota 55447-1482 • Tel: 763-509-5000 • www.ci.plymouth.mn.us 54 A TA City of Plymouth Adding Quality to Life October 20, 2006 SUBJECT: VARIANCES FOR HOLLY HAMILTON (2006097) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by Holly Hamilton, under File No. 2006097, for variances to lot area, lot width front yard setback and impervious surface coverage for construction of a new single family home for property located at 10620 30th Avenue North. While a formal Public Hearing is not required, it is the City's policy to inform adjacent property owners/occupants of such applications. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 200 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of and cordially invited to attend a meeting to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 1, 2006 in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, 1�14 ��JA J/Y I Yu Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2006097propnotice 3400 Plymouth Blvd • Plymouth, Minnesota 55447-1482 • Tel: 763-509-5000 • www.ci.plymouth.mn.us �S