February 2007 Shore Report
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INSIDE
Carbon Monoxide Safety. . 2
Recycling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Community Events. . . . . . . 2
Planning Notes. . . . . . . . . . 3
Council Activities . . . . . . . . 3
Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Shorewood Wine Club. . . . 4
Planning Hearings .... . . . 4
February 2007
Park/Planning Commissions Need You!
THERE IS STILL time to apply for a seat on the Shorewood Park or Planning Commissions. Letters
of interest are being accepted until 4:30 PM, Wednesday, February 7. Interviews with the City
Council will take place on Monday, February 12, or Monday, February 26. Three Park and two
Planning Commission appointments are for three-year terms running from March 1,2007, through
February 28, 2010. There is also a one-year appointment to the Planninng Commission to fill a
vacant term.
Both Commissions act as advisory board to the City COllllCil, making recommendations on planning
and zoning issues or park and recreational needs of the City. The Planning Commission meets the
first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 PM. The Park Commission meets on the second Tuesday
of each month at 7 PM. Occasionally additional meetings are needed. Questions about the role of
a Commissioner can be answered by calling City Hall at 952/474-3236.
Any resident of Shorewood that is interested in applying for one of these volunteer positions
should submit a letter of interest to:
Craig W. Dawson, City Administrator
City of Shorewood
5755 Country Club Road
Shorewood, MN 55331
You may also fax your letter to 952/474-0128, or email to cityhall@ci.shorewood.mn.us.
SLMPD Seeks Defibrillator Donations
TilE SOUTH LAKE MINNETONKA Police
Department (SLMPD) is seeking donations
towards the purchase of two additional automated
extemal defibrillators (AED's) to be calTied in
their patrol cars.
Officers of the SLMPD have already used these
devices on several occasions to successfully
resuscitate victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
The addition of two more AED's will allow the
SLMPD to have each squad car equipped with
this life-saving technology. In addition, these
newer models are compatible for use on children
should the need arise.
To make a donation toward this goal, please
contact Dave Hohertz of the SLMPD at 952/960-
1619.
City Saves Money Refunding Bonds
ON DECEMBER 18, 2006, the Shorewood
Economic Development Authority (EDA)
awarded the sale of $10 million in bonds to
refinance the bonds issued in 2002 and 2003
for the facilities of the Excelsior Fire District
(EFD) and the South Lake Minnetonka Police
Department (SLMPD). The refinancing
transaction, known as "crossover advance
refunding bonds", achieved lower interest costs
and will result in net savings of$41 0,000 for the
EFD, and $304,000 for the SLMPD - a total of
$714,000.
The EDAretired additional outstanding bonds
resulting in further savings of $106,000. Total
savings with the refunding transaction will be
approximately $820,000.
Bonds totaling $12,365,000 were issued by the
EDA for the new public safety facilities in 2002
and 2003. These bonds had a net interest cost
of approximately 5.25 percent. The refunding
bonds just awarded will have a net interest cost
of approximately 4.12 percent. The EDA was
able to benefit from interest rates that were at
40-year lows, and from being one of a relatively
small number of issuers of municipal bonds at
the present time.
Meetings and
Events
2/6 7:00 PM Planning Comm. Meeting
2/12 7:00 PM City Council Meeting
2/13 7:00 PM Park Commission Meeting
2/19 Presidents' Day, City Offices Closed.
2/20 7:00 PM Planning Comm. Meeting
2/26 7:00 PM City Council Meeting
Up-to-date information and meeting
agendas may be found on the City
web site:
wwwci.shorewood.mn.us.
THE SHORE REPonT / FEBRUARY 200 7
Install a Carbon Monoxide
Alarm in Your Home Today
IT IS SOMETIMES easy to take for granted
the that during the harsh temperatures
of winter, our furnace keeps chugging
along to keep us comfortable. Except
for the occaisional breakdown, many
of us might forget that
our furnace, other
heating systems, and
gas appliances should
be checked yearly
for leaks. Despite
professional checks,
malfunctions can occur and cause carbon
monoxide (CO) to be released into the
home.
The Excelsior Fire District recommends
a carbon monoxide detector is placed
in the hallway near bedrooms in each
sleeping area of your home. If you already
have a CO detector, check the batteries
at the same time you check your smoke
detector batteries each month and replace
the batteries annually.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless
gas that can be produced by burning fuels
such as natural gas, propane, oil, kerosene,
coal, or wood. Properly installed and
operating fuel-burning appliances pose
minimal CO hazards; however, under
certain conditions, all appliances that bum
fuel can leak deadly levels of CO into the
home.
The initial symptoms of carbon
monoxide poisoning are similar to flu
(but without the fever) and include
headache, fatigue, shortness of breath,
nausea and dizziness. Exposure to
high levels of CO can cause death.
In addition to professional checks,
residents are reminded of the following
things that can help prevent a CO accident
in your home:
. A supply of fresh air is important to
help carry pollutants up the chimney,
stovepipe or flue, and fresh air is
necessary for the complete combustion
of any fuel. Never block air ventilation
openings and check the appliance filter
to ensure it is clean.
. Make sure the appliance is operating on
the fuel that it is designed to use.
. There should be a minimum clearance
of 30 inches from all appliances using
natural gas or with a pilot light.
. Never use gasoline-powered generators
or charcoal grills indoors or in attached
garages. Use a generator outside in a
dry area away from doors, windows,
and vents that could allow CO to come
indoors.
You can get more information by placing
the phrase "carbon monoxide safety" in
your internet search engine, or contact
the Minnesota Safety Council, 651/291-
9150.
Kelli lvILu7Jhy-Ringate
Know Your Trash: Curbside Recycling
CURBSIDE COLLECTION is simple and convenient. Just put your recyclables out by 7
AM on recycling day (Wed. for mainland, Thurs. for islands), and your recycler will
do the rest. Shorewood residents are able to recycle the following items curbside:
'/"Cans, Glass, & Plastic bottles with necks
'/"Paper:
. Mail, office and school papers
. Magazines and catalogs
. Newspapers and inserts
. Phone books
. Shredded paper in closed paper bags
. Cardboard boxes
(cut into 3X3 sections and bundled)
Just because something isn't collected curbside doesn't mean recycling is out of
the question. Some items, like certain appliances, batteries and fluorescent lamps,
have to be dropped off. Contact your Hennepin County Environmental Services at
612-348-3777.
www ci. shore wood. mn. us
. Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, pasta boxes,
cake mix boxes
. Shoe boxes, gift boxes & electronics
boxes
. Boxes from toothpaste, and other
toiletries
2
Community
Events
MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF MINNETONKA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY, 22; 7:30 I'M
ARTS CENTER ON 7, 18285 HIGHWAY 7
(MINNETONKA HIGIl SCHOOL)
MUSIC ASSOCIATION of Minnetonka
(MAM) presents an "All-
American" musical salute in honor of
Presidents' Week with the Minnetonka
Concert Band directed by Dan Geldert.
Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait will be
narrated by Dr. Roger Hoe!, the founder
of MAM.
Ticket Prices:
General Admission $12
Seniors and Students $5
MINNETONKA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
25TH ANNUAL YOUNG ARTIST CONCERT
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25; 3:30 I'M
ARTS CENTER ON 7
TillS CONCERT wi II feature
the winner of
MAM's young artist
competition, Alexa
Raine-Wright, an
accomplished musician on
the recorder and baroque
flute, as well as MAM's very own "Three
Sopranos": Anne Hawkins, Wendy
Lukaszewski and Ruth Wollenberg. A
repeat performance will be offered at
Our Lady of the Lake Church, 2385
Commerce Blvd, Mound on Sunday,
March 4 at 3:30 PM.
Ticket Prices:( as above)
Performances at Our Lady of Lake
wi/! accept free-will donations for
admission.
Council on Cable
TilE LAKE MINNETONKA COMMUNICATIONS
COM:>1ISSION (LMCC) PROVIDES LOCAL CABU:
ACCESS SERVICE TO TIlE CITY Of SIIOREWOOD.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE 13ROADCAST ON
CABLI: CIIANNEL 8. A COMPLETE LIST OF TIMES
SIIOREWOOD CITY COLNCIL MEETINGS ARE
BROADCAST CAN BE FOUND AT WH'W.LMCC-TV.ORG.
CLICK ON CIIANNEL 8.
You MAY ALSO GET PLAYBACK TIMES BY
CALLING TilE LMCC OFfiCE AT 952/471-7125.
COUNCIL MEETINGS MAY ALSO BE VIEWED ANY
TIME AT WWW.LIICC-TV.ORG VIA VIDEO STREAMING
ON IIIE WEB.
Planning Commission Notes
I'VE SERVED on the
Shorewood Planning
Commission for three tenns
(nine years) and being a
believer in term limits, it's
time to let others step forward
to formulate planning policy
for the City. I've been writing
in this space for six years
and in my last column, I would like to
offer some thoughts on the importance
of planning for cities and the role of
planning commissions and planning
department staff.
Planning is important, pure and
simple. Different cities take on different
characters and the planning process helps
to articulate and refine those diverse
characters. One need not look far to see
such variations in practice. Excelsior is
distinctly unlike its neighboring cities.
It is the business hub of the area, while
cities like Shorewood are in many ways
de facto suburbs of Excelsior. Excelsior
has needs relating to conunercial activity,
housing, and transportation dissimilar
to those of Shorewood and thus the
planning goals of the two cities differ.
Shorewood residents have been vocal
in their desire to maintain a spacious,
rural feel to the community and City
officials and the Planning Commission
have taken that desire to heart when
making decisions. As a result, setback
areas (portions of a property where
no structures are allowed) are large in
Shorewood, tree replacement policies
for developers are strict, zoning for
commercial development is limited and
the commercial uses are low-intensity in
nature.
Good planning strives to build
and maintain the community that
the residents want. Good planning is
organized and has a distinct memory of
the past and thoughtful visions for the
future. Bad planning on the other hand
is haphazard and arbitrary. In the short
run, it is sometimes hard to tell good
planning from bad. In the long run,
however, the cumulative effects of good
planning make for a more enjoyable and
functional community that
enhances citizen satisfaction
and increases property
values.
Shorewood
is privileged to have
an excellent planning
department. Led by Brad
Nielsen, the City Planning
Director, the planning staff is courteous
and sensitive to the residents' needs.
The staff's experience and knowledge
is widely respected by the professionals
with whom they come into contact.
Just about everything I know about
city planning I learned from listening
to Brad.
Local government is only as good
as the residents that volunteer to work
for it. Shorewood is fortunate that so
many of its residents have been willing
to serve diligently on the Planning
Commission. I've participated with
many planning commissioners over
the years and virtually all of them
have taken the job seriously and spent
considerable time understanding the
issues and studying the cases that came
before them. The job of a planning
commissioner is not easy. The subject
matter is often dry and complicated.
There are times when one has to say
"no" to applications made by residents
or businesses and that is never pleasant.
Nevertheless, the job is rewarding.
When I drive around Shorewood, I'm
constantly reminded of how many
projects I touched over the years
and how gratifying is the feeling of
having made a small contribution to
improving the community.
Ji?(fBaileJ' Chair
Planning Commission
If you are interested in join-
ing the Park Commission,
please see the article on
page 1 . Letters of interest are
being accepted until 4:30 PM
Wednesday, February 7.
3
THE SHORE REPORT / FEBRUARY 2007
Council
Activities
Since the last newsletter
the City Council:
o Set the 2007 Regular City Council
meeting dates for the 2nd and 4th
Mondays of each month, 7 PM at City
Hall. As the May 28 and November 12
meetings fall on holidays, those meeting
dates were rescheduled for May 29 and
November 5.
o Approved a resolution giving final
approval to issuance of $10 million
Refunding Bonds related to the Public
Safety Facilities.
o Gave the Development Stage Approval
for a residential Planned Unit
Development at 20025 Manor Road
o Approved a Conditional Use Permit
for an Activity Center/Classroom for
Excelsior Covenant Church.
VVater Quality
Properly Dispose of Pet
Waste Before the Thaw
S HOREWOOD DOG OWNERS should make
a special effort to pick up dog waste in
their yards before the spring thaw begins.
Pet feces left on lawns during the thaw,
and during the rain storms that follow,
may cause pollution or health problems.
The pollutants from improperly disposed
pet waste can be washed into storm drains
by rain or melting snow. Storm drains
empty directly into our lakes and wetlands
without any treatment.
Once in the water, pet waste can
decrease the quality of water. As pet waste
decays it uses up oxygen in water, then
releases ammonia. This combined with
wann temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste
also contains nutrients that stimulate the
growth of algae and weeds. When algae
and weeds are present, the water becomes
cloudy and green, which makes the water
unattractive for swimming, boating
and fishing. Pet waste may also contain
bacteria which can make water unsafe for
swimming.
The easiest way to dispose of pet waste
is to put waste in a sealed plastic bag in
your trash.
wwwci.shorewood.mn.us
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PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #30681
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
CITY OF SHOREWOOD
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS · 1956-2006
5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
SHOREWOOD, MN 55331
(952)474.3236 FAX (952)474.0128
Monday - Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM
Council Members
Christine Lizee, Mayor; Richard Woodruff, Ward 1; Laura Turgeon, Ward 2; Paula Callies, Ward 3; Martin Wellens, Ward 4
City Administrator: Craig Dawson ... Newsletter Editor: Julie Moore
SAVE PAPER AND MAILING COSTS!
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHORE REPORT BY E-MAIL: C1TYHALL@C1.SHOREWOOD.MN.US
City of Shorewood Ward Map
Planning
Commission
The following item is on
the Planning Commission
Agenda for the February
6, 2007:
1. The Shorewood Yacht Club, located at
600 West Lake Street, is requesting
an amendment to their Conditional
Use Pennit to allow an additional dock
for the storage of the Excelsior Fire
District's firelrescue powerboat. A
public hearing will be held at 7 PM.
W1 P1: Ward 1. Precinct 1
W1 P2: Ward 1, Precinct 2
W2P1: Ward 2, Precinct 1
W3P1: Ward 3, Precinct 1
W4P1: Ward 4, Precinct 1
X Pcll:ng Pla::c
Pucllc Safi:t'l
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Shorewood \Vine Club
~r
S HOREWOOD WINE CLUB is kicking off its 2007 season with a
wine tasting, Saturday, February 3, 1-3 PM at the Southshore
Center. Members of the Wine Club receive complimentary tasting
ofa variety of wines, including selections of warm sake and mulled
wme.
Membership to the Shorewood Wine Club includes several free
wine tasting events per year, including a cruise on the Queen of
Excelsior in July. Members also get discounts on wine purchases at either Shorewood
Liquor Store, increased discounts on purchases the night of Wine Club events, and the
opportunity to attend a yearly gourmet wine dinner.
For a wine club application, please stop by either Shorewood Liquor location, 23670
Highway 7, or 19905 Highway 7. You may also download an application from the
City of Shorewood web site, www.ci.shorewoodmnus. For more information about
Shorewood Wine Club, call Shorewood Liquor, 952/474-6869.
I....
THE SHonE REPOnr I FEBRUARY 2007