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April 2008 Shore Report ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ;... ~ 0 c3 ~ ~ .0 u ~ '5 s: ~ ~ ;... ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ '5 r/) ::: ~ THE ~ IN THIS ISSUE Adopt-A-Garden. . . . . . . . 2 Free Market............ 2 Fire Prevention. . . . . . . . . 2 Mail Theft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Council Activities. . . . . . .3 Talk w/Mayor........... 3 Weather Awareness. . . . . 3 Crosswalks vs. Trails. . . . 3 Road Restrictions. ......4 Workshops........ .Insert April 2008 2008 Open Book Meeting THE OPEN BOOK MEETING, scheduled for April 21, 5-7 PM at City Hall, is an opportunity for taxpayers to discuss concerns about their home valuations and sales information with an appraiser from the Assessor's Office. Individuals with questions about their assessment are encouraged to call the Hennepin County Assessor's Office, 612/348-8968, upon receiving their valuation notice. Generally, the Assessor's Office is able to answer questions over the phone. If questions are unable to be resolved through a phone call to the Assessor's Office, individuals should schedule an appointment for the Open Book meeting. If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact the Hennepin County Assessor's Office, 612/348-8968. Spring Clean-Up Drop Off: May 1 7 MARK YOUR CALENDAR and think clean! The Shorewood Spring Clean-Up is scheduled for Saturday, May 17. This clean-up day will consist only of a drop off location--there will be no curbside pick-up and no yard waste disposal. Specific details will be provided in the May issue of the Shore Report, and will be available on the City web site, www.ci.shorewood.mn.us. City Hall Building Plans: April 1 2 Open House AT A RECENT CITY COUNCIL meeting, Council reviewed the plans for the City Hall remodeling project. Council scheduled an open house for Saturday, April 12, from lOAM - noon at Shorewood City Hall to give the public an opportunity to review the plans and provide comment. The public is encouraged to attend this open house. VVard 3 Council Position Filled AT THE MARCH 10 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, the Shorewood City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Jeff Bailey to fill the council position vacated by the resignation of Paula Callies. Mr. Bailey has previously served on the Planning Commission for the City, most recently as its chair. Residents of Ward 3 can contact Mr. Bailey atjbailey@ci.shorewood.mn.us, or leave a message at City Hall. After hours, messages may be left on the Shoreline, 952/474-3236, ext. 1. This appointment fills the position until the upcoming November election. Minnesota Home Energy Makeover THE CENTER FOR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT (CEE), through the Minnesota Energy Challenge, is sponsoring a Home Energy Makeover Contest to demonstrate how people with higher- than-average home energy costs can save by making appropriate home energy improvements. The application deadline is May 15, 2008. Enter to win up to $15,000 in energy improvements for your home! Ten finalists will win a home energy analysis ($600 value), a random drawing of 25 winners will receive a variety of prizes including: programmable thermostats, compact fluorescent light bulbs, appliance energy meters and more! To enter, simply complete an online Makeover Contest application form at http://www. mnenergychallenge.org/challenge/makeover/ about/. Meetings and Events 4/1 4/8 4/12 4/14 4/15 4/21 4/28 7:00 PM Planning Comm. Meeting 7:00 PM Park Comm. Meeting 10 AM-12 PM City Building Open House 7:00 PM City Council Meeting 7:00 PM Planning Comm. Meeting 5:00 PM Open Book Meeting 7:00 PM City Council Meeting For meeting agendas and approved meeting minutes, go to the City web site: www.ci.shorewood.mn.us. THE SHORE REPORT / APRIL 2008 Adopt-A-Garden THE CITY IS LOOKING for an individual or group to adopt the garden at the Southshore Center. The volunteer would plant and maintain the garden at the Southshore sign and Center. For more information, contact Twila at 952/474-3236. Get Rid of That Junk ARE YOU GOING TO CELEBRATE the return of spring by decluttering? Maybe it's time to clean out the garage. Don't just throwaway your "junk", see if someone else can us it first. Twin Cities Free Market is an invaluable service that finds homes for many things that are cluttering up your personal space! The Free Market is an innovative residential materials exchange program created by Eureka Recycling (a nonprofit organization 50l(c)(3) corporation) to divert reusable and repairable items from the waste stream. The Free Market program, launched in 1997, was the first web based exchange program in the nation, targeted specifically to residents, that addresses the specific needs involved with residential exchange of reusable and durable household goods. Since its inception, the Free Market has facilitated more than 13,000 exchanges of durable goods, diverting nearly 2,000 tons from the waste stream. The Free Market currently has over 75,000 active users nationwide. To list your items on Twin Cities Free Market, or to see if there is something you might want, go to www.twincitiesfreemarket.org. Fire Prevention Maintenance THE EXCELSIOR FIRE DISTRICT has made a maintenance check list for residents and business owners that may help prevent fires in your home and ~ businesses and keep your family and employees safe.'- . Test your smoke detectors once a month. A good way to remember this is when you make your rent or mortgage payment. . Change your smoke detectors batteries every six months. An easy way to remember to do this is to change the batteries at the beginning and ending of daylight savings time. . Replace your smoke detectors every 8-10 years. Each time you buy a new detector write the date on the detector with a permanent marker. . Replace carbon monoxide (CO) alarms every 1-5 years, depending on the manufacturers recommendations. . Household fire extinguishers should be replaced or recharged when the dial on the extinguisher indicates. Commercial fire extinguishers in use in businesses are required by the Minnesota State Fire Code to be tested, inspected, and tagged every 12 months. . Dryer lint traps should be cleaned out after every load. Dryer ducts should be vacuumed twice a year. Dryers should be professionally cleaned annually. . Your furnace, water heater, and other fuel fire appliances should be professionally inspected annually. If your furnace is in the same room as your washer it is important you have it inspected. Bleach vapors can corrode some of the components inside. . Boilers should be professionally inspected every year. . Always read the manufacturers instructions for important maintenance and product replacement guidelines. For more information, e-mail KellieMurphy-Ringate, Excelsior Fire District, at Kmurphyringate@excelsiorfire.org or call 952/960-1692. www.ci.shorewood.mn.us 2 Mail Thefts the Area . In THE SOUTH LAKE MINNETONKA Police Department (SLMPD) has recently taken several reports of thefts from mailboxes. Mail theft nearly always leads to identity theft, which is currently the fastest growing crime in Minnesota, as well as in the United States. The SLMPD urges you to take some basic precautions to reduce your chances of becoming a victim: . ALWAYS put outgoing mail into an official United States Postal Service (USPS) collection box. They are harder to break into, and in a more public setting. . AVOID putting outgoing mail into your own personal mailbox. Mail placed in a personal mailbox is unsecured. If you must put outgoing mail in your box, don't raise the flag; postal personnel will still pick it up, but you won't be advertising that it is there. . Pick up your delivered mail as soon as possible from your personal mailbox. Never let it overflow. . Before leaving for vacation, place your mail on hold. This can be done on the internet by going to WWW.usps.com. Click on "Hold Mail" and you'll be taken to a secure site for entering your information. You can also pick up a "Hold Mail" card at any post office branch. . Consider electronic banking and direct deposits to minimize the amount of financial data coming into and going out from your mailbox. When you order new checks, consider picking them up at the bank. . ALWAYS shred mail going into your recycling that contains your name, address, account numbers, or other vital information. If you observe suspicious activity in your neighborhood, report it to the SLMPD immediately by calling 911. fREE Low-Itnpact Landscape and Yardcare Wor(<\shops Landscape and Gardens Thursday, April 24; 6 pm A good landscape adds value to your property. Learn to create a low-impact landscape using native plants, rain gardens and rain barrels. Rain barrel installation demo at workshop. South Shore Center 5735 Country Club Rd. Shorewood, 55331 Organic Lawn Care Thursday, May 22; 6 pm Create a healthy, organic lawn with the help of Organic Bob. Learn to rebuild your lawn from the soil up, while protecting the quality of your water, and keeping lawns safe for children and pets! Free soil test kits available at workshop. Each workshop will offer 25 Rain Barrels to seminar attendees. Rain Barrels are $40 for Minneahaha Creek Watershed District residents and $60 to others. The Blue Thumb Guide ta Raingardens book is available for $11. Reservations are encouraged. RSVP to the City of Shorewood, 952.474.3236, or email j1andini@ci.sharewaad.mn.us for more information. Co-sponsored by the cities Of Shorewood, MinnetonKa, Deephaven, TonKa BaY, Excelsior, and Chanhassen. funding provided by Cynthia Krieg Watershed Stewardship fund of the Minnehaha CreeK Watershed DiStrict. Garden photos provided bY "Rice CreeK Watershed DistriCt. Severe Weather Awareness Week As WARMER WEATHER approaches the National Weather Service reminds you to be aware of the increased potential for weather dangers such as thunderstorms, lightning, and tornados. Severe Weather Awareness Week is observed' from April 21-25,2008. A trial tornado drill will be conducted throughout the state of Minnesota, April 24, between 1 and 2 PM. This is a great day to reveiw where you would go in your home in case of a tornado warning. ... Tornado Safety Before the storm: . Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and when outdoors. . Have frequent drills. . Have a NOAA Weather Radio with a warning alarm tone and battery back-up to receive warnings. . Listen to radio and television for information. . If planning a trip outdoors, listen to the latest forecasts and take necessary action if threatening weather is a possibility. If a warning is issued or if threatening weather approaches: . In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement. . If an underground shelter is not available, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture. . Stay away from windows. . Get out of automobiles. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car-leave the car immediately. . Occasionally, tornadoes develop so rapidly that advance warning is not possible. Remain alert for signs of an approaching tornado. Flying debris from tornadoes cause most deaths and injuries. Each year, many people are killed or seriously injured by tornadoes despite advance warning. Some did not hear the warning while others received the warning but did not believe a tornado would actually affect them. The preparedness, combined with timely severe weather watches and warnings, could save your life in the event a tornado threatens your area. After you have received the warning or observed threatening skies, YOU must make the decision to seek shelter before the storm arrives. It could be the most important decision you will ever make. National Weather Service h IIp:/ Iwww.nws.noaa.gov Crosswalks Vs. Trail Crossings THE MARCH SHORE REPORT article on the pedestrians right of way in a crosswalk brought about the question of trail crossings-who does have the right of way at trail crossings in Shorewood? Shorewood has several trail crossings, such as the crossing at Smithtown Road and Eureka Road, or the LRT crossing on Highway 19. Crosswalks, such as the one in front of Minnewashta Elementary School on Smithtown Road, or comer to comer in downtown Excelsior, require motorists to wait for crossing pedestrians. Trail crossings do not function in the same manner. According to South Lake Minnetonka Police Department, trail crossings in the SLMPD jurisdiction are not covered under crosswalk laws. Cars are discouraged from stopping, and pedestrians and bicyclists on the trails should stop and wait for a safe crossing opportunity. When cars stop at crossings such as the one on Highway 19, cars coming from behind may not see the stopped car right away, resulting in a hazardous situation for both drivers and pedestrians! On the other hand, cars in the area of trail crossings should always be prepared to stop in case a pedestrian or bicyclist is in the lanes of traffic. 3 THE SHORE REPORT IApRIL 2008 Council Activities Since the last newsletter the City Council: . Approved the City's Goals and Priorities for the period April 2008 through March 2009. . Appointed William C. Ruoff to the Planning Commission for the term ending February 28, 2011. . Appointed Larry Brown, Director of Public Works, as Acting City Administrator. . Authorized staff to proceed with advertising for an Interim City Administrator. . Authorized staff to seek proposals from executive search firms to assist with filling the City Administrator/ Clerk position. . Held a Public Information Meeting regarding the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program. . Interviewed three candidates for the Ward 3 City Council position; Council appointed Jeffery V. Bailey to the position. His term will run through the canvass of the November 4, 2008, election. . Delegated the responsibility as the LGU to Minnehaha Creek Watershed District for Wetland Conservation Act permitting. . Held a work session to discuss the City Hall building, received an update on the Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan, and had a discussion regarding stormwater. Talk \^lith Mayor JOIN MAYOR CHRIS LIZEE for coffee and conversation, Saturday, April 12, at the Shorewood Caribou Coffee (H wy 7 and 41) from 8 to lOAM. Bring all of your City questions, concerns and compliments! www.ci.shorewood.mn.us CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5155 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD SHOREWOOD, MN 55331 (952)414.3236 FAX (952)414.0128 Monday - Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM III ~ ... c '" .; E =! ~ -c E .:j o I'll o-c,... ~ 0 I'll ~ 0 ~ .co ~ " II! ~ 'It 'v ~ N ~ U! ~ ~ 'v - ~!.; . - .. ,~ ~ of III >- 'It .Q .t: !:'!. GI U GI ~ C .. .; S E ~ ... I 0 'Vi w .c :;: III PRESORTED STANDARD U.s.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #30681 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Council Members Christine Lizee, Mayor; Richard Woodruff, Ward 1; Laura Turgeon, Ward 2; Jeff Bailey, Ward 3; Martin Wellens, Ward 4 Newsletter Editor: Julie Moore SAVE PAPER AND MAILING COSTS! SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHORE REPORT BY E-MAIL: CITYHALL@CI.SHOREWOOD.MN.US City of Shorewood Ward Map Wl Pl: Ward 1, Precinct 1 Wl P2: Ward 1, Precinct 2 W2Pl: Ward 2, Precinct 1 W3Pl: Ward 3, Precinct 1 W4Pl: Ward 4, Precinct 1 Planning Map The Planning Commission will hold the following public hearings at their meeting on April 1 ,2008: 1.7 PM. Minnewashta School at 26350 Smith town Road requests a Conditional Use Permit Amendment for the purpose of adding classroom and gymnasium space to the building, as well as upgrading existing stormwater ponding on the site. This item was postponed from the March 18 agenda. 2.7:15 PM. The owner of 5520 Sylvan Lane is requesting approval ofa front-yard setback variance for an addition to the front of the house. 3.7:30 PM. The Commission will hear a request to amend the City Code to change the hours of operation for off-sale liquor stores from 8 PM closing time to 10 PM. A public hearing on the Conditional Use Permit for the remodel of City Hall will be held at 7 pm during the April 15 Planning Commission meeting. TiE SHORE REPORT / APRIL 2008 X Polling Place Publk Safety . Building *~~t~:~~re Center Road Restrictions Until May 1 WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS are placed on local streets until May I to preserve the condition of City streets from serious damage and destruction. Exceptions are made for necessary vehicles, such as school buses and garbage trucks. Exceptions are not made for vehicles such as moving trucks, delivery trucks and construction equipment. Please remind any delivery personnel or workers on your property of the restriction. All streets are posted with the allowable weight limits.