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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 08-18-2006CITY OF PLYMOL rp) COUNCIL INFO MI Dummy August 18, 200E UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT) meeting agenda ................................... Page 2 August, September, and October 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 ... City News releases: Announcement of filings open for City Council seats on August 29 ...................... Page 10 Reminder to drive safely with school openings...................................................... Page 11 Fire Department 4th and 5th grade poster contest announcement ............................ Page 12 Announcement of October 7 Fire Department open house .................................... Page 14 Star Tribune new stories: Report on census findings of increased minority populations in suburbs suchas Plymouth.................................................................................................... Page 16 Story on upgrade plans for the new Plymouth Community Library ....................... Page 18 Star Tribune "West Edition" articles: Reports on shifts in State LGA funding.................................................................. Page 19 Report on Minnetonka plans to limit house sizes ................................................... Page 21 Osseo Schools brochure for a back—to—school event......................................................... Page 22 STAFF REPORTS Police Department July 2006 statistical summary.............................................................. Page 24 AGENDA PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT Meeting Room A (upper level of City Hall) Wednesday, August 23, 2006 7:00 p.m. 1. Approval of agenda 2. Approval of minutes for the June 28, 2006, PACT meeting (attached) 3. MVET Constitutional Amendment update (attached) 4. Plymouth Community Transportation Assessment 5. Station 73 update 6. Fours Seasons Park & Ride lot repair 7. Ridership information and review of ridership statistics through July, 2006 8. Identification of areas of concern and/or recommendations 9. Comments or concerns on complaint log (attached) 10. Adj ournment Note: Please call Pat Qvale at 763-509-5052, if you are unable to attend. P:\Organizat ion\Commissions\Plymuth_Advisory_Committee_on_7ransit\Agendas\2006\082306. doc n L OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS Auzust 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 S Jul 2006 S M T W T F S 5:30 PM NIGHT OUT 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, CouncilNATIONAL 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 31 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: Medidn. Lake . A 8 . Room 7:00 PM CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING, Meeting Rooms A & B 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, counox Clambers 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Council Chambers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 700 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room A 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 71:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Rida•d.l. D,N.. 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON Mimamnk. TRANSIT (PACT) , 5:00 PMSPECIAL Medicine Lake Room A COUNCIL MEETING: BUDGETSTUDY SESSION, Pubb. S.f.ty T.mV Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, C._M Cm.bers 27 28 29 30 31 Sep 2006 0:00 PM SPECIAL S M T W T F S COUNCIL MEETING: 1 2 BUDGET STUDY SESSION, Public Safety Training Room 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 CITY COUNCIL17 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CANDIDATEEFILING 18 19 20 21 22 23 PERIOD OPENS 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 modified on 8/18/2006 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS September 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Aug 2006 Oct 2006 2 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LABOR DAY - City Offices Closed 7:00 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: BUDGET STUDY SESSION (IF NEEDED), Medicine Lake Rooms A &B 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -Parkers Lake Room 9:00 AM -3:00 PM CITY OFFICES OPEN FOR ABSENTEE VOTING 9:00 AM -3:30 PM PLYMOUTH CLEAN-UP DAY, Pudic Works Maintenance Faciliy 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CITY OFFICES OPEN5:00 UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR ABSENTEE VOTING PM CRY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FILINGS CLOSE 8:00 P.M. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers STATE PRIMARY ELECTION; Polls open 7:00 AM. - 8:00 P.M. 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Council chambers 5:00 PM DEADLINE FOR CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO WITHDRAW 7:00 PM PARK 8 REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers Autumn Art Fair 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Plymouth n Parade 1:00 PM o 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room A 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT I AUTHORITY (HRA), Medic'vne Lake RoomA ROSH HASHANAH BEGINS AT SUNSET 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 11 AS AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL. 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETMG, Coavdl Chambers modified on 8/18/2006 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS October 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 YOM KIPPUR BEGINS AT SUNSET 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room A 7700 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -Parkers Lake Room 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 COLUMBUS DAY (OBSERVED), Public Works Division closed 7:0D PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, CouncilChamMM 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Council Chambers 7:00 PM PARK b REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room A r —70-0P-M--PLA—NN-1—NG--j7:00 I COMMISSION, Council Chambers PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Medicine Lake Room A 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Parkers Lake Room 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT(PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambsra 29 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS - Set Clocks back 1 30 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room A 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 8/18/2006 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items August 29, Special, 6:00 p.m., Public Safety Training Room • Proposed Budget September 5, Special (If needed), 7:00 p.m., Medicine Lake Rooms A and B • Proposed Budget September 12, Regular, 8:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Hearing on delinquent water, sewer, recycling, surface water fee, and street lighting service charges • Announce Plymouth on Parade • Pre -application sketch review of a potential seven lot subdivision for property located near 7th Avenue and Harbor Lane. Harbor Place HOA. (2006045) • Adopt preliminary budget and tax levy for 2007 • Hearing on applications of E.A. Plymouth, Inc. d/b/a El Azteca, for On -Sale and Sunday Liquor Licenses • Hearing on applications of Pot Luck Catering, Inc. d/b/a Town and Country Catering, for On -Sale and Sunday Liquor Licenses • Hearing on Ordinance amending the City Charter to allow only one City Council Member to serve on the Charter Commission (adopt ordinance or establish ballot language for charter amendment question on the November ballot.) • Approve name change for a segment of Cheshire Lane between Schmidt Lake Road and County Road 47 September 26, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Consider resolution supporting State Constitutional Amendment (requested by Mayor Johnson) • Hearing on alcohol compliance check violation for Woody's Grille, 220 Carlson Parkway October 10, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Public hearing on Wellhead Protection Program • Hearing on delinquent false alarm fees Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release August 14, 2006 Contact: Sandy Engdahl, 763-509-5080 Filings Open for Plymouth City Council Seats on August 29 People planning to run for seats on the Plymouth City Council that will be on the November ballot, must file for office. Filings open Tues., Aug. 29 and close on Tues., Sept. 12. Filings will be accepted for the City Council seats for Mayor, At -Large Council Member, Ward 2 (southwest) Council Member and Ward 4 (northeast) Council Member. All seats are for four-year terms. Current terms for the seats expire at the end of the year. Candidates elected in November will take office in January. The filing fee is $5. Candidates must file for office in-person at City Hall. Business hours are 8 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. — 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. Filings will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Sept. 12. City Hall will be closed on Mon., Sept.4 for Labor Day. To file for office, you must be an eligible voter, at least 21 years old by the time you would take office and live in the district for which you are running for at least 30 days before the election. For more information, call City Clerk Sandy Engdahl at 763-509-5080. 6:3 JO News Release Plymouth Fire Department For Immediate Release Officer Susan Gottwald August 2006 763-509-5148 School's Open, Drive Carefully Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein urges drivers to be extra alert as students prepare to return to school. "School will soon be open again. It's an exciting time for children, especially for those young children who will be attending school for the first time. We ask that drivers take added precaution when driving throughout the community, especially when driving in school and residential areas" said Goldstein. The Plymouth Police Departments offers parents these tips. ■ Slow down in school and residential areas. ■ Be alert for crosswalks. Stop to allow pedestrians to use them. It's the law. ■ Teach children to never enter the roadway from between parked cars, to walk on the sidewalk in the opposite direction of traffic and to use crosswalks and designated school crossings whenever possible. ■ Work out a safe route to school and walk the route with children before school opens. • Use the buddy system. If possible have neighborhood children walk to and from school together. ■ Do not advertise children's names on their shirts, jackets, backpacks or accessories. These names may be used to make personal contact with your child. "We look forward to a safe school year and thank both motorists and parents for doing their part in keeping our kids safe," said Goldstein. PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT News Release For Release September 2006 For More Information 763-509-5120 Plymouth Fire Department Will Sponsor 4th and 5th Grade Poster Contest; Grand Prize Winner Wins a Ride to School on a Fire Truck October is National Fire Prevention month and the Plymouth Fire Department is sponsoring a poster contest for fourth and fifth grade students. Kids can make their fire prevention posters at home or at school. This year's theme is "Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat." Plymouth's grand prize winner will win a ride to school in a fire truck. The Plymouth Crime and Fire Prevention Fund will also award the grand prize winner $25. In addition, Plymouth firefighters will escort the grand prize winner and his/her family to a regional poster contest banquet this November. Poster Contest Guidelines • Poster size should be 12 inches by 18 inches. • There are no restrictions on the materials used to create the poster. Yarn, glitter and other materials are acceptable. • On the back of the poster, children must list their name, age, grade, school and teacher's name. Parent's names and a home telephone number must also be included. • Posters are due Fri., Oct. 26. Posters should be dropped off at the fire administrative offices, located in the Public Safety Building at 3400 Plymouth Blvd. If you have any questions about the contest, call the Plymouth Fire Department at 763-509-5120. The (Z Annual Fire Department Open House will be held on Saturday October 7, noon -4 p.m. at Fire Station III, 3300 Dunkirk Lane North. /3 Plymouth Fire Department News Release For Immediate Release September 2006 Sara Lynn Cwayna 763-509-5198 Plymouth Fire Department Hosts Annual Open House On Sat., Oct, 7 The Plymouth Fire Department will host its Annual Open House on Sat., Oct. 7, at Fire Station III, 3300 Dunkirk Ln., noon until 4 p.m. The event is free. "The Open House is a great opportunity to have fun together as a family and learn about safety at the same time. We hope that people will spend the afternoon with us," said Fire Chief Rick Kline. Attendees will have a chance to experience the world of firefighters, police officers and paramedics through demonstrations, displays and hands-on activities. Attendees can: • Try the Fire Department's thermal imaging cameras, a life saving technology used in search and rescue operations; • Learn how to use a fire extinguisher; • Shoot a fire hose; • Watch an automobile extrication using the Jaws of Life; and • Learn how to adopt a fire hydrant. The open house will feature fire engines and trucks, North Memorial Medical Center's Helicopter, ambulances, paramedics, Plymouth Police Canine, Traffic Unit, DARE Officer, Police Reserves, Police Explorers, Xcel Energy, the Memorial Blood Center, the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center, and the Hennepin County Medical Center's Burn Unit. !L�— Kids who bring in a drawing of a home fire escape plan or a homemade fire safety poster, can trade it for a free pumpkin harvest permitting. Families may also exchange a non-perishable food item for a free pumpkin. Donations will go to Interfaith Outreach and People Responding in Social Ministry (PRISM). For more information on the Open House, call the Plymouth Fire Department at 763-509- 5198. Last update: August 15, 2006 — 12:12 AM Minorities opting for suburbs For the first time, census data show, more people in every major minority group live in suburbs than in Minneapolis and St. Paul. David, Peterson, Star Tribune In a part of Plymouth laced with golf courses, looping streets and enormous lawns, one sign that something different was going on over the weekend was the pile of shoes outside the door of a home on Merrimac Lane. Friends of Lakshmi and Ramarathinam Nagarajan were gathering for an afternoon to celebrate their 11 - year -old son taking part in an ancient initiation rite known as the Upanayanam. It's a concept a number of their neighbors in Plymouth understand. "We have a very close-knit group of about 12 families who live within two to three minutes of us," Lakshmi said. "In my subdivision alone there are, like, seven Indian families." An extraordinary surge is underway in the number of Asian Indians in Minnesota, according to new mid - decade data from the U.S. Census Bureau. And they are arriving at the moment of a symbolic turning point. The census today for the first time finds more people in every major minority group living in the suburbs than in the two central cities. Today marks an historic change as well in the nature of the census itself. It's no longer just a once -a - decade affair. With additional bursts of data on other topics expected in the coming weeks, this is the first mid -decade census in U.S. history. The acceleration of the process, and its transformation into more of a survey, has raised some concerns. Tom Gillaspy, Minnesota's state demographer, said his pre-release glimpse at the numbers the past few days has him and his staff concerned about how reliable some of them are. But he said he is prepared to believe the latest numbers when they hint at a new era in Asian immigration, nationally and in Minnesota: one in which the huge and rapidly developing nations of India and China are starting to overshadow the Vietnam War -linked Southeast Asian influx, including the Hmong, who have dominated in recent decades. The number of Asian Indians in Minnesota roughly doubled during the 1990s, according to census data from previous years —from about 8,000 to nearly 17,000. In just the first five years of this decade, the Census Bureau now reports, it nearly doubled again, to more than 30,000. That makes the group the state's second-largest Asian population -- behind the Hmong — with much faster growth both in rate and in numbers. The growth comes from the region's high-tech industry and from "dramatic investments in technology by companies such as Best Buy and Target, in retailing," said University of Minnesota economist V.V. Chari. "A huge component of that is people to do the testing, installation, and so forth. I am told there are floors upon floors at Target headquarters full of people of Indian origin." The guests at Saturday's party in Plymouth included a number of engineers, said Lakshmi Nagarajan, a microbiologist. "There was a vice president at Ameriprise Financial, a St. Cloud State professor, and a lot of information -technology people -- a couple from Digital River, for instance, and a couple from Target Corp." Room to stretch While many immigrant groups start off living in urban centers, many Asian Indians are heading straight for the Twin Cities' suburbs. Nearly 90 percent of Asian Indians in Minnesota -- more even than whites -- live in the suburbs. There are at least two big reasons for that, Chari said. He lives in Plymouth and is a well-known figure in the Twin Cities' Asian Indian community. "Most importantly," he said, "it's a community that values education to an almost ridiculous extent. And 1C they're concerned about the quality of schools in the city. That plays a big role. The other thing is, they grew up in one of the most densely populated countries in the world. And the ability to stretch your legs is important." But in fact, the suburbs exert a tremendous pull even on the Hmong, who remain among the most urban of immigrants, said Mark Pfeifer, of St. Paul's Hmong Cultural Center. "The 2000 census is really getting outdated when it comes to where the Hmong now live," he said. "We are getting booked for so many presentations in places like Elk River, Buffalo, Forest Lake, Taylors Falls, as Hmong families are moving in. That's been a major change." The 2000 census found a pronounced shift to the suburbs among minorities during the 1990s. Communities such as Brooklyn Park were becoming almost as diverse as Minneapolis. Hispanics were spilling out of St. Paul into suburbs like West St. Paul. But blacks were still mostly in the central cities. Today, though, they're suburban by the tiniest of majorities, the Census Bureau reports. And demographers say that's partly because of African immigration, a much bigger factor here than in most metro areas. "Many African immigrants, even though they may not be affluent here, are educated people who value education," said consulting demographer Hazel Reinhardt of Edina, who works with suburban school districts. It's also an inevitable change, in a Twin Cities area whose two central cities, put together, only amount to about 20 percent of the 13 -county metro area. The mid -decade census isn't intended as a population count, as such. It's aimed more at tracking changes within populations. But Gillaspy finds it notable that halfway through the decade, the suburban -dominated congressional districts are swelling in numbers in general, threatening to reduce still further the political clout of the urban center. Beyond that, he said, the Census Bureau's so-called American Community Survey, the results of which will emerge today, remains a work in progress. "There's a lot of information in here, and I don't want to make too many snap judgments." David Peterson • 612-673-4440. 02006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. Iq ribune-co i�Il' NE.APOLIS - T. PAUL,MINNESOTA! Last update: August 14, 2006 — 11:00 PM Plymouth Library to check out so a better one can check in Only 11 years after it opened,'the Plymouth Library will be demolished to make way for a larger facility to meet suburban demand for its services. Donna Halvorsen, Star Tribune The voices of more than 40 children nearly raised the roof during a recent children's story hour at the Plymouth Library. As the children left the small room, their voices spilled out to every corner of the building, a result of the library's open floor plan. "It can't be fun for people to be here when the kids are here," said Irene Barbour, who with her husband and two sons moved to Plymouth from Des Moines this year. After attending the story hour with her sons Cameron, 5, and Ian, 3, Barbour said the library itself is "too small for the population" it serves. "It's very well -used. It seems like it's busy all the time." Unwittingly, Barbour hit upon the reasons that the Hennepin County Board recently approved a new $14 million library for Plymouth only 11 years after the current library opened. The existing building, at 15700 36th Av. N., was a good -size, state-of-the-art library when it opened in 1995, said library manager Joann Frankena. The Internet was in its infancy, and the library had the first two public computers in the county's 26 -library system. Now it's one of the busiest libraries in the system -- but time has passed it by. The electronic revolution, a burgeoning population in the north metro area and a design that didn't lend itself to remodeling made a new building necessary, said Hennepin Library Director Amy Ryan. "It's a difficult building to add onto," she said. "It just wouldn't work." Building anew will cost $700,000 more than adding onto the current building, but a new library will have operating efficiencies, Ryan said. She said the design of the new building won't be static during the two- year construction period. "As libraries change, we'll keep advancing our design." The new library's space will be doubled to meet the increased demand for library materials and services. Use of the library rose 56 percent over the past 10 years. There will be significantly more books, CDs and DVDs, as well as an automatic materials handling system to get materials on the shelves faster. The library will have 85 computers, compared with 38 now; quiet areas for reading or projects; designated spaces for children, teenagers and senior citizens; a Plymouth history center, and rooms for community meetings. "When we design our libraries, we don't just build a library and stuff it with computers," Ryan said. "We have places where people can sit and talk and small group study areas. That's what's so great about libraries today." Hennepin County has spent more than $68 million to build and remodel libraries since 1999, and it is committed to spending more with library projects in Maple Grove and Brooklyn Park. Business is booming. Suburbanites checked out 12.7 million books, DVDs and CDs last year, an increase of a half million from 2004 and twice the national average. Web visits increased from 5.3 million to 7.5 million. And 100,000 people signed up for new library cards in 2004 and 2005. To Ryan, those figures confirm that libraries are thriving as information sources and, increasingly, as community gathering places. "We're really part of the fabric of the county's quality of life," she said. The Plymouth branch will close and be demolished next summer. It will take two years to build the new branch on the same site. The new building is slated to open in 2009. For more information, contact Frankena, the library manager, at 952-847-5828. Donna Halvorsen • 612-673-1709 lg ©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. ISUrTrlbunexom ': MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL MINNESOTA Last update: August 15, 2006 — 11:23 AM Wild shifts in state aid are pain in the budget Cities have had a hard time planning while government aid can fluctuate unpredictably. Alyssa Ford Special to the Star Tribune In the past three years, the city of New Hope has had an awfully hard time planning its budget. Like most Minnesota cities, New Hope draws an annual allotment of money from the state — called Local Government Aid, or LGA — to help pay for basic services such as police protection, public works and street repair. But recently New Hope's share of LGA has been all over the map. In 2003, the city took in more than $650,000. By 2006, that number had dropped to $582,879. Next year, in 2007, New Hope's LGA will plummet to $106,466. New Hope's not alone. According to statistics released in June and at the end of July from the Minnesota House Research Department and the Department of Revenue, many cities have seen wildly fluctuating amounts of LGA. Even though LGA overall has dwindled to less than 10 percent of revenue in the metro area following drastic cuts in 2003, some suburbs like Osseo still count on more than 35 percent of their general fund money coming from LGA. For those cities' managers, coping with unpredictable funding has become a big headache. "We've seen how unpredictable it's been for other cities, so we've tried to be conservative in our budgeting, even when we get a bump in LGA," said Gary Braaten, finance officer for the city of Osseo. Braaten said that even though Osseo has gotten hefty increases in LGA each year since 2003, his city passed a modest 2.8 percent tax levy decrease in 2006, thinking it was better to be safe than sorry if Osseo's LGA did plummet in the future. LGA wasn't always so erratic and unpredictable, explained Pat Dalton, a legislative analyst at the nonpartisan Minnesota House Research Department. As recent as 2002, $353 million of LGA's $565 million budget was distributed based on how much each city had received in 1994, when the previous formula was set; the rest was determined according to a needs - based formula. This meant almost every Minnesota city received at least the 1994 baseline amount of LGA each year. In 2003, the Legislature cut the program by $171 million and authorized a new formula that removed the vast majority of the baseline aid, as well as the program's automatic inflationary increases. According to the new formula, the amount a city receives is determined almost entirely by a complicated formula involving population, traffic accidents and the percentage of houses built before 1940. These legislative changes shed about 90 cities from the program within the first year, and many more locales saw their share of the LGA pie shrink. There are now several western suburbs, including Minnetonka, that support the LGA program through income and sales taxes, but do not receive any direct benefit from it. "We have a good, solid property tax base — we don't need LGA help from the state," said John Gunyou, city manager of Minnetonka. "What I do take issue with is when the state tells us we can raise our taxes by such -and -such amount, even when we receive no LGA. Shouldn't self-supporting cities be able to decide how they want to raise and spend money?" For the western cities that do continue to receive LGA, such as Chaska, Long Lake, Loretto, and Maple Plain, there's a different kind of annoyance. 19 Dalton explained there's little legislative analysts can do to prepare cities from year to year for how much they can expect to receive, because much of the demographic information needed for the formula isn't available until mid -summer. As a result, the projections put out by her department in late spring are sometimes dramatically off -base. "It's our best guess, based on the information we have at the time," she said. Dalton also noted that minor changes in city demographics can have a massive impact on the final aid amount. (See "Small Changes, Big Impact" box.) That's no comfort to city financial managers, who are often three or four weeks into planning their preliminary budgets when the LGA amounts are released at the end of July. "I think this is the first year that the extreme volatility of the new formula has become apparent," said Eric Willette, manager of policy analysis at the League of Minnesota Cities. "Before this year, there were enough cuts and additions to LGA that it kind of masked the volatility effect." The league, as well as the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, has set up meetings this summer to discuss the LGA formula with city officials and plan how each organization wants to approach the issue during the next legislative session. ©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. arTrlbunexom I MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL MINN Last update: August 15, 2006 — 12:31 PM Update Minnetonka: City may limit house sizes MCMANSIONS Minnetonka is taking steps toward limiting house sizes. The council is concerned that too -large homes, or "McMansions," are being built on too -small lots. Such houses "stick out in the neighborhood like a sore thumb," said Geoff Olson, Minnetonka's city planner. THE IDEA The council could hold builders to a ratio: the house's floor area divided by the lot's area could not exceed that of the largest house within 400 feet on the same street. The policy would only apply to builders who come to the city council asking for variances from the city code, such as shorter setbacks. It would not affect houses that fit zoning requirements. THE ESCAPE CLAUSE The council could choose to ignore the ratio, even with a house needing variances, if the builder comes to the council with a house plan. If the council agrees that the house fits with the neighborhood's aesthetic, it could approve the plan. ACTION TAKEN At its Aug. 7 meeting, the council discussed the proposed policy and referred it to the planning commission. The commission will consider two main questions: Should the policy be based on the largest floor area on the street — or the average floor area of all the street's houses? And should the policy be based on the houses within 400 feet on the same street -- or within a 400 -foot radius? WHAT'S NEXT? The planning commission will discuss these issues at a meeting in late August or early September. JENNA ROSS ©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. %N M L- C Ln O Ln 0 t C lagel ssaippV jf 69£9'5 NW `anaO sideW PON onuanV pi£6—oort l UZ iau;siO—sIooyoS BOJ ' oassO ;uapualuuadnS'ZIUIH ){ uesnS V f- w N y a) E E2 C) m U 0 a o 6 oU= a- CO m w `o a`> c � •E p E Eo c'a V-5 -- 0-E o C) o7 N m -p LO o C m N 2 U 0 0...4 7 L -M O .y.• C) n d d 7 L' E y U U y Co a) m d mCD N a) C Z N y y N m 'V)• C m L U a L o_ ' 3 3o m ayi a c O .D L .E E CL L =O T• y N V d p O� L 3 c s o aa) > -� Z L p_ m CD C) 3 w E m e 'o o w :E m f6 •c E p _ y UO) E2 Q ..L.. a UO W " O C mC N CU m (D o N :C C O O E A ca y m f6 o E c� m � 3 'C.. 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E a) m 3 > a) v oco0L-oEm`� ui O D U 3 F- o a) O y m 53�)-I-- � OL C , T N > O O a O N N c E c n vi n v0) .� tz3 c4 Q U U Q =, Q O o Z W E S C U L/ Z 0 4a Ln .4;l QO "o U co -5N a O U Q N v O a V y O Z m o� �� o �- M 0 d0 �_0 a V O t6 C Q��+ a L (a Ei 2 Z C En C c i a ca Q _ o Cu n _ z O C U) O1 �U` UU) U UY W Z Im cu cu O M O M M M _ °'� m ��C �� r Q I M I I o UY O M N N tz3 75 U Q O o Q Z 0 4a Ln .4;l W (�m m U rz U 3 a O a U � to a ca Q _ o Cu Y co _ z O C U) O1 V Z Im cu cu _ °'� m ��C �� r E Z U UY �o CD C=/) CO Un O CD O CD t N O SY' O O (p O LC) I— 60 O) O'> tz3 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary SUMMARY STATS WORKSHEET: July Total Calls & Officer Initiated - 5,972 (YTD -39,367) 2005-5,790 Offense subtotal ' TOTAL YTD `Jul -05 Arson 2 7 5 Assault 19 191 26 2nd degree 2 3rd degree 0 4th degree 0 5th degree 6 domestic assault 6 terroristic threats 5 Attempt to evade taxation 0 5 1 Burglary 28 134 18 Apartment 2 Business 4 Garage 14 Home 3 Storage Locker/Area 0 Attempt (no entry made) 3 Other School & home under constr2 Crime against family 0 13 7 Criminal sexual conduct 3 21 2 Criminal vehicular operation causing injury 0 2 0 Death investigation 8 44 5 Disorderly conduct 9 52 11 Driving after cancelation GM only) 2 11 0 Drugs 11 106 9 cocaine 3 marijuana 5 methamphetamine 0 paraphernalia 2 prescription 0 other 1 DWI 14 127 16 Underage dk & dry 18-21 1 10 0 Underage dk & dry (under 18) 1 5 0 Escape/fleeingEscape/fleeing officer 3 6 1 False information to police 0 26 1 Fighting on school property 0 1 0 Forgery 5 43 2 Harassment 131 781 14 4' CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary Offense subtotal Total. YTD Jul -05 Homicide 0 0 0 Impersonating olice officer 0 0 0 Interfere with emergency call 0 1 0 Juvenile alcohol offense 3 31 2 controlled substance 0 3 0 curfew 2 15 2 runaway 8 59 13 tobacco 1 6 1 Furnishing alcohol to underage - cc 0 7 0 Furnishing tobacco to underage - cc 0 3 0 Kidnapping incl deprive parental rights) 0 0 0 Leaving scene of accident hit 8a run 11 99 12 Liquor/underage consumption/ oss 5 63 3 Obscenity/ indecent exposure 3 19 0 Obstructing legal process 0 2 1 Possession stolen property 3 12 0 Criminal damage to property 48 290 63 Robbery 2 10 0 Solicitation 0 0 0 Theft general 33 gas no pay 13 identity 2 items/parts from MV 47 employee 0 shoplifitng 13 by check 0 by fraud/ swindle 6 mail 1 bicycle 6 121 745 150 Tampering with MV 4 7 0 Trespass 1 6 1 Unlawful deposit of garbage 0 2 5 Vehicle theft 10 34 5 Violation order for protection 4 40 7 Weapons 1 9 6 TOTAL 346 2,345 389 *NOTE - Many incidents involve multiple offenses. This list uses only the highest offense code for the incident. CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary ARRESTS _ � TOTAL ; YTDI Jul -05 .offense Adult assault 6 57 12 attempt to evade taxation 0 4 0 burglary 5 7 0 conservation fish without license 0 1 0 crime against family 0 1 2 criminal sexual conduct 1 2 0 driving after suspension GM only) 1 19 1 disorderly conduct 3 12 2 drugs 10 94 7 DWI 13 118 13 Underage drinking & driving 1 14 2 escape/fleeing officer 0 3 0 false information 1 19 0 forgery 0 4 0 furnishing tobacco to underage 0 2 0 interfere with emergency call 0 1 0 leaving scene of accident hit & run 1 11 2 Liquor/underage cons 51 151 3 obscenity/ indecent exposure 0 3 0 obstructing legal process 0 2 1 possession stolen property 1 5 0 criminal damage to property 1 2 2 solicitation 0 0 0 tampering with motor vehicle 0 2 0 theft 7 50 4 trespass 0 2 1 unlawful deposit of garbage 0 0 0 vehicle theft 0 0 0 violation order for protection 0 6 1 warrant 18 158 6 weapons 1 3 2 robbery 21 0 0 TOTAL 1231 753 61 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary Juvenile Offense TO YTD Jul -05 assault 3 45 1 burglary 1 4 1 criminal sexual conduct 0 0 0 disorderly conduct 0 33 6 false information to police 0 4 0 fighting on school property 0 2 0 harassment 0 0 0 indecent exposure 0 0 0 interfere with emergency call 0 0 0 leaving scene of accident hit & run 0 2 0 possess altered DL 0 0 0 possess stolen property 0 4 0 criminal damage to property 3 6 4 robbery 0 2 0 theft 4 32 1 trespass 0 2 0 underage drinking & driving 1 5 1 vehicle theft 0 0 0 warrant 0 6 1 weapons offense 0 8 0 alcohol 6 74 5 controlled substance 2 32 2 curfew 3 30 4 runaway 4 30 5 tobacco 1 11 1 TOTAL 28 332 32 a 7 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary CITATIONS Offease TOTAL YTDJul-05 Speeding 349 2,742 415 Careless/ Reckless driving 2 22 4 Disobey signs or signals 23 217 18 Stop sign violation 20 183 14 Improper passing 1 87 10 Improper turning 24 48 9 Improper lane/wrong wa HOV 1 16 2 Fail to yield 5 40 5 Follow too closely 1 27 1 Improper/no signal 0 13 0 Open bottle 1 11 3 Defective improper eui ment 19 177 15 Inattentive driving 6 63 6 Other hazardous violation 4 40 7 School bus stop arm violation 1 12 0 TOTAL 4571 3,6981 509 Fire lane hydrant parking violation 14 122 16 Snow removal parking violation 0 13 0 Other parking violation 2 to 5 a.m. 60 670 33 Handicapped parking violation 7 67 6 Junk abandoned vehicle 0 0 0 Other non-moving violation 1 14 16 TOTAL 82 886 .71 Driving after suspension/ cancelation/revocation 89 711 56 No DL 4 135 25 Other DL violation 35 217 25 Improper registration 70 611 46 Motorcycle endorsement requirement 1 5 2 Overwidth overweight truck 4 10 7 Blocking & obstructing traffic 0 0 0 Lea unsecure load 1 14 1 Unreasonable acceleration 1 3 1 Other non -hazardous violation 4 36 1 Seat belts 48 301 26 Child restraints 0 6 0 No insurance 75 498 67 Crosswalk fail to yield for pedestrian 1 6 1 TOTAL 333 2,553 258 CZE CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Summary ACCIDENTS 'Offense TOTAL YTD ` ` -Jul-05 Fatal 0 3 0 PI 7 53 11 PD 54 562 61 TOTAL 611 61SI 72 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS 0