January 2005 Shore ReportJanuary OO5
Gideon Glen Underway
I�
a�
�a3
9
.atom Plans
INSIDE
Park News ..................
Board /Commission Opps....
. ,
Council Activities ...........
Legend
Planning Notes .............
3
Christmas Tree Disposal .....
A. Wetland Live Plants
Public Hearings /Map........
B. Wetland Seed Mix
C. Transition Seed Mix
D and E. Wildflowers and
grasses
INSIDE
Park News ..................
Board /Commission Opps....
Council Activities ...........
3
Planning Notes .............
3
Christmas Tree Disposal .....
4
Public Hearings /Map........
4'
� / n o
X'*u the r 33 >804
N OTICEABLE CHANGES IN the landscape are
occurring at Gideon Glen, the City's 5.8-
acre property just north of the County Road 19/
Country Club Road intersection. Contractors
began removing trees and grading the east side
of the property shortly after the City Council
awarded the contract for the intersection project.
There will be a short frontage road/driveway to
serve the commercial property to the south. Then
the land will begin to slope to a stormwater pond
that needs to be provided for the intersection
project. The area between County Road 19 and
the pond will be planted with a mix of 25 to 30
grasses and wildflowers.
2005 Budget
Approved
T HE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED the 2005
Budget and property tax levy at its
December 13 meeting. Highlights of the
proposed budget were presented in the
l?.ecember Shore Report. Detailed budget
information is available at City Hall. Please
contact the Finance Department, 952/474-
3236, with comments or questions.'
In January or February, the degraded 0.6-
acre wetland in the middle of the property will
be excavated to restore the original one -acre
wetland. It is part of wet black ash swamp,
which is a rare wetland plant community
in the Twin. Cities. In the spring, crushed
limestone will be placed on a trail that will
lead to interpretive overlooks.
The rear of the property will be preserved as
a maple- basswood remnant of the Big Woods
that dominated this part of Minnesota.
This project has required coordination and
integration of planning for the County Road 19
project and the MCWD's wetland restoration
project, both on the City's land.
et and
THE SHORE REPORT/JANUARY 2005
Parks News
Commission
Openings
P OSITIONS ON THE Planning and Park
Commissions are open for application
to interested Shorewood residents through
4:30 PM, Friday, January 21.
Both Commissions act as advisory
hoards to the City Council. The Planning
Commission meets the first and third
Tuesdays of each month; the Park
Commission meets on the second Tuesday
of each month. Additional meetings are
sometimes needed. Questions about the
role of a Commissioner may be answered
by calling City Hall, 952/474 -3236. The
Council will appoint the positions in
February and terms begin March 1,
2005.
If you are interested in serving a three -
year term on either Commission, please
submit a letter of interest and/or a resume
to:
Craig Dawson, City Administrator
City of Shorewood
5755 Country Club Road
Shorewood, MN 55331
FAX: 952/474 -0128
E -mail: cityhall @ci.shorewood.mn.us
I CE RINKS AND WARWNG houses Will be
open at Cathcart, Badger and Manor
Parks. Hours the following hours for
2005:
Monday -Friday 3:30 PM — 9 PM
Saturday 11 AM — 9 PM
Sunday Noon — 9 PM
Holidays 10 AM — 9 PM
Closing times may vary slightly if the
rink is not in use or an attendant is not
available. Warming houses will be posted
when closed.
A Note to Parents
Please make sure that arrangements
are made for picking your skater up
before closing times, as telephones are
not available at the warming houses.
Hennepin County has a 10 PM curfew
regulation for juveniles 14 and younger.
This will be enforced at the skating rinks.
If you have any questions or comments
regarding rink operations, please call City
Hall at 952/474-3236.0'
Southshore Senior Center
events can be found this
month on the City web
site, or by calling 952/474-
7635.
Council on Cable
TILL LAKE MINNETONKA CABLE COMMISSION
(LMCC PROVIDES LOCAL CABLE! ACCESS
SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SHOREWOOD. CITY
COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST ON CABLE
CHANNEL 8.
A COMPLETE LIST OF TIMES SHOREWOOD
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE, BROADCAST CAN
BE FOUND AT IflI'W.LMCC- T6:0RG- -CLICK ON
CHANNEL 8.
YOU MAY ALSO GET PLAYBACK TIMES BY
CALLING THE LMCC OFFICE AT 952/471-
7275.
www.ci.Shorewood.mn.us
Volunteer Board Opportunities
A S A RESIDENT OF SHOREWOOD, you have many opportunities to make a difference
in the community by volunteering to serve on one of a variety of local boards
and commissions. Volunteers on these boards can have a great impact on the future of
their community. These positions are appointed by the Shorewood City Council, and
most require only a one year commitment. If you are interested in one of the following
positions for the 2005 term, please send a letter of interest by Monday, January 10 to:
City of Shorewood, Attn: Craig Dawson, 5755 Country Club Road, Shorewood, MN
55331; FAX: 952/474 -0128; E -mail: cityhall @ci.shorewood.mn.us.
MCESAdvisory Council
Open to Minnetonka School District #276 residents, this council advises, promotes and
supports MCES programs, services and budgets. Meetings are open to district residents.
This Council is being restructured, and its meeting schedule will be determined. (See
http: / /www minnetonka..k]2. mn. uslmces/advisogcounciL html for more information.)
LMCC Board
The Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission strives to ensure appropriate
cable communications standards to its cities'residents. All meetings are held the third
Tuesday of the month at 5 PM, with the full committee meeting 4 times per year, and
the Executive Committee meeting 8 times per year. Meetings are open to the public.
(See http://wwwlmcc-tv.org for more information.)
LMCD Board
The Lake Minnetonka Conservation District Board of Directors reviews various
license application requests (special events permits, multiple docks, charter boats,
etc.), considers studies of lake issues, takes measures to control Eurasian Watermilfoil
and other exotic species, and considers other lake- management issues. Meetings are
open to the public and are at 7 PM on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
(See www.Imcd.org for more information.)
Watershed District Board Position
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District is appointed by the Hennepin and Carver
county boards. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each
month. If you are interested in applying for a position on this board, please contact
MCWD at 952/471 -0590, or e-mail at admin @minnehahacreek.org. (See http:
Pwwwminnehahaereek.org /hydro wtrshd info.php for more information.) l
K
Planning /Park On the Ice .. .
Planning Commission Notes
HE CITY'S ZONING code
regulates how residents
can make use of their
properties. For example, the
code specifies how far from a
lot line a property owner can
build a home or accessory
structure. It states what
percentage of the property
can be taken up by hardcover
(that is, structures, driveways, sidewalks,
etc.). It delineates the minimum size of
lots within the various zoning districts,
and so on. The zoning code is designed to
provide a clear, objective set of rules that
are applied to all residents equally.
Occasionally, residents will wish to
develop their properties in ways that are
not in compliance with the code. In that
case, they are required to approach the
City and request a variance — that is, an
exception to the zoning code. Variance
requests are handled first by the Planning
Commission in a public hearing. The
Commission will pass a recommendation
on to the City Council, which makes the
final determination.
By state law the Commission is required
to determine that three criteria are met
before recommending that the City
Council approve a variance.
• Undue Hardship. The owner cannot
make "reasonable" use of the property
without the variance. (Cost considerations
cannot constitute a hardship.)
• Uniqueness. The particular situation
must be highly unusual and not be created
by the current (or previous) property
owners' actions.
• Suitability. The variance must not
alter the essential character of the
neighborhood.
By construction, these criteria are difficult
to satisfy, particularly the hardship
criterion.
In the past seven years, 49 variance
requests have appeared before the
Commission, with 43 involving residential
properties and 6 involving commercial
properties. Of the 49 requests, only 14
were actually denied. However, that figure
understates the likelihood of success in
a variance request. Many initial variance
applications actually do not
make it to the Commission.
The City's Planning
Director will recognize
that the request is unlikely
to be viewed as meeting
the three criteria and will
attempt to dissuade the
applicant from continuing
and incurring the expense
of formally applying for the variance.
The vast majority of the successful
variance requests involve older properties
that were platted before the City's current
zoning code went into effect in the mid -
1980s. In these cases, the creation of
the current code may have created a
"non- conforming" property. That is, the
property is out of compliance right from
the start. Any changes to the property
will require a variance. For example,
there have been several examples of
older homes that lie entirely outside
of the buildable area of the lot. (The
buildable area is the portion of the lot
lying inside of the required setback
distances from the lot lines.) As a result,
any expansion would encroach into the
setbacks and hence require a variance.
Recognizing that to make reasonable
use of the property the owner of such an
older home may need some flexibility to
expand and improve his or her house,
the Commission has tended to look
favorably on the request, particularly
if the expansion is toward the buildable
area. El
Jeff Bailey, Chair
Planning Commission
Approved minutes and
upcoming agendas for
all Planning Commission
meetings are posted on
the City web site,
www.ci.shorewood.mn.us.
Meetings are open to the
public.
THE SHORE REPORTI JANUARY 2005
Council Act �f itle .
Since the most recent
newsletter, the City
Council:
• Heard a presentation on the Gideon
Glen Restoration Plan and Project.
(see article on page 1)
• Adopted an Ordinance Setting the
2005 Utility Rates. This ordinance
specifically related to municipal water
service rate changes. Rates were set at
$35.00 per quarter for the first 10,000
gallons, plus $2.95 for each 1,000
gallons in excess of 10,000 gallons
up to 50,000 gallons. An additional
$3.75 per 1,000 gallons would also be
charged for usage in excess of 50,000
gallons per quarter.
• Held several discussions regarding
the City's payment toward the South
Lake Minnetonka Police Department
Operating Budget for the Year 2005.
After several scenarios were presented
and evaluated, the City's contribution
for 2005 will be approximately
$718,000. This amount of money
continues to provide value in
services for local area residents. It
would also partially restore necessary
administrative staff, as well as
providing partial funding toward
appropriate vehicle replacement.
• Held the City's annual Truth in
Taxation Hearing on December 6.
• Approved an Ordinance for
Recodification of City Ordinances.
All City ordinances can now be
accessed through the City's web site
at www.ci.shorewood.mn.us.
• Held a Public Information Meeting
regarding the proposed Radisson
Road project. Comments are still
being received at City Hall on this
project.
• Approved a Zoning Text Amendment
for Signage within the C -1,
Commercial District.
• Approved a Zoning Text Amendment
regarding Planned Unit Development
(P.U.D.) Permitted Uses and Size. Q
3 www.ci.shorewood.mn.us
Happening
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #30681
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
W1 P1: Ward 1, Precinct 1
Wl P2: Ward 1, Precinct 2
Imo_•
Descriptions
The following item is on
the Planning Commission
Agenda for January 4,
2005:
I. The owners of 5310 Elmridge
Circle are requesting approval of
a Conditional Use Permit to allow
accessory space (attached garage)
over 1200 square feet. A public
hearing is scheduled for 7 PM.
There are no changes for
recycling collection due
to holidays in January!
Christmas Tree Disposal
BFI
C HRISTTMAs TREES WILL be picked up on January 5 and January 12, your regular
pick -up day, free of charge. The trees must be clean of lights, plastic bags and any
decorations and set out curbside. No flocked trees will be accepted. After the January 12
pick up day you must call BFI and arrange for a pick up date and there may be a charge.
Call 952/941 -5174 for more information.
Waste Management
Christmas Trees will be picked up on January 5 and January 19. The trees must be clean
of lights, plastic bags and any decorations and set out curbside. Garland and wreaths
must be free of wire backing. Flocked trees are accepted. If you pay for compost service,
Christmas tree pick up is free of charge on the two pick -up days listed; others will be
charged $5 per tree, garland and wreath. Call 1- 800 - 450 -9378 for more information.
Hennepin County
Un- decorate your Christmas tree before composting. Lights, tinsel, wire, nails, ornaments,
tree stands and plastic bags cannot be composted. For drop-off sites call Hennepin County
Environmental Services at 612/348 -3777 or visit web site: www.Hennepin. mn and enter
keywords "yard waste fact sheet ".
THE SHORE REPORT / JANUARY 2005
CITY OF SHOREWOOD
5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
6'r
'.
�� ,{^ kq r
STiORK.W N 5533
d
0
a
1 952?4 74.3236 FAX (952)474.01 28
o
E
6
Monday - Friday Et AM to 4.30 Pry
o
0
M
m
3
�
0
Council Members
s CG
Woody Lore, Mayor
Christine Lizibe,1 and I
&
Laura Turgeon, Ward 2
•
....
Paula 0allles, Ward 3
W
Marty Wellens, Ward 4
o
M
_
E
L
City Administrator: Craig Rawson
a
Newsletter Editor: Julie Moore
This newsletter is printed on recycled paper.
Happening
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #30681
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
W1 P1: Ward 1, Precinct 1
Wl P2: Ward 1, Precinct 2
Imo_•
Descriptions
The following item is on
the Planning Commission
Agenda for January 4,
2005:
I. The owners of 5310 Elmridge
Circle are requesting approval of
a Conditional Use Permit to allow
accessory space (attached garage)
over 1200 square feet. A public
hearing is scheduled for 7 PM.
There are no changes for
recycling collection due
to holidays in January!
Christmas Tree Disposal
BFI
C HRISTTMAs TREES WILL be picked up on January 5 and January 12, your regular
pick -up day, free of charge. The trees must be clean of lights, plastic bags and any
decorations and set out curbside. No flocked trees will be accepted. After the January 12
pick up day you must call BFI and arrange for a pick up date and there may be a charge.
Call 952/941 -5174 for more information.
Waste Management
Christmas Trees will be picked up on January 5 and January 19. The trees must be clean
of lights, plastic bags and any decorations and set out curbside. Garland and wreaths
must be free of wire backing. Flocked trees are accepted. If you pay for compost service,
Christmas tree pick up is free of charge on the two pick -up days listed; others will be
charged $5 per tree, garland and wreath. Call 1- 800 - 450 -9378 for more information.
Hennepin County
Un- decorate your Christmas tree before composting. Lights, tinsel, wire, nails, ornaments,
tree stands and plastic bags cannot be composted. For drop-off sites call Hennepin County
Environmental Services at 612/348 -3777 or visit web site: www.Hennepin. mn and enter
keywords "yard waste fact sheet ".
THE SHORE REPORT / JANUARY 2005